WebMD Feature from "Prevention" Magazine
You can't down 3,000 calories a day and expect to lose your belly, but calories aren't the entire story. Certain foods seem to pack pounds on the midsection: Last fall, experts from the ongoing Framingham Nutrition Studies reported that women who ate almost 400 fewer daily calories but chose the least nutritious foods had a 2 1/2 times higher risk of abdominal obesity than those who ate that much more but made better choices. They also had dramatically higher risk of such serious health issues as type 2 diabetes and heart attacks, says Barbara Millen, DPH, the study's director of nutritional research. You don't have to "diet": Just fold these strategies into your life and watch ab flab pare down.
1. Eat fruits and vegetables. Especially orange ones. Women trimmed their waists by replacing refined grains like white bread and simple or added sugar with carbs from fruits and vegetables, according to the latest review from Copenhagen University Hospital.
Besides packing in the fiber, which keeps you feeling full longer, researchers suspect it's the rich antioxidants, such as vitamin C and beta-carotene, that ward off ab fat. Carrots, cantaloupe, squash, and peaches are great sources of beta-carotene, while oranges, berries, and kiwi provide a good dose of C. To keep calories down, pick veggies, like bell peppers, before fruits, and choose fruits over juice.
Continue reading this article in our
Articles section.
(0)