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Are you wondering how to lose belly fat fast without crazy diets that disrupt your whole entire life and make you hate food?
We’ve all been there girl… the green smoothies, purple shakes, yellow juice cleanses and every other weird diet trend that only makes you feel blue (and still overweight!) And all you want is to get back in shape and lose that excess belly fat that keeps staring you in the face.
I feel ya!
Which is why I’m going to share with you my little secret… well okay, it’s not really a secret… but it can in fact help you finally lose that extra layer of fat that we all hate to see in our mid sections. Plus with summertime right around the corner, we could all use a little push to feel good in our bikini’s again 😉
Although the best way to lose belly fat is to simply drop a few pounds all around, as our bodies aren’t designed to target fat in one specific area when we lose weight, there are certain foods that are naturally better for targeting belly fat and seem to help reduce mid-section adipose tissue (fat) better than others. I pinpointed the top 7 foods that seem to work best for belly fat reduction and when eaten on a regular basis can actually help you lose belly fat fast… and actually keep it off!
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
POPULAR TREND ALERT!
Yes, I know it’s all the rage right now, but does apple cider vinegar burn fat? The short answer is yes! Apple cider vinegar is in fact a great fat-burning agent that really does seem to help target belly fat and slim down that waistline. Apple cider vinegar contains a chemical compound, acetic acid, which in many studies has been linked to fat reduction, specifically in the mid-section area. It also helps speed up your metabolism and forces your body to utilize fat cells as energy instead of keeping them stored in your stomach region. Another added bonus of consuming apple cider vinegar is that it helps increase the feeling of satiety, therefore making you feel fuller, faster and ultimately leading to lower calorie consumption.
Now I know I’ve said it before, in my Amazon list blog post, but please don’t just drink apple cider vinegar straight from the bottle like a drunk frat boy taking shots at a rager 😆. You’ll end up damaging your esophagus, weakening your diaphragm and getting massive heartburn and even possibly ulcers down the road if you keep subjecting yourself to the high acid content on a daily basis. That’s why I recommend taking Goli Apple Cider Vinegar gummies instead, they are super easy to eat, taste great, and you can buy them for a pretty decent price on Amazon right now!
2. Sweet Potatoes
Although they are not particularly one of my favorite foods, but I don’t write these posts just for me, sweet potatoes seem to be a favorite among many dieters which is why I added them to my list of fat burning foods. Their health benefits seem to speak for themselves as sweet potatoes boast an incredibly high vitamin A content, as well as fiber, manganese and vitamin C. But the most important nutrient in sweet potatoes that plays a huge role in its fat burning abilities is beta-carotene (the thing that makes them their signature orange color). The high amount of beta-carotene helps control blood sugar and lowers insulin resistance, which results in a more efficient use of carbohydrates present in the blood and therefore less likely to convert into body fat. This also makes them a great food for people managing diabetes, along with these four diets that are proven to help control blood sugar and properly manage diabetes.
3. Turmeric
What is turmeric good for you ask? Lots of things! But one of the most prominent health benefits it contains is its ability to help reduce belly fat, which is why of course it made the list! Turmeric contains a chemical compound called curcumin, that reduces the growth of adipose tissue, helps your body recognize and properly use the hormone insulin, and helps fight inflammation. Actually both turmeric and ginger are great for fighting inflammation; which I go into deeper in my blog posts, Foods that fight inflammation & Health benefits of Ginger, but it’s important to recognize the fact that inflammation accounts for many of our bodies’ natural health issues, and water retention and belly fat are no exception.
4. Bananas
Bananas are on the verge of being considered a superfood, and rightfully so, as they are super high in potassium, fiber and vitamin B6. They are also more abundant in calories than your average piece of fruit, making them great for an post workout treat, mid-morning pick me up or a late night snack attack. Bananas made the list of fat burning foods largely because of the indigestible fibers they contain. Such high amounts of insoluble fiber leads the body to block the absorption of carbohydrates for energy and therefore use stored fat cells instead, thus decreasing your belly fat and increasing your energy.
Sounds like a win-win to me!
5. Berries
Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries… just to mention a few… are all really great foods that burn belly fat fast. Berries are full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and plenty of other healthy nutrients but the one in particular that aids in destroying that belly fat is the antioxidant called catechins. This specific antioxidant, found most abundantly in blueberries, is responsible for kick starting the natural fat burning genes in your gut flora. Since fat cells are typically found in and around your abdomen and stomach area, that is where the fat burning gene targets, creating a slimmer and flatter looking tummy!
FYI TRY MY TRIPLE BERRY SMOOTHIE FOR A BELLY BUSTING DRINK THAT TASTES AMAZING!
6. Cayenne Pepper
Turn up the heat ya’ll because cayenne peppers are next on our list!
I know most of you probably aren’t quite this desperate yet, but hey there may come a time when a cayenne pepper is just what you need to finally destroy that extra belly fat you love to hate. Not only do these spicy little gems help your body regulate its metabolism better, but they also target belly fat by mobilizing the fat for use and thus taking it away from your stomach area. Capsaicin, the chemical compound responsible for the spicy taste and heat of the pepper, also triggers a fight or flight hormonal response which is why your metabolism speeds up when you eat a cayenne pepper thus creating the belly busting response that we absolutely adore!
7. Green Peas
Not only is belly fat an issue when trying to gain a slimmer and tighter tummy, but sometimes water retention (bloating) is to blame, especially in women. Which is why eating foods that help counteract the sodium in your body will also help you achieve a flatter stomach. Green peas being one of my favorites! Peas are full of vitamin C, potassium and magnesium which are all really great nutrients for balancing sodium intake. Americans consume a lot of salt… and I mean ALOT (approx. 3,400mg per day to be exact) so finding foods to eat that can help create some sort of equilibrium within our bodies in regards to salt intake is crucial. If you aren’t a fan of hot, soupy, mushy peas… sounds delicious right? 😛 … try eating them cold instead! I like to get a bag of frozen peas and let them thaw out, in the fridge of course, and then add them to my salad, pasta or even just eat them plain. Super easy, and super tasty!
So start busting that belly fat and get the slim waist you’ve always dreamed of with these healthy and delicious fat burning foods. Now go ahead and rock that bikini girl, because I already know you look amazing!
