Whether you want to admit it or not, there are some foods that, no matter what, go directly to the gut and cause what feels like almost instant weight gain. Yes, we’re talking about dreaded belly fat.
There is a reason we all hate belly fat – we all know how hard it is to get rid of it when it comes up.
This type of weight gain is called “deep adipose tissue” and it can even lead to some more serious problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
Where your body stops storing excess calories because fat is due to your hormones, and some unhealthy foods trigger the exact hormonal response. You could say they hit you in the gut – literally.
So what foods are some of the “insta-stomach” sins? Here is a breakdown of the foods and beverages that are the biggest culprits to give you lasting belly fat. Read on, and for more on how to become your healthiest, check out these 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.
If you think that not all bread is bad, you’re right. It is very refined, white bread that should be avoided when working to lose belly fat. Studies has shown that eating whole grains can actually lower visceral fat in your stomach, but eating refined grains leads to more. Are you looking for more useful tips? Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox!
If you want to get your beach body back, you should cut out sugary drinks and replace them with diet versions, right? Sorry, but that’s just wrong. Many studies has found a link between consumption of diet drinks and broader waist measurements. What’s more, diet soda drinkers have a higher percentage of stomach flab than those who do not drink the drink, a study in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society was found. Why? Researchers believe that diet drinks can overestimate how many calories they “save” and then eat too much.
Soup instead on some white tea. This brew blocks the formation of new fat cells and helps the body break down stored fat, according to a Nutrition & Metabolism study. This means that it is more difficult for your body to store excess calories in the body even when you are overflowing.
It’s natural, it’s packed with vitamin C – what could be wrong? While 100% fruit juice is a better choice than sweet drinks like Sunny D, even the all-natural stuff still packs up to 36 grams of sugar per cup – about the same amount of sugar you would get if you ate four Krispy Kreme glazed donuts. In addition, most of the sweetness in juices comes from fructose, a type of sugar that is associated with the development of visceral adipose tissue – yes, it is belly fat.
Instead, the best option is to stick to regular H2O. But there is a way to add a little flavor to these cups of water. You can add fresh sliced fruits like oranges and grapefruit. The key, however, is to keep the shells on: citrus peel is rich in the antioxidant d-limonene, a powerful compound that helps flush toxins out of the body and allows it to release stored visceral fat.
Wait – do not throw your steak knife at us yet! Studies show that eating the right cut of steak can actually help you get to the middle of your waistline. But rib-eye, along with T-bone and the New York Strip, is one of the three fattest cuts. Researchers from a study found Consuming a diet rich in fatty, fresh red meat is positively associated with abdominal obesity and larger waist measurements.
Let’s start by making it clear that not all chocolate is bad. In fact, dark chocolate swims in health benefits, and according to a study published in Heart, Eating up to 3.5 ounces of chocolate a day can help reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, it can help reduce belly fat! But it is milk chocolate that is the problem. Milk chocolate cakes are filled with sugar and usually pack lots of calories. One American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study showed that the foods associated with the greatest weight gain were chocolate cakes. Just make sure you stay away from those milk chocolate cakes!
Again, when it comes to canned soups, you will want to make sure you make the right choice. See, there are plenty of soup alternatives that sneak in lots of sodium, which not only causes stomach upset but can actually increase your appetite and hinder your ability to know when you are drunk.
In the competition to find the worst possible food for your stomach, Harvard researchers think they have a winner. It is not just that potato chips are saturated with saturated fat, which causes fat gain in the abdomen. It’s not just that they are crusted with salt, which causes bloating in the middle. It’s not even a pure calorie game – there are plenty of more caloric snacks out there. What makes potato chips so epically bad for the stomach is not what they have, but what they lack: the ability to make you feel satisfied. A handful of chips can be turned into a large empty bag in no time.
Coffee itself is not bad for your waistline, but if you often sip frozen coffee drinks, you have just encountered your problem. For the most part, these high-calorie drinks are filled with sugar and dairy products. Plus, a 2017 study published in Public health found that almost 70% of coffee drinks had their cup of Joe with calorie additives including sugar and cream.
Although there are some vegetables sprinkled on top, it is important to remember that pizza is still, well, pizza. It is the second largest contributor of saturated fat to the American diet (just below the cheese itself), and most slices earn half a day’s worth of the arterial stopper. Researchers have found that unlike other fats, the saturated variety is most likely to be stored in the stomach. You really want to avoid one of the unhealthiest pizzas in America, that’s for sure.
Some people see the label “low fat” and think it is the healthier option. But don’t let the tricky terminology fool you. These muffins and candies are usually filled with processed flour, tend to be high in sugar and can also have a lot of sodium. These are all components that replenish belly fat. No thanks!
Pretzels seem to be a better option than potato chips, and we already know that chips are not allowed. Sorry to disappoint, but pretzels are just as bad, as they are filled with salt. A study published in Journal of Nutrition even revealed how salt confuses the biological processes that tell you when you are drunk. Basically, you just stop eating more, which leads to weight gain, and it goes directly to your stomach.
Not all cereals are bad, but the sweet, colorful type that you probably ate a child? These are the things that will lead to excess belly fat. Lots of grains contain a lot of sugar, but still low in fiber and protein, so soon you will feel hungry again. Plus eating a healthy breakfast every day can help you lose weight faster. A study found that 78% of participants who lose 30 kg or more kept the weight off by eating breakfast daily. As long as you eat the right breakfast!
Every fat-laden bad carb party will make you gain weight, but there is something almost magical about the effects of fried spud on your body’s fat storage system. And by magic we do not mean in a good way. See, a longitudinal Harvard study found that people who ate french fries regularly gained more than three kilograms of body weight every four years; during the study, the french fries ate 13 pounds of stomach flab just from french fries!
So what can you have instead? Homemade sweet potato fries baked, not fried. A simple change that keeps the belly fat away.
This one is sad to see, but refilling ice cream every night will not help you lose that weight – it will make you pack more. And why is that so? Because of all the sugar you consume, ice cream is a carbohydrate-rich food, and if you happen to eat very refined carbohydrates, this can result in belly fat deposition, Edwina Clark, RD, APD explained to us in another article. So maybe it’s best not to eat a pint every night. . .
