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CBS/ January 17, 2011, 11:19 AM

Eight Delicious Foods That Help Fight Belly Fat

NEW YORK -- In the battle of the bulge, belly fat is an especially tough opponent. But there are actually a number of foods that are great for your taste buds and your waistline. They help you fight belly fat. And you may find this hard to believe, but they're so delicious, you probably already eat them!

On "The Early Show," Self magazine Editor in Chief Lucy Danziger not only named the foods Self highlights, she discussed some things Self says you can do without being noticed that can also help, and the opposite - things Self says you may do that can sabotage your efforts.

Belly Fat-Fighting Foods

1. Avocados

Merely half of one avocado contains 10 grams of healthy mono-saturated fats, which stop the blood sugar spikes that tell your body to store fat around your midsection.

Not only do healthy fats in avocado help thwart belly bloat, they also help our bodies better absorb carotenoids, cancer-fighting compounds found in colorful fruits and veggies like tomatoes, carrots, spinach and winter squash. In fact, people who ate salads with avocado had 15 times higher absorption of carotenoids, a study from The Ohio State University at Columbus found.

2. Bananas

The fruit packs 422 milligrams of potassium, a mineral that can help limit the amount of belly swelling sodium in your body.

3. Yogurt

A cup encourages the growth of good bacteria in your gut, throwing out other bugs that can cause bloating.

Creamy Greek yogurt is yummy, but it's also much more than that: Its combo of carbs and protein help stabilize insulin, a hormone that tells your body to store calories as fat when levels get too high.

4. Berries

Antioxidants can improve blood flow, delivering more oxygen to muscles -- so ab revealing cardio is easier. Have some yogurt and berries before your workout to get those muscles ready for action.

5. Chocolate Skim Milk

A glass teams carbohydrates with protein to promote muscle building. Drink POST workout to speed recovery. Plus, you are getting that calcium to make your bones stronger. Chocolate milk is not just for kids!

6. Green Tea

Three cups daily may rev up your metabolism and burn 30 calories, a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows. The compound ECGC in the tea makes it easier to burn fat.

7. Citrus
Supermarket shocker: Vitamin C in colorful produce, like oranges and red peppers can help you zap up to 30 percent more fat during exercise, research from Arizona State University at Mesa suggests.

8. Whole Grains

Carb lovers, Rejoice! The filling fiber in foods like oatmeal, brown rice, and bulgur aids in keeping your body's insulin levels low. Researchers speculate this may shrink fat cells. Your body absorbs and burns these more slowly for longer-lasting energy than the refined carbs in white bread and rice.

Stealthy stomach slimmers

Discreet downsizers:

While you're working out: On the elliptical or treadmill, keep your back straight, head forward and abs tight. Perfect posture will target your tummy as you sizzle calories.

When you're in the car: Tighten and release abs repeatedly at red lights. It's the ab equivalent of Kegels: a little move that yields results almost without your noticing.

When you're at your desk: Give belly pooch the pink slip with pilates breathing: Gently suck in your gut as if you were buttoning a tight pair of jeans. Then breathe without allowing your abs to relax. Do this for 30 seconds. Repeat five times, advises Michele Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Auburn University.

When you're walking Fido: Brace against leash tugging and banish your belly: Keeping torso upright with shoulders back, engage abs for five strides; relax them for five strides. Repeat until you're back at your front door, says Torri Shack, a trainer in Los Angeles. Check out your (bow) wow abs!

When you're in bed: Count on compliments, not sheep, with this mattress move: Place palms right below belly button. Exhale and allow stomach to expand. Then inhale, pulling belly button toward spine, drawing abdomen toward the box spring. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat four times.

Five Saboteurs of Sexy Stomachs:

Don't make nice. These are your ab-versaries!:

Booze: Feel free to raise a glass-but only one. Women who had one drink a day or less had a smaller belly than both teetotalers and occasional drinkers who had two or more alcoholic beverages in a sitting, a study in the Journal of Nutrition reports. We'll toast to that!

Time in front of the TV: We love a DVR-athon, too, but people who tuned in for two or more hours daily had weaker back and ab muscles (by up to 10 percent) than those who viewed less than two hours, regardless of their overall activity level, researchers from the University of Oulu note. An hour of tube time is fine, especially if it motivates you to hit the gym. Worthy of watching: Smallville's Tom "Clark Kent" Welling and Justin "Green Arrow" Hartley, whose super fly abs sure make us want to breathe heavier.

Stressing out:: Feeling frazzled and frantic? Increased levels of the hormone cortisol, a result of chronic worry, lead to excess stomach fat, research shows. To de-stress and weigh much less, learn to breathe. Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to four. Then exhale from your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat until refreshed.

That darned bread basket!: Those fluffy white rolls? They're your flat-ab foe! When facing a bread basket, check its contents before digging in. If you see whole grains, go for it-in fact, feel free to enjoy 3 ounces a day. (One slice of whole-wheat bread or 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice are each 1 ounce.) Dieters who did so lost more stomach fat than those who merely cut calories and ate refined grains, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals.

Late-night munchies: We hate to be a Debbie Downer, so think of us as Debbie Downsizer: Pass up p.m. snacks. Your body may not burn nighttime nibbles as efficiently as it does those you eat during the day, a study of high-fat diets in the journal Obesity finds. Declare "last call" two hours before bed. "If you're really hungry, have a 150-calorie snack," says self contributing expert Janis Jibrin, R.D. If not, sip tea, cut the lights and bid farewell to the fridge until morning.
Copyright 2011 CBS. All rights reserved.
17 Comments Add a Comment
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Eintel says:
I agree with all the post and comments. I just want to add a little somewhat or slightly different dimension here and that is: As you go about your diet plan, one thing that you may find yourself struggling with from time to time is late night snacking.
You're at home, bored, often alone, and there really isn't much to do. Except snack, that is. But, if you want to see successful weight loss on your diet plan, you must find a way to either overcome this late night snacking habit, or choose wisely so that it doesn't cause an offset to your progress. I have written a piece of article on this subject at this link. http://www.beautifulhealth.org/blog.html. You will love it.
Here is the link: http://*******.com/bt42dw8
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Gigikit says:
Hi,
If you want to know the reason why French People stay thin??? I am sure you heard about this French nutritionist Pierre Dukan. Please check this link : www.jdoqocy.com/click-5677562-11132652
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german_kessler says:
i find it interesting and very good to know that there are foods that help you lose belly fat. i recently came across a list of 9 other foods that can make it easier for you to keep in shape [url="http://howtolosebellyfatsoon.com/9-foods-that-help-you-loose-weight.html"]here[/url].
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german_kessler replies:
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the right page was http://howtolosebellyfatsoon.com/9-foods-that-help-you-loose-weight.html
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jaciepenny says:
These foods that fight belly fat parallels John Chatham's THE FLAT BELLY DIET, which I saw on Amazon (free, $9.99 value). He says that achieving a flat stomach is not about doing hundreds of crunches or worrying about how much you eat; it's about what you eat. The Belly Fat Diet teaches you how to eat more and weigh less, so there's no need to ever go hungry. So grab a copy from Amazon while it is still free/discounted. The price will be going up soon!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Belly-Fat-Diet-ebook/dp/B0066DUYXI/ref=zg_bs_154606011_8
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PrinceCharles1 says:
i too had problems with belly fat.. i was referred by a friend to watch a free video at http://www.nutrisculpt.com and i tried the ideas out and things have changed.. am lighter and my belly fat is gone!!
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etowahman1 says:
Great ideas - you must keep moving - burn the calories. One thing I do to help achieve my "keep moving" goals is to wear a step-counter on my belt - from the time I get up until bedtime. I try to break 10,steps a day which can involve some serious speed walking and rebounding. Just a important is the right kind of fat-burning diet. A great resource for ton of tips is www.awesomeabsfast.com - worth your time. ;-)
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fatlossfactor says:
"I used to struggle with weight loss. A friend referred me to http://nutrisculpt.com and I have gained alot of value and lost 20 pounds so far and its been a month now. I am very happy so far and recommend it to everyone"
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Atlastechnow says:
Belly fat is not entirely your fault.
http://trueabsnow.blogspot.com/
Gain knowledge on what you don't know about you. Genetics do play a part, although it should not stop you from developing a great mid section. Also, sit-ups and crunches are not the only way. Embrace the one Truth About Abs, see the start of your abs before your first crunch or sit-up. There is a better way to get the job done, become a different you. There are four principles to understand in your journey to a better you.
http://www.truthaboutabs.com/ab/?hop=atlastech
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tonestomach says:
I agree with a lot of this article. I'm a great believer in a little exercise mixed with regular protein smoothies. Just blend soya milk, banana, loads of berries, bio yoghurt and a little protein powder. Take twice a day instead of meals to lose weight and once a day to maintain it. Worked a treat for me in the past and still does now. Got a lot of good stomach exercise ideas also from http://www.tonestomach.biz
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mzprecha says:
You should be aware that eating some types of oils will help you lose belly fat. Have you checked out SafSlim? It's key ingredient is safflower oil, and test have shown it will specifically cut down on belly fat. Dr. Oz even verified that safflower oil, which is rich in Omega-6, does do the job. To learn more, I invite you to visit http://www.cutdownonbellyfat.com
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