Fitness fact: crunches alone won’t get rid of that dreaded ab flab. It turns out that what you pack on your plate is just as important as routinely flexing your midsection. It’s true, you can crunch yourself silly, but unless you’re fueling up with the right kinds of foods, you’ll never achieve a sleek and sexy midriff. We’ve rounded up the top belly-fat busting snacks that help banish the bloat and melt away those pesky paunch pounds:
Almonds
Munching on a handful of these protein and fibre-rich nuts daily will not only keep you feeling full, but can also make the most out of your workout by delivering a shot of magnesium—a mineral needed to build and maintain lean muscle.
Peanuts
Tasty, protein-packed peanuts help fight weight gain and curb cravings by keeping you feeling full and satisfied. Just make sure you pick up the plain variety to get all the benefits minus the belly ballooning salt.
Eggs
Besides being one of the best sources of protein around, eggs provide essential amino acids needed to build muscle fibres, and keep hunger at bay. Try to aim for one egg a day, or seven eggs a week (unless you have high cholesterol, in which case, you should ask your doctor what’s best for you).
Turkey
Low in calories and high in protein, turkey helps preserve muscle mass as you drop pounds, and keeps overeating in check by filling you up while also boosting your metabolism.
Kale
No matter how you eat it, this iron-rich anti-inflammatory will help keep you bloat-free while its flavanoid status will turn your body into a fat-burning powerhouse.
Low-fat Yogurt
Load up on workout-fueling calcium and keep your digestive system happy and your stomach flat with one to three cups of unsweetened, low-fat yogurt daily.
Oatmeal
Help meet your daily target of twenty-five grams of bloat-banishing and hunger satisfying fibre by warming up with a bowl of homemade, whole grain oatmeal.
Salmon
This uber-healthy protein helps rebuild muscle while providing a dose of fat-burning omega-3. Get your ab-friendly fill by eating two four-ounce servings per week.
Garlic
Reduce fat levels in your liver, detoxify and de-bloat your system while adding a little spice to your cooking with this tasty herb.
Blueberries
Add a handful of these fibre-packed antioxidants to anything from cereal to salads to help keep you feeling full longer, deliver oxygen to your muscles and boast a bloat-free belly.
Watermelon
Water-rich fruits like watermelon—which is ninety-two percent H20—flush all excess fluid out of your system, leaving you with a sleeker middle.
Apples
Try an apple (or two) a day to reap the rewards of the bloat-banishing and hunger controlling combo of fibre and water. To add a dose of protein, try smoothing a tablespoon of almond butter over apple slices.
Cucumbers
This metabolism-fueling and hydrating veggie is great sliced up in salads and wraps, or on its own, dipped in plain greek yogurt or hummus.
Avocados
Adding healthy monounsaturated fats to your diet—found in this nutrient and fiber-rich fruit—actually helps fight off the pounds. Just half of an avocado contains around ten grams of this superhero fat.
Green tea
It’s been said that drinking three cups of green tea a day can help rev up your body’s overall calorie burning power. What’s more, is the three pounds you’ll shed yearly just from simply sipping it.
Homemade Smoothies
Boost your workout results by whipping up a delicious and nutritious smoothie, pre, or post sweat session. Combine the muscle-friendly, energizing and fat-torching power of flat belly foods by using ingredients like almond milk, organic peanut butter, berries and yogurt.
