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Diets That Help Trim Your Waist

Ridding your waist of those extra pounds is not only good for your figure, but good for your health as well. Excess belly fat can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and certain forms of cancer. To help trim your waist, a low-calorie diet combined with a healthy exercise program is a must. Foods to include in your waist trimming diet are whole grains, lean proteins and foods rich in monounsaturated fats.

  1. Whole Grains

    • According to a 2008 study conducted by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, people who incorporate whole grains into low-calorie diets lose more belly fat than those eating low-calorie diets with refined grains instead. The study showed, those who ate refined grains did lose weight but did not lose belly fat. To help target fat around the waist, replace refined grain foods such as white bread, white rice and white flour pastas with whole grain foods such as whole wheat bread, wheat pasta and brown rice. The study also showed eating whole grains may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

    Monounsaturated Fats

    • Monounsaturated fats are heart-healthy and may be effective for targeting belly fat. Liz Vaccariello, Cynthia Sass and David L. Katz M.D. MPH, authors of the book, "The Flat Belly Diet," promote eating monounsaturated fats for trimming the waistline, saying they're "proven to fight belly fat." Citing a 2007 study published in Diabetes Care, they recommend combining monounsaturated rich foods, such as nuts, seeds, olives, avocado and canola oil, with a low calorie diet. The American Heart Association, however, recommends eating monounsaturated fats in moderation---using them to replace unhealthy saturated fats in your diet. Monounsaturated fats contain nine calories per gram, much higher than the calorie content of carbohydrates and proteins.

    Lean Proteins

    • According to clinical dietitian Bonnie Gluck, M.S., R.D., in a CNNhealth.com article, eating lean red meat, such as ground sirloin, can make trimming the waistline easier to manage. Proteins take longer to digest, Gluck points out, helping a person feel full and therefore less likely to snack. According to the same article, a study conducted by Australia's, Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization shows women following a low-calorie, high-protein diet incorporating red meat and dairy lost more weight than those following a low-calorie diet with less protein and more carbohydrates.

    Decrease Alcohol Consumption

    • Nutritionist Marcy S. Gregory, author of the book "Lose the Belly Fat," says cutting down on alcohol consumption helps trim the waistline in two important ways. For one thing, alcoholic beverages, such as beer and sweetened drinks, are high in calories and carbohydrates, producing fat which often accumulates around the belly. Alcohol is also an energy source causing the body to stop burning sugars and fats until the alcohol has been metabolized.

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