|  | Diet Nutrition | Weight Loss

Diets for Belly Bulge

High-protein, low-carb, low-fat, Mediterranean, Weight Watchers, grapefruit: the list of popular diets to lose belly fat is extensive. Many of these diets do work, until you begin to feel deprived because of dietary restrictions. Don't rely on one diet and one set of diet rules. Instead, create your own diet with foods proven to reduce fat, improve energy and overall well-being. Soy diets, low GI index diets and protein diets contain foods good for your health and good for your taste buds.

  1. Soy Diets

    • Add soy to your diet. According to German scientists, women who eat one soy snack daily can lose up to 29 pounds in six months. A study by researchers at Brigham Young University reported that women who make soy a part of their diet lose twice as much belly fat as women who do not (see Reference 1).

    Low GI Index Diets

    • Eating the right food before exercising is key to losing more belly fat. Research published in the Journal of Nutrition confirms women who consume foods low on the glycemic index (GI) before one-hour workout sessions burn 50 percent more calories than women who ate foods higher up on the GI index. Foods low on the GI index digest slowly, which forces the body to use stored fat as energy to fuel workouts (see Reference 2).

      There are many low GI index foods to choose from when building your daily diet plan. A few of these are rice bran, all-bran, cherries, grapefruit, prunes, apples, pears, strawberries, plums, peaches, cherries, apricots, grapes, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, red peppers, carrots, lettuce, whole-wheat spaghetti, linguine, egg fettuccini, barley, muesli, yogurt, and milk.

    Protein Diets

    • Protein diets are very restrictive. Most restrict carbohydrates, sugar, and fats in favor of muscle-building protein. Protein is more filling than other types of food and takes longer to digest. A study conducted at Louisiana State University found that eating protein decreases the likelihood you'll overeat during a meal. Study participants who ate a breakfast of eggs five times a week consumed an average of 300 fewer calories a day (see Reference 3).

      Protein fights belly fat by building lean muscle. Muscle requires more calories to maintain than fat. As the amount of muscle in the body increases, the body requires more calories to maintain current weight. Get the most out of the protein you eat without sabotaging your calorie count by selecting small servings of lean meats, chicken and fish. Combine these foods with soy and low GI index foods for a well-balanced diet that tastes as good as it works.

Weight Loss - Related Articles