Abdominal Diet

In addition to being unsightly, belly fat is a risk factor for many major diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Exercises for the abdomen can be effective, but you can only exercise the muscles--if a layer of fat exists on top, you will still have a less-than-flat abdomen. Keep on crunching, but also incorporate some diet strategies to blast that ab fat!

Eat Less

• Eat less of foods that promote belly bloat and the accumulation of abdominal fat. Processed white flours are a big offender--your system metabolizes the sugar in a fluffy white bagel the same way it does a big chocolate fudge sundae. The nutrient value is low, and the extra fat goes right to your middle.

  Gas producers, like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower--although extremely good for you--can defeat your efforts to have a flat abdomen. Limit your consumption of these foods to one serving, or chase them with a digestive enzyme that assists your body in breaking down the offending compounds that create the bloat. Take note of your dairy intake as well. If you tend to be lactose intolerant, any milk intake (this includes ice cream and some fatty cheeses) can cause bloating and abdominal discomfort.

  Soy, a so-called power food, can also cause gas and bloating in a lot of people. Observe how your abdomen reacts after taking in soy products, and you might find limiting them helps ward off the bloat.

  Artificial sweeteners may be low calorie and seem to be an ally in your belly fat burning goals. They can, in fact, undermine your efforts. Sorbitol in particular is known to create gastrointestinal discomfort and bloating. Others can trick your system. Rats fed artificially sweetened yogurt, compared to others that were fed sugar-sweetened yogurt, actually ate more and gained more overall fat in the long run as reported in a study published by Behavioral Neuroscience. Researchers hypothesize that your metabolism and hunger receptors may not react normally to artificial sweeteners, and so you end eating more and not burning calories as efficiently. This can lead to increased belly fat.

  Alcohol creates an issue for your belly flattening attempts. Only a small portion of alcohol's calories are converted to fat, but, alcohol disinhibits you, making you more likely to take in extra calories than you normally would. Alcohol also appears to decrease the ability of the body to burn fat.

Eat More

• Include more of certain foods in your diet to encourage a healthy weight and discourage the development of belly fat. Green vegetables provide you with antioxidants that help fight free radicals in your body. Because they are low in calories, you can eat a lot of them without packing in tons of calories. They also contain lots of fiber, which helps keep things moving and can help battle bloating.

  Lean proteins give your body the fuel to help with muscle synthesis. Chicken, turkey and very lean cuts of beef are also low in saturated fat--the fat you want to avoid.

  Nuts, peanut butter and olive oil contain lots of healthy monounsaturated fats. Use these fats instead of butter, cream cheese or vegetable oils, because your body and taste buds need some fat--but the healthy kinds are less likely to go straight to your waistline. Nuts can be great sources of protein and can help keep you feeling full longer--squelching cravings.

  Whole grain breads and cereals (particularly oatmeal) are another great source of fiber and also serve to fill you up. They take longer for your body to digest and contain more nutrients than white flour products. This means they are better used by your body and are less likely to turn into belly fat.

Other Simple Strategies

• Eat small meals often. Aim for at least five 300 to 400 calorie meals. These smaller meals prevent the bloat and distension that occurs from stuffing yourself. Also, the body metabolizes this amount of food more efficiently, so less may be stored as belly fat. Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated and full. Water also cleans out the system.