Flat Stomach Diet Plan

The best way to trim the flab from your midsection is to cut back on calories and eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout each day. Exercise also plays a big role because you continue to burn calories even after you're done. The good news is, you don't need to starve yourself to possess a flat belly. You just need to make wise choices.

Start with Breakfast

• Studies have proven that eating breakfast actually assists in losing weight. This does not mean a big breakfast of eggs, bacon and pancakes. It just means getting something healthy in your system before you begin your day. If you want a flat belly, good breakfast choices include low-fat yogurt and fruit, or a bowl of high-fiber cereal and skim milk, or if you're in a hurry, a low-calorie protein shake.

Add a Snack

• Small, healthy breakfasts can help you lose weight, but they do little when the idea is to curb hunger. So it's OK - even important - to add a light snack between breakfast and lunch. This, of course, will help you avoid overeating at lunch or feel like you are depriving yourself. So grab an apple, banana, or some grapes or raisins to munch on while you wait for your lunch break.

Do Lunch

• If you follow the pre-lunch plan and fill up with sweet-tasting fruits, cereal and yogurt, you might be craving something salty. With that in mind, a good, healthy, low-calorie lunch may consist of a small salad with low-calorie dressing, topped with carrots, tomatoes and maybe even some light tuna (go easy on the mayo, with no more than one tablespoon per cup of tuna). And believe or not, you can substitute the salad with an everyday sandwich of lean turkey or chicken breast, lettuce, tomato and mustard. Go for wheat or other whole grain bread instead of white because wheat typically has fewer calories and always has more fiber.

Snack Again

• If you ate a small lunch, chances are you won't make it to dinner without some hunger pangs. So it's OK to snack again. The best time is the midway point between lunch and dinner. Go for another piece of fruit, or perhaps some celery or broccoli with low-fat, low-calorie vegetable dip. And the best news is, when it comes to fruits and vegetables, you can eat as much as you would like - provided they are not coated in caramel or fattening ranch dressing.

Dinner Time

• Dinner will no longer be your biggest meal of the day if you want to flatten your belly. In fact, it should be the same size as the others. Some good dinner ideas are a serving of baked chicken or broiled salmon, with a side of cooked vegetables or a salad. Each serving should be about the size of your fist, and again, a key is to use only light dressings and sauces. Try using soy sauce, tomato sauce or cream of mushroom soup on your chicken or fish for added flavor.