By Bari Auerbach….
If developing firm, defined abs tops your list of fitness goals, your abs diet grocery list should include the following nutrientdense foods that can help burn body fat and build lean muscle.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is an ideal breakfast choice for an abs diet. The soluble fiber in oatmeal and other whole grain products such as brown rice and high-fiber cereals can prevent abdominal fat buildup, reduce total body fat and waist circumference. A 2008 study published in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” shows obese adults on a weight-loss diet eating four to seven daily servings of whole grain foods lost twice as much abdominal fat as those eating refined counterparts.
Turkey or Chicken Breast
Lean proteins like turkey and chicken breast are absolutely among the best foods to include in an abs diet. Eating quality lean proteins can help facilitate fat loss by slowing down digestion and insulin production, thus making it easier for the body to break down and use stored fat for energy.
Eggs
Eggs are an excellent source of protein containing vitamin B12 needed by the body to metabolize fat. Fitness model Tosca Reno, author of “The Eat-Clean Diet” recommends eating at least three or four egg whites along with one yolk.
Wild Salmon
Wild salmon has fewer growth hormones and toxins than its farm-raised cousin, and contains high levels of essential omega-3- fatty acids (EFA’s) that can help suppress appetite, prevent fat deposition, increase energy expenditure and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Nuts
Nuts including almonds, pecans, peanuts and walnuts are good sources of monounsaturated fat (MUFAs) that promote fullness and help increase metabolic rate. Research conducted by David Katz, MD, director of Yale’s Prevention Research Center, shows women who switched to a 1,600-calorie, high-MUFA diet shed a third of their belly fat in within a month.
Low-Fat Milk
Calcium in milk and other dairy products such as yogurt and cheese can help boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. Researchers at the University of Tennessee found overweight people consuming three servings a day of calciumrich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet with less diary servings. For the abs diet, always pick lowfat or fat-free dairy over the full-fat versions.
Green Vegetables Vegetables
like spinach and broccoli are very low-cal and high in soluble fiber, which acts as a cleanser for the digestive system. Vegetables also supply an abundance of cell-repairing antioxidants that provide vitamins and enzymes needed for energy metabolism that can help slim your middle.
Berries
Raspberries, blueberries and strawberries are loaded with antioxidants and fiber. For every gram of fiber consumed, approximately seven calories can be eliminated, according to research conducted at Germany’s University of Kiel, Department of Human Nutrition and Food Science published in “The Journal of Nutriton” in 1990.
Green Tea
Drinking at least three cups of green tea daily can help burn 80 more calories thanks to antioxidants that can help induce breakdown of fat.. A study published in the “Journal of Nutrition” on December 11, 2008 found that green tea, along with exercise can especially enhance fat loss in the abdominal area.
