You’ve heard that “abs are made in the kitchen,” meaning that a healthy diet is the key to revealing those tight, toned abs that are hidden under that little layer of fat. Adding these 6 “flat-belly” superfoods to your diet will have you looking fABulous in no time!
Avocado
Eat fat to lose fat! As counterintuitive as it sounds, eating fat is necessary for the body to release fat. The healthy monounsaturated fats found in avocado help slow down the digestion and absorption of food, and thus stopping the high blood sugar peaks that can signal your body to store fat around your midsection.
Add half of an avocado to a colorful salad, mash the avocado with chopped tomatoes and dip in raw veggies, or spread half an avocado and a dash of black pepper over two slices of whole-grain toast for a flat-ab snack.
Green Tea
Exercise isn’t the only way you can burn the fat; the compound ECGC found in green tea makes it easier for your body to burn fat. You can shed about 3 pounds a year just by adding this super brew to your daily diet!
Yogurt
Not all bacteria is harmful! Yogurt is chock-full of probiotics – aka good bacteria in your gut which crowd out other bugs that can cause bloating and other uncomfortable gastrointestinal issues that prevent you from looking (and feeling!) your best. Be sure to look for “Live and Active Cultures” on the label to ensure you’re getting the benefits of probiotics.
Blueberries
Their superpower lies in their antioxidants. Fueling up with these delicious berries before a workout can give you a much needed boost to step it up and torch more calories. Antioxidants help improve blood flow – which delivers more oxygen to your muscles and allowing you to work harder and longer.
Bulgur
Step aside, brown rice – there’s a new superfood in town! Whole grains help to maintain a steady blood sugar, unlike “white” refined grains which cause a rapid rise and fall of insulin, leading to increased fat storage. Bulgur is a stand-out grain for its nutritional profile, containing 4 grams of fiber and only 76 calories per half-cup. Click here for recipes using bulgur!
Chocolate Milk
Yes, you can still have chocolate milk while on a diet! The key is to drink it at the right time. Because of its natural optimal 3-to-1 carbohydrate to protein ratio, it makes the perfect post-workout drink to repair and build muscles. And the more muscle you build, the more calories you burn just doing nothing!
To keep it healthy, mix 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder or syrup that has less than 20 grams of sugar to a cup of skim milk, and drink up!
Add these foods to your diet and you’ll have washboard abs in no time!