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Prevention's Flat Belly Diet
The cure for belly fat requires MUFAs and no exercise - so they say.
BACKGROUND
Popular health magazine Prevention has what they call the secret to getting a flat tummy, and they claim a 91 percent success rate, which by dieting standards is phenomenal. Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, nutrition director at Prevention assembled a panel to test the diet, and everyone lost weight - 91 percent lost a significant amount of belly fat. The idea of spot reduction - targeting specific problem areas - is targeting specific problem areas - is generally a fallacy. In other words, doing a solid ab routine won't make your waistline shrink. You will have a beautiful six pack... just under whatever fat you may have around your midsection. It requires the total package of a healthy diet and exercise program. But recent research suggests that there may be one way to help target your belly fat. According to a study that appeared in Diabetes Care, by the American Diabetes Association, a diet rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFA) may help reduce abdominal fat.
Another emphasis on the program is water consumption. When you get enough water, your body runs on all cylinders, warding off fatigue and water retention. The Flat Belly Diet has users drink "Sassy Water," which is named after Prevention's nutrition director Cynthia Sass. The water includes ginger, which is good for soothing your gastrointestinal tract.
The online portion of the Flat Belly Diet program is similar to most online diets, in that it provides a way to track your progress, interact with others who are also on the plan, get your questions/concerns answered, and all around support. One problem arises with the de-emphasizing of exercise. It's an optional part of the program.
PRO
- The Flat Belly Diet offers good value for your money
- Online network
- Creator is registered medical professional
- 91% success rate in studies
CON
- It downplays the need to exercise
- Somewhat low in calories
DIET and NUTRITION
The Flat Belly Diet proudly touts that it's high in fat - good fat. The emphasis is on MUFAs, or monounsaturated fatty acids. Each of your meals include them. Examples of MUFA foodsare olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, and even chocolate. Here's a sample dinner recipe:
- 4 oz. grilled tilapia
- 1 cup steamed green beans
- 1/2 cup roasted red potatoes drizzled with olive oil
EXERCISE
The Flat Belly Diet says you can target belly fat without exercise, by purely focusing on what you're eating.
CONCLUSION
The Flat Belly Diet espouses a healthy eating plan. While it's not entirely revolutionary, it is based on some interesting new data. We've known for a while about healthy fats, but the prospects of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) targeting your midsection is exciting news. It's exciting for two reasons: the results for starters, and second, foods that are rich in monounsaturated fats are super tasty. That's a great one-two punch!
Common Misspellings
flat belley diet, flatt belly diet, flat belly deit, flatbellydiet.com, prevention flat belly diet, flat belley diet, flat belly book, belly fat diet, mufa diet
Related Diets: Prevention's Peanut Butter Diet, Low-Fat Diet, Abs Diet, Prevention's Firm Up in 3 Weeks
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Feedback to Carol's comments, regarding replacing ginger with lemon in your water. Unless you have false teeth, the lemon juice will erode the enamel from your teeth, esp if drinking this water throughout the day, every day. However, the juice from 1/2 a lemon in warm water (2 lge glasses cap) upon arising is an excellent way to rehydrate as well as a superb liver tonic, and thus another great tool in reducing belly fat.
Cheers
Laura
I have read all the comments and so many love the flat belly diet, I am wanting to try it, but where do I find it?
I love this diet! I lost 35 pounds without exercise. I went from a size 20 in my jeans to a size 10 and from a 1XL in my tops to a medium and I feel great!
I'm on day 13 and I haven't lost any weight yet. I have been following the plan very closely. My clothes do feel better so maybe I've lost inches??? I hope that the wieght will start to come off soon.
After 5 weeks I have lost 9 lbs and 3" off my waist. It is slower weight loss but I'm not hungry. Also as a type II diabetic, I have seen my blood glucose lower significantly in the first few weeks. I should be off meds within 3 months.
I'm on day 10 7 I have lost 14 lbs. I even ate out 2x!! I have been walking on a treadmill & using the eliptical machine 5x a week and crunches & leg lifts & push ups 6x a week! But I feel awesome :)
LOVE THIS DIET. It's Feb 4th, I started on Jan 4th. I've lost 14 lbs. I love the food, am never hungry and have not once felt like I was "dieting". The avacados, nuts, olives, oils ect add a rich tasty component to all of my foods. I'll eat like this for the rest of my life.
I have been following the Flat Belly plan for about 5 months. I have lost 35 lbs. (@7 in the 1st 4 days. (dh has lost 25) I do exercise @ 5 days a week for 30-60 minutes. I find this diet very easy to follow (once I got the hang of it!) and I love most of the food/menu suggestions. I have 3 teenage boys who have not complained about the recipes that I make for dinner. This is by far my most successful diet/ wt. lost attempt. I have recommended it to several friends.
The idea of a flat belly diet is very nice. I can not eat alot of the things in your book. Both my husband and I are disable and on a fixed income. We can not afford the brand name foods. I love vegatables but can not eat alot of them. We would love to get our belly fat down but I have more than one or two problems and can not tolorate some of these things. The idea sounds great and I hope it will help a lot of people. Thanks for listening.
I lost 7 pounds in just over a month and am thrilled. It is my first diet ever and was very easy to follow and stick to. I had adrenal fatigue, went through IVF, and then developed thyroid issues, so I thought losing the belly weight would be impossible. This diet changed my life for the better!!
The foods are
organic and nutritious and good tasting.
I have started, but am slow to lose, but want to be patient,since it should be foods good for you too.
I live in Australia and had no difficulties finding substitues products. I've lots 9 kg and still losing after 11weeks on the diet. Love it!!!
I did this diet and followed it pretty well, even though it was hard I made it through and I lost about ten pounds! I also did exercise a little bit but not very much.
I like the diet, however, the organic foods are rather expensive (at least in my area) and not in my food budget. Any suggestions? On the jumpstart I lost a few pounds but no inches. And the sassy water was ok, just plain lemon water is better though,lol.
I bought the book online, but found it at my local Sam's Club for $15.00!!
I lost 5 lbs during the 4 days, I didn't like the sassy water at first but got use to it. I've lost a total of 35 lbs and I've never felt better than I do now and I've only started the diet a few weeks ago
The 35 lbs has been over time half was from the flat belly half from exercising.
I'm in to my tenth day. Found the jump start hard as I didn't like much of the food, but things improve (and the number of calories) on day 4. I notice I have more energy, which is great. You have to think ahead and plan, make sure you have the right foods - I guess that's true with any diet. I like not having to worry about what to eat between meals - just eat four times a day, pace it so you don't go more than four hours without a meal.
I started this diet and have been following it very carefully. I also do 3 hours of cardio and 2 hours of weight training per week. In a week, I have not lost any weight at all and I have become obssessed with food. I am famished all of the time. It did not work for me.
I just started the diet about 1 week ago and am sticking to this one better than my prior attempts on other diets. The meals seem to suit me, and because you get to eat nuts, avocados and other MUFA fats, I'm not feeling hungry all the time. I've lost about five pounds, and my jeans are really baggy. They even noticed the baggy jeans at work already! I am walking every other day on a treadmill, too, so maybe that's helping, too. I feel very cute, but look about the same in the mirror!
I love the Flat Belly Diet! It is a really well thought thru plan.
2 days in and the sassy water is something I just wont do. I drink enough regular water that I just refuse! LOL. I do like the meals and they dont take much time to cook from what Ive seen.. no magical flatness in the belly yet, but I have lost a pound. :)
