I can't lose the last 5 lbs! What should I eliminate from my diet to lose the belly fat?

Answers (4)

Carolyn Collman, MS (exercise physiologist, nutritionist, aquatic therapist and wellness coach) answered (8/11/2012)

There are two simple things to stop consuming if you want to lose belly fat without sacrificing nutrients: alcohol and added (or unnaturally occurring) sugars. Alcohol is not only a significant source of liquid calories (7 cal per gram), but it is also metabolized differently than food. Furthermore, extra alcohol calories tend to be stored as belly fat (thus the "beer belly" is no myth!).

Eating food containing added sugars stimulates the release of insulin, which also encourages fat storage. These foods also tend to be void of nutrients but high in calories. Don't, however, substitute these sugar-filled foods with artificially-sweetened foods. You may save calories initially, but research suggests that people compensate by consuming more calories later on. Also, there's some evidence that artificial sweeteners (especially sugar alcohols) may also blood sugar levels much the way that sugars do.

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Meg Mangano, RD, CSSD, CLT (Registered Dietitian, Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics) answered (8/14/2012)

In addition to limiting foods/drinks with added sugar and alcohol, take a look at your whole fueling plan from the start of the day to the end of the day. Those last five pounds are tough! Aim to eat a healthy breakfast within 1/2 hour of waking, have a balanced meal or snack every 3-4 hours and make sure you are staying hydrated with water throughout the day (goal is at least half of your body weight (lbs) to your full body weight in ounces per day. ex 150 lbs = 75 - 150 oz of fluid/day). Have the foundation of your main meals be vegetables, then add a lean protein, high-fiber carbohydrate and a healthy fat. Snacks are a great time to include fresh fruit, nuts/seeds and greek yogurt. Small changes make a big difference!

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Andrea Wilcox (Registered Dietitian) answered (8/12/2012)

Those last 5 lbs. can be tough! I agree with Carolyn. Limit sugary foods and alcohol and fill yourself up with fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and water. Limit sugary and highly processed foods and focus on fresh and natural foods. Also, eating fat is ok! We all need fat in our diets, but it should come mainly from healthy (unsaturated) fats that are found in olive oil, canola oil, avocado, nuts and fatty-fish. Healthy fats in moderation can help burn that belly fat.

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Kathleen Bundy, MS RD CLT (Registered Dietitian) answered (8/30/2012)

Eat only real food, experiment with eliminating all food in a box or package for a couple of weeks if you can.

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Anonymous commented (8/30/2012)

So should you try to avoid things like non-fat greek yogurt, as that comes in a package?