Trim your waistline, lose weight and enjoy the best flavors of fall in this healthy flat-belly diet plan.
Maybe you’re trying to feel (and look) less bloated, or want to burn belly fat to lose inches in your waist, but there are other benefits of a slimmer waist that may serve as extra motivation to stick to this diet plan. Extra weight in our midsection, also called visceral fat, can be dangerous because it’s a type of fat that surrounds our vital organs and increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But the good news is that there are certain foods and flat-belly exercises that can help you lose belly fat and decrease your weight overall. The even better news is that this is a delicious and sustainable way to eat, meaning it’s something you can stick with. We set this plan at 1,200 calories per day to promote a healthy weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week, and added in modifications to bump it up to 1,500-and 2,000-calorie days, depending on your needs. Read on to learn more about the flat-belly diet, flat-belly foods, and how to put it all together in a meal plan.
What Is the Flat-Belly Diet?
The flat-belly diet emphasizes a balanced diet with plenty of fresh produce, while incorporating foods that are shown to burn more fat from our midsection. Of course, there’s no magic flat-belly fix, but there are some foods-like avocado, chickpeas and artichokes-that are show to have some fat-burning benefits. The diet also aims to improve our gut bacteria, which can help decrease bloat and keep inches off our waist. To improve gut bacteria, incorporate plenty of probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir and kombucha, and make sure you’re getting enough fiber: this plan provides at least 30 grams a day. Fiber not only improves our gut bacteria but also helps with both losing weight and maintaining weight loss over time. The fiber from foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Pump up your intake of these fiber-rich foods (like we did in this meal plan) to make sure you’re getting enough each day.
Flat-Belly Foods List
Learn which foods to eat more of and which ones to skip to beat the bloat and reduce your waistline.
Foods to Increase:
- Fiber-rich foods: All fiber is beneficial, but fiber from artichokes and chickpeas seem to be extra helpful in burning stubborn belly fat.
- Probiotic foods: Kefir, yogurt, kimchi and kombucha all contain healthy bacteria which help improve gut health and keep your weight down.
- Protein sources: Eating protein at each meal throughout the day (rather than overloading on protein foods at dinner) can help keep you full and aid in weight loss and weight maintenance. Try incorporating a healthy protein source, like eggs, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts and yogurt, at most meals.
- Water: Drinking plenty of water helps keep your digestive tract moving and your body feeling good. Men need about 13 cups of water per day and women should aim for 9 cups per day.
Foods to Limit:
- Carbonated drinks: Although seltzers and sparkling water won’t add weight and belly fat like soda and other high-calorie drinks, all carbonated beverages create more gas in your stomach, which can increase bloating.
- Salt: Too much salt makes your body hold on to more water weight and can leave you feeling heavy. Skip processed foods, frozen dinners and fast foods, and aim to cook more meals at home to limit intake.
- Sugar substitutes: Although they are calorie-free, artificial sweeteners are difficult to digest, which means more bloating and gas for many us.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week:
A little prep at the beginning of the week sets you up for success! Do these easy steps over the weekend to make your weekdays less hectic.
- Prepare 2 servings of Coconut Chai-Spiced Overnight Oats to have for breakfast on Days 2 and 3.
- Whip up the Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots to have throughout the week.
- Cook the Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili to have for lunch on Days 2, 3, 4 and 5.
- Make Maple Granola to have throughout the week.
Day 1
Breakfast (315 calories)
- 1 serving Cranberry-Apple Smoothie
A.M. Snack (101 calories)
- 1 medium pear
Lunch (307 calories)
- 1 serving White Bean & Avocado Toast
- 1 small apple
P.M. Snack (35 calories)
- 1 clementine
Dinner (424 calories)
- 1 serving Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Broccoli
Daily Totals: 1,182 calories, 63 g protein, 163 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 40 g fat, 1,278 mg sodium.
To make it 1,500 calories: Add a 5-oz. container of low-fat plain Greek yogurt to A.M. snack and add 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 1/2 Tbsp. almond butter to breakfast, add a 5-oz. container of low-fat plain Greek yogurt to A.M. snack, increase to 2 servings of White Bean & Avocado Toast at lunch, and add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 2
Breakfast (263 calories)
- 1 serving Coconut Chai-Spiced Overnight Oats
A.M. Snack (95 calories)
- 1 medium apple
Lunch (314 calories)
- 1 serving Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili
P.M. Snack (105 calories)
- 8 walnut halves
Dinner (448 calories)
- 1 serving Arugula Salad with Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Pears & Blue Cheese
- 1-oz. slice whole-wheat baguette
Daily Totals: 1,223 calories, 50 g protein, 159 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 49 g fat, 1,519 mg sodium.
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack and increase to 15 walnut halves at P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 banana and 2 Tbsp. almond butter to breakfast, add 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to lunch, and increase to 15 walnut halves at P.M. snack.
Day 3
Breakfast (263 calories)
- 1 serving Coconut Chai-Spiced Overnight Oats
A.M. Snack (35 calories)
- 1 clementine
Lunch (314 calories)
- 1 serving Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili
P.M. Snack (170 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Dinner (412 calories)
- 1 serving Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 serving Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots
Daily Totals: 1,193 calories, 53 g protein, 136 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 55 g fat, 1,390 mg sodium.
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 3 Tbsp. unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack and add 1 serving Maple Granola to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 banana and 2 Tbsp. almond butter to breakfast, add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to lunch, and add 1 serving Maple Granola to P.M. snack.
Day 4
Breakfast (316 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 serving Maple Granola
A.M. Snack (101 calories)
- 1 medium pear
Lunch (314 calories)
- 1 serving Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili
P.M. Snack (35 calories)
- 1 clementine
Dinner (443 calories)
- 1 serving Provençal Baked Fish with Roasted Potatoes & Mushrooms
- 1 serving Roasted Broccoli with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Daily Totals: 1,209 calories, 65 g protein, 142 g carbohydrates, 31 g fiber, 48 g fat, 1,034 mg sodium.
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 3 chopped dried figs to yogurt at breakfast and add 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 2 servings of Maple Granola and add 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 1/2 Tbsp. almond butter to breakfast, add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to lunch, and add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 5
Breakfast (315 calories)
- 1 serving Cranberry-Apple Smoothie
A.M. Snack (77 calories)
- 1 small apple
Lunch (314 calories)
- 1 serving Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili
P.M. Snack (35 calories)
- 1 clementine
Dinner (478 calories)
- 1 serving Tamari-Ginger Meatball & Eggplant Casserole
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 serving Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots
Meal-Prep Tip: Make the easy Black Bean-Smothered Sweet Potatoes to have for lunch on Days 6 and 7.
Daily Totals: 1,219 calories, 54 g protein, 166 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 44 g fat, 1,405 mg sodium.
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 1/2 Tbsp. almond butter at breakfast, add one 5-oz. container low-fat plain Greek yogurt to A.M. snack, add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to lunch, and add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 6
Breakfast (316 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 serving Maple Granola
A.M. Snack (16 calories)
- 1 cup sliced cucumber
- Pinch of salt & pepper
Lunch (308 calories)
- 1 serving Black Bean-Smothered Sweet Potatoes
P.M. Snack (77 calories)
- 1 small apple
Dinner (502 calories)
Meal-Prep Tips:
1. Prepare 1 serving Coconut Chai-Spiced Overnight Oats to have for breakfast tomorrow.
2. Soak chickpeas overnight and prepare ingredients for the Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Soup so you can put it in the slow-cooker tomorrow morning.
Daily Totals: 1,220 calories, 52 g protein, 139 g carbohydrates, 31 g fiber, 56 g fat, 1,450 mg sodium.
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 3 Tbsp. hummus to A.M. snack and add 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 1/2 Tbsp. almond butter to breakfast, add 3 Tbsp. hummus to A.M. snack, add 2 cups mixed greens with 1 serving Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots and 1/2 avocado to lunch, and add 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 7
Meal-Prep Tip: In the morning, add the ingredients for the Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Soup to the slow cooker and set it to cook on Low for 8 hours so it’s ready for dinner tonight.
Breakfast (263 calories)
- 1 serving Coconut Chai-Spiced Overnight Oats
A.M. Snack (77 calories)
- 1 small apple
Lunch (308 calories)
- 1 serving Black Bean-Smothered Sweet Potatoes
P.M. Snack (93 calories)
- 1 cup sliced cucumber
- 3 Tbsp. hummus
Dinner (446 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,188 calories, 55 g protein, 165 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 38 g fat, 1,598 mg sodium.
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds and 1 clementine to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 1/2 Tbsp. almond butter to breakfast, add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, and add 2 cups mixed greens with 1 serving Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots and 1/2 avocado and 1 pear to lunch.
Source: eatingwell.com
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