Foods to avoid to lose belly fat

Excess fat in the body is never a good thing, but this is especially true for belly fat. This is not because belly fat looks bad, though that is the reason why many focus on weight loss in the first place. This is because when it comes to fat deposits, location matters, and abdominal fat deposits are the worst of the lot.

For most people, 90% of fat deposits are subcutaneous - meaning that the fat lies in a layer just below the skin. Subcutaneous fat feels soft and is comparatively easy to lose. The remaining 10% of your body fat, on the other hand, lies out of reach, way beneath the skin. This type of fat is known as visceral fat, and it lies in the spaces between the abdominal organs like the stomach and liver and in front of the intestines in a sort of protective apron called omentum.

Here is the complete detail about foods to lose weight.

Before the 1990s, it was believed that fat deposits wait passively to be deployed when the body needs energy. But since the 1990s, the international scientific community has discovered that fat cells work like endocrine organs do—meaning that they secrete hormones and other molecules that can have far-reaching effects on the body.

Now, it’s well-known that visceral fat deposits not only increase cholesterol production by releasing free fatty acids into the bloodstream and liver, but also trigger cytokine and angiotensin production in the body. Higher levels of cytokines and angiotensin peptides in the body can cause multiple diseases, including hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and chronic diseases.

It is therefore of the utmost importance that you take your belly fat seriously, and try every method you can to lose it. Losing belly fat is impossible without managing your diet. Here’s everything you need to know about the foods as well as food habits you need to cut back on to lose belly fat.

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Causes of belly fat
Side effects of belly fat
Foods to avoid to lose belly fat
Food habits to avoid to lose belly fat
Takeaways

Causes of belly fat

There are many reasons why people gain belly fat. The following are the main causes why you too might be gaining belly fat:

Poor diet: An unhealthy diet which does not have enough nutrients is the leading cause of belly fat gain. A diet low in protein and high in carbohydrates can affect your weight, and so can a diet chock full of transfats.
Lack of exercise: A sedentary lifestyle with little or no activity can increase the accumulation of visceral fat in your belly. An inactive lifestyle also makes it next to impossible to lose this weight.
Underlying health condition: Certain health conditions like diabetes and hypertension increase the risks of abdominal weight gain. Belly fat can also trigger these chronic diseases and make losing this weight more difficult.
High stress: Excess production of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the body can affect metabolism and lead to belly fat gain. Additionally, people under stress often crave unhealthy foods which in turn causes an excess of calories and weight gain.
Genes: Some research studies indicate that a person’s genes can influence their behaviour, metabolism and increase their risks of obesity as well as obesity-related diseases.
Poor sleep: Both poor quality sleep and shorter duration of sleep can lead to belly fat gain. This is partly because poor sleep can lead to unhealthy eating behaviours.
Smoking and drinking: Alcohol consumption and smoking are major risk factors for belly fat gain. Both can also lead to other health conditions like lung disease, liver disease and kidney disease.
Age: With age, the risks of increasing abdominal weight gain increases. This happens because the body’s metabolism slows down with age and muscle loss may occur simultaneously. Inactive older adults are at the greatest risk of gaining belly fat.

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Side effects of belly fat

The accumulation of belly fat is considered to be a risk factor for a number of chronic conditions. In many cases, these chronic conditions are so intricately linked with each other that the incidence of one can increase the chances of the other. This is especially true in the case of hypertension, diabetes and heart diseases. Because belly fat is visceral in nature and lines most of the organs of the abdomen, including the liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines, diseases in these organs are also very high in people with belly fat.

Research studies have found that middle-aged adults with higher levels of abdominal fat have nearly three times increased chances of also developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Some studies also indicate that premenopausal women with belly fat have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Others show that people with abdominal obesity have higher risks of developing colorectal adenomas or precancerous polyps, which increase the risks of colorectal cancer in turn.

Foods to avoid to lose belly fat

Managing your diet is one of the best ways to ensure you will lose the belly fat. Your diet needs to be a balanced diet and packed with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts and seeds, etc. But including these in your diet is not enough, because you also need to exclude certain things from your diet. These foods are either not nutritious, or can harm your health with overconsumption. The following are the foods you need to avoid to be able to lose belly fat.

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Avoid sugar to lose belly fat

Refined sugar is a type of simple carbohydrate that’s full of calories and has practically no nutrients. Sugar is also the basic ingredient used in all types of desserts, whether they are Indian sweets or French pastries. What’s more, beverages and commercially manufactured fruit juices are packed with sugar. The consumption of sugar in any of these forms in excess can cause belly fat gain, so it’s best to stay away from sugar and instead pick jaggery as a sweetener. The following are sugar-loaded foods that you should avoid -

Indian sweets and desserts not prepared with jaggery
Bakery desserts like cakes, cookies, pastries, etc.
Commercially produced fruit juices, energy drinks, cold drinks, lassi, milkshakes, ice creams, iced tea mixes and cold coffee.
Sugar or chocolate-coated almonds, dry fruits, etc.
Breakfast cereals

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Avoid excess salt to lose belly fat

Foods which are packed with high amounts of salt are also the kinds that are easiest to get addicted to. Case in point: junk food. Not only are foods high in salt relatively high in calories, but they’re also very easy to overeat. Overeating, as everyone knows, is a sure-shot way of gaining excess weight, especially in the belly. Excessive sodium in the body also leads to increased water retention and bloating, which can also lead to weight gain around the belly. The following foods are packed with excess sodium and you should avoid them:

Commercially produced chips, nachos, readymade fries or nuggets, namkeen, bhujiya, etc.
Deep-fried foods like pakoras, French fries, puris, etc.
Salted peanuts, almonds, trail mixes and other roasted and salted nuts and seeds.
Processed meats, sausages, salami, and marinated meats.

Avoid refined carbs to lose belly fat

Refined carbohydrates are widely used, and this category of foods is quite popular in India. The simple reason why refined carbs are fattening is that the refining process they go through strips them of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and leaves simple carbs behind. Take the example of white rice: the germ and bran of the whole rice grain are removed during the refining process, leaving just the carb-packed endosperm. This is the reason why the overconsumption of white rice is associated with obesity, diabetes and even heart disease. The following are some refined carbs you should avoid:

White rice
White bread
Refined flours like maida
Products made with refined flours, like pasta, cakes, snacks, pizza, etc.

Avoid high-fat dairy products to lose belly fat

Dairy products are usually considered to be good for health, and they are. Most dairy products like milk, yoghurt, paneer, etc. are packed with protein, calcium, vitamin B12 and other nutrients. However, when dairy products are full-fat or full-cream variants, they are likely to have more saturated fats. Excess consumption of saturated fats can lead to weight gain, especially around the belly. The following are some high-fat dairy products you should avoid:

Whole or full-cream milk
Butter
Cheese
Sour cream and cream
Ice-creams
Rabri and khoya

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Avoid fried foods to lose belly fat

Done right, eating deep-fried food once in a while should be okay for most people—if you have a chronic condition, check with your nutritionist to know whether you are allowed a cheat day or not. However, most of us make errors while frying and deep-frying.

Frying and deep-frying involve cooking food in fat at a high temperature, which essentially breaks the fat down to release transfats and toxins. No matter how nutritious the ingredient before you deep fry it, the product after the process can become fatty. A lot of deep-frying recipes also involve the use of high amounts of salt: this extra bit of sodium does not help if you are trying to lose belly fat.

Regular or excess consumption of fried foods therefore leads to high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. You should avoid all types of fried foods, from samosas and French fries to puris and fried rice. In case you want to eat something crispy, opt for dishes that have been cooked in an air fryer instead of deep-fried.

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Avoid rich or heavy curries to lose belly fat

While most Indian curries are light and packed with healthy ingredients like vegetables, lentils, eggs, fish and chicken, some can be overindulgent and rich. This is particularly true in the case of curries that include ingredients like full-fat milk, cream, cashew nuts or almond paste, loads of ghee or butter, and deep-fried elements.

This type of food is typically served at restaurants, festivals, weddings and parties, and leads to digestive issues as well as weight gain around the belly when eaten too frequently. If you want to lose belly fat, then you should avoid all types of rich and heavy curries, whether cooked at home or outside.

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Reduce red meat to lose belly fat

Red meat is a great source of protein, and some vitamins and minerals like iron, too. But there’s a huge downside to eating too much red meat, and that’s an excess of fat accumulation on your belly. This is because most red meats are high in saturated fats—they often have a thick layer of fat which melts during the cooking process and makes red meat tasty enough to increase regular cravings. They also contain high levels of sodium, and the prepackaged types often come with harmful preservatives, too. The following are the types of red meat you should avoid:

Mutton or goat
Lamb
Pork
Venison

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Avoid alcohol to lose belly fat

There’s a reason why belly fat is often called a beer belly. Regular and/or excess consumption of alcohol is linked with weight gain around the belly. This is because alcohol has a lot of calories and is made with carbohydrates. Beer is made with hops, barley, wheat, maize and even rice. Vodka is made with sorghum, corn, rice, rye or simply potatoes. The process of fermentation also adds yeast to these drinks.

Alcohol consumption also affects the body’s metabolic rate and slows down the liver’s ability to break down fat. All of these factors combine to make alcohol consumption a high-risk factor for liver disease, heart disease and weight gain around the midsection. Avoid alcohol in all forms to lose weight from around your belly.

Avoid processed foods to lose belly fat

Of all the foods described above that harm your health and lead to belly fat gain, processed foods may be the worst because they include many of those above-mentioned harmful foods. Not only do processed foods contain high levels of sodium, sugar and preservatives, they are also often fatty and need to be fried before consumption. Many processed meat products like sausages, salami, hot dogs, cured or smoked bacon, etc., are made with red meat.

Many processed foods are also packed with artificial flavours which can be quite addictive and can cause binge-eating or overeating. This is especially true for chips, nachos, prepackaged soups and snacks like chicken nuggets and potato wedges. Many ultra-processed foods also contain substances like high-fructose corn syrup (HCSF), which are fattening and addictive. If you cut out processed foods from your diet and replace them with fresh foods, you are definitely more likely to lose belly fat.

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Food habits to avoid to lose belly fat

While avoiding the consumption of all the above-mentioned foods can help you lose belly fat, it’s important to remember that overall food habits have a huge role to play in weight gain and loss, too. It is your habits that dictate how your body will process the food you eat, since all your daily actions—including sleep, wake, meal times, exercise, rest—affect your circadian rhythm.

Certain food habits can disrupt this circadian rhythm, slow your metabolism, and cause not only weight gain around the belly but also a plethora of other digestive problems. The following are some food habits that you should avoid if you want to lose belly fat.

Irregular mealtimes: Your body needs sustenance at particular times to be able to conduct regular activities. If you skip a meal or delay it, or take your meals at different times almost every day, then this rhythm is disrupted. Your body needs a proper routine to function at its best, so fix the number of meals and their timings, and don’t budge from them unless absolutely necessary.
Overeating: Your body breaks down food to provide energy and supply essential nutrients to your body. When there’s an excess of food in your system, the metabolism slows down and the excess is usually converted into fats and stored—especially around the belly.
Late dinner: Dining late is not going to make much of a difference if you stay within the range of your designated calories for the day, but your metabolism is likely to slow down if you sleep soon after having a late dinner, and this can indeed lead to belly fat gain. What’s more, late-night eaters usually end up consuming more carbs or calories and are likely to opt for unhealthy or fattening foods. This also causes belly fat gain in the long run.
Unhealthy snacking: Apart from the main meals of the day, you may feel the need to have a snack around evenings. Most people tend to go for sugary tea or coffee along with cookies, fried snacks like pakoras, etc. Many people who work late into the night may also have such unhealthy snacking behaviours, which quite often leads to belly fat gain. Opt for a cup of green tea or black tea without sugar, and snack on healthy foods instead if you want to lose this belly fat.

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Takeaways

Losing belly fat can be difficult, especially because targetted weight loss from any part of the body isn't possible without losing overall weight. People with excess belly fat also tend to have fat deposits in their limbs and thighs, so overall weight loss can have many benefits. It's important to lose belly fat as quickly as possible because the longer it stays, the greater your risk of developing health issues. Remember, belly fat works almost like an endocrine organ, so losing it properly can make a huge improvement to your health.

It's also important to remember that weight loss, whether it's around the belly or any other part of the body, cannot be done by managing your diet alone (though a good diet goes a really long way). Apart from cutting back on the above-mentioned foods and avoiding unhealthy food habits, you should also do the following:

Get enough exercise five-six days a week: at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day can help you lose weight from around the belly.
Sleep is very important for weight loss, especially because it maintains your circadian rhythm. Don’t just get enough sleep every night, but also ensure that you maintain the same sleep-wake times every day.
Keep stress at bay, because excess stress increases the cortisol levels in the body, which in turn can increase emotional- or binge-eating habits. Try meditation, yoga, relaxing with a book or movie, etc., to keep stress at bay.

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