Battle of the Bulge: How My Tummy Stayed Flat Without Working Out...
Before about three months ago, I hadn’t worked out in over a year. Yeah, I know. That’s pretty horrible, and I’ve since turned my life around. Even though I wasn’t (and still not) at my physical best, I was able to maintain a relatively flat tummy, despite doing little to no physical activity. Someone is probably reading this and saying, “Girl, how?” I’m sure many have heard the saying, “abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.” Well, I would have to mostly agree. By eating the right foods, I was able to maintain a flat stomach without doing ANY abdominal workouts (or any workouts period for that matter). Adding these foods to your diet, along with cutting your sugar intake can assist you in achieving a flatter midsection.
First up, is something I ate in abundance and just can’t get enough of. What is it? Avocados! You may or may not be aware, but avocados are amazing at fighting fat specifically in the mid-section. Avocados contain monounsaturated fat that inhibits fat accumulation in the stomach.
Almonds are one of my go-to snacks to eat throughout the day. The reason why they help to keep the stomach flat is because they reduce the absorption of fat and block calories. They also contain magnesium, which helps maintain muscle tissue, as well as preventing cravings that lead to overeating.
You know what they say. “An apple a day, keeps belly fat at bay.” That’s not exactly how the saying goes, but it perfectly describes what apples have done for me. Apples contain plenty of fiber, and can prevent you from overeating because they allow you to feel full faster. Apples contain a nutrient that both absorbs fat and removes fat from cells called pectin. The polyphenols in apples also speed up the metabolism, so no wonder they are excellent at fighting and keeping belly fat off.
One thing that I did religiously that I feel contributes to a flat stomach was drinking green tea. Remember the polyphenols contained in apples that speed up the metabolism? Well, green tea has even higher concentrations of this fat burning antioxidant. Green tea also contains antioxidants, called catechins that reduce belly fat.
Last, but not least, during my time of not working out, I adopted the Pescetarian diet, where I didn’t eat any meat, except fish. I ate quite a bit of wild salmon, and although salmon is high in fat, it contains protein that flattens the stomach. It also has large amounts of omega-3s, which help to reduce your appetite.
While I wouldn’t encourage anyone to not work out, these are the foods that helped me maintain my stomach while I wasn’t active. Food plays a major role in abdominal development, but being active and working out is just as important. Just imagine how much better these foods would work on those abs, if we worked on them as well.
N7,
Candidly C