The 15 Best Foods for Your Belly

High-fiber and antioxidant-rich vegetables

All veggies are good for you. They are high in vitamins, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fiber and are generally low in calories and low in fat. But certain varieties do contain FODMAPs, or rapidly fermentable carbohydrates that can aggravate your gut, that are difficult for some people to digest. Our plan focuses only on low-FODMAP veggies, especially those rich in anti-inflammatory magnesium and other important minerals. Leafy green veggies (kale, Swiss chard, spinach), bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, and potatoes are all good examples. Check out some other foods that are bad for your belly, including high-FODMAP veggies.

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16 Women Reveal Exactly How They Got Six-Pack Abs

Workout on an empty stomach

“Always workout on an empty stomach—it burns calories and stored fat. Many people make the mistake of having a banana—which can be equivalent to two slices of bread—before going to the gym and don’t understand why they are not losing weight. Your body is going to burn that banana first before it starts to burn any body fat. But by the time you’re done burning off the banana, you are out of the gym!” —Neda Varbanova, 28, founder of Healthy with Nedi. 

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15 Weight-Loss Facts You Always Get Wrong

Can saturated fat actually be healthy?

For a long time, scientists believed saturated fat—the kind found in meat, full-fat cheese, butter, cow’s milk, ice cream, and palm and coconut oils—was a major cause of heart disease. But that belief has undergone a seismic shift recently.

The current thinking is that saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol, which is bad for your heart. But it also seems to raise HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides, which is good for your heart. In effect, current research shows that saturated fat can have both a positive and negative impact on heart health.

Bottom line: Whether saturated fat is a better choice really comes down to what you’re comparing it to. When people replace saturated fat with healthier unsaturated fats (found in fish, nuts, olive oil, avocado, and the like) it benefits their heart health. But if they replace them with simple carbohydrates, trans fats, and other unhealthful foods, it’s harmful. Think of it this way: you’re better off eating salmon (rich in unsaturated fat) than steak (which contains saturated fat). But you’re better off eating steak than fried chicken that’s breaded and cooked in shortening full of trans fats. Here are 12 more little weight-loss tricks only nutritionists know.

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9 Feelings You Don’t Realize You Mistake for Hunger

Tiredness

Ever notice how hunger strikes during your midafternoon slump or right before bed? “Feeling sleepy can create the urge to eat something to boost energy and stay awake,” says Torey Armul, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson. “It kicks the digestive system into having a job and keeping awake.” The best solution is to take a nap or get to bed early if you can. But if you’re at work or out of the house, perk yourself up by taking a lap around the office or chatting with a coworker for a few minutes, she says. Avoid these eating habits that ruin your sleep.

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9 Signs Your Overeating Is Actually a Food Addiction

What exactly is food addiction?

Everyone eats emotionally. We’ve celebrated a little league homerun with ice cream or found comfort in a cup of tea with a cookie. But for some, comfort eating has spiraled into something more: a food addiction. The idea is that food can mimic other substance abuse disorders and it’s a controversial issue; some researchers aren’t positive if one can truly be addicted to a candy bar. Other experts like David Wiss, MD, RDN, founder of Nutrition In Recovery, work with clients who identify as food addicts. Here’s what separates food addicts from folks who just occasionally overeat.

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51 Brilliant Health Tricks You’ll Want to Make a Habit

Eat your meals the same time every day

One of our biggest stressors is not finances or marriage but the lack of a regular routine, says oncologist David B. Agus, MD, in his book The End of Illness. Even simply eating lunch an hour later than usual can spike levels of the stress hormone cortisol and disrupt your body’s ideal state. Try to eat, sleep, and exercise at the same time every day, 365 days a year.

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50 Daily Habits of Naturally Thin People

Work out when you wake up: Burn ten calories

When your eyes open, sit up slowly without using your hands. With legs straight out, lean forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your back and hamstrings. Hold; then, using your abs, lower yourself flat. Rest and repeat two more times. This strengthens your core. These are other morning habits of naturally thin people.

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