9 Foods to Avoid for the Flat Belly You’ve Always Dreamed of

We all want to have a flat stomach, but do you know that abdominal fat is the most difficult to deal with? You work out, you try to adopt healthy diet habits, but you don’t see visible results in the mirror. Stubborn belly fat is still there, and it seems that it doesn’t plan to go anywhere. If this sounds familiar to you, we at Bright Side want you to know more about the foods that stand in the way of the perfect belly you’ve always wanted.

1. Give up soft drinks

We hear this all the time, but it’s still so hard to give up this habit. But if you really want to get rid of abdominal fat, you should stop drinking soft drinks. Even those low-calorie drinks slow down your metabolism and stimulate your body to gain fat.

2. Don’t buy chewing gum

When you chew gum, your brain and stomach receive signals that prepare them for an incoming meal. Plus, gum triggers the overproduction of stomach acid, and, as a result, you feel hungry.

3. Adopt a low-sodium diet

Remember: sugar and salt should be limited to small amounts, especially if you suffer from high blood pressure. Not only are high-sodium foods harmful to your health but they also retain fluids which prevent you from losing belly fat effectively.

4. Say goodbye to fast food

It’s no secret that fast food contains too many calories that may bring various health problems, but if that’s not convincing enough for you to give up this food, just remember that it’s definitely responsible for your belly that you want to get rid of so badly.

5. Forget about mayonnaise

If you’re a fan of mayonnaise and mayonnaise-based salads, then you should know that this dressing contains at least 80% fat. The best option is to substitute mayo for vegetable puree or natural tomato paste.

6. Say “No” to French fries

As much as you love this food, you should give it up as soon as possible. Fried potatoes, just like any other fried foods, work like a sponge that absorbs saturated fats. Believe it or not, but saturated fats can actually affect brain function so that it can’t think clearly about how much weight you’re gaining at the moment. As a result, you can eat up to 30 potatoes without noticing it.

7. No more ice cream

This one is pretty obvious, isn’t it? Foods rich in sugar inevitably turn into abdominal fat, which is the most harmful fat in your body.

8. Don’t eat foods that make you bloat

Even the skinniest people can have rather visible belly outlines due to foods that provoke intestinal gases or an upset stomach. If this is an issue for you, just avoid such foods and think of a good workout routine that will speed up your digestion.

9. Don’t fall for those “sugar-free” products

Foods that contain sugar substitutes such as polyalcohols, for example, are only effective for people with diabetes. These sugar-free products still contribute to the size of your abdomen.