Abdominal fat is one of the biggest headaches for those who want to show off their body size. Although physical exercise and diet are key to ending said abdominal fat, there are a series of foods What should be avoided and eliminated completely of your meal planning.
In the next article we are going to talk to you about four foods that can prevent you from losing the dreaded belly fat.
Sugary foods
Added sugar must disappear from your diet if you want to end the accumulation of fat in your abdominal area. Consume foods and drinks rich in sugars It increases calorie intake without providing essential nutrients, causing a significant increase in body weight and abdominal fat.
Sugar is made up of glucose and fructose. Glucose is used by all cells in the body, while fructose is only metabolized by the liver. Consuming too much fructose will overload the liver, converting the excess into fat. This fat usually accumulates in the abdomen area.
Consuming too much sugar can also cause insulin resistance. When insulin levels are quite high, the body will have a hard time eliminating fat, favoring its accumulation throughout the abdominal area. Apart from weight gain, there is an increased risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
Regarding sugary foods that should be avoided, there are: sugary drinks, sweets, cereals and processed fruit juices.
Processed foods and refined flours
Ultra-processed foods are other great enemies when it comes to losing abdominal fat. These foods contain a large amount of calories and They are low in nutrients, which makes them a very unhealthy option.
Products made with refined flours, such as white bread, pasta and sweets, have a high glycemic index, giving rise to to fast peaks on blood sugar levels. These peaks usually increase the feeling of hunger, which leads to greater caloric intake.
Some examples of processed foods and refined flours are the following: white bread, sweets, cookies and junk food.
Trans fat
Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been modified to increase their shelf life. These types of fats are found in processed and fried foods.
Trans fats are quite harmful to health. They increase bad cholesterol levels and decrease good cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease. In addition, trans fats are related to the accumulation of abdominal fat and insulin resistance.
It has been shown that trans fats cause significant weight gain and promote accumulation of visceral fat. Some examples of foods with trans fats are margarine, fast food, candy, chips, and cookies.
Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption is another factor that will prevent you from losing the fat accumulated in the abdominal area. When alcohol is ingested, the body prioritizes its metabolization over essential nutrients and Fat oxidation stops. This causes a significant number of calories to be stored in the body as fat, especially in the abdominal area.
Alcohol also has an indirect impact on hormonal balance. In the case of men, excessive alcohol consumption will reduce levels of testosterone, a hormone that helps burn fat. In the case of women, there is an increase in estrogen levels, which also can make it difficult to lose abdominal fat.
In short, losing abdominal fat is not easy and requires a combination of a healthy and balanced diet, physical exercise and good lifestyle habits. Avoiding sugar, processed foods, trans fats and alcohol will make it much easier to lose this fat.