Top 13 Flat Tummy Foods
MY 13 FLAT TUMMY FOODS
In this post, I’m going to show which 13 foods are my “go-to” foods for getting a flatter tummy!
MY GO-TO FOODS
I LOVE food – and I love to eat foods that are packed with nutrients and are also low in calories… because when I eat foods that are full of healthy nutrients & low calorically, I feel like I am getting the best value for my buck – and for my waistline.
Low calorie foods don’t have to be boring – every day I eat delicious foods that are really healthy, full of nutrients and full of flavor.
I know that a lot of women don’t know what foods to eat to lose weight and get a flatter tummy (while still nourishing their bodies & not compromising on taste), and so I wanted to share my top 13 foods that I ate to get a flatter tummy while I was trying to lose weight.
I now try to eat these foods every week to maintain a flat tummy – I eat some of these foods every day and others I try to eat once or a few times a week.
YES PLEASE
These foods are all packed with healthy nutrients, are super yummy and can easily be incorporated into so many recipes & meals!
Also check out my top 10 foods to avoid for a flatter stomach!
1. Berries
Berries are so delicious! Did you know that half a cup of these babies will be no more than 40 calories? That’s why they are so perfect for adding to breakfast dishes like oatmeal and smoothies – or you can eat them just by themselves.
» Blueberries, raspberries & blackberries are some of the best kind of berries to eat for weight loss – but all berries are fantastic! Switch things up sometimes by trying other berries like strawberries, gooseberries, red currants, black currants or even boysenberries.
» I almost always eat berries for breakfast, but if I don’t then you can usually find me snacking on some during the day or enjoying them as a guilt-free dessert.
» Berries are not only very low in calories and totally delicious, they are also packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants & fiber.
» 1/2 cup of blueberries contain 40 calories while 1/2 cup of raspberries contain 35 calories and the same amount of blackberries have roughly 32 calories.
2. Grapefruit
Have you ever heard of the grapefruit diet? Well, I don’t really recommend eating as much grapefruit as the grapefruit diet recommends (a balanced diet for weight loss is always best) – but what this diet does show us is that the grapefruit is an ideal food to eat while trying to lose weight.
» According to the promoters of the grapefruit diet (now labeled a fad diet), grapefruit contains an enzyme which burns fat. While the enzyme does actually help to contribute to fat loss, eating grapefruit alone won’t cause dramatic weight loss.
» However, grapefruit contains pectin and studies have shown that pectin has cholesterol-lowering properties. Grapefruits are very low in calories (half a large grapefruit contains roughly 50 calories), very high in antioxidants and contain many vitamins like vitamin C. I love eating grapefruit with breakfast!
3. Green vegetables
Green vegetables are probably (and will probably always been seen as) one of the best foods to eat for weight loss. Green vegetables are generally very low in calories (depending on how they are prepared of course) and are full of powerful nutrients that the body needs.
» Some of the best green vegetables to eat include broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, cucumber, leeks, brussel sprouts and cauliflower.
» 100g of broccoli contains 34 calories, 100g of cauliflower contains 25 calories, 100g of brussel sprouts contain 43 calories and 100g or asparagus contains only 20 calories (these would all be raw or steamed).
» I try to eat green vegetables every day – usually with my dinner. I either lightly steam them, make a quick vegetable stir fry or I will oven roast them with a little bit of macadamia nut oil, sea salt & cracked black pepper. Even green veggies can be totally delicious!
4. Almonds
Almonds are packed with protein, healthy fats, fiber – and are considered one of the best types of nuts to eat for weight loss.
» Almonds are perfect for snacks and are delicious added to smoothies & salads. I often sprinkle a couple on top of a salad, on top of oatmeal or I’ll add some unsweetened almond butter to a smoothie.
» 1 almond contains 7 calories and so 10 almonds contain 70 calories, while 1 teaspoon (not heaped) of unsweetened almond butter has roughly 35 calories.
» It’s best to eat almonds raw or sprouted and not roasted – the fats found in almonds are healthiest when left raw. Store bought roasted almonds usually contain additional oil and too much salt, which makes them a lot more calorie dense.
» Eating almonds is a great way to get healthy fats and protein in your diet while trying to lose weight.
5. Quinoa
Some grains (especially white, processed grains) like wheat are not good for weight loss. Processed white flours and grains cause insulin levels to rise, which results in fat storage.
» Whole grains like quinoa are the perfect healthy alternative to breads, pastas, couscous and white rice.
» Quinoa contains 11 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup. Fiber and protein both help the body to process sugars found in carbohydrates and so quinoa is a good grain substitute for other grains. White flours and processed grains contain little to zero protein or fiber.
» While quinoa is possibly the best, other healthy grain options include steel cut oats, whole rolled oats, whole brown rice, wholegrain millet and wholegrain bulgar.
» 1/2 cup cooked quinoa will give you 111 calories, but it will keep you full for a long time.
6. Eggs
Eggs are full of healthy protein & healthy fats and will therefore help to keep you fuller for longer after a meal. Eggs are also not very high in calories – 1 large egg contains about 80 calories.
» I often eat 2 eggs with my breakfast – I will either eat them boiled or I will lightly fry them with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil or macadamia nut oil.
» Eggs contain many vitamins, minerals & antioxidants as well as a high dose of vitamin B12, which helps the body to break down fat cells.
» Eggs are not only delicious with breakfast, they are perfect eaten for lunch or dinner (I love adding hard boiled eggs to a salad) and are also great for baking with (and will add healthy protein to your baked goods).
7. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are very low in calories and are high in flavour. Tomatoes can take almost any meal from bland to delicious – and they are also completely nutritious.
» Tomatoes contain a high dose of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
» 1 cup of cherry tomatoes contain only 32 calories, while 1 big tomato will contain roughly 25 calories.
» Tomatoes are delicious added to salads and soup. I love adding whole cherry tomatoes to a tray of chopped vegetables & mixed herbs before I roast them.
8. Carrots
Carrots are really nutritious, very low in calories and they add good bulk to a meal. 1 medium carrot has 25 calories – which is literally nothing.
» I love peeling raw carrots into thin strips and adding them to salads and stir fries, I also love using carrots in soups & stews.
» They’re packed full of natural vitamins & beta carotene (they improve night vision) and they are one of the best flat tummy foods.
9. Wild caught fish
Fresh fish is full of healthy fats, and healthy fats are really good for you! Some of the best fish to eat are lean white fish (like hake and cod) and fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon and trout).
» The fats found in fish help to reduce inflammation in the body, helps with insulin resistance, is good for the digestive tract, good for keeping joints healthy, good for the heart, good for the eyes and great for the brain!
» However, make sure that you always get your fish from a good, reputable source and always double check that it is wild caught – not farmed! Farmed fish can be toxic and dangerous.
10. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are very good for you! They are a natural source of vitamin D, vitamin B, phosphorus and copper. They are also (you guessed it) very low in calories.
» 1 cup of sliced mushrooms contains only 16 calories, therefore feel free to eat as many as you like! I like to eat mushrooms raw in salads and cooked in soups or roasted in the oven.
11. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens such as baby spinach, swiss chard spinach, romaine/ cos lettuce, arugula, pak choi lettuce and kale are literally the best flat tummy foods that you’ll ever get.
» 1 cup of any of these greens shredded (except for kale) will give you under 10 calories. Kale contains slightly more calories (but only a little more) with 33 calories per shredded cup.
» All of these leafy greens are very high in nutrients, fiber, vitamins & minerals which are all so important for maintaining good health and a flat tummy.
» I try to eat at least 1 cup of leafy greens a day – either in a green smoothie for breakfast or in a salad for lunch or dinner!
12. Lean meats
Turkey breast meat, chicken breast meat and lean beef fillet are some of the best meats to eat because they are low in calories (as far as meat goes) while still being full of nutrients & very high in protein.
» Protein is important because it helps to build the body while maintaining healthy muscles and organs like the heart and brain (did you know that organs are muscles too?).
» 100g of lean beef fillet will provide you with 160 calories, 100g of turkey breast meat will give you about 140 calories and the same amount of chicken breast meat will give you roughly 170 calories.
» If you are trying to lose weight, remember to trim the fat from your steak and remove the skin from turkey or chicken before eating them.
» Fats are not bad for you (in fact they are VERY good for you) but it’s good to eat them in moderation if you are trying to get a flatter tummy! Did you know that some of the healthiest fats can be found in avocado, olives, nuts and seeds?
13. Avocado
Avocado’s are one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet – and the healthy fats found in avocado’s are so good for you.
» Healthy fats help with weight loss (even though they are high calorically) because fats help to stabilise blood sugar levels, aid in insulin resistance and also reduce inflammation in the body.
» Fats take longer to digest than carbohydrates which means they will keep you fuller for longer. I seriously love avocados and will happily eat a few slices with any meal during the day.
» I often eat 1/4 avocado with 2 eggs & a slice of 100% wholegrain (rye or gluten-free) toast for breakfast, in a smoothie (I use a little bit of avocado to make my smoothies super creamy, it’s so good), in a salad for lunch or with lean protein and vegetables for dinner.
» Because avocado’s are high in calories, I’d be careful to eat a whole one if you are trying to lose weight. 1/4 avocado contains 80 calories while 1/3 has 100 calories and 1 whole avocado will usually give you about 320 calories (depending on it’s size of course).
Eating a balanced diet containing good unprocessed carbs, lean protein and healthy fats is the best way to get a flat tummy & to lose weight. Be mindful of calories, but there is no need to be obsessive with calorie counting.
I hope that you found this post helpful, and I hope that it will help you to achieve your goals!
Liezl Jayne xo
Ps. I’ve also got a 3 day eating plan for weight-loss that you can download here on my blog – this is what I used to lose 40 Lbs!
Photos by Liezl Jayne Strydom for liezljayne.com
