Flat Belly Diet

The Flat Belly Diet promises dieters they can lose 15 pounds in 32 days. Their motto is "A flat belly is about food and attitude," and no crunches are necessary! Is it too good to be true? Well the experts at Prevention Magazine tested a panel of participants and the test results were positive. This diet works.

Test Results

The experts at Prevention claim a 100 percent success rate with test participants who lost as much as 15 pounds in only 32 days by following this diet plan. Individuals who took part in this trial were measured and weighed before and after starting the diet and results showed that everyone lost substantial inches with the most inches lost at 11.25 overall. This includes inches lost from not only the belly but also hips, thighs and more. All in all, this test group lost 91 percent of their belly fat. Quite an impressive quantity.

Flat Belly Diet Foods

This diet names 5 foods as the key to success for those who want a flat stomach. According to their experts, these ingredients have the ability to change your body and lengthen your life. All the foods contain good fats known as MUFAs. These good fats work to guard against chronic diseases but research now supports the fact that they also can aid in losing weight—principally around your midsection. That's why these food categories are at the center of this diet:

• Oils
• Seeds and nuts
• Avocado
• Olives
• Chocolate

The idea behind this diet plan is to include one serving of any of the above foods at each meal. According to Prevention's tests, adding these healthy fats to your meals aids in reducing unsafe belly fat. Along with this they also recommend limiting your calories and offer a structured 4-meal-a-day plan which combines these healthy fats and limits caloric intake with each meal equaling 400 calories. At the start of the program, they offer a 4-day plan to jumpstart your diet and then you move to a 1600 calorie plan.

What Your Waistline Tells You

For years experts have warned of the risks involved for those who are obese. But what does that really mean? Traditionally a person who is more than 20 percent above their ideal weight was considered obese. So if your weight is currently 156 and your ideal weight is 130, then by these calculations you would be considered obese. However, ideal weight has to take these factors into consideration:

• Height
• Age
• Sex
• Build

Today, using the Body Mass Index (BMI) individuals can get a more accurate determination as to whether or not they are obese. BMI calculates your body's size and takes into consideration bone mass. BMI categories are as follows:

Underweight = less than 18.5 Normal weight = 18.5-24.9 Overweight = 25-29.9 Obesity = 30 or greater

But even with this tool there can be trouble, because if you are muscular, the BMI may not be accurate in determining your body mass index. Taking this into account it's important to note that the medical journal Lancet reported that "a person's waist measurement is a more accurate forecaster of heart attacks than the BMI. If you gather fat mainly around your waist, you run a higher risk for developing health problems than those who are pear-shaped. Even if your BMI is in the normal range, your waistline may tell you something different. Listen to your waistline. You may be at increased risk if you are:

• A woman with a waist measuring more than 35 inches
• A man with a waist measuring more than 40 inches

If you tend to gain weight around the middle, then this diet to a flatter belly may be for you, not just to look better but to also help reduce your increased risk for heart disease and other problems.

A New Diet Offering New Hope

This diet to a flatter belly was introduced on January 2 by the Editor-in-Chief of Prevention Magazine, Liz Vaccariello, who happens also to be the co-author of Flat Belly Diet. She introduced the diet plan on ABC's Good Morning America TV show. This diet is designed for health-conscious women, and is based on cutting edge solutions based on science and nutrition. Along with this, they provide tips to keep you motivated and advice which addresses the most frequently asked questions.