Posted Mar 2, 2009
Some things in life aren’t fair. As we get older, it seems that no matter how much we starve or sweat, that belly fat just won’t go away. The former washboard is now a blubbery memory as we try sucking it in to achieve its former glory.
Yes, we can blame it on the kids or the beer, but that’s not going to make it beautiful or healthy.
The editors of Prevention magazine hope to level the metabolism playing field with a breakthrough plan in “Flat Belly Diet.” The book, written by Liz Vaccariello, Prevention editor in chief, and Cynthia Sass, MPh, RD, nutrition director, claims we can get a flat belly and lose up to 15 pounds in 32 days without hunger pains and without a single crunch required.
The key is monounsaturated fats, which the editors call MUFAs: oils, olives, nuts, seeds, avocados and dark chocolate. According to their research, MUFAs help target belly fat. The goal is to eat a portion controlled MUFA at every meal, which is also one of the three rules to the diet:
1. Stick to 400 calories a meal.
2. Never go more than four hours without eating.
3. Eat a MUFA at every meal.
The book includes meal plans, recipes, snack pack ideas, a four-day anti-bloat diet to kick things off and optional exercises to help lose the weight faster. (See right for recipes.) We recently talked with Prevention’s executive editor, Courtenay Smith, to learn more.
Why did the editors of Prevention magazine come up with this diet?
We are always hearing from women and how they want help with their belly fat. Sixty-seven percent of women say it’s the body part they most want to change. And for us being a health magazine, belly fat is not just a vanity issue, it’s a health issue. Excess fat around your belly can up your risk of heart disease, some cancers, dementia and type 2 diabetes. When we found the research, we felt it was a service we can provide women. (It works for men, too.)
How do you know it works?
We commissioned a study with scientists at Yale University, and nine overweight women followed the flat belly diet for 28 days. The researchers tracked their progress using cross-section MRIs so they could actually see the visceral belly fat around their internal organs. In summary, in 28 days the women reduced dangerous visceral belly fat on average by 33 percent in 28 days. They lost an average of 8.4 pounds and close to two inches around the waist. Total cholesterol dropped an average of 21 points. And they saw impressive reductions in blood pressure, inflammation and insulin resistance, which leads to diabetes.
Did the women who participated in the Yale study exercise, or just do the diet?
The study participants at Yale did not exercise at all.
Besides eating every four hours, how does the diet keep you from feeling hungry?
Monounsaturated fats give you a feeling of being satisfied. One of the favorite breakfasts on the diet is a frozen waffle with warmed-up cherries and melted chocolate chips on top. It’s really satisfying. You’re not going to feel like “I’m not going to get to eat any fun food” on this diet.
How is this diet different than a Mediterranean diet?
I don’t think you will find a Mediterranean diet with this level of specifity. We’ve gotten very specific on amounts of MUFAs and how often to eat. We also give a lot of tips on stress and emotional eating. Frankly, weight loss is both a physical thing and a mind-body thing. High levels of cortisol, which you get from being stressed, are linked to storing extra body fat. We also encourage people to keep a food journal because that will get a handle on emotional eating.
Why not polyunsaturated fats? What’s the difference?
Anytime you replace a saturated fat with an unsaturated fat, you’re doing your health a favor. Also worth noting, omega-3 fatty acids, which are a type of polyunsaturated fat, are extremely healthy for your heart and brain, and may even protect against depression. But we decided to focus on MUFAs in the flat belly diet for a couple of reasons. They’re found in some of the tastiest foods and are generally less expensive and easier to buy than foods containing polyunsaturated fats, like seafood. MUFAs also have gained incredible attention over the past five years among nutrition communicators, researchers and health experts; the depth of research showing their benefits is remarkable. Which brings me to the most important reason we focused on MUFAs: the science between MUFAs and the belly fat starring role. This link doesn’t exist for polys. Why this is, we still don’t know.
For more information on the diet, visit flatbellydiet.com or get the book, “Flat Belly Diet” available in most bookstores for $25.95.
Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com.
Date: Feb 28, 2009
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