7 Foods to Help Trim Your Waistline

Both men and women overwhelmingly agree that the biggest trouble area on the body is the waist. Whether it’s referred to as the “pooch,” the “love handles,” or the unattractive “muffin top,” it’s all the same: extra weight on our waistline!

In addition to getting outside and burning off some steam – and some serious calories in the process – there are a number of foods we can eat that will actually help us lose weight from our midsections. Here are our favorites:

Lean chicken – We love lean cuts of chicken, like the breast, because it is high in protein and low in fat. Chicken is easy to prepare, most people like the taste, and it’s affordable when compared with other types of meat. Chicken helps us maintain our muscle mass and rev up our metabolism, which helps reduce the bulge along the waistline.
Tuna – Canned tuna is an affordable food for individuals looking to shed weight around the waistline. Because it is canned and precooked, it requires no refrigeration, thereby making it a popular on-the-go meal choice. Plus, it’s low in fat and high in protein, like chicken, which makes it the ideal food for trimming the waistline. Make sure you choose light tuna canned in water, however, to make it the healthiest choice.
Dark greens – Those dark, leafy greens don’t just make a good salad base; they are also fantastic “ruffage” for shedding pounds. Leafy greens, such as spinach, kale and romaine lettuce, for example, are nutrient dense and contain little calories. Plus, they are high in fiber, which helps to improve your digestive health and reduce bloating around your waist.
Fresh fruit – Here’s another great example of food that fills you up, but doesn’t add inches to the waist. Fruit, even though it contains natural sugar, is high in fiber, which encourages proper digestion, and therefore reduces bloating around the waist.
Oatmeal – Oatmeal is a powerhouse when it comes to fiber. If you haven’t already caught on, it’s all about fiber when it comes to trimming the waistline. Oatmeal, in addition to being high in fiber, contains slow-burning carbohydrates. In other words, it takes a long time for the body to burn, which makes you feel fuller and more satisfied for a longer period of time.
Heart-healthy oils – We love the healthy oils, like olive oil and canola oil, because they are an excellent source of omega-three fatty acids and vitamin E. These healthy fats, in addition to being good for your heart, may actually trigger the burning of body fat, thereby helping to trim the waistline.
Low-fat dairy products – In addition to the many obvious benefits of low-fat dairy products, such as strong bones and teeth, foods like skim milk and yogurt also play a big role in keeping our weight at bay. Calcium is thought to prevent weight gain because it increases your body’s ability to break down and burn fat. If you have extra inches around your waist, one of the best things you can do is indulge in a large glass or two of non-fat or low-fat milk every day!