Bite This, Not That For a Flat Belly

We reviewed the Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass and find it a perfectly sane way to lose weight.  It suggests you eat every four hours, which can prevent major hunger pangs from taking over.  You also get to nosh on yummy foods like nuts and olive tampanade.  Below are some foods for a flat belly VS a fat belly:Bite this:

1. Cucumbers: This popular fruit (yes, it's really a fruit) is nearly nil in calories and has diuretic (water loss) properties.  Add them to salads orsandwiches or nosh on them with hummus between meals.
2. Olives. Go Mediterranean and add a few chopped olives to your sandwich, sauce or salad.  These savory spheres add a little punch to your dish with about 9 calories/olive.
3. Nuts: Nuts are loaded with appetite squelching protein and heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat.  Don't just go for almonds or peanuts.  Mix it up and enjoy pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts or pecans for a change of pace.
4. Berries: July is blueberry season, so load up on these nutritious nuggets.  A full 8 oz cup has only 83 calories and 3.5 grams of fiber.
5. Yogurt. Yogurt is good for a flat gut since it may aid with regularity and keep the infection-fighting bacteria alive in your belly.  Go for low fat organic or Greek style yogurt with less sugar.

Not that:

1. Soda: By far one of the worst offenders to your belly is soda, and NOT just regular soda.  A recent study found that individuals that drink two or more diet sodas/day gained 70% more abdominal fat than non-drinkers.  Switching to regular soda won't help your belly either.  Drink water, plain and simple.
2. Chips. A few chips here and there can't hurt, but like the Lays ad- you can't eat just one.  A recent Harvard study found that for every 15 chips you eat, about 1.69 lbs are gained over a 4-year period.  Best to skip the chips.
3. Alcohol. It's called a beer belly for a reason.  The combination of alcohol and carbonation really wreaks havoc on your waistline.  Alcohol is also an appetite stimulant- not what you want while trying to diet.  Try some diet seltzer water and a twist of lime while lounging by the pool this season.
4. White noodles, rice and potatoes. While all of these are technically complex carbohydrates, none of them provide much fiber, which gives you that full feeling.  They also raise and drop blood sugar quickly, leading you hungry for more food.  Go for whole wheat pasta, brown rice and sweet potatoes when available.
5. Big portions. Here's another no-brainer. Keep your portions within reason and don't stuff yourself.  If you're trying to lose weight, stay away from "all you can eat buffets", use smaller plates and check out the new USDA site www.choosemyplate.gov to find out how much you  really should be eating for your age, weight and activity level.