You may have heard the saying “every inch a winner” which means striving for a particular weight can be good for your health. While it is true that your health is more important than the number on the scale, you might be surprised by how much difference a few pounds make. There are different ways of measuring your waist circumference, but keep in mind that the smaller the waist, the healthier you are. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, cancer survival rates are higher among people with smaller waists. One study found that for every inch of waist reduction, there was a 13% drop in cancer deaths. If you’re curious about how much weight you should lose per inch of waist, keep reading.
Choose Foods That Reduce Belly Fat
As you reduce your body fat, you’re going to start noticing a difference in the way your body performs. One of the best ways to do this is by eating the right food. A lot of people think that reducing their waist circumference means losing weight, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Instead, you need to be consuming foods that reduce belly fat and inches. Some of these foods are:
- beet
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- cauliflower
- chickpeas
- eggplant
- fennel
- fruits
- grapes
- lemons
- limes
- nectarines
- oranges
- peaches
- pears
- pineapple
- potatoes
- raspberries
- star fruit
- strawberries
- tangerines
- thyme
Some foods are more effective than others in reducing belly fat, so you need to find out which ones are best for you. If you’re not sure how to make this determination, ask your doctor or dietitian for help. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction. While the list above contains foods that are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which provide your body with essential nutrients, it also contains some of the most popular junk foods in America. If you’re not sure which foods to avoid and which ones to indulge in, it may be best to reduce your intake of both. In addition to the foods mentioned above, you should also be wary of foods that contain a lot of sugar (especially if you have an addiction to sweets). The list below contains some of the most popular junk foods and the corresponding effects that eating these foods has on your waistline:
- Chips: The average chips bag contains about 40 chips. One bag may contain as many as 500 calories. While this may not seem like a lot of calories, it’s enough to make a significant difference in your overall waist size. If you’re looking to shed a few pounds, you may want to avoid chips completely or eat them sparingly.
- Ice Cream, Sherbert And Fruit Bars: Most people think that ice cream is one of the greatest things they ever eat. However, this popular dessert can really pack on the pounds. A typical carton of ice cream (16 oz) has about 300 calories and 24 grams of fat. Frozen fruit bars and sherbert are even worse. A 12 oz. bar of frozen fruit has about 200 calories and 12 grams of fat. A single scoop of sherbert has about 60 calories and 4 grams of fat.
- Cola And Other Refreshing Drinks: These refreshing drinks have become extremely popular because they’re so easy to consume while commuting or working. However, the sugar within these drinks can cause significant damage to your waistline. A 12 oz bottle of cola contains about 50 grams of sugar. This is over 10 teaspoons of sugar! If you drink a 12 oz. bottle of cola every day, you’ll double your body weight in just 10 weeks! While it may not seem like a lot of sugar, it’s still a lot! In order to reduce your waistline, it may be best to avoid these types of drinks altogether.
- Nacho Cheese Flavored Soup: This is one of the worst offenders when it comes to adding inches to your waistline. A 6-oz. can of nacho cheese flavored soup has about 160 calories and 11 grams of fat. This is almost as much as a quarter cup of regular soup. You may want to avoid this type of food all together or eat them sparingly.
- Red Meats: Unfortunately, many of the meats we eat today are high in fat and even contain cholesterol. This is mainly because manufacturers add it to the food as a way to increase the production of the item. If you want to reduce your waistline, it may be best to avoid meats or eat them only occasionally. This will decrease the amount of fat you ingest and help to improve your health overall.
- White Bread: This type of bread has been slowly gaining popularity because it goes with a variety of foods. However, the calories within these loaves are rather high. A loaf of white bread has about 210 calories and 11 grams of fat. You may want to avoid this type of food if you’re trying to reduce your waistline.
- Pizza: This is one of the most popular and versatile foods in America today. Many people think of pizza when it comes to losing weight because it’s easy to make and fits perfectly into most diets. If you’re trying to shed some pounds, it may be best to avoid this type of food altogether or eat it only occasionally. Pizza is rather high in calories – about 290 calories per slice – and fat – about 23 grams per slice. This makes it one of the worst offenders when it comes to adding inches to your waistline.
Incorporate More Veggies And Fruit
When you begin losing weight, your body may react in a number of ways. Some people experience a boost in energy and activity levels, while others feel more lethargic and sleep more frequently. For those who experience the latter, this is often a sign that they’re not getting the necessary nutrients from the food they’re eating. In order to help your body produce more energy, you may want to incorporate more veggies and fruit into your diet. Some examples include: