Flat Belly Diet

I was wondering if anyone has heard of this, what it entails, and if someone could give me the basic guidelines of it.  Its supposed to help you lose the dangerous kind of fat around your stomach, but as far as I can see, they also want you to buy a book that goes along with it.... :-/

anyone care to explain the concepts to me please?

try calling it the flat wallet diet.

You buy the book with your hard earned money, follow it for a few days, maybe even a few weeks and then it sits on you night stand until you put it away.

Sorry, but I have about twenty of these books in my bookcase.  Not one has helped.

That's why I'm asking here, and not wasting my money :-) Thanks

Sorry, my response probably came off a bit snarky.

I am just jealous because I did not write a diet book and made a fortune.

I remember one diet expert who had sold a lot of books and other stuff.  She admitted later to not following her own diet.

Just call me jaded.

I haven't read the book, but consistent cardio, a regular ab routine (10 minutes/4 days a week), and watching yoru carb intake (as in no candy or white bread) should do it.

Yeah, I've heard of it, but haven't tried it. It's also known as the MUFA Diet. The basic principle is to include foods that contain monounsaturated fatty acids, like olive oil or macadamia nut oil, to your diet. Seems counter-intuitive to eat fat to reduce fat, but there you go. Check out "prevention.com" and you should find some more info on this diet.

All the personal trainers I know have always said that a flat stomach is 10% exercise and 90% diet, which makes a lot of sense to me.

If you want a flat belly, you need to do cardio exercise every day and eat a clean & healthy diet! When I say clean and healthy I mean lean meats (Chicken&Turkey Breast, Fish of all kinds, Bison, Lean Beef, Ostrich, Eggs, etc) and low-carb vegetables (anything BUT peas, corn, potatoes, peas, pumpkin, anything fried, breaded, etc) ---> I think if you have been on this website long enough you know what is healthy & what is not. The key is just to eat really healthy foods and do a lot of cardio exercise!!! --TRUST ME!-- 

 

Original Post by spoiled_candy:

try calling it the flat wallet diet.

I just had to say that when I read that, I threw my head back and laughed so hard, I think I frightened the neighbors.

 

This might sound odd, but I find that when I lift weights, my stomach flattens out.  I have no idea what that means.  I assume it's because when I build muscle, I burn more fat, and my body is deciding to take the fat from my stomach area (instead of my over-sized ass and thighs--thanks, body.  No, really.).

For a while, I was trying to do more and more cardio because supposedly, that's what you do to burn more fat, but all I did was plateau.  As soon as I went back to more weights and less cardio instead of the reverse, I started losing fat again.  I don't pretend to understand, I just do what works. 

You can't spot reduce fat, period.  You must reduce fat all over and that means eating right and exercising.  Keep the fats to a minimum, make sure most fats you do eat are good fats, keep the carbs reasonable, and get plenty of protein - something like 20-30-50.  For exercise you need a combination of cardio and strength training.  The cardio will help you burn calories NOW and the strength training will build lean muscle which will increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories all the time.  Finally, if you want a flat stomach, you DO have to work the abs but remember, no matter how well developed your abs are, you're not going to see them if they're covered in a layer of fat!

Skip the fad books and stick to the basics.

I am on my 5th day of the flat belly diet and I like it.  (I can already see and feel the difference) The book makes alot of sense and the MUFA's are really helping to keep me feeling satisfied.  The Sassy Water - water with sliced lemon, sliced peeled cucumber, grated ginger and mint leaves - is really growing on me - except I like it better without the cucumber.  I know I have alot of diet books and have been on diets all my adult life (lost alot on Herbalife and gained it all back) I ordered my book from Rodale Publishing $32, but if you order it through Prevention you can get a couple of months free on their flat belly site.  I think it will be alot of work to count the calories and I will have to substitute some of the items for less expensive brands but honestly I think it will work and be something I can live with.  I had to give up coffee and diet drinks and so far it hasn't even bothered me. No headaches.  I hope to use this site to help figure the calories etc.,  Would be interested to talk to others on this diet to exchange ideas, menus etc.,   Having a little problem with cup measurements, would prefer ounces since they seem more accurate.  Also the physical activity starts with a 5 minute walk after each meal.  I am using Walk Away the Pounds and at my activity level 5 minutes is enough! 

Hi Bebecaine,

 Congrats, how much have you lost on the jumpstart ? I cannot get the book as I do not live in the US, they dont post oversease. I got some recipes from prevention magazine. Can you tell us what you eat on jumpstart / Can I repeat oneday's menu over and over for four days ? Do you drink the sassy water all 32 days or just at the start ? many thanks and much success to you.

I lost about 5+ lbs. (I started at 178lbs/5'2"/age 54) I did not weigh on the day I started but I had just been to the dr so I went by that.  Now if I could just find my tape measurer I could see if I have lost inches!  I know that I have because I can feel the difference.1st four days: 1200 cal per day Breakfast 1 c unsweetened cornflakes,1c skim milk, 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 c raw or roasted sunflower seeds, 1 glass sassy water:Lunch: 4 oz turkey*, 1 light string cheese,1 pt fresh grape tomatoes, glass of sassy water: Smoothie: 1c skim milk,1 c frozen unsw blueberries blended then add 1 Tbsp cold pressed organic flaxseed oil: Dinner: 1 c fresh/frozen cooked green beans, 4 oz grilled/cooked tilapia(fish) 1/2c roasted red potatoes drizzled with 1 tsp olive oil.  (*they called for Applegate Farms Antibiotic-free Honey Maple Turkey - which I couldn't find, so I bought just regular lo fat turkey, even ate piece of broiled turkey cutlet one day) Each day is different so it would take more space than I have here, after the 4th day your calories go to 1400 -400 per meal and 1 snack of 400,but you HAVE to include MUFA-monounsaturated fat with each meal (1/4c sunflower seeds, 2 TBSP almonds, 1 TBSP olive oil, etc) there is an extensive list of MUFA's and measurements/calories. During 4 days you also must avoid coffee, any soft drink, sweeteners, salt, excess carbs, bulky raw food, gassy foods, gum, fried foods, spicy foods.  For some reason this did not bother me at all and I drink coffee at least twice a day.  Also walk 5 minutes after each meal (I do a walk away the pounds vcr tape to walk inside)  I believe they mean for you to continue the sassy water, I am.  Makes the water much tastier and the ingredients are good for you. You really need the book but they do offer a site you can join on line which might could take the place of the book. Wish I could use that but don't want to spend the money. I will give you the other days as space permits:Day 2: 1 c Rice Krisipies, 1 c skim milk, 1/4 c sunflower seeds, 4 oz pineapple tidbits canned in juice, glass of sassy water: Lunch: 3 oz light tuna in water, 1 c steamed baby carrots, 1 light string cheese, water: Smoothie: 1 c skim milk, 4 oz canned pineapple tidbits in juice in blender, stir in 1 tbsp flax oil: Dinner: 1 c fresh crimini (bella) mushrooms sauteed in 1 tsp olive oil, 3 oz grilled chicken breast, 1/2 c brown rice, water Day 3: Breakfast - same as day one except for 2 Tbsp raisins instead of applesauce, Lunch: same as day 1, smoothie: use 1 c frozen peaches w/ 2 tsp flax oil: dinner: same as day 1 except for 3oz baked turkey cutlet instead of fish: Day 4: 1 pkg instant cream of wheat/1 c skim milk/ 1/4 c sunflower seeds/2 dried plums: lunch same as day 1, smoothie use 1 c frozen strawberries/2 tsp flax oil: Dinner: 1 c fresh/frozen yellow squash sauteed iin 1 tsp olive oil, 3 oz grilled chicken breast, 1/2 c brown rice, water.  So there are the 4 first days!!  The next 4 weeks you are given meal guides, eating out guide, recipes.  Alot of the suggested ingredients are health-food type (is 1 slice Food for Life Ezekiel Sesame Sprouted Bread!! I used a whole wheat 35 cal bread) Most important is the MUFA. Better go and do my walking. Good luck 

 

 

 

 

 

Bebecaine,  I read your first journal entry.  I hope you continue to write in it as I would love to read your progress.  The diet sounds healthy to me but I am not a nutritionist.

We are neighbors.  I live not too far from the state line over into Georgia.  You'll grow to love Alabama.

Good luck on your new plan.  It sounds like you are having some great results!

Hi Babecaine,

 You are really so nice to write down the long mail detailing the menu. Many many thanks. I am really happy that you are seeing result. The menu I got from the flat belly diet webpage, I followed for last two days and I nearly lost 2 kg. With your suggestions, I shall go on for few more days. The food was very filling. Specially the shakes: I used 3 tbsp flax seed milled instead of 1 tbsp flax oil and so had a really filling snack. the sassy water is not brilliant but not too bad either. I look forward to your results. And thanks a million for the menu. Cheers.

 

Hi...I've read about the flat belly diet, but I won't buy into it.  I'm pretty familiar w/good & bad fats, etc.etc.  But what I really want to know is WHAT IS SASSY WATER?  I don't want to buy the $32 book just for that silly sassy water recipe...but I'd like to try it.  If anyone would be so kind as to give me that recipe, I would GREATLY appreciate it.  I've searched online and I just can't find it. 
THANKS SOOOOOO MUCH!

See post #10, bebecaine gives the recipe there

Oh gee...thanks!  I don't know how I missed that. 

Hey people they have the food lists and the exercise online today... I went to MSN.COM and they had stuff on it... I think it was a link to the prevention site.  Check it out...

 http://www.prevention.com/cda/categorypage.do ?channel=weight.loss&category=flat.belly. diet&topic=flat.belly.diet.food

 The diet is based on nuts (almonds), healthy oils (olive oil), dark chocolate, alvocados, and olives.  Most stuff is pretty common.  They also have a link on there for exercises.  Save your money and just check the web site out, it gives you enough information.

Oh and it also has some recipes.

How long do you drink the water for??? 

How long do you drink the water for???