An Eating Plan For A Flat Belly

In a few weeks, I'm having my body fat percentage checked again at the Southern CT State University. I've been working hard, but besides all the working out, I also eat very clean. They say it's essential to eat nutritious food and no junk food if you're trying to get to 10 percent body fat, as I am. The only way I'll get there is an eating plan that promotes muscle growth and keeps my weight in check.

I don't think I've touched upon the typical foods that I eat, so I thought I would blog about it for those that want to know. The foods are primarily from Dr. Fuhrman's list of suggested foods for the Nutritarian plan, but with some additions. Many of these foods I've researched the past few years and have them on a regular basis because of the important nutrients in them.

So here's the clean eating that I do, broken down into meals and snacks...

For breakfast, I have either eggs (one yolk with a couple egg whites) with ground flax seeds and chia seeds on top or
steel cut oatmeal with almonds and a handful of berries, ground flax seeds and chia seeds on top. I also always have peanut butter (natural, no sugar, of course) on a healthy cracker called Suzie's Thin Cakes. They are made out of quinoa, sesame seeds, non-GMO corn and sea salt. They are awesome, with only 4 ingredients.

For the mid-morning snack, I'll have some pistachios, almonds, walnuts, etc.

For lunch, I'll make a smoothie. I highly recommend smoothies as they are easy to make and give you so much energy! I'll add kale, watercress, cucumber, turmeric, maybe ginger, pomegranates, maybe some berries, some cinnamon. You get a ton of nutrients from smoothies!

If I go to the gym, I usually will make a protein shake. I do like Lifes Basics Pea Protein powder. It's sweetened with stevia and comes in chocolate or vanilla. It has 25 grams of protein per serving.

For another snack, I'll have more nuts or maybe a handful of goji berries or a banana.

At dinner time, I always have a big salad. I add so much to it, but I love food and eat a lot! I will add lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, onions, you name the vegetable, I probably eat it! For dressing, I'll either use just balsamic vinegar or a healthy pomegranate dressing from Whole Foods that has very few ingredients and very little sodium. Here's a tip for you... if a dressing doesn't require refrigeration, don't buy it as it's processed and different ingredients were added to keep it from spoiling!

Aside from the salad, I have spinach, sometimes broccoli, black beans or beets and maybe some turkey or chicken.

For a snack after dinner, I might have some almond milk with extra pea protein. I also might have more berries.

I eat as clean as possible because it's the only way to get my body to 10 percent body fat. I also get plenty of protein eating this way, as my muscles are continuing to grow. So even though I notice that my arms have tightened, along with my chest, I still have a flap at the bottom of my belly. We'll see how much better it looks at 10 percent.

You might be wondering, what if it doesn't tighten all the way by 10 percent, what then? Well, the belly has been a great motivator. If it doesn't tighten all the way, I can accept it. No one can see the flap when I'm dressed and it's not like I go to the beach a lot. I would never do surgery. The amount of skin I have left over is minimal compared to some and for that I'm grateful. Plus, the strength training I've done has tightened other areas of my body quite a bit, so it has not been a waste of time.