Trimming your waistline is one of the biggest challenges when trying to lose weight. As we age, our midsection is one part of the body that is most prone to expanding, no matter what we’re eating. This is especially true if you’re not watching what you put inside your body. Interestingly, the fat that’s stored in our waistline and belly area is considered to be ‘active fat.’ The fat in this area causes it to release hormones that make it very hard to lose weight and see better results in our waistlines.
It’s even more frustrating when you’re working out areas that target your waistline and you see results everywhere but your waist. However, there are things you can do now to avoid making your waistline even bigger and stop fat from taking over your abdomen. To learn more about foods that are making your waistline bigger, we spoke with Dr. Haseeb, dietitian at findhealthtips, Dr. Bianca Beldini, DPT, MSOM, LAc, HHC, and nutritionist Lisa Richards. They shared with us that fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol, and vegetable oils are the foods that could be making your waistline bigger.
“A bigger waistline typically infers that there is an increase in intra-abdominal fat. This fat is considered to be highly inflammatory and often surrounds the organs and heart. As we age and begin to lose estrogen, a woman’s body begins to go from storing fat in the extremities and hips to storing fat in the abdomen,” Dr. Beldini states. She emphasizes the direct correlation between hormonal shifts and the aging of a woman’s body.
1. Fast Food
Fast food is everywhere, and there's no reason it will stop being sold. They offer us convenience, cheaper food, and, admittedly, tastiness. Therefore, it's important to develop better eating choices in order to stop fast food from contributing to your waistline. Dr. Haseeb says "fast food and highly processed foods are now commonplace in modern diets. Examples include burgers, fries, and sweet snacks. Sadly, these foods are frequently laden with bad fats, extra sugars, and empty calories, making them major causes of gaining weight."
It's a well-known fact that fast food is incredibly unhealthy and puts us at risk for so many diseases, so it's a good place to start when thinking about which foods you need to eliminate to slim your waistline.
2. Sugary Drinks
"Sweetened beverages like sodas, energy drinks, and fruit juices are a major contributor to the expansion of the waistline. These drinks are infamous for having a lot of added sugar and no nutritious value, which causes more belly fat to accumulate," Dr. Haseeb notes.
Now that we are in the summer season, it's hard to stay away from sweetened drinks as it can feel like they're quenching your thirst, but don't sabotage your weight loss progress as these drinks are loaded with calories and insane amounts of sugar, all of which contribute to a bigger waistline. Take note that these drinks are not always packaged; they can also include drinks we consume at restaurants during brunch or dinner.
3. Alcohol
It might be difficult for a lot of people to cut down on alcohol, especially when it's party season and you're out with your friends, but alcohol is one of the main culprits when it comes to a big waistline.
Dr. Haseeb says that "alcoholic beverages frequently lack critical nutrients and have high-calorie counts. Alcohol can also make it more difficult for the body to adequately metabolize fat, which increases the amount of fat stored in the abdomen."
One drink here and there will not lead to you waking up with a waistline double the size of the night before, but it's important to consume everything in moderation and lead a healthy lifestyle if you really want to avoid foods and drinks that are making your waistline bigger.
4. Vegetable oils
Vegetable oils may sound harmless enough—after all, they come from vegetables, and vegetables are healthy, right? However, Richards warns that many vegetable oils are actually highly inflammatory and could be holding you back from your weight loss goals.
"Vegetable oils can be inflammatory due to an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids," she explains. "While both types are essential for health, the typical Western diet contains an excessive amount of omega-6 fatty acids, primarily found in vegetable oils like corn, soybean, and sunflower oils."
When you consume to many omega-6 fatty acids, she tells us, your body could produce more pro-inflammatory molecules in your body. For this reason, it's important to prioritize healthy fats instead. "In contrast, omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, have anti-inflammatory properties," Richards notes. Replacing vegetable oils with healthy fat-rich olive oil is one good way to go.
Healthier Alternatives
There are a bunch of healthier alternatives you can choose from to see a slimmer waistline. Dr. Beldini recommends whole, natural foods instead of snacks and sweet drinks. They include fruits, vegetables, and quinoa or brown rice as a replacement for carbs. You can also make healthy beverages such as fruit smoothies and green juices at home using whatever fruits and vegetables you have available. These will taste just as good and also keep your waistline in check.
Dr. Haseeb gives us a very easy recommendation to aid in our journey to reduce our waistline: water! "One easy yet effective strategy to keep a healthy weight is to choose water as your main beverage instead of sugary ones. Water promotes digestion, aids hydration, and is calorie-free. Without using additional sugars, the flavor can be imparted to water by infusing it with fruits or herbs," he says.
The Bottom Line
While we're surrounded by popular foods and drinks that can make our waistlines bigger, we're also equipped with healthier alternatives that can aid us in reducing our midsection so that we can meet our weight loss goals. By avoiding overly processed foods and drinks with tons of added sugar, preservatives, and empty calories, we're sure you'll see a big difference next time you measure your waist!
