The BEST foods to eat for a flat belly.

April 26, 2015

While it’s not possible to uncover a six-pack overnight, it is possible to reduce bloat in hours just by eating strategically—even without subsisting on niche superfoods that you have to search 12 health-food stores to find. Here, nutritionist Keri Glassman reveals a day of flat-belly meals and snacks made from ingredients that you can probably find in your pantry or local bodega.

1 packet of instant oatmeal with 1 cup of berries and 2 tsp. peanut butter

2 hard-boiled eggs and 1 cup of berries

Why: “Oats fill you up with fiber without added sugar, like most highly processed cereals,” Glassman says. “Nut butter provides healthy fat that will keep you satisfied, but won’t hold onto water like sugary and salty packaged foods. (That being said, be sure to check labels and pick items with no added salt sugar!) Berries fill you up with fiber and water volume without adding a big carb load to your morning.”

If you want to up the ante, ditch the oats in favor of a pair of hard-boiled eggs. “The lean protein is satisfying and non-bloating,” she says.

1/3 cup raw, unsalted nuts and 1 clementine

celery sticks with 2 tsp. peanut butter

Why: “These are two real foods that provide a good combo of fiber, protein, healthy fat, and water volume to keep you full, satisfied, and not bloated,” Glassman says. “But if nuts bug your belly, then try nut butter. And to reduce sugar even further, pick celery over fruit.”

2 cups salad greens with 1/2 diced cucumber, 10 cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup shredded carrots, 1/2 an avocado,1 hard-boiled egg, 1 tbsp. sunflower seeds, and a squeeze of lemon and vinegar

Why: “I love this lunch for the combo of lean protein, healthy fats, and filling veggies,” Glassman says. “It’s a ‘clean,’ simple, go-to salad that won’t make your belly bulge!”

6 oz. 2% Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon

1 cup of sliced cucumber with 1 tbsp. rice vinegar and 1 tsp. fresh dill

Why: Glassman notes that the smell of cinnamon alone is a natural stress reliever—making for a great pick-me-up during a busy day at the office. Plus, she adds, “it acts as a great sweetener substitute. Yogurt, she says, “is good for an afternoon dose of protein to keep you satisfied until dinner.”

Not a dairy fan? Cucumbers satisfy a hankering for something crunchy, plus they’re chock full of water and fiber, which will keep you feeling full for hours.

5 oz. grilled salmon, spinach sauteed in 1 tsp. olive oil and garlic, and roasted fennel and root vegetables

Why: “Salmon has omega-3 fatty acids, which are fats that help youburn fat,” Glassman says. “Fat also keeps you satisfied, and fennel is a cleansing veggie that’ll help flush you out.”

Via ELLE