While muscle building exercises are a useful part of building six pack abs, you need to burn fat if you want your abs to show. That is why you need to have a successful eating strategy that will help you manage your weight and keep the fat off your belly.
One of the simplest, most effective ways to flatten your stomach is to simply add healthy and delicious snacks to your diet. It may be hard to believe, but adding snacks to your diet is more likely to help you shed pounds in the long term.
The Benefit of Snacks
Snacks are an important part of a metabolism boosting six-meal a day strategy. Healthy snacks provide a number of benefits that will have you showing off your abs in no time. Some of these benefits include:
- Reducing Meal Size – One of the most common reasons we gain unwanted weight is because of hunger binges. When you only eat three meals a day, you may become extremely hungry by the meal time. As a result, you can become prone to overeating in order to satisfy that hunger. Snacks help reduce that extensive hunger so that you are less likely to overeat during meals.
- Preventing Cravings – Tasty, healthy snacks can reduce your cravings for foods with higher calories. There are many tasty snacks that will reduce any yearnings for foods that are high in fat or sugar. Cravings can easily sabotage even the best eating strategy, which is another reason that eating snacks is so important for your six pack abs.
- Speedy Metabolism – When your body runs out of nutrients it starts to slow your metabolism to compensate. The slower your metabolism the harder it is to burn fat. Eating healthy snacks can keep your metabolism running at its fastest, ensuring that your body’s natural ability to burn fat is performing as well as possible.
Snacks are also a quick and easy way to supply your body with a little bit of natural energy without giving you too many extra calories. Good snacks are simply a great part of your fat burning eating strategy.
What Are Some Great Snacks?
Not all snacks are created equal. While you will want to choose tasty snacks that will help curb your cravings, you should also try your best to choose snacks that are healthy and won’t knock you off of your fat burning plan. Some of the best snacks include:
- Nuts and Seeds – Walnuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds are all great snacks. Choose raw and unsalted (or lightly salted) nuts and seeds to keep to your eating strategy and find the one that satisfies your snack cravings.
- Dark Chocolate – Natural dark chocolate is a great snack. Dark chocolate at 70% to 90% cacao is low in sugar and extra calories and a useful way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Try to limit yourself to 1 to 1½ oz and avoid milk chocolate and white chocolate, as those tend to contain more fat, sugar and calories.
- Protein Shake – Protein shakes make fantastic snacks. The protein can be used to fuel your workouts, and these shakes often have delicious flavors that are more than enough to satisfy your cravings. Look for protein shakes that are made without artificial sweeteners and flavors.
- Vegetables – Although it may not satisfy your sweet tooth, vegetables make great snacks. Raw carrots, broccoli and celery are all low in calories, and may be served with a low fat dip for added flavor.
- Whole Fruits/Berries – Fruit has natural sugars and are high in fiber, which are a great way to reduce your sugar cravings and keep you feeling nourished. Many fruits are also rich in antioxidants and vitamins for added nutritional benefits.
- Low Fat Dairy Products – There are often delicious low fat dairy meals available like natural unflavored yogurt and cottage cheese. In moderation, these foods are a great snack that is also high in protein.
- Whole Grain Snacks – Whole grain snacks like crackers and bread also make great snacks. They are high in fiber, which helps with your weight loss strategy, and they are low on the glycemic index, which helps your body feel less hungry for longer. Always remember to check the label to ensure there is no hidden ingredients that may not fit your eating strategy.
- Hard Boiled Eggs – Hard boiled eggs get a bad reputation for being naturally high in cholesterol, but in moderation eggs make great snacks. They are high in protein and slow to digest, which will reduce your cravings for additional snacks.
- Crisps and Salsa – When you would like a little more variety in your snacks, consider trying some natural salsa made with fresh vegetables and no additives. Dip some un-fried crisps or low fat pita chips for a tasty and spicy snack.
Before you choose any pre-made product, always check the ingredients in order to make sure there are no hidden ingredients that may not be as beneficial. Even “natural” does not always mean “good for you” (e.g. white sugar is considered natural), so check the label before choosing any snack from the store.
Snacks for a Flat Stomach
When it comes to getting six pack abs, your eating strategy is crucial. You need to do your best to eat in a way that will boost your metabolism. That best way to do that is to eat six times a day rather than only two or three.
Snacks are a great way to cover three of those six meals. Snacks tide you over until your next meal, prevent cravings, and keep your metabolism at its strongest. The above nine foods represent great examples of healthy snacks that will keep you going on your path to six pack abs.