Reducing Body Fat with Dietary Changes

Opt for meals that are low-calorie. Low-calorie diets will help you lose weight and reduce body fat. Monitor how many calories you eat daily and reduce this number by around 500 calories each day. This will yield a 1 – 2 pound weight loss per week.

• Count how many calories you're currently consuming. You can use a food journal, app or online calculator to help you do this accurately. Cut out about 500 calories from this number. Your end result should be what you aim for daily for slow and safe body fat loss.

• Do not try to follow a very low calorie diet or consume less than 1,200 calories daily. When you're calories are too low, you may stop losing weight or lose lean muscle mass, not body fat.^[

You may want to check with your physician or dietitian about the amount of calories you should be consuming in order to reduce body fat.

Focus on lean protein. Protein is essential for your body's metabolism. Focusing on lean protein at all meals and snacks can help support weight loss and body fat reduction.

• Lean protein should be included at all meals. This will help ensure you meet your daily recommended amount. Women should aim for 46 g daily and men should aim for 56 g.

• Lean protein sources include: poultry, lean beef, pork, legumes, tofu, low-fat dairy and seafood.

• Limit or avoid sources of protein that contain higher amounts of saturated fat. Some studies have shown that a diet rich in saturated fats may increase body fat — especially in your abdomen.

• Limit foods like: full-fat dairy, fatty cuts of meat, and butter.

Make fruits and vegetables a priority in meals. In addition to lean protein, make a large part of your meals and snacks vegetables. You will also want to eat plenty of fruit. These foods are very nutritious and contain a lot of healthy nutrients your body needs.

• It's generally recommended to consume about five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Aim for one to two servings of fruit and the rest should be vegetables.

• Also, when you're choosing foods from these groups, try to choose items that are brightly colored or darkly colored. These foods are typically more nutrient-dense meaning they contain higher amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.For example, choose kale over iceberg lettuce.

• Try using vegetables creatively. Try them raw with a dip or in a salad, sauté them on the stove, cook them in a soup, roast them in the oven, grill them outside, or hide them in a smoothie or in spaghetti sauce and serve over spaghetti squash.

Reduce the amount of grains you eat. One of the best ways to reduce your body fat is to reduce the amount of grains you eat each day. These carbohydrate-rich foods can slow the reduction of body fat.

• Foods that are high in carbohydrates include: bread, rice, pastries, sweets, pasta, crackers, chips, English muffins, and bagels. These highly processed grains contain little nutrition and can quickly raise blood sugar which often results in fat storage. 

• There are other foods that contain carbohydrates like fruits and legumes; however, these foods also contain a high amount of other essential nutrients and shouldn't necessarily be limited.

Make water your number one drink of choice. On a normal day, most people should drink about eight 8-oz glasses of water. Choose no-calorie, decaf beverages for the most hydrating fluids.

• Avoid sweetened, calorie filled beverages like sodas, juice or energy drinks as they will add calories to your diet and may increase body fat.

• This is a general recommendation. The amounts of fluids needed will differ for everyone depending on their size and amount of perspiration. For example, those participating in aerobic exercise will need to drink more to help them re-hydrate. Let thirst be your first guide.

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