There are literally hundreds of diets out there, and choosing the right one that is in line with the goals you have for yourself while remaining safe is hard.  There are scam diets, fad diets, hard diets, and it seems like there's some kind of a diet for every possible conceivable niche out there.  Some are based around "detox" or carbs and protein.  Others have point systems and impractical day to day cycling of ingredients that make it impossible to do the diet and feed a family.  Others are based around the eating habits of national groups who seem to always be in the best shape.

The flat belly diet plan is based off of this last one, making it a solid diet in which you get a good range of foods and emphasis is placed on portions and diversity of foods.  The basic flat belly plan is based around a 1,600 calorie a day Mediterranean style of diet with a strong emphasis on wholesome natural foods, unrefined, that include large portions of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, seeds, lean protein, and very little red meat (only once or twice a month).

A more solid eating plan is one part of why this diet can be extremely effective, as the regular Mediterranean diet is also very popular and has been effective for many people.  But the authors of this diet say that the specific "secret ingredient" in this diet that really whittles away at the belly fat is the addition of a monounsaturated fat at every meal.  These types of fats are found in olives, avocados, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, soybean, flax, olive oil, and sunflower oil.

These are often referred to as "good fats," and research has proven that when taken in moderation people who had a healthy amount of good fats in their diet tended to be slimmer and in far better shape than people who did not have those fats in their diet.  In addition to this, good fats are shown to have a wide variety of health benefits and they tend to specifically target belly fat.

According to this diet plan, before individuals start on the regular four week plan, dieters spend four days going on a 1,200 to 1,400 calorie "anti-bloat jump start."  This period is intended to reduce bloating, detoxify the body, and get dieters in the right mindset for a healthier eating plan that will help them lose the weight that they so desperately want to drop.  During this time dieters are to drink at least 2 liters of daily "sassy water."  This is water with a special blend of spices, herbs, citrus, and cucumber and is designed not only to reduce bloating, but the claims are that this drink also helped dieters feel energetic and helped to avoid the energy wall that many dieters hit early on in their plan.

The flat belly diet places special emphasis on nutrition and good eating habits, and has been effective for thousands of people.  The added bonus for many?  Minimum exercise, since the change in eating habits are so great for most people as to be enough to cause a good deal of weight loss by itself.

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