Q&A: What is the best diet for abs?

This week we’ll be answering some questions from my Instagram followers (thanks guys!).

Question from @themulhaq and @suzyshedid: For flat belly, what will be diet plan? I’m talking about abs, which is the hardest part and there is always confusion about the diet plan, what to eat and not … There is a lot of people talking about abs training, but not much about nutrition.

Answer from Kim Barnard, Level 3 PT

There isn’t one best diet for achieving abs per se. Abdominals exist on everyone but they are hidden under a stubborn layer of fat around your midsection.

By decreasing your overall body fat percentage and increasing your lean body mass these will start to appear. To do this you need to ensure that your body is operating at a calorie deficiency through proper training and eating.

It is important to note that other aspects can affect achieving those flat, defined abdominals like genetics, bloating, food allergies, inflammation, etc.

Bloating for the majority of people is caused by food allergies or the inability to break down food in your intestines which causes imbalances in gut bacteria. In your gut there are trillions of good and bad bacteria that compete. Sometimes when the bad outweigh the good this can lead to an imbalance which leads to bloating or excessive gas.

Taking a probiotic promotes good bacteria levels throughout the body and helps to balance non-friendly, pathogenic, gut bacteria such as Candida fungus or E. coli.

Here are some guidelines to help shift the fat and get abs.

1. Achieve optimal gut health by taking a good quality probiotic.
2. Make a note of foods that cause bloating and avoid these. For a large proportion of the population dairy and gluten are the biggest culprits.
3. Eat a balanced diet ensuring you are having the correct amounts of macros (protein, fat and carbohydrates).
4. Ensure you are getting plenty of fiber which will lower glucose levels and cholesterol while improving digestive health.
5. Avoid sugar or processed foods.
6. Ensure you are getting plenty of sleep, high stress levels impact your ability to lose fat.
7. Ensure through proper training and diet you are achieving a calorie deficiency.

Hope that helps!