What is the No Waist Allowed Diet?
The No Waist Allowed diet is an eating plan focused on achieving a slim, trim midsection without accumulating excess fat around the waistline. It emphasizes eating wholesome, natural foods that promote fat burning while avoiding processed items that tend to be stored as belly fat.
Why Target Belly Fat Loss
Carrying excess abdominal and visceral fat is linked to a higher risk of many diseases including:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Fatty liver disease
- Certain cancers
Losing extra fat from the waist area can significantly improve these and other health markers for better wellbeing.
Rules of the No Waist Allowed Diet
The central rules and features of the plan include:
Restrict Calorie Intake
Creating a modest daily calorie deficit is key for shedding abdominal fat. Aim for 300-500 fewer calories than your maintenance needs based on your height, weight and activity levels.
High Protein
Consuming adequate dietary protein helps retain calorie-burning lean muscle when cutting calories for fat loss. Target 0.5-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.
Reduce Refined Carbs
Minimizing refined grains like white bread, crackers and cereal is essential to allow the body to access stored abdominal fat for energy versus constantly burning sugar.
Up Fiber Intake
Getting 25-40 grams of daily dietary fiber from vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains feed good gut bacteria tied to leanness and blocks absorption of dietary fats.
Hydrate Well
Drinking ample water and lower calorie beverages like green tea and black coffee prevents dehydration, reduces appetite and speeds abdominal fat metabolism.
Allowed Foods
Emphasize the following nutritious whole foods:
Non-Starchy Vegetables
Broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, kale, peppers, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, etc. Provide fiber, vitamins and antioxidants to enhance health and satisfy hunger.
Lean Protein Foods
Chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, Greek yogurt, eggs, part-skim milk and cheese, beans/lentils, nuts, seeds, etc. Assist with fat burning and help retain calorie-burning lean body mass.
Fresh Fruits
Berries, citrus fruits, melons, apples, bananas, etc. Contain fiber, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols that promote fullness, curb cravings and support immunity.
Whole Grains
Oats, brown rice, barley, farro, buckwheat, etc. Provide B vitamins for energy production, fiber for digestive and heart health and stable blood sugar levels.
Healthy Fats
Olive oil, avocados, nuts/seeds. Help absorb fat-soluble vitamins, maintain hormone balance and keep hunger at bay while targeting belly fat.
Foods to Avoid
Minimize or eliminate these waist-widening items:
Fried Foods
French fries, fried chicken tenders, onion rings, donuts, etc. Contain trans and saturated fats scientifically shown to accumulate as visceral belly fat.
Sweetened Beverages
Soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, specialty coffee drinks with syrups. Packed with liquid sugar calories that get stored as abdominal fat by the body.
Baked Goods
Cookies, cakes, muffins, sweet rolls, croissants. Often packed with refined carbs, sugars and unhealthy fats that drive midsection weight gain.
Sugary Cereals
Frosted cereals, granola clusters. Tend to contain refined grains and added sugars, with minimal protein or fiber to balance blood sugar response.
Candy & Desserts
Ice cream, chocolate, popsicles. The added sugars promote spikes and crashes in blood glucose and insulin tied to increased belly fat storage over time.
Sample 1 Week Meal Plan
A possible week of No Waist Allowed diet meal ideas could look like:
Monday
Breakfast: Veggie omelet with 1 cup berries and Greek yogurt
Lunch: Grilled chicken wrap with veggies and hummus
Dinner: Salmon with sweet potato and broccoli
Tuesday
Breakfast: Overnight oats with nuts and banana
Lunch: Tuna salad stuffed tomato with cottage cheese
Dinner: Turkey chili with brown rice
Wednesday
Breakfast: Veggie scramble with avocado toast
Lunch: Lentil soup and garden salad
Dinner: Stir fry shrimp and veggies over quinoa
Thursday
Breakfast: Greek yogurt berry smoothie
Lunch: Open-faced eggs and veggie sandwich
Dinner: Veggie fajitas with black beans and cheese
Friday
Breakfast: Hardboiled eggs and fruit
Lunch: Leftover turkey chili
Dinner: Baked cod with roasted Brussels sprouts
Exercise Recommendations
While the No Waist Allowed diet provides the nutrition foundation, adding regular exercise accelerates abdominal fat loss. Aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate activity per week, including:
Aerobic Exercise
Brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming. Helps create a calorie deficit to tap into stored visceral belly fat for energy.
Resistance Training
Bodyweight workouts, free weights, bands, machines. Builds metabolism-boosting lean muscle mass to help continue burning calories/fat after workouts.
Core Exercises
Planks, crunches, Russian twists. Strengthens the abdominal muscles for a tighter, toned waistline as the fat is shed from the area.
HIIT Workouts
Sprints, burpees, cycling. Short, explosive intervals burning more subcutaneous and visceral fat than steady-state cardio exercise.
Expected Weight Loss
If followed closely while also exercising, aim to lose around 1-2 pounds per week to see continued results. More rapid loss may indicate muscle loss versus just fat.
Sticking to the No Waist Allowed principles for 8-12 weeks can realistically lead to a 8-16 pound drop in scale weight, with a significant portion coming from the belly area based on the diets focus.
Be sure to take monthly progress photos and waist measurements, not just the scale, to track shrinking belly fat versus total pounds lost.
FAQs
What if I don’t lose belly fat in the first week on the diet?
It’s normal not to see big changes on the scale or in your waistline in just a week. Be patient and stick to the program for at least 4-8 weeks before evaluating your progress. Taking monthly progress photos can help track small fat loss changes.
Are fruits and whole grains OK to eat on this diet?
Yes, the diet encourages eating whole fruits and 100% whole grains like oats, brown rice and quinoa. Their fiber content aids fat loss. Just minimize added sugars and refined grains like white bread, pasta, etc.
Can I have an occasional treat meal while on the diet?
Allowing 1 higher calorie meal per week won’t sabotage progress as long as you get right back on track with the No Waist Allowed diet principles. Just don’t let it turn into a habit of snacking and overeating.
Is exercise required to lose belly fat on this diet?
No, changes to your diet through the No Waist Allowed program will induce fat loss on their own. But adding brisk walking, strength training, and core work will speed up abdominal fat loss for more dramatic waist-slimming results.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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