7-Day Meal Plan to Help Lose Belly Fat

Getting rid of belly fat isn't just about fitting into skinny jeans—research shows that people with less visceral belly fat (the fat that surrounds your organs) have a decreased risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So not only will losing fat help you look and feel better, it will also help ward off dangerous health issues.

Read More: Foods to Lose Belly Fat & How They Work

While there isn't one magic food that will melt away belly fat, studies have reported certain foods have special belly-fat-burning benefits, such as avocado, artichokes, whole grains, kefir, green tea, eggs, peanuts and chickpeas. These foods work in different ways to help shrink fat cells and decrease waist circumference. This 7-day meal plan incorporates these flat-belly foods, plus vegetables, whole grains, fruits and healthy fats and protein, in delicious ways to help make it easier to lose belly fat and feel great.

Looking for more flay-belly meal plans? See our flat-belly diet plans for fall, winter and for a vegan diet!

1. Meal prep the Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette (made with flat-belly foods!) to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5. Store the salad in an air-tight container (To buy: amazon.com, $25.99 for 5) and the dressing separately in a small container (To buy: amazon.com, $12 for 8).
2. Make the Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers to have for a quick grab-and-go breakfast on Days 1, 2, 3 and 7. Store in glass air-tight containers (To buy: amazon.com, $7.19 for 1) and reheat in the microwave on High for 20 to 30 seconds when ready to eat. Freeze any remaining egg muffins in the freezer.
3. Make the Chile-Lime Peanuts and store in a glass air-tight container to keep fresh (To buy: amazon.com, $7.19 for 1 medium container) to have throughout the week.

Flat-Belly Bonus: Research has found that eating nuts is associated with a slimmer waistline and lower BMI. And the kick of spice you'll find in the Chile-Lime Peanuts recipe can help boost your metabolism, thanks to the compound capsaicin.

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers
• 1 medium orange
• 8 oz. green tea

• 1 cup low-fat kefir
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tsp. chia seeds

• 1 serving Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap

• 1/4 cup Chile-Lime Peanuts

• 2 cups Baked Vegetable Soup
• 1 4-inch whole-wheat pita round, toasted and topped with 1/4 cup hummus

Daily Totals: 1,480 calories, 62 g protein, 153 g carbohydrates, 41 g fiber, 76 g fat, 2,367 mg sodium

Flat-Belly Bonus: Chickpeas are a flat-belly food with 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein in 1/2 cup. Those nutrients fill you up and stabilize your blood sugar to keep you satisfied. Plus, chickpea eaters have waists 2 inches smaller than people who don't eat the bean. Today's Chickpea Pasta with Lemony-Parsley Pesto and Chickpea, Artichoke & Avocado Salad with Apple-Cider Dressing at dinner delivers belly-fat burning chickpeas and artichokes.

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers
• 1 medium orange
• 8 oz. green tea

• 1 cup low-fat kefir
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tsp. chia seeds

• 1 serving Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

• 1 1/2 cups air-popped popcorn topped with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

• 1 3/4 cups Chickpea Pasta with Lemony-Parsley Pesto

Meal-Prep Tip: Save 1 cup of the Sheet-Pan Roasted Root Vegetables (part of tonight's dinner prep) for dinner on Day 4.

Daily Totals: 1,504 calories, 62 g protein, 122 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 92 g fat, 1,940 mg sodium

Flat-Belly Bonus: Green tea contains compounds called catechins that can protect against obesity. Plus the caffeine slightly revs up your metabolism. Add in a cup or two of green tea to you daily routine, like we do in this meal plan, to get more of its health benefits.

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers
• 1 medium orange
• 8 oz. green tea

• 1 medium banana
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

• 1 serving Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup low-fat kefir
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tsp. chia seeds

• 1 serving Chhole (Chickpea Curry)
• 1 (6-inch) whole-wheat pita bread

• 1 serving (2 rings) Apple "Donuts"

Daily Totals: 1,526 calories, 58 g protein, 163 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 77 g fat, 1,858 mg sodium

Flat-Belly Bonus: Fiber-rich lentils feed healthy gut bacteria and keep things moving along smoothly in your gut to prevent bloating and constipation. And adding dark leafy greens (as we do in tonight's dinner) helps you take in fewer calories without increasing hunger. As per Harvard University research, vegetables are the number one food that promotes weight loss.

• 1 serving Matcha Green-Tea Latte
• 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
• 2 kiwi fruit

• 1/2 serving (1 muffin) Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers

• 1 serving Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup Chile-Lime Peanuts

• 1 serving Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils

Daily Totals: 1,491 calories, 65 g protein, 130 g carbohydrates, 32 g fiber, 86 g fat, 1,753 mg sodium

Flat-Belly Bonus: Oats are a powerhouse whole grain, high in satisfying fiber. People who swapped out refined grains and ate more whole grains (like oatmeal and brown rice) lost belly fat. Today's easy breakfast recipe for lunch delivers a healthy dose of this healthy grain in the form of yummy muesli.

• 1 cup kefir
• 3/4 cup unsweetened muesli
• 3/4 cup raspberries

Top kefir with muesli and berries

• 8 oz. green tea

• 1/2 serving (1 muffin) Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers

• 1 serving Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

• 1 medium apple

• 1 serving Spaghetti Squash & Chicken with Avocado Pesto

Daily Totals: 1,519 calories, 77 g protein, 152 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 76 g fat, 1,449 mg sodium

Flat-Belly Bonus: People who eat avocado regularly are more likely to have smaller waists. True, avocados are high in fat but it's the good kind that keeps your heart healthy and fills you up.

• 1 serving Matcha Green-Tea Latte
• 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast

• 1/2 serving (1 muffin) Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers

• 1 serving White Bean & Veggie Salad

• 1 medium banana
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

• 1 serving Shrimp Paulista
• 1 cup cooked brown rice topped with 1 tsp. chopped parsley
• 1 cup steamed broccoli florets topped with 2 tsp. olive oil and seasoned with a pinch each of salt and pepper

Daily Totals: 1,512 calories, 73 g protein, 156 g carbohydrates, 29 g fiber, 70 g fat, 1,666 mg sodium

Flat-Belly Bonus: Protein from eggs can help you slim down and build muscle. Eating quality protein-just 10 grams-at meals throughout the day is linked with smaller waistlines.

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Feta & Peppers
• 1 medium orange
• 8 oz. green tea

• 1 medium apple
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

• 1 serving White Bean & Avocado Toast

• 3/4 cup low-fat kefir
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tsp. chia seeds

• 1 serving Hasselback Caprese Chicken
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Daily Totals: 1,510 calories, 84 g protein, 174 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 60 g fat, 1,704 mg sodium