Fitness coach Chadoy Leon shares 6 foods that can help you get rid of belly fat: Green tea, kimchi, fatty fish and more

Getting rid of belly fat is a challenge but eating certain foods can make the process easier. Chadoy shares six options that can help you shed those inches.

You can be eating clean, exercising regularly and doing everything you think you’re supposed to, yet still find the weighing scale stubbornly refusing to budge – while those last few inches around your abdomen seem equally determined to stay put. Weight loss, particularly around the belly, can take time, but your everyday food choices can play a role in supporting the process.

Fitness coach Chadoy Leon is breaking down how the right nutrition choices can support weight loss efforts. In an Instagram post shared on September 17, the fitness trainer highlights six foods that may help support a healthier metabolism, regulate the body’s stress response and promote better gut health – all of which can play a role in managing belly fat.

Green tea

Eating a protein-rich breakfast not only keeps you fuller for longer, helping you power through the day, but may also help blunt the body’s stress response. The fitness trainer highlights, "Protein first thing in the morning blunts your cortisol response. Cortisol is the stress hormone responsible for storing fat specifically around your midsection. Three eggs at breakfast keeps cortisol low, keeps you full for hours, and gives your body 18 to 20 grams of complete protein before the day even starts.”

Apple cider vinegar

Adding a small amount of apple cider vinegar before meals can be used as a simple hack to reduce how much excess energy is stored as fat. Chadoy notes, “One to two tablespoons before a meal lowers your insulin response to the food you’re about to eat. Lower insulin means your body stores less of that meal as fat. A 12-week Japanese study showed subjects lost measurable visceral fat with no changes. One tablespoon in water before your two biggest meals is enough.”

High-fibre vegetables

One of the simplest ways to support weight loss progress is to add more fibre-rich foods to your diet, which help nourish the gut microbiome while keeping you fuller for longer. The fitness coach stresses, “Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and spinach feed the bacteria in your gut that produce short chain fatty acids. Those fatty acids directly reduce inflammation and abdominal fat storage over time. Aim for at least two fist-sized servings a day. The people who struggle most with belly fat are almost always the ones eating the least fibre.”

Fatty fish

Fatty fish are rich in healthy unsaturated fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce inflammation and regulate the body’s stress response – factors that drive abdominal fat storage. Chadoy highlights, “Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that lower cortisol throughout the day. Since cortisol is the primary hormone driving belly fat storage, keeping it low is non-negotiable. Two to three servings a week is enough to move the needle. Wild caught over farmed, whenever you can.”

Fermented foods

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome does more than support digestion and overall gut health; it can also influence how your body metabolises the calories you consume. The fitness coach explains, “Kimchi, Greek yoghurt, kefir, and sauerkraut build gut bacteria diversity. Research consistently links a diverse gut microbiome to lower levels of abdominal fat. Your gut bacteria influence how your body processes and stores calories. Feed them right and your body composition shifts with it. One serving a day is all it takes to start seeing the difference.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.