Getting ready for the summer swim suit!

Meals Your Belly Will Love (Parenting Mag)

Don't panic -- there's no need to eat 87 things a day! Lots of our flat-belly foods have multiple benefits. Take an avocado, for instance: It provides potassium, protein, and healthy fat in one serving. We asked The Food Network's Ellie Krieger, R.D. (a Parenting Mom Squad member!), to share a few yummy, waist-friendly meal ideas from her book So Easy. No asparagus in the fridge or time to caramelize onions? No worries -- a simple bowl of whole-grain cereal with skim milk is also a pooch-fighting powerhouse!

Breakfast ideas:

1 Nonfat Greek yogurt topped with nuts, mixed berries, honey, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla extract

2 Whole-grain toast with one fried egg, a slice of smoked turkey, and chopped asparagus

3 Banana/strawberry smoothie made with nonfat milk, unsalted almonds (they'll grind up smooth in the blender), and wheat germ

Lunch ideas:

1 Whole-wheat pita stuffed with sliced egg whites, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, hummus, and hot sauce

2 Grilled salmon over Bibb lettuce with red new potatoes, green beans, kalamata olives, and a lemon-olive-oil dressing

3 Chicken salad with red grapes, sliced almonds, curry powder, and cilantro (use nonfat yogurt and a touch of mayonnaise and serve over salad greens)

Dinner ideas:

1 Chicken-mushroom-cheddar whole-wheat quesadilla with baby spinach and caramelized onions

2 Whole-wheat pasta primavera (toss in carrots, mushrooms, red bell pepper, and tomatoes, and top with grated parmesan)

3 Sirloin steak with garlic mashed potatoes (leave on the peels and use low-sodium chicken broth and olive oil to mash) and steamed spinach

4 Salad greens topped with white beans and shaved parmesan cheese, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar


4 Sneaky Waist Inflators

Stress Cortisol (the fight-or-flight hormone released from the adrenal gland) increases blood sugar, which increases insulin, which increases the deposit of belly fat.

Sleep deprivation Being overly tired leads to higher cortisol levels (see above) and throws your appetite-regulating hormones out of whack. And that -- you know what's coming next -- can result in binge eating.

Low vitamin D A vitamin D deficiency can contribute to blood-sugar-regulation problems, insulin resistance, and, yep, tummy rolls.

Constipation If you don't keep things moving, you know where it will all sit. Get regular with high-fiber foods (broccoli, peas, pears, ground flaxseeds) and lots of water. A probiotic supplement -- which has good bacteria to aid digestive health -- will help, too.