A common complaint among dieters is that you just can't seem to lose weight around your middle despite all your diet and exercise efforts. An expanded waistline is not only a matter of vanity but also a health concern. Excess belly fat can increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

There is a way to eliminate both the belly fat and associated health risks through science. Researchers have discovered that eating a very specific kind of fat is actually one of the best ways to eliminate that belly fat.

The idea of fat to help you lose weight is not a new idea. In 2001, Harvard researchers found that the use of moderate amounts of fat in diets actually helped reduce fat more effectively than low-fat diets. A more recent study conducted by scientists at Reina Sofia University Hospital Cordoba, Spain found that a single type of dietary fat called monounsaturated fats targeted fat loss in a specific area of the body.

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs for short) come from healthy oils in plants such as olives, nuts, and avocados. MUFAs have been associated with overall weight loss and small amounts of weight and body fat loss without changing calorie intake. More importantly, this dietary fat has been found to help reduce markers for inflammation, prevent and control type 2 diabetes, and reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and boosting the "good" HDL.

The goal is to incorporate MUFAs in a diet plan. This will actually make it easier to stick with the plan because these good fats are both satisfying and filling.

Tips for Losing Belly Fat

Ways to Eat
? Include a MUFA with each meal.
? Be conscientious with calorie goal. Significant weight loss requires control of the amount of calories consumed.
? Do not skip meals
? Eat often. Eat a meal every 4 - 5 hours to control your hunger, stabilize your blood sugar, and to increase your metabolism.

Ways to Think
? Manage stress
? Seek support. Ask for support from a family member or friend or sign up with an online support group.
? Keep a journal or diary about your feelings when you eat and why you eat to identify triggers that may lead to unhealthy eating.

Bon Appetite!