30-Day Meal Plan to Help Lose Belly Fat, Created by a Dietitian

This 30-day meal plan is full of healthy recipes and delicious, nutritious foods to help you lose weight and reduce belly fat.

Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston.

Elizabeth Ward is a registered dietitian and award-winning nutrition communicator and writer. She has authored or co-authored 10 books for consumers about nutrition at all stages of life.

Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.

Lowering belly fat, also called visceral fat, can have some serious health benefits. A 2022 Journal of Aging Research review found that excess belly fat was associated with a greater risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer in middle-aged and older adults. The good news is that losing weight to reduce overall body fat can help reduce visceral fat, too.

Our EatingWell approach to the flat-belly diet is a healthy one that doesn't leave you feeling deprived and hungry but rather satisfied and energized. This one-month plan to reduce belly fat includes plenty of fiber and probiotic foods, like kefir and yogurt, that nourish your gut and help the good bacteria thrive. A 2024 multi-ethnic study in older adults published in Obesity Science and Practice concluded that individuals who had more fruits, vegetables and whole grains—aka fiber—in their diet had lower visceral fat. Filling up on nutritious plant foods that provide these, and other nutrients, is just one piece of the puzzle—getting plenty of exercise, adequate sleep and reducing stress also play a role in losing belly fat.

To help with weight loss, we set this plan at 1,200 calories per day to promote a healthy weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week, and provide modifications to bump it up to 1,500-and 2,000-calorie days, depending on your calorie needs.

Not sure you want to commit to a full 30 days? Pick and choose a few days to test out or try our shorter 7-Day Meal Plan to Help Lose Belly Fat to help you get started. And don't miss our fall and winter flat-belly plans that highlight delicious seasonal foods that fight belly fat!

How We Create Meal Plans

Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.

Flat-Belly Foods List

Fill up on these satisfying foods that can curb your hunger and help you lose belly fat while supporting your gut health:

• Green tea
• Raspberries and other berries
• Artichokes
• Kimchi
• Nuts and seeds, particularly peanuts
• Kombucha
• Avocado
• Whole grains, like oats and quinoa
• High-fiber fruits and vegetables, like apples, pears and sweet potatoes
• Lentils
• Beans, especially chickpeas
• Asparagus
• Yogurt
• Kefir

Week 1

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:

1. Prepare 2 servings of Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats to have for breakfast on Days 2 and 3.
2. Meal-prep the Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.
3. Prepare the Citrus Vinaigrette to have throughout the week.
4. Assemble the Slow-Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup Freezer Pack through Step 1 to have on Week 3.

Day 1

Breakfast (245 calories)

• 1 serving Blueberry-Cranberry Smoothie

A.M. Snack (62 calories)

• 1 medium orange