Clean and Lean Diet: How To Burn Belly Fat

Follow the new flat tummy diet by Elle MacPherson's personal trainer, James Duigan

With all the dieting you do and Zumba classes you attend, you would think that your stomach would be rock hard, right? But sadly, belly flab is one of the most stubborn areas to get rid of. And unfortunately, it’s the area most of us feel self-conscious about!

But don’t fret - personal trainer to the A-list, James Duigan is here to show you how to burn belly fat the foolproof way. Owner of Bodyism gym in London’s Knightsbridge, James’ celebrity clientele includes supermodels Elle Macpherson, Lara Stone and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley – and even Hugh Grant has been known to attend the luxurious £18,000-a-year gym. Don’t have a spare £18k lying around? No problem, you can now reap all the benefits from James’ fat-busting methods for a fraction of the cost.

His new book Clean & Lean Flat Tummy Fast provides realistic tips and advice on how to burn belly fat. Rather than starving yourself in a bid to drop the pounds James suggests sensible ways to avoid bloating by tailoring your diet accordingly. He concentrates on avoiding toxins like sugar, alcohol, processed food and excess caffeine while incorporating cleaner foods into your diet - in their natural state.

On the Clean & Lean Diet, you’ll get rid of bad processed foods and stock up on plenty of clean foods’ instead – ones that won’t make you feel bloated and that don’t contain hard to pronounce ingredients. Give the diet a go and you’ll quickly start looking – and feeling – slimmer, better and healthier.

So whether you’ve got a beach holiday coming up and want to look your best in a bikini or if you just want to feel less bloated and trimmer, the Clean & Lean Diet could just just the ticket. Click through to discover James' advice on how to burn belly fat in just 14 days.

Avoid toxins

Toxins are found in: - Sugar - Alcohol - Fizzy drinks - Processed foods - Processed 'diet' foods - Excess caffeine - Stress Find more diet tips

Only eat 'clean' foods

Clean foods are: - Foods that have not changed from their natural state - Foods that don't contain fake flavourings - Foods that don't last for months and months - Foods that don't contain more than 5 or 6 ingredients - Foods that don't contain ingredients you can't pronounce - Foods that don't list sugar in the top three ingredients - Foods that don't make you feel bloated, gassy or full. Find more diet tips

Cut the 'CRAP'

Caffeine - One cup a day is ok. Green tea is best and can actually help to burn fat. Refined sugar - A toxin that makes you wrinkled, tired and malnourished, while adding a layer of flesh on to your tummy. Alcohol - Alcohol is full of sugar and as a result, makes you fat around the middle. Processed foods - The less food has been altered, the 'cleaner' it is and the better it is for your waist. Processed foods are far from clean, having been stripped of natural goodness in factories and pumped full of man-made preservatives and additives. Find more diet tips

Foods to avoid for a flat tummy

- Tinned foods - White bread, pasta and rice - Processed meats - Breakfast cereals - Frozen ready meals - Frozen chips, wedges etc - Packets of dried pasta - Packaged cakes, biscuits and muffins - Chocolate, sweets and crisps Once a week you can have a cheat meal, where you eat anything you want. This can anything from a big bowl of pasta to a huge slice of chocolate cake with cream. This will help you to keep your diet on track and actually help to speed up your metabolism. Find more diet tips

Other ways to eat your way to a flatter stomach

Don't over-cook your food, as you'll kill off or reduce the number of nutrients it contains. Also, make sure around 50% of the foods on your plate are raw. Don't buy cheap meat! Organic is the only way to go. Try to eat gluten free free foods, as gluten will weaken your abdominal wall and lead to a protruding tummy. Make sure you eat enough fibre. Eat plenty of vegetables and drink at least 2 litres of still, room temperature water a day. Find more diet tips

Stop stressing!

Reduce stress with: Blueberries - They are a low GI food, so keep your blood sugar levels steady Green vegetables - They are packed with vitamins to help replenish your body Red, yellow and orange vegetables - Rich in vitamins and minerals Turkey - Releases serotonin and helps relax the brain Water - Even mild dehydration stresses your body Yogurt - This provides a good hit of minerals Oily fish - Contains lots of Omega fatty acids, which protect your heart Chocolate (one or two squares once or twice a week) - A great mood elevator Almonds, pistachios and walnuts - Boosts your immune system Avocados - Lowers blood pressue Cantaloupe melon - An excellent source of vitamin C Beef - Full of iron, zinc and B vitamins. But limit yourself to 1 to 2 portions a week Find more diet tips

Other ways to help de-stress your body

Stop yo-yo dieting! Don't have long periods between meals - if you go more than 4 to 5 hours without eating, your body will think it's being starved Never skip breakfast - always eat within an hour of waking up Don't drink at meal times, it slows down digestion. wait 15 minutes before having a drink Don't eat too quickly! chew every mouthful about 20 times and don't eat when you're stressed, anxious or rushed. Drink plenty of water, at least 2 - 3 litres of still water a day. Only drink one cup of coffee a day and only after you've eaten most of your breakfast. Never drink coffee on an empty stomach. Eat lots of fibre - insufficient fibre leads to stress and inflammation of the bowels, making your tummy look bigger. For more information and recipe and exercise tips, buy Clean & Lean Flat Tummy Fast!: The healthy way to a totally toned tummy in 14 days by James Duigan Find more diet tips