Belly fattener: Doughnuts

We may be more health-obsessed than we've ever been, but that doesn’t mean the lure of a sweet, sticky doughnut won’t reel you in, despite all your good intentions. If you give in often enough, these round treats will round out your belly. One glazed doughnut has more than 200 calories. Food like this can fit into a healthy diet if eaten in moderation, but if you eat a whole bag, a 14 stone man might have to run as far as 25 miles to work them off.

Belly fattener: Ice cream

Whether it’s a 99, a choc-ice, or a plain old vanilla cone, everyone loves an ice cream. A typical scoop of premium dairy ice cream has 129 calories.

Belly fattener: Crisps

A pint of lager and a packet of crisps are standard pub fare. Salt and vinegar or cheese and onion, they’re the salty snack men do not want to give up. A bag of crisps has about 180 calories, and it's easy to mindlessly chomp your way through a big packet.

Belly fattener: Beer

The average 440ml can of lager contains about 130 calories. Have a couple every night, and it won't take long to sprout the infamous beer belly. If your waist size expands to more than 40 inches, you'll have a high risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer.  

Better bet: Light or alcohol free varieties.

Belly fattener: Caffeinated drinks

There's no denying it, fizzy energy drinks that are spiked with caffeine are a great  pick-me-up before a dull meeting or boring lecture, but knock back a few of these back each day and the calories add up fast. One can packs the calories, along with the caffeine, similar to other full-sugar drinks.

Better Bet: Try diet varieties or even black coffee. A mug has virtually no calories. If you like it with milk, use skimmed milk to stay under 100 calories.

Belly fattener: Fish and chips

You’d be hard pressed to find a British town without a local chippy, usually with a queue of hungry men at the counter. A recent survey showed fish and chips remain one of the UK’s favourite take-aways, along with Chinese meals, chicken tikka masala and pizza. The NHS warns the salt and fat can push you over the guideline daily amount, increasing your risk of heart disease or diabetes.

Better bet: Fish coated in breadcrumbs, mushy peas and thicker cut chips without salt.

Belly Fattener: Pizza

Pizza is another great British favourite and plenty of people wolf down a few slices every week. If you're partial to toppings like pepperoni, sausage, ham and beef, you could take in more than 300 calories per slice on a deep pan pizzas. Stuffed cheese crusts rack up even more calories.

Better Bet: Choose a thin based pizza and a vegetable or lean meat topping to save on calories.

Belly Fattener: Kebabs and burgers

Doner kebabs are another High Street staple but they can be high in fat. The NHS suggests avoiding large kebabs with mayonnaise to keep calories under control. If you’re having a burger, avoid breaded or battered chicken or fish patties, extra cheese, bacon strips and high fat sauces such as mayonnaise.

Better Bet: A single, grilled burger or a shish kebab with pitta bread and salad.

Belly fattener: Large fries

Want some fries with that? Most of us do, but you might be surprised to learn that a large order of fries can have as many calories as a typical burger.

Better Bet: Side salad or fruit.

Belly Fattener: Who ate all the pies?

Meat pies are a half-time tradition at footy matches and the British appetite for them is legendary. From pork pies and steak and kidney pies - to Cornish pasties and the humble sausage roll. Pies with shortcrust pastry tend to be very high in calorie and fat content. Steak and kidney pie – served with the usual chips – can pack more than 800 calories.

Better Bet: Try fish pie with any kind of white fish or salmon with veg.

Belly fattener: Chicken tikka masala

We love our curries, and chicken tikka masala has a special place in our hearts. Unfortunately, there can be around 600 calories in a single serving. The NHS suggests avoiding Indian dishes that are creamy or deep fried, such as korma, passanda or masala, pilau rice, filled naan, bhajis and poppadoms.

Better Bet: Tandoori or madras with chicken, prawns or vegetables, plain rice and chapatti.

Belly fattener: Chinese meals

Chinese is another takeaway chart-topper. The NHS suggests avoiding anything that’s battered or marked as “crispy” on the menu as that means it’s deep fried. Anything in batter has a high fat content, even the old favourites, sweet and sour pork or chicken. Also beware special or egg fried rice and starters like prawn crackers and spring rolls – also deep fried.

Better Bet: Steamed dumplings or veg, boiled rice, steamed fish and chicken chop suey.

Belly fattener: Fatty red meat

If you're the meat and potatoes type, few meals are more tempting than a big, juicy steak. But a fried 12-ounce prime rump steak can have more than 800 calories and 10 grams of saturated fat. Add all the trimmings and astarter, and dinner can add up to more than a day's worth of calories and artery-clogging saturated fat.

Better bet: A fist-sized portion of lean grilled meat, such as sirloin or tenderloin, trimmed of fat

Belly Fattener: Danish pastries

A danish pastry might seem like a quick and nutritious breakfast, but this is not a healthy snack. One pastry can contain more than 400 calories. Better Bet: Fresh whole fruit and low-fat yogurt.

Belly fattener: Ready meals

When you get home from a long day at work, you might want nothing more than to plop in front of your TV with a quick and easy ready meal. However, these can be very high in calories, salt, and fat.

Better bet: Read nutrition labels for lighter ready meals and serve with a bowl of salad or steamed vegetables.

Belly fattener: All-you-can-eat restaurants

All-you-can-eat restaurants and meal deals are popular in the UK. It’s tempting to try to get your money's worth, but the calories add up quickly. If you can't resist piling your plate high, try to make nutritious choices. Take up space with steamed vegetables and salad, and go light on the fatty dressings and sauces.

Better Bet: Steer clear if you have trouble setting limits.

Lose the gut: Yoghurt

Not everything you eat will pad your belly As a bonus, eating low or fat free yoghurt as part of a healthy, calorie controlled diet will boost important nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D.

Lose the gut: Blueberries

Another tasty food that may help reduce belly fat is the blueberry. In a study, rats that ate blueberry-rich diets lost abdominal fat and improved their cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Even rats on high-fat diets experienced the benefits. Researchers believe blueberries may affect how the body stores sugar. Eating more of any fruit can help you lose weight as part of a healthy, calorie controlled diet.

Lose the gut: Fibre foods

Eating more high-fibre foods help reduce belly fat. One study found that people who ate more soluble fibre gained significantly less visceral (belly) fat than others over five years, regardless of changes in their body weight overall.

Tip: Aim for more fibre as part of healthy, calorie controlled diet.

Lose the gut: Exercise

Regular exercise can help you lose weight and keep a spare tyre at bay. For a firm gut, you'll need strength training and weight loss to trim those abs. If you're already overweight or obese, shedding just 10% of your weight is important for your health too as it will lower your risk of diseases related to obesity.

Related reading

• The truth about belly fat
• 10 common sense weight loss tips
• Truth about beer and your belly
• 6 best foods you’re not eating
• How to build muscle
• 10 benefits of regular exercise for men
• Beware high salt sausages
• Why women live longer than men