No amount of exercise can accomplish what the following tips can for flattening that stomach fast!
Get away from Gluten:
Gluten inflames the lower intestine (in all of us, diagnosed sensitivity or not). It also causes the Healthy Body to retain water, furthering the prominence of that little lower belly pouch. Opt for gluten free items such as quinoa, rice or millet. Beware of gluten free breads and pastas as they contain many other not so great ingredients.
Ditch Dairy:
Dairy will have a similar effect on the intestine as gluten, also makes the Healthy Body retain water, and most are loaded with saturated fats. Try opting for dairy free substitutes such as unsweetened almond, hemp or coconut milk. There are also a wide variety of dairy free cheeses on the market to quench that cheese craving. Remember, you will get much more calcium from green leafy veggies!
Abstain from Alcohol:
Alcohol is the most inflammatory substance we can put into our bodies. You will retain water for up to 3 days after drinking alcohol. Aside from the inflammation and water, alcohol separates the gut lining, allowing undigested food particles to enter the blood stream contributing to a host of other issues.
Curb Carbonated Drinks:
Carbonated drinks usually have a high sodium content (causing even more water retention). Are often high in useless calories, and if containing artificial sweeteners, trick us into believing we haven’t been satisfied by the foods we’ve eaten, and cause us to feel hungry when we shouldn’t be.
Become Friends with Fiber:
The right amount of fiber and nutrients can be attained by eating a variety of vegetables. This will cleanse the colon of excess waste. Avocados are one of the best contributors to a flat stomach. Other foods that will help the fight are nuts, artichokes and chia seeds.
Pony up on Probiotics:
Regularly consuming probiotics (found in yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha tea, etc) with active cultures increases lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, the “good” bacteria in the digestive tract, which aids the digestive system in functioning properly, thus reducing any belly bloat.
Greet your day with Green Tea:
Catechins, which are compounds naturally abundant in Green Tea, help to increase the release of fat from cells in the abdomen. In addition, green tea speeds up the burning of fat by the liver after meals, while also boosting expended energy. Be sure to wait a half hour before and after meals before drinking anything (to prevent dilution of stomach acid thus disrupting digestion) and steer clear of caffeine after 2:20pm.
Sayonara Sugar:
You want to be eating as very little sugar as possible. Zero grams is ideal. Avoiding sugar keeps insulin levels low and your levels of glucagon high. Glucagon is a hormone, it goes to town eating up all of your fat to be used as energy fuel.
With just a few small changes to your diet – you can achieve the flattest tummy yet in no time!
