7 surprising tips to a flatter tummy

Who doesn’t want a leaner stomach which they can be proud of? We all look on in envy as some people maintain a slimmer belly throughout life without much effort.

Well, we all know how important it is to eat right and exercise. That part is no secret.  We know this is needed if we truly want to create a lean stomach as well as a healthy body. This article is not on how to exercise or eat right to reduce FAT around your stomach, but rather share with you some tips to feel less bloated around the tum and start you on your way to a leaner belly (so yes, you must start eating right and working out too!).

1) Cut back on Salt and increase your Water intake

Avoid salt and highly processed foods as the more sodium you eat, the more you will retain water, which adds to feeling bloated, can make you look puffy in the face (remember how you look after a dinner of instant noodles or pizza!). It can also contribute to a higher weight on the scales as you retain this extra water weight.

To compensate for this and something to do overall is to consume more water on a regular basis throughout the day.

2) Gulping air

Eating too quickly, gulping down drinks and chewing gum are some of the things that can contribute to a bloated stomach. Make sure you eat in a relaxed environment, eat mindfully and chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. Avoid sipping drinks through straws, instead sipping from a glass or a small mouthed sipper bottle.

These simple techniques really can reduce bloating. It is the little things that can add up.

3) Stress

Have you ever had a really important (but stress causing) event coming up where you were really nervous? Did your stomach literally ache from nervousness and you may have had to rush to the loo from all your nerves? Well, when you are stressed cortisol is released (a stress hormone) and this can cause your bowels and tum to start contracting which leads to bloating. Then the vicious cycle begins; you feel stressed, you crave comfort foods (high fatty and processed foods), get more bloated, create more stress and so on!

Look at various ways you can manage your stress levels, such as exercising, regular massages, reframing how you look at stress inducing situations and work on reducing stress related eating.

4) Cut back on Fruit (yes, you read correctly)

You have probably heard of people being lactose intolerant, but some people are also fructose (sugar enzyme that is present in all fruits) intolerant. If you regularly consume a lot of fruit (several portions per day) then you may experience more gas and bloating after eating. Monitor your intake and see if it affects your tum (and bowels!).

Learn more about how much fruit you should eat to combat this and some of the best fruits to consume that have less fructose by joining HealthMastery “ShapeMastery: program. Enquire today on 09 444 3314.

5) Lactose-Intolerant

Some people notice that they have more abdominal discomfort after consuming dairy foods. They have trouble digesting the milk sugar “lactose” as they do not make enough of an enzyme (lactase) that is needed to break down lactose. Lactose not broken down gets passed to the colon where it turns to uncomfortable gas.

If you find that eating or consuming dairy makes you uncomfortable, try switching to an alternative or keeping a diary to monitor your reaction.

6) Move your body

To have a healthy body, you need to move it. This is no surprise, but you might not know that you should move your body regularly to combat constipation which is a big contributor to belly bloat.

Start exercising (walking is fine) for a minimum of 30-35 minutes at least 3-4 times per week. This will help your digestion (move your food through your digestive tract) function better.

7) Gas causing foods

Yes, we all know that baked beans cause us to be a bit gassy, but some other everyday foods can also contribute. Certain foods produce more gas than others and people vary to the degree they can tolerate the foods. Some common everyday foods that can cause gas are legumes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, citrus foods, eggs and fatty foods.   

Also, when you start to increase your intake of fiber you may find you are more bloated and a bit more gassy than usual. Persevere and it will soon subside.

Disclaimer:

I’m going to be honest with you from the get go and say that some bodies are just naturally designed to store excess fat around the mid section and no matter how much “weight” you lose, it won’t get toned. Some clients have been working out religiously, eating great and they just can’t budge the excess tummy weight or excess skin. Unfortunately a small portion of people fall into this category. Consult your GP as they may have better solutions.

Go to www.facebook.com/weightmasterychallenge for other great tips, articles and healthy recipes.