Read on to find out how you can make your belly flatter by the end of the day!
1. Drink hot water and lemon
This drink is fantastic for revving up your metabolism and digestive system first thing in the morning, and can even help with inflammation!
Lemon juice is also great for giving you an energy boost, so try swapping your morning coffee with hot water and lemon and, not only will you be feeling much healthier, but you won’t experience the caffeine crash.
2. Try a day going gluten-free or dairy-free
Many people suffer from food intolerances without even realising. A great way to test if you are intolerant to any foods is to remove them from your diet and monitor your symptoms; this should ideally be for a few weeks (if not more), but starting by cutting them out for one day could help to reduce your risk of bloating or discomfort later that evening.
3. Replace your usual snack with pineapple
Bromelain, the enzyme in pineapple, is thought to assist in digestion by breaking down proteins in the stomach, according to the American Cancer Society. This helps to banish bloating.
Papaya is also a great fruit for reducing bloating, so snack on a bowl of tropical fruit when you get peckish.
4. Keep an eye on your sodium intake
Salt is often in far more foods than many people realise; processed foods typically contain a large amount of it. This is one of the main culprits for bloating.
If you want your belly to shrink by the end of the day, check the sodium levels on your food and don’t eat more than 6 grams of salt per day.
5. Eat slower
You may not think this matters, but when you eat food at a fast pace this can cause air to be trapped in your system, resulting in bloating.
To reduce this risk, chew your food slowly and take your time to finish your meals. This is also a great way to reduce the risk of overeating.
6. Stop chewing gum
Although gum is a great way to keep your breath minty fresh, it is also sadly a great way for you to swallow even more air.
Many gums also contain sugar alcohol which is also a contributor to bloating, so cut gum out for the day and see if it reduces your inflammation.
7. Stay away from fizzy drinks
Fizzy drinks are a big cause of bloating as they can cause gas to get trapped in your body. To prevent this, stick to water for the day.
I feel like I’m constantly telling people to drink more water, but that’s only because it really is essential, not just for weight loss, but for general bodily function.
Water can also help to reduce bloating though as it flushes out toxins, so increase your intake of water for the day and watch that puffy stomach shrink.
8. Eat more fibre
Increasing your intake of fibre could help to banish bloating as fibre reduces inflammation because it helps your digestive system to run smoothly. If your digestive system is functioning to its full potential then you are less likely to experience bloating or constipation
Remember to avoid certain fibre-rich foods such as beans and cruciferous vegetables though as these could actually make your bloating worse!
9. Keep an eye on your portion sizes
If you regularly suffer from bloating after a meal then it could be that your portion sizes are too large. Try decreasing the size of your meals slightly and see if it helps with your bloating.
10. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol causes digestive issues and is often full of sugar, so can result in bloating (and the awful sluggish feeling that comes with it). If you want your stomach to be flatter by the end of the day then stay away from alcohol for today.
11. Drink peppermint tea
Peppermint tea aids digestion by helping food pass through the stomach quickly. It also reduces the chance of experiencing the build-up of stomach gas.
Drink a cup of peppermint tea (often referred to as the “stomach healer”) to not only get a flatter belly by the end of today, but also to aid relaxation.
12. Skip dessert
If you are following a clean eating lifestyle then there’s a high chance that you already skip dessert because they are often full of sugar or artificial sweeteners; both of which are known to cause bloating.
If you want a flatter stomach by the end of the day then forgo the sugary treats and swap them for some fresh fruit (perhaps some pineapple, as mentioned earlier).
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