Who doesn’t want a sleek, 6-pack tummy? We’ve put together these 15 simple secrets to help women sculpt that trim and toned tummy they’ve always wanted, best of all they start working in just 1 day!
Let’s face it – having a lean, flat tummy is on everyone’s wish list. Sadly it seems to entail a lot of hard work in the gym, which not everyone has the energy or time for. It makes you wish there was an easier way around the bulge that wasn’t as demanding as exercise or as painful as food deprivation.
Well, as incredible as it may sound, your body actually has its own tummy-trimming mechanisms, which you can activate in less than 24 hours. These 15 tricks will make your body do most of the work for you, just by simply resetting your digestive system and speeding up your metabolism. In no time, you’re on your way to getting rid of the bloat and living a healthier lifestyle!
1. Have a protein-packed breakfast
Kick-start your day with a burst of protein. After a long night’s rest, you’re best off fueling your body with protein, which will also help you feel full longer.
If you load up at least 15 grams of protein for breakfast, you won’t find yourself looking to sugar, caffeine, or carbohydrate to fill in the energy crash. Protein shakes, eggs, and nut butter waffles make great choices.
2. Make yourself some metabolism tea
Boil 1/2 tsp. grated ginger in a cup of water. Ginger blocks genes and enzymes that cause bloat-causing inflammations. If you don’t like the taste, you can add in the mix your favorite teabag.
This morning drink will also awaken your digestive system, as well as curb cravings for salt and sugar.
3. Skip the protein bar
While this sounds contradictory to the advice of having protein-packed breakfasts, it isn’t. A lot of protein bars have protein isolate from soybeans, which we all know are gas-inducing.
Beans have sugar molecules that the body can’t thoroughly break down, so they stay in the stomach, ferment, and cause gas and bloating.
4. Take a bath with Epsom salt
Who knew dipping into a bathtub can help you deflate your belly? That is when you add two cups of Epsom salt in the water. Epsom salt has a way of pulling excess water from your body.
Remember not to overdo it though as it may cause dehydration. Once a week should be enough.
5. Add good bacteria to your belly
There are good bacteria and bad bacteria. Studies show that slim people have more good bacteria in their bellies than the bad ones. Kefir, kombucha, and bone broth are considered pro-biotics. Have 2-3 servings of these in your weekly diet for good digestion.
6. Have water or tea only
Steer clear from coffee and soda. High in caffeine or sugar, these drinks add excess calories. Alcoholic drinks are no good as well. They damage your digestive tract and kill the good bacteria in your gut. If you want to shrink your bloated belly fast, good old water is key.
7. Avoid certain veggies
Vegetables are healthy, but if you’re trying to flatten your tummy, it’s best to avoid the belly-bloater types. Artichokes, broccoli, button mushrooms, cauliflower, corn, kale, raw spinach, and white onions are some of them.
8. Eat certain fruits
To regulate fluid balance, reach for potassium-packed bananas. To fight water retention, honeydew melons — with their diuretic property — are an excellent choice. And to increase your metabolism, have some pineapples or papayas that are especially helpful in digestion and breaking down proteins.
9. Skip the gum
Chewing gum makes you swallow tummy-bloating air. Plus, many gums contain ingredients that can puff up the belly. Sugar alcohols and the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol are among them.
Go for an organic variety if you really need to. They have lesser calories and no sweeteners.
10. Enjoy some dark chocolate
The fun part of eating healthy… chocolates! That is, chocolates with at least 70% cacao content. Not only are they a delight to the taste buds but also to the chocolate-loving microbes in the gut.
According to researchers at the American Chemical Society, these chocolate-aficionados turn the candy into anti-inflammatory compounds that help you deflate your belly.
11. Avoid greasy foods
Unhealthy fats found in fast food can cause gastrointestinal upset. They are high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids. Some fats though are great for your gut. Omega-3s are one of them and they can be found in fish and nuts.
12. Have several teeny-tiny meals throughout the day
Eating small portions of food every 3 to 4 hours is more efficient for your body than having full meals spread far apart. The constant burning of calories will also leave you energized throughout the day.
Munch on protein- and fiber-packed snacks such as apple with peanut butter, nuts, berries, hummus, and yogurt.
13. Eat slowly
You’d think that gobbling down your food will help you feel full fast. But it won’t. It will only give you uncomfortable gas and bloating from the excess air, as well as make you eat more than what your body actually needs.
On your way home, munch on a small piece of fruit or some nuts so you can have a leisurely dinner sans the bloat.
14. Take a stroll
After dinner, exchange sedentary activities for a 15-minute night time stroll. Not only is it good for weight loss but also for a good night’s rest.
15. Do daily fasting
Fasting has a lot of benefits. One of which is that it helps your body reset. While it sounds ascetic and not fun at all, it is something you already do everyday—maybe not effectively though.
The reason we call the first meal of the day breakfast is because we literally go on a fast after dinner and we break it in the morning. But we sometimes find ourselves having late dinner or indulging in some midnight snacks.
For it to work, we need to have at least 12 hours between our last meal today and our next meal in the morning. So eat dinner early and don’t sleep late. Less chances of having midnight snacks!
