Everybody has every now and then those days when he feels super heavy and bloated. I’m not an exception, I do feel like that sometimes and it’s not a big deal when I’m at home. It becomes a big deal when I’m supposed to go out. all of the sudden I have nothing to wear and the only thing I feel comfortable in, is a baggy t-shirt. If it happens to me I try to use few of the tricks that i am about to share with you. They will not cause a miracle at an instant but if you start few days before an event or at least same day, early morning, you should see effects pretty quickly. My favorite trick of all to make my stomach look flatter is tea, a lot of tea and a lot of water. It works wonders.

Eat these if you want to have a flat belly:

 

1. Oats

Oats do contain a lot of fiber that helps to regulate digestive system and prevents constipation so you can feel lighter. They are also easy on the stomach as opposed to some other high fiber cereals and definitely should not make you bloated. I eat a bowl of oatmeal almost every morning.

2. Lean Protein

Lean protein such as chicken breast, fish, seafood, eggs, tofu and low fat cuts of beef help you stay satisfied for longer. Adding protein to every meal is one of the best ways to keep you full for longer so you will not overindulge on not healthy snacks.

3. These vegetables

All of these vegetables have one thing in common. They help to regulate water balance and get rid of any excess water in your body. They have a lot of Potassium and have high water content so they aid your kidneys in removing any excess fluids from the body and make your stomach look flatter. Should I also mention that veggies are high in fiber that prevents constipation?

Btw I usually choose canned artichokes and add them to a salad. I think cooking and eating fresh artichoke is too much of a hassle.

4. Melons and watermelons

‘Belly flattening’ principle behind melons such as cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon is exactly the same as behind veggies with high water content . Melons are extremely high in water and by eating them you not only fill your stomach with low calorie food but also remove any excess water from the cells, so they prevent bloating. Plus they are so sweet and tasty that they help to satisfy all of my sugar cravings.

5. Teas

All kinds of teas are great for flat belly. Green teas, black teas, herbal teas, they all have  diuretic properties and are friends during any kind of diet. Whenever I feel bloated I start drinking teas, one after another and within hours I see an improvement.

6. Vegetable juices and Smoothies

They can replace a snack during day. They are low calorie ad contain a lot of fiber to help move food down the digestive track. I usually try to avoid smoothies from smoothie shops because often they are heavily sweetened. Instead I make my own smoothies: mango with passion fluit pulp; mango with pineapple or my favorite post-workout green smoothie with banana, OJ, spinach and protein powder. I also love to sip low-sodium tomato juice and oftentimes a glass of tomato juice is my strategy for a night hunger attacks.

7. Seeds and Wheat Bran

All kinds of seeds are friends of flat belly because they contain a lot of fiber. If you want to have a flat belly, fiber is a must. adding 2-3 Tbsp per day of chia seeds, wheat germ, flaxseed or pumpkin seeds is a great way to make you ‘regular’. And although wheat bran comes from wheat and contains gluten, which may irritate some peoples digestive tract, it is a great addition to a diet for those that do not have any gluten sensitivity. Quarter of a cup (4 Tbsp) of wheat bran has only 60 kcal and 12 g of fiber which makes half of the fiber needed daily. Try adding tablespoon to oatmeal, breakfast cereals, yogurts, soups or sprinkle on a salad.

 

Foods to avoid:

 

1. Beans

Beans are great and very healthy but they can make you extremely bloated. Beans contain sugars that our body is not able to digest, so these undigested sugars travel to our colon where they become a food for bacterial flora and they produce gasses as a byproduct. So although beans are very healthy, don’t eat any if you’d rather avoid being bloated.

2. Processed foods and fast foods.

Any kinds of fast foods and processed foods such as chips, crackers, popcorn or salted nuts contain a lot of sodium which makes you retain water in cells. Do you remember how I said before that high potassium veggies and fruits help to get rid of excess water from your body? Well high sodium foods work in an opposite way and they cause you to retain water and make belly stick out.

3. Certain vegetables

Some vegetables and fruits can make you feel very bloated and t. If you’d rather  not be be bloated avoid veggies such as brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, corn, leeks and fruits such as plums, pears, apples and grapes. Every person hovewer is different and what may be hard to digest for one person, may not cause any symptoms to other person. You should see for yourself how you react to different foods.

4. Wheat products

Some people may have sensitivity to gluten, a main protein found in wheat, which may cause some digestive disturbances. If you however do not suspect any gluten sensitivity in yourself, you don’t need to worry about that point.

5. High carbohydrate meals

Eating high carbohydrate meals will make us retain more water in our cells. Carbs are stored in our body in the form of glycogen and glycogen needs H2O to be stored properly so that is the reason why you may have gained a pound or two after eating  few high carb meals.

6. sparkling sodas

Sparkling sodas contain carbon dioxide which puts pressure on our digestive tract and makes us bloated and our bellies become filled with gas.

7. High fat meals

High fat meals may be very hard to digest for our bodies and may cause distress to our digestive system so they are not recommended when you want to have a flat belly.