You know how sometimes, when you wake up in the morning, your stomach just looks better? It’s flatter than usual, and you wish it could just stay that way all day because you know as soon as you start eating, you can say goodbye to that flatter and less-bloated belly. Bloating is the worst, especially if you are planning to be in a swimsuit all day or want to look good in the crop top or new dress you are wearing to that party tonight. You may have had one too many margaritas and a few extra baskets of chips and guacamole last night, and now it’s pretty evident by your bloated belly. Well, there are ways you can fight the bloat so that by the end of the day, your stomach looks less like you have a small food baby. These are my go-to tricks to rid the bloat after a night out at midtown and hitting up Pizza by The Slice at 1 in the morning because we can’t all do this.
When trying to rid my stomach of bloating, I will follow most of these guidelines for the whole day. In general, I try to follow a few every day. For the most part, you are going to want to eat anti-inflammatory foods throughout the day, limit the amount of carbohydrates you consume and avoid foods that cause gas, such as beans.
Lemon water with cayenne pepper
Yes, the old lemon water trick works! However, I like to add a dash cayenne pepper because it speeds up your metabolism and has anti-inflammatory properties. I have this first thing in the morning. Fill up a tall glass of water, squeeze half of a lemon in it, then add the spice.
Blueberries and Watermelons
Blueberries are full of antioxidants and contain anti-inflammatory properties. Watermelons are 90% water, so they hydrate you and reduce bloating. I will snack on those while sipping my green tea in the morning.
Green Tea
There are so many reasons to drink green tea; I have even written a whole article about it. Bottom line: green tea is an anti-inflammatory and will help that stomach flatten out
Protein for breakfast
A high-protein breakfast will boost your metabolism helping you burn more calories throughout the day. My go-to is two scrambled eggs cooked in coconut oil seasoned with pink Himalayan sea salt, both of which reduce bloating. If crunched on time, just make a protein shake but make sure your protein powder is gluten-free.
No wheat or gluten
Since we are trying to avoid foods that cause bloating, it is essential to avoid all wheat and gluten. This means no pasta, bread, crackers or fried foods. You should also avoid rice and beans. Now, you may be wondering where you will get your carbs for the day, well, you are going to eat a lot of vegetables.
Greens
You are going to get your carbs for the day from vegetables. Spinach is a great way to do that. Spinach can cause some people digestive discomfort, but, if that’s not you, spinach is a good way to reduce bloating. Spinach is full of fiber, which will help that digestive system get moving. Kale and broccoli are also great options.
Turmeric and ginger
Turmeric and ginger are powerhouses to reduce bloating because they fight inflammation. You can buy a turmeric and ginger tea, cook with both of them, or, if you are really serious, you should make this juice. It’s called a Fire Shot, and if you make one of these, you are basically set for the whole day.
Apple cider vinegar
Add two tablespoons to your leafy-green salad to help with digestion and fight inflammation. It is important to use the ACV that says, “with Mother.” The mother is the weird stuff floating at the bottom of the bottle, which is also where the nutrients are packed in.
Avocados
You may have heard that bananas are great to reduce bloating because of their high levels of potassium. Well, I am here to tell you that you should skip the banana and have an avocado instead. Bananas have about twice the number of carbs that an avocados do, and avocados actually contain more potassium than bananas. Potassium is important in fighting inflammation because it balances the body’s fluid levels. This means it helps regulate water retention, which causes our belly to bloat.
Some things to remember:
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Do not eat red meat. It is harsh on your digestive system and will cause you to bloat
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Have five or six small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals
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Workout in the morning on an empty stomach (if you can). Twenty minutes of exercise will boost your metabolism for the entire day.
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Do not drink soda or have any sugary drinks, even avoid Gatorade
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Drink water all day, try to have 8 glasses
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Dairy can cause gas and bloating for some people but if it has never bothered you, don’t worry about it
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Avoid alcohol, especially beer
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Some good snacks that won’t make you bloat are: celery, almonds, non-sugary yogurt, turkey slices, carrots and gluten free hummus and cheese
Photo credit: Taylor Wilson, http://68.media.tumblr.com/a27966bc210de95e2d318a58630285d5/tumblr_inline_mgkuwc7xWI1qgeygd.jpg, https://www.google.com/search?q=bloating&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS707US707&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOiui7srjTAhUJeCYKHexdB2cQ_AUICCgB&biw=1226&bih=533#tbm=isch&q=lemon+water+cayenne+pepper&imgrc=slP61WUg833f2M:, https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/88/47/0b/88470b083f74f60928b557d8b950da41.jpg , https://i1.wp.com/pfiesterpfit.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/cheatfood3.jpeg