We’ve all been there. You have an event looming, a special occasion, and when you picture yourself walking into the room in that impeccable outfit the last thing you want to be worrying about is sucking in your stomach. I SO feel you!
After being in the fitness and nutrition world for almost two decades I’ve seen a lot of claims that are nothing but propaganda. But being the science nerd that I am, combined with a love of self-experimentation, I’ve discovered some tried-and-true tricks that actually live up to their claims.
Have you seen the movie “Trolls”? When my kids were little they watched this movie all the time. There’s a hilarious scene where Prince Gristle is meeting his dream girl for dinner the next night and decides to get serious about his fitness. He straps on his 80’s sweat band, pops a tape cassette into his Walkman, and says, “Ok… I just have to lose 30 lbs. in 8 hours!” as he ramps up the speed on his treadmill and gets running.
I probably find this scene so funny because I’ve seen people come into the gym time and time again with about two weeks until their big event and think they’re going to drop those 30 lbs. in time. A quick crash-diet is NOT what I’m promising! However, if you are a week out from a special occasion and want to make sure you’re not bloated and embarrassed by your protruding belly, I have some healthy approaches to a flat stomach that can really make a difference in one week!
Step 1: Cut out grains and dairy products.
Gluten is a protein component of wheat that is very inflammatory and can be extremely difficult to digest. Grains (even non-gluten containing grains) have lectins and phytates that can be irritating to our digestive tract causing gastric distress and bloating. While you don’t need to cut out these foods all the time, I’ve found from personal experience and from working with clients over the years that removing these foods completely often results in a dramatic decrease in bloating.
Grains include the obvious like bread and pasta but also oatmeal, quinoa, and rice. Some people freak out about fiber when I mention eliminating grains for a period of time. Do you know what is a better source of fiber than your morning cereal? VEGETABLES! Ditch the grains but eat plenty of veggies!
Dairy products are also problematic for a LOT of people. I wouldn’t recommend removal of dairy products for my weight-loss clients if I didn’t see time and time again how many digestive issues resolve with the removal of dairy and how inflammatory it can be.
Even if you are not allergic to dairy you may have trouble digesting it due to a deficiency in an enzyme called lactase. As we age we produce less lactase, and lactase is important for being able to digest lactose, the naturally-occurring sugar in milk. If you aren’t able to break down that sugar it will travel through your digestive tract intact and pull water into your gut, causing gas and bloating. Removing dairy products for a week before a big event will help you avoid the bloating that can come as a result of that enzyme deficiency.
Step 2: Drink a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon, morning and night.
I love this tip for so many reason! Lemons are a natural diuretic and will help your body stay hydrated without holding onto excess liquid that can cause you to feel bloated and squishy. They are also a gentle laxative and will help keep your bowels regular. You can’t have a flat belly if you’re constipated!
Lemon water assists in digestion and absorption of nutrients and another key to a flat belly is making sure that you’re digesting your food adequately! Fresh lemon juice is a great source of bioavailable vitamin C which will keep your skin looking fresh and also helps assist the liver in detoxification. You can also add some ginger to your lemon water to help calm any tummy issues as ginger is a great digestive aid.
Step 3: Chew each bite of food 20-50 times.
This is going to seem like an odd recommendation, but bear with me! There are a couple reasons I give this advice, and they all result in a flat belly.
First of all, digestion begins in the mouth. We have digestive enzymes in our saliva that need to spend time with our food in order to begin to properly break it down. Our intestines don’t have teeth! We need to chew our food to liquid inside our mouth BEFORE WE SWALLOW so that our intestines can focus on breaking down our food further for vitamin and mineral absorption and easy digestion.
When you chew five times and swallow your stomach has to work much harder than it’s supposed to and this can lead to gas, bloating, and inflammation. Chewing your food somewhere between 20 – 50 chews per bite should turn it to mush.
Chewing thoroughly not only prevents excess bloating but it helps prevent us from over-eating. Slowing down allows us to connect with our food and take that extra moment to decide whether we are full or not. Chewing mindfully is the best practice to give your brain a chance to catch up with your belly. It takes 20 minutes for your belly to signal to your brain that you have had enough, and many of us finish a meal in less time than that!
Trust me on this one and give chewing a chance. Your belly will thank you!
