For a flat tummy, skip these foods before you hit the beach:
1. Chewing Gum: You may not think a single piece of gum makes a difference, but it does! Chewing gum uses sugar alcohol, which causes major bloating. In addition, chewing gum causes air to enter your tummy, and that makes you bloated and gassy. Just brush your teeth before you go out in public. It’s that easy.
Photo by Julie Haupin
2. Refined Carbs: Some people think that switching to a gluten-free diet when you don’t have an allergy will eliminate bloat. This is not the case! Instead, just swap white rice, pasta and carbs for whole grains that have a lot of fiber.
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3. Fizzy, carbonated drinks: This is one of the most important steps to a bikini tummy. Skip the fizz! It causes gases to build up in your stomach, which immediately bloats you up. You should try swapping the pop (even diet) for water flavored with mint, lemon wedges or cucumber. Your midsection will thank you.
Photo by Julie Haupin
4. Alcohol: This might seem pretty obvious, but you never know for some people. I’m not saying that you have to skip out on the Coronas and booze for a month (or even a week), but to look your bikini best, you should limit your alcohol consumption. And especially try not to indulge the day before your bikini debut. Who wants to be hungover with Advil in hand on the hot sand anyway? (Hey, that rhymed.)
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5. Beans: This may seem obvious, but even peas, legumes and edamame can cause bloating due to a certain type of sugar they all contain that causes gas and buildup.
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6. Apples: Apples may keep the doctor away, but they might also leave you feeling unusually full. Try eating half of an apple at a time to see how your stomach reacts. Apples contain fructose, which is hard to digest for some people, and are high in fiber, which may leave you feeling extra bloated. Just don’t binge eat apples before you put on your bikini!
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7. Frozen Dinners: Yes, even the diet entrees (nice try though). These are usually high in sodium, which makes you bloated, and not to mention, they’re full of unnatural chemicals . You should check the labels and sodium content levels before you take the box out of the freezer. Hint: Salt and sodium cause more bloat in women and do not affect men as much (Yeah, I know…of course they do, right?)
Photo by Julie Haupin
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