Picture yourself with a flat belly. We don’t care what you look like right now, just picture it. Looks good doesn’t it? What do you see yourself wearing? Whatever you want, right? Maybe even that slim cut shirt you left on the rack last week when you were at the mall. Now, in that same mental image, look up at your face.
You’re smiling, aren’t you?
No coincidence there. Having a flat belly is great. It gives you confidence. It means you don’t have anything to hide. And it feels a lot better than the bloating and indigestion that come from not having a flat belly.
So how are you going to get one?
You’re going to check out these 3 key facts and apply them to your life, that’s how.
#1 – You Need to Work Hard
There’s no way around this one. If you want a flat belly you need to burn fat and keep it off.
How do you burn the fat? You exercise. You do the workouts right here on this blog. You take walks, or even better, jogs around your neighborhood. You join a sports team. You take your friends and family on hikes over the weekend. You Just. Keep. Pushing.
And you keep the fat off by eating a whole foods diet that’s low in carbs and high in nutrients and protein. You plan your meals ahead of time so that you don’t over eat, and so you know you aren’t filling your body with artificial junk.
But remember: fat isn’t the only thing keeping you from a flat belly.
#2 – Bloating Can Come from Inflammation
People talk (okay, complain) about bloating all the time, but they don’t always talk about where it comes from—or what you can do to change it.
With that in mind, here’s an important tip: bloating can come from inflammation, so a lot of the same treatments apply. Ever pulled a muscle? Maybe you went in for a massage or took a dip in the Jacuzzi?
Or hey, why not work some anti-inflammatory foods into your diet? Dark leafy greens, whole grains, low-fat dairy (wait, this sounds suspiciously like that weight loss diet we mentioned earlier…)
In extreme cases, you can even take over-the-counter meds like aspirin, but careful: you don’t want to make a habit out of this. Save the chemicals for emergency scenarios, okay? The goal here is keep your body clean.
#3 – How to Chew
Seriously? Come on, you already know how to chew.
But do you know how to chew like a pro?
We’re not joking. The way you chew has a huge impact on how well your GI tract is doing. If you’re chewing fast and loose, that leaves big chunks of food floating around in your stomach just waiting to sprout bacteria. Bacteria that produce gas. Gas that causes bloating.
Gross.
BUT, if you chew slowly, and you chew until your food becomes almost liquid, then you’re doing your stomach a huge favor. Your food will digest faster and easier (saving you from inflammation) and your GI tract will absorb more of those precious nutrients. Plus, slower chewing satisfies your hunger faster, meaning you don’t have to eat as much to feel full. Boom—portion control.
