As the weather warms up, you may be getting closer to your first swim of the season.
But for many women the idea of slipping on a swimsuit is a little bit daunting.
But fear not, because today we have some tips – plus good news is that our November 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is a PERFECT one to do prior to the Summer season starting!
These can help to reduce bloating, stomach fat and the general wobbliness that can make you feel uncomfortable about lounging by the pool.
- Increase fibre in your diet – fibre is an aid for digestion which means it will have your insides working harder for you. The Healthy Mummy smoothies area already high in fibre with 6g per serve but you could increase this further by adding oats to your Healthy Mummy Smoothies, or you could add bran to your baking, eat wholegrain bread instead of white, and snack on foods like nuts, fruit and wholegrain crackers.
- Ensure that you are consuming a wide range of healthy foods – think healthy wholegrains, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, lean proteins and plenty of salad. Fresh and natural foods contain vitamins and minerals that help your body work more efficiently, in that they don’t take lots of extra effort for your body to break down. By reducing your intake of cakes, biscuits, sweets and chocolate you can make it easy on your insides to look after your metabolism to make it run smoothly.
- Cut out or reduce fizzy drinks – not only because they contain sugar or sweeteners which can slow down your metabolism, but also the carbonation can make you feel puffed and bloated. Try instead to drink plenty of plain water, or sparkling mineral water with fresh lemon or lime juice added.
- Reduce your alcohol consumption – for similar reason to soft drink, but also because it puts stress on your liver as well which makes it difficult for it to do its job.
- Drink plenty of water – this helps to flush out your system and get rid of any old built up food in your system.
- Eat potassium rich foods – think bananas, tomatoes, spinach and raw unsalted nuts. Potassium helps to regulate the fluid levels in your body which is also another cause of bloating.
- Reduce sugars and sweeteners or replace them with natural options. Sugars can put a strain on your digestive system, making it work inefficiently which can lead to bloating and puffiness. Try instead to sweeten your food with natural sweeteners like dates, honey or apple.
- Try to reduce stress. When you are stressed, the hormone cortisol is released into your system, which can actually cause the body to redirect its fat stores to your stomach area.
- Consider taking a probiotic, as these look after your ‘gut health’ making it work harder to get rid of toxins and other nasties.
- Include fish oil supplements in your diet. These slow down the absorption of sugar in your system which can help prevent the dreaded bloat.
