How to get a flatter belly

There comes a time when sucking your belly in doesn’t really help much- plus how long can you possibly keep it up for?  Here are some tips to help you get the flat belly you have always wanted;

• Carbonated drinks are from the devil if you’re trying to get a flatter belly. Apart from  the risk of belly fat, carbonated drinks put you at risk for high cholesterol. Skip fizzy drinks and go for water, which is an healthy alternative anytime.

• Chew your food properly before swallowing. If you don’t chew properly you increase your chances of  gas, indigestion and bloating. So chew till your meal is pasty-digestion does start in the mouth.

• Sleep your way to a flatter belly. Research shows that those who get 7 hours or more a night more fat are less hungry than those who get less than 7 hours of sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep your hormone levels change and you become hungrier than normal. If you’re hungrier, chances are that you will eat more than is required because of the raging hormones. 

•  Eating an avocado is good for your waistline. Half an avocado has 10 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids. These MUFA’s reduce the hormones that make your body store fat around your belly.  

• Watch what time you eat and what you do after you eat. If you favour eating heavy meals just before bedtime you may be piling up fat in your belly. Ensure you eat at least an hour or two before resting and skip the heavy meals. Some experts have proposed that there’s a magic hour for eating a protein snack which is between 3-4pm because it boosts metabolism and balances your blood sugar. Why is this important? If your blood sugar is balanced, then your insulin will be lower-insulin is what makes you store fat on your belly.

•  Doing only crunches will not help you get the belly of your dreams, include full body cardio into your work out routine. Try doing 4 sets of planking for 30 seconds each. Also take walks as engaging your body will help.

•  Increase your vitamin C intake. Vitamin C creates carnitine, a compound that turns fat into fuel. You can try doing that by eating more bell peppers, kale and kiwi fruits.

• The kind of salt you take in can always play a part in the size of your belly; soy sauce and sea salt have high levels of sodium which cause instant bloating. Instead, use natural sea salts or kosher salt-these have lower amount of sodium.