Rock-hard abs are going to cost you more than a few precious hours in the gym. But while you’re waiting for all of your hard work on the mat to pay off, may we suggest a bit of (nearly) instant gratification? With a couple of tummy-tightening tricks and some adjustments to your daily routine, you can slim your midsection in a mere 24 hours. Yep, you’re just one day away from your jeans fitting a little better and your dresses laying a little flatter. Keep reading to find out how it’s done!
1. Drink Skinny Water
Dehydration leads to water retention, which means bloating. Drinking an adequate amount of water will help you to stay hydrated and avoid holding on to those extra inches of belly bloat. But take your hydration efforts one step further, and supercharge that water with detoxifying ingredients. Brew a batch of H20 infused with lemon, ginger, cucumber, and mint to flush impurities out of your system.
Lemon helps cleanse and alkalize the body. It also acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Ginger aids digestion and helps you feel full to reduce your chances of overeating. Cucumber contains anti-inflammatory properties and acts as a natural diuretic. Mint also aids digestion and serves as an appetite suppressant.
Combine 6 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, 1 sliced cucumber, 1 thinly sliced lemon, and ½ cup of mint leaves. Let the water fuse overnight and sip your skinny water all day to slim your stomach.
2. Do A DIY Body Wrap
At-home body wraps force the toxins that build up in your skin tissue and fat cells out of your body while removing excess fluid and toning skin. You’ll need 3 bags of green tea (the caffeine helps fight cellulite), ¼ cup of natural sea salt (which acts as a detoxifying agent, causing your body to get rid of excess water), 1 capsule of pure vitamin E (to tone and tighten skin), 2 cups of filtered water, 2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil (which is healing and moisturizing), plastic wrap, and an Ace bandage.
First, bring the water to a boil. Add the tea bags, the contents of the vitamin E capsule, and all but about 2 tablespoons of salt. Let the water boil for two minutes, before allowing it cool to a comfortable temperature. While the water is boiling, combine the coconut oil and remaining salt, and massage it onto your skin. Soak the Ace bandage in the warm water, and then wrap it around your stomach. Follow with a layer of plastic wrap to lock in moisture and body heat. Leave your wrap on overnight and awake to a tighter tummy.
3. Get An Extra Hour Of Sleep
Skimping on beauty sleep kicks cortisol (the stress hormone linked to higher levels of belly fat) into high gear and increases your tendency to overeat. Aim for a full night’s rest to wake up energized and prepared to make smart food decisions all day.
4. Kick-Start Your Morning
Begin your morning with core-engaging, posture-perfecting yoga and you’ll be on the fast track to a flat stomach. A few sun salutations in the a.m. will help you de-stress (thus fending off cortisol), give your metabolism an early boost, and encourage you to stand up straight—which, if nothing else, gives you the appearance of a flatter tummy.
Another important way to jumpstart your metabolism in the morning is with breakfast. Take the time to enjoy a small, balanced meal, and continue the trend throughout the day. Eating smaller meals at more frequent intervals prevents flooding the digestive system with a large meal that will take a long time to digest.
5. Eat Flat-Belly Foods
The goal is to eat foods that are easily digestible—meaning, foods that won’t sit in your GI tract longer than they need to. Skip processed sugars and refined carbohydrates, in favor of lean proteins, whole grains, root vegetables (like carrots), green vegetables (like green beans), steamed vegetables (like leeks), and fruits low in fructose (such as bananas, strawberries, and citrus fruits). If you can, eat your veggies steamed. Cooked vegetables actually take up less room inside your stomach, compared to raw veggies.
To further prevent bloating, avoid salt and high-sodium foods, as sodium attracts and retains water. And pass on gas-causing foods, like beans and flowered vegetables (such as cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts).
6. Chew (A Lot)
Digestion begins in the mouth, so you can decrease bloat by simply chewing your food more, which allows for quicker digestion. Another trick is to slow down your eating. Eating quickly not only means you’re not chewing your food enough, but it also causes you to swallow more air, which leads to bloating in the GI tract. But beware of chewing gum, as it also causes you to swallow air.
7. Sip Smarter
Carbonation is the enemy of a flat tummy because the fizz in soda and sparkling water causes gas to get trapped in your belly. Skip anything bubbly and trade coffee for herbal tea. The caffeine in coffee can overstimulate your digestive tract, leading to a buildup of gas. Choose tummy-soothing herbal teas, like chamomile and peppermint instead.
Drinking plenty of water before and during meals will also aid digestion and help fill you up before you reach that bloated feeling that accompanies large meals.