Tips to beat the bloat: a flat stomach diet for partying

How was your Halloween? I hadn't planned on doing much, our neighborhood doesn't have kids or trick and treaters. But we got invited to a Halloween  party that a bunch of friends were going to. I threw together a quick costume- a Ladybug. I already had a black skirt and a black and red spotted shirt, so all I had to do was pick up some wings and antennae!

My costume for the  party:

You will notice I have more leg muscle now!

Looking over pictures from the night of my friends and I, I felt surprised to realize I was one of the fit girls!I know it sounds kind of silly, but the reality that I no longer have a paunchy belly or huge thighs still hasn't quite registered!

I've guess I've the past few years of group photos that I've cringed at have made more of a mark than my new reality!:D I'm past my goal of 125 pounds this year by the way- I've seen 123.8 on the scale for two days straight which is exciting :) I'm aiming for 120 pounds by January :D

Tips for a flat stomach

I knew I'd be wearing a pretty tight dress that night and wanted to cut down on bloat! You can have a fabulously toned core and abs, but still bloat if you eat or drink the wrong things! I followed these tips and it worked, I had a super flat stomach on the day :D

* Eat lots of fiber for days before the party/event but not on the actual day as voluminous fiber filled foods like salads take up a lot of space in your digestive tract. Eat high protein, dense foods instead

*On the day, avoid beans, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccolli- all the foods famous for gas!

*Drink lots of water! Or green tea- it helps speed up your metabolism.

*Avoid salt. Put down the salt shaker. And stay away from any processed foods (stuff in tins, or ready to eat in packages) as the salt content is usually high.

*Dont eat to quickly. If you eat too fast you gulp down a lot of air and that can lead to bloating (and gas, as my  Boston Terrier will attest to as he INHALES his food and then has horrible gas lol). Take your time,chew thoroughly. 

*Avoid milk for the day. Try almond or silk milk instead, just in case you are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance can make you bloat and you may not even realize that is what is doing it.

*NO carbonated drinks The fizz in the drinks can make you bloat

*Stay away  sugars and  alcohol before the event, these can also cause bloating

*Stay away from sorbitol (eg in chewing gum) and artifical sugars

*Stay away from breads, pastas, potatoes for the day- as starches are broken down they release gas

*Take an anti-gas pill, cheap and availible at walmart, just to make sure you wont have any bloat that day

* Do ab exercises to make your stomach taut (before and on the day!)

So what SHOULD you eat that day? Try some anti-bloating foods! I had two delicious Chobani yogurts as they are full of good bacteria. I had ginger, said to be anti-bloating, in my super boiled summer squash (if you eat vegetables, cook them well so they arent too fibrous!), in a pumpkin sauce with gardein 'chicken' scallopini.


Do NOT take laxatives or water pills or any other intense drugs as that isnt good for your body!! DONT skip meals, and DONT fast! You wont feel good, your body will go into 'starvation' mode making you retain fat, and you will get drunk too fast on just a drink or two if you dont eat- not good!