I am well on my way with dietbet.com. I did my initial weigh-in on Sunday. Now it is Tuesday (two days later) and I have only lost 2 pounds. I have 28 days to lose 8 pounds. I am nervous if I will hit my mark.
I have gotten up at 6 a.m. for the last two days to work out. I started my Jillian Michaels' workouts again. However, I am not following the "program" the way it was designed. I have chosen to go at my own pace. Today, I even doubled up on my exercising and finished the night with my Victoria's Secret 10 Minute Workout.
Now..back to what prompted me to "blog" today. As I was working out this morning, I noticed that my stomach looked really bloated. So I decided to research bloat.
I came across an article on webmd.com that listed ten flat belly tips. Here is what it stated:
#1: Get more fiber in your diet to avoid constipation. Women should aim for 25 grams of fiber while men should aim for 38 grams. In addition to that, we need to drink at least 48 to 64 ounces of fluids per day.
#2: Some people have gluten or dairy allergies. So WebMD recommends visiting your doctor to test for allergies. Plus, it suggests eating aged cheeses and yogurt as these have lower amounts of lactose.
#3: Eat slower since chewing your food too quickly can cause too much air swallowing (leading to bloat).
#4: Drinking too many carbonated drinks can cause gas to get trapped in your stomach. Try to drink water infused with natural flavor additives (lemon, mint, cucumber, etc.).
#5: Substitute fruit or hard candy for chewing gum. Chewing gum can cause you to swallow excess air.
#6: Limit the amount of sugar alcohol that you are consuming daily (this is found in artificially sweetened foods/drinks). If you consume too much this can cause bloating.
#7: Limit Sodium. (BINGO...according to MyFitnessPal I am consuming too much of this) The maximum amount of sodium you should consume from any product is 500 mg per serving. You should also limit your total sodium consumption to 1500 to 2300 mg per day. So read your labels!
#8: Slowly ease in beans and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower). Eating them too much too quickly can cause you to feel bloated. Your body has to get use to the compound make up of these foods so gradually introduce them to your diet.
#9: Try to eat 6 smaller meals versus 3 larger meals to keep you from feeling bloated.
#10: Try eating some foods that are known for helping you "de-bloat". Some examples are pineapple, yogurts, ginger, peppermint tea, and parsley.
To read the whole article on WebMD visit their site here: Link Here
Here's a list of the best and worst foods to help you fight "bloat":
Best
Cucumbers
Bananas
Papaya
Yogurt with probiotics
Fennel Seeds
Ginger
Peppermint and chamomile tea
Cantaloupe
Artichokes
Avocados
Brown Rice
Lentils
Oatmeal
Berries
Worst
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kale
Legumes
Dairy
Apples
Salty Foods
Frozen Dinners & Processed Foods (includes canned soups and vegetables, bottled salad dressings, condiments and sauces) **think of the sodium content!***
Here's another great article on simple ways to beat bloating: Click Here
I hope this helps someone else out there!