5 Things to Avoid for a Flat Tummy

Source: Istock
It’s swimsuit season and that means unfortunately it is harder to hide that bulgy belly under sweaters and coats. Although belly fat can be hard to budge, experts recommend avoiding these five items for a flatter tummy.
Diet Soda Source: NBC/Google Images
It may be called diet soda, but a recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that those who consumed diet sodas also consumed more calories than their non-diet soda drinking counterparts.
Sugary Snacks Source: Istock
Stress can lead us to crave sugary snacks and unfortunately when stress sugar eating kicks in it’s hard to stop. Instead of reaching for a candy bar when stressed, experts suggest eating fruit, nuts or taking a brisk ‘mind clearing’ walk instead. The stress hormone cortisol increases belly fat and unfortunately so does sugar, so the combination is a double tummy trouble whammy!
Smoking Source: Facebook
Not only is smoking horrible for your health overall, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that smokers have larger waist measurements compared to non-smokers.
Milk and High-Lactose Dairy Foods Source: Alamy
Lactose is broken down in our small intestine by something called lactase, which is an enzyme. Unfortunately, as we get older our body produces less of this enzyme, which means lactose is harder to break up and can cause belly bloat.
Foods High in Carbs Source: Pinterest
Foods high in carbs can cause an imbalance of flora in our gut, thus causing belly bloat. It’s important to learn the difference between good carbs and bad carbs as the body needs good carbs for energy. If you notice your belly bloating up after eating bagels, white bread, white rice and pretzels you may want to eliminate those from your diet and see if the belly bulge starts to go down.