5

Bloated stomach solutions

Start the New Year off on the right foot with these simple diet tricks

The New Year is the perfect time to rethink what you eat. Eating clean feeds your body the goodies it needs to run smoothly and fast-forward your weight-loss results. Check out our experts’ top tips to get started – there’s no calorie counting involved!

Load up on lemon and ginger

This duo works together as a powerful
and all natural weight-loss aid. Ginger is known to be a thermogenic food. It raises the temperature of the body and helps speed up the metabolism. ‘It’s also a natural appetite suppressant and has a beneficial effect on the entire digestive system by regulating and assisting the movement of food through the stomach and intestines,’ says nutritionist Hanna Sillitoe.

Lemons are the ultimate weight-loss booster. ‘They keep the body’s pH balance trending towards alkaline, which has been proven to help achieve optimal weight. Juice a chunk of lemon and ginger with a whole apple or pear, and drink it like a shot before breakfast,’ recommends Sillitoe.

Pop a probiotic

Sadly, there’s no magic pill for instant weight loss, but
if it’s a flatter tummy you’re after, pop a
daily probiotic supplement. Probiotics can help restore the balance of good bacteria in your gut. ‘If you combine a good-quality supplement with a healthy diet, you’ll prevent yeast and bad bacteria from overgrowing in your gut and causing bloating,’ says nutritionist Sharon Morey.

Beat hunger pangs

When you’re looking to shed the pounds, snacking can either make or break your diet goals. Keep low-GI snacks such as nuts, fruit and oatcakes in your handbag to help you power up on the go, and remember to eat slowly. ‘Gulping down food makes you swallow too much air, which gets trapped in your digestive system causing pressure, bloating and gas,’ says Morey.

Soak your cells

Not getting your eight glasses of water a day? You could be stalling your weight- loss results. Chugging back water keeps your body’s cells working optimally, helps to ward off hunger, keeps bloating at bay and even improves skin health. ‘Water flushes out toxins, regulates certain body functions and delivers essential nutrients to your cells,’ says Sillitoe.

Fool your tummy

Beans and lentils have a reputation for causing bloating and gas, but these underrated ingredients are packed with super powers, including protein and fibre, which stop you from packing
on the pounds.

‘Lentils contain a type of resistant s