How to Get a Better Beach Belly

Chester puppySummer is just a few months away, but it isn’t too late to make some simply changes in your daily habits that could mean a better bathing suit body.

Reducing puffiness around your waistline isn’t just about calories. It also has to do with lowering stress and improving digestion – I know from personal experience as someone who had the chronic bikini bottom hangover.

So here are two tips that you can start incorporating right now, today, and use every day until you hit the beach and even after to feel and look good!

#1 – Update Your Meals

Update your meals with the right kind of fat, as exemplified by my poolside soup from my new cookbook. That means eating foods and using oils that are rich in mono and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, avocado, and almonds. It’s also important to avoid trans-fat and limit saturated fat found in foods like butter, bacon, and beef. Studies show that eating foods high in saturated fat not only raises blood cholesterol, but can also increase the release of the hormone cortisol that signals the body to store fat around the belly area.

Poolside Soup

Serves 8

I named this Poolside Soup because it’s light and packed with velvety, cool flavors that can refresh you on a hot day. It’s the perfect fast lunch, one that I can make even while chatting with my girlfriends. It’s low in sodium, and won’t give you the belly bulge we all want to avoid during swimsuit season.

Ingredients

4 cups green grapes
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled
2 kiwifruits, peeled and quartered
2 medium shallots or 1/2 medium red onion, quartered
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water

Directions

Place the grapes, avocados, kiwis, shallots or red onions, vinegar, mint, almonds, and salt in a food processor. Add the water and pulse the mixture until smooth. Serve at room temperature or chill covered in an airtight container for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Nutritional Stats

Per serving (1 cup): 137 calories, 3 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 296 mg sodium

#2 – Drink Plenty Of Water

hydrate yourselfDrink plenty of water throughout the day. Poor digestion and digestive issues can cause bloating and puffy bellies. Water is essential, your body needs it to carry nutrients from food to your cells. Not only will water improve digestion, but it’s most likely also going to improve your skin in the process, both with acne and glow. After I started pouring myself just three extra glasses of water a day, I could see a noticeable difference.

Eat juicy foods that are high in water content like broccoli and citrus. Not only will you help to hydrate along with your water regime, but you will also be enjoying foods that are lower in calories. Here are some great low-cal salsas to try. Just top a piece of grilled chicken or fish with your favorite for a low calorie meal.

  • Grapefruit-Olive Sauce
  • Peppadew Orange Sauce
  • Chipotle Tomato Sauce

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