Fed up with exercise and still struggling to lose weight? Whatever you do, don’t go drown your sorrows in a bucket of ice cream. Whether you want to lose weight for more self-confidence, for well-being, for fitness gains or just overall good health, here are our tips for quickly and effectively flattening your tummy in just 14 days.
NIP YOUR BAD EATING HABITS IN THE BUD
If you want to slim down, take a closer look at your eating habits. Throw out the bags of chips and candy, or better yet, don’t buy them at all. It goes without saying that high-fat foods containing tons of sugar or fried and processed food products are the first things you should banish from your diet. They provide little to no nutritional value and get quickly stored as abdominal fat.
EAT SMALLER MEALS MORE OFTEN
DRINK WATER LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW
Try to drink 1 1/2 liters of water minimum per day. Doing this will purify your body and replenish its water stores. The magnesium and calcium content in water also helps to degrade toxins and aids digestion. Avoid sparkling water because the air bubbles will inflate your stomach. The same applies to soda, fruit juices, coffee with sugar and alcohol. If you’re not a big water person, at least sip on green tea. It’s the ideal ally against a bloated belly, and instead of adding sugar, try flavoring your tea with fresh ginger or a squeeze of lemon.
A SPOONFUL OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR MAKES THE TOXINS GO DOWN
Apple cider vinegar is a known home remedy with many positive effects and applications. It has a particularly stimulating effect on the gut, which helps to kick fat burning into high gear. To detoxify your body as soon as you wake up, stir a spoonful of apple cider vinegar into a glass of lukewarm water and drink on an empty stomach. If you want to lose more weight, repeat the procedure three times a day 30 minutes before each meal—but be careful, the apple cider vinegar is very acidic! If you follow this tip, you’ll notice results within the two weeks.
SPICE UP YOUR MORNINGS
Eating spicy foods reduces the sensation of hunger, which leads to consuming smaller portions. The earlier in the day you eat something spicy, the less hungry you’ll be. Go ahead and sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes onto your morning avocado toast or drizzle some Sriracha over your veggie omelet for some light heat to fuel your day.
FILL UP ON FIBER
Refined grain products such as white pasta or rice contain little fiber and therefore contribute little to a well-functioning digestive system. Whole grains, wild rice, quinoa, bulgur and whole-wheat pasta, however, contain tons of the stuff and will provide you with a steady stream of energy all day long while keeping you full between meals.
CALCIUM KILLS BELLY FAT
Calcium is mostly found in dairy products and works actively to combat belly fat. Skim milk is a good choice because it’s low in calories as well as plain 0% fat yogurt, and both are rich in protein and calcium. When converting dietary proteins to bodily proteins, your body uses a lot of energy, drawing from the fat stores. Not to mention your digestion is stimulated by the lactic acid bacteria contained in certain dairy products.
