How to get rid of that 'fat' tummy

As we all know, our gut holds good bacteria and bad bacteria. Significant scientific research shows that the presence of excessive bad bacteria in our gut may actually be responsible for protruding bellies.
Many of us, when we feel our tummies protruding, automatically tend to assume we have pure fat stored in them. However, it is a combination of factors - bloating and water retention, among others - that makes our tummies distended.
Do you feel that your tummy is absolutely flat early in the morning and, as the day progresses, it gets more distended by the hour? Do you feel certain foods make the distension far worse?
You are actually right. This is exactly what happens as we overload our tummies with the wrong foods and drinks.
Here are some useful tips to ensure you lose that tummy bloat, water retention and fat on your midriff.
1 Try and eliminate ALL processed foods - basically, anything out of a packet - as much as possible.
2 Let go of foods that cause bloating - lentils, chickpeas, gluten, dairy, sugar.
3 Introduce fermented foods like kimchi and kombucha tea that will introduce good bacteria into your gut, lowering the bloating and water retention.
4 Find ways to alkalise your gut and your body to eliminate inflammation - ­ drink a lot of warm water with lemon throughout the day and avoid overdosing on coffee, tea, red meat, all forms of colas and other processed foods.
5 Eliminate ALL fried foods. Not only are they extremely bad for your heart, they are also carcinogenic.
6 Ensure you have a good quality probiotic daily to introduce a big boost of good bacteria.
7 Include a good prebiotic as well to help maximise the benefits of the probiotic. Consult your nutritionist or general physician regarding prebiotics and probiotics suitable for your body type.
8 Have your last meal by 8 pm latest - in case you have to go to an event or a party, make sure you eat before you go to ensure intake of quality food. Also, you will not get tempted to eat the wrong foods if you are already feeling full.
9 Do NOT skip any meals as this is likely to slow down your metabolism. Eat regular meals and have healthy snacks every two hours.
10 Last but not least. make sure you get proper sleep. We often underestimate the importance of getting eight hours of sleep. Whenever your body and mind get under seven to eight hours of sleep, your adrenal glands start working overtime and there comes a stage when you begin to suffer from adrenal fatigue.
Further, constant sleep deprivation will make your body produce more cortisol (the stress hormone), which makes you put on fat directly on your belly. Surprised? Shocked? Sadly long hours, high stress, accumulating sleep debt and erratic eating habits all contribute to our growing bellies.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com