The secret to a flatter stomach starts in the kitchen - here's how to do it
Our fitness goals may change throughout the year, however there’s always one constant that lingers in the backs of our brains: how do I get a flat stomach?
With varying degrees of success over the years (read: none), this GTG writer figured it’s time for a change in strategy, or more specifically, a change in the contents of her kitchen cupboards. But how exactly? By making some simple yet effective kitchen switch-ups to decrease the waistline and curb the cravings.
We asked nutritional therapist and Get The Gloss Expert Petronella Ravenshear to recommend her top five kitchen switch-ups for a flatter stomach to help minimise a bloated belly, lose weight and help makeover the contents of our pantries to give our workouts an added boost.
KITCHEN SWITCH-UP 1: GO GLUTEN-FREE
“For almost automatic weight-loss cut out grains, and grains containing gluten in particular. Substitute grains for small servings of sweet potato, beetroot and carrots instead.
“Avoid anything made with flour, including pasta, bread, rice, cookies and crackers. Other great substitutes for grains include kale chips with nutritional yeast and Inspiral Crackits , £4.49.”
MORE GLOSS: 8 fitness tools to help you trim and tone at home
KITCHEN SWITCH- UP 2: PORRIDGE, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT...
“Try this breakfast: two hard-boiled eggs or 100g smoked salmon and a baby avocado or an apple. Or if you’re craving something that feels ‘carby,' have Grain Free Porridge*: mix together almond butter, flaked coconut and coconut milk, (not coconut water - try Koko from Waitrose , £1.39) with a grated apple and a pinch of cinnamon. It's delicious and keeps you going for hours.”
KITCHEN SWITCH-UP 3: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR OVER DRESSINGS
“Add a tablespoon of unpasteurised apple cider vinegar (ACV) to salad at lunch and dinner to help your body burn fat.
“Many of us have too much of the candida yeast/fungus in our bodies and candida drives sugar cravings. ACV has natural anti-fungal properties and so it can help curb sugar cravings as well as stimulate fat burning.”
KITCHEN SWITCH-UP 4: WATER OVER FRUIT JUICE
“Avoid fruit juice and snacks and drink water instead when you’re hungry. Water takes the edge off hunger and speeds up the metabolic rate for more calorie burning.
“Fruit juice is liquid sugar with good PR! When the stomach is empty it shrinks and a hormone called ghrelin tells the brain to find food. Drinking lots of water helps to keep ghrelin at bay.”
KITCHEN SWITCH-UP 5: PROTEIN OVER CARBS
“Fats and proteins are much harder for the body to store as fat than carbohydrates. Protein also helps to raise the metabolic rate too. So eat more protein, (fish, eggs, chicken) and fill up on low carb green vegetables, (broccoli, spinach, seaweed, green salad and cabbage).
“Add liberal amounts of chilli to your meals (but not so much that it burns your mouth) to stimulate fat burning.”
*(Recipe from Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo )