Ways to Flatten the Stomach With Food

Most women complain of the stomach as a major problem area. No matter what they do, the stomach always looks puffy and bloated. While that is often due to being overweight, a puffy stomach can also be related to bloating and indigestion. The same foods that encourage healthy digestion also encourage weight loss, making eating right a win-win situation.

Aiding Digestion

• The stomach and abdomen often look bloated because of poor digestion. The most important way to aid digestion in order to have a flat stomach is to drink plenty of water---at least 64 oz. a day.

  Take small bites and chew slowly. When you chew carefully, your saliva breaks the food down. The food is digested more easily once it reaches the stomach, and this leads to less bloating and a flatter stomach.

  Eat foods that contain good bacteria. The stomach has both good and bad bacteria in it. Eating nonfat yogurt is a great way to encourage the growth of good bacteria. Without enough of the good stuff, bad bacteria can take over, causing bloating and many health problems as well.

Eating the Right Foods

• Eat fresh foods every day. Fruits and vegetables are important for a flat stomach. Apples help aid digestion. Grapefruit encourages a faster metabolism to burn stomach fat, and broccoli encourages overall health during weight loss.

  Chew on nuts and seeds rather than potato chips. Sunflower seeds and peanuts do have fat, but it's the good kind that the body needs. Nuts and seeds will satisfy the craving for something salty and crunchy without making the stomach bloated.

Avoid the Bad Foods

• Avoid fried foods if you want a flat stomach. Fried foods are high in fat, which will cause weight gain. In addition, fried foods upset the stomach and intestines, causing bloating and discomfort and making the stomach and abdomen look larger.

  Skip carbohydrates like potatoes and pasta if you want your stomach to look flat. Carbohydrates cause bloating and also cause weight gain in the abdomen.