Battling the Belly During Bikini Season

We would all love to fit into an itsy, bitsy bikini, but it gets frustrating when all those crunches don't even create a hint of a six-pack.

There is no such thing as ‘spot reduction’ – fat or size reduction from a specific body part - but that doesn’t stop most of us from trying. Whether we have time to exercise or not, we always seem to find a few minutes to do some sit-ups or crunches, hoping to soon catch a glimpse of a six-pack.

While crunches tone and define tummy muscles, they will not lead to a flat belly. A flat belly is all about diet and digestion:

Watch out for certain starches. Starchy foods, especially bread and wheat products, can cause bloating and water retention. If you’re sensitive to gluten, foods containing wheat, rye and barley are likely to cause distention and discomfort in your belly. Try switching to wheat-free, yeast-free and gluten-free breads and starches, like rice pasta and millet. Search for gluten-free alternatives on the Celiac Disease Foundation’s webite, www.celiac.org/

Clear out the colon. Bloating from constipation or gas caused by undigested foods or a poor ratio of “good” to “bad” bacteria in the large intestine will increase the size of the belly (particularly the lower part of your abdomen). Most of us carry an extra 10 pounds of waste products in the colon; more when we are constipated. A daily fiber intake of 35 grams, along with 2 liters of water is recommended to keep the colon moving smoothly. Introduce fiber gradually to avoid getting constipated. If you’ve been gassy or constipated for a while, try a colon cleansing kit available from health food stores and pharmacies. The kits typically contain fiber, magnesium to relax the muscles of the colon, and a blend of herbs that gently ‘exfoliate’ the intestinal wall. For a quick colon cleanse, colon hydrotherapy is worth exploring. The 1-hour treatment clears out fecal matter and gas, leaving you with a flat belly immediately. The benefits of colon hydrotherapy go far beyond the esthetic. Proponents of colonics describe the treatment as a fast and powerful form of detoxification helping to prevent and relieve many common health ailments.

Probiotics, live microorganisms that reside in the large intestine, have been receiving a great deal of attention lately as research extols their health benefits. If your belly bloat is due to an excess of unhealthy intestinal microbes, daily supplementation with probiotics, combined with foods like natural yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut may help.

Improve digestion by keeping meals simple. A combination of (animal) protein plus vegetables (such as a large salmon salad) or starch plus vegetables (rice pasta with grilled veggies) is likely to move through your digestive system faster than a combination of animal protein and starch (à la meat lasagna). The only way to know if it will work for you is to try it.

Avoid gas-forming foods. Certain foods are known to cause gas and bloating. Raffinose is the indigestible fiber found in beans that causes unpleasant side effects when it reaches the colon. Other gas-forming foods include apples, onions, and the cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Avoiding these incredibly nutritious foods is a shame, so a complete digestive enzyme taken before eating them should prevent gas formation altogether.

Menu-Planning. To see the six-pack, eat five to six small meals and snacks spread throughout the day. Rather than avoiding carbohydrates or starchy foods, eat them early in the day. Towards the end of the day (especially at dinner) combine lean protein with vegetables, avoiding starches and fruit at bedtime. Expect to see a flatter belly within a few days.