7 Ways To Wake Up Slimmer
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Obviously you don’t have to lose weight, you’re great the way you are. But if you are trying to shed a few pounds, you know how annoying it is to wake up bloated and not understand why.
Although miracles are impossible, there are some small changes you can make that might just decrease bloat overnight. And no, a full-on Atkins diet is not mandatory. By just making just a few small and healthy change-ups to your day, you can actually lose some weight.
Follow these 7 tips to help you wake up slimmer after a fabulous night of sleep.
1. Take a shower before bed.
When you take a shower before bed, you activate your body’s thermostat, causing you to fall asleep faster. You sleep best when your body is cooled down! And better sleep means lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is a fat-storage hormone [read more about this HERE].
2. Stop chewing gum.
Your sugarless gum may be causing your belly to swell. Studies show that sorbitol, a sugar alcohol used in most sugarless gums, takes a long time to digest, and that’ll buy you a one-way ticket to bloatville. Try a product made without any artificial ingredients. Or cut out gum entirely, along with these 6 foods that lead to bloating.
3. Throw away your “energy bars.”
Much like in Mean Girls when Cady Heron gave Regina George Kälteen Bars, energy bars cause you to gain weight… and fast. But why? They often contain lots of whey, which is a main cause of bloating, especially if you’re lactose intolerant. Also, many chemicals go into the bars, and studies show that people who eat processed foods gain more weight than people who eat whole foods. So yeah, energy bars are basically just glorified candy bars.
4. Eat your daily fiber.
Make sure to eat plenty of fiber to aid in the digestive process and to eliminate bloating. You can get your daily fiber through fruits, vegetables and whole grains — it’s one of the top ways to wake up thinner.
5. Hold the spice.
When you’re trying to feel thinner, it’s best to avoid spicy food. Spicy foods, especially chili powder, hot sauces, and vinegar, trigger the release of stomach acid, a main cause of bloating. Instead, opt for fresh or dried herbs such as dill, basil, mint, sage, tarragon, and rosemary to get great flavors in your food while still maintaining that flat tummy.
6. Do the thruster.
New York Times best selling author and ABC News nutrition and wellness editor David Zinczenko recommends doing the thruster. “It’s a simple, full-body exercise you need to do for just 8 minutes. But once you do it, you’ll discover a tightening around your core that proves to you it’s working,” he says. “You’ll look and feel leaner the next day, but over time you’ll really begin to drop serious pounds.” Here’s how:
Step one – Standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a pair of dumbbells by your shoulders, your palms facing each other.
Step two – Lower your hips into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. In one motion, extend your legs to stand up tall while driving the dumbbells overhead. Pause, then lower the dumbbells to the starting position. Keep going until you hit the 8-minute mark.
7. Think positive.
This might seem obvious, but if you put yourself in a positive mindset, you will be more likely to grab the carrot sticks instead of the crackers, get out for your daily workouts, and reward your body the healthy way. “I honor my body by working out and seeing what it can do,” Kate Hudson tells Shape. And you should too!
