Summer is my favorite time of year for many reasons, but one of my favorite parts was the fact that for years, I thought I had the BEST flat stomach diet. I would walk on the beach in my bikini feeling skinny, my tummy didn’t bulge and I didn’t feel bloated or gross like I did the rest of the year.

However, there was something definitely wrong with my flat stomach diet of four years ago (you can tell by looking at my ‘before’ picture on my Twitter page).  Every day I would have a bowl of cereal with some fresh fruit (if there was any around) for breakfast. Then I’d wait a few hours and have some ice cream for lunch (it’s my favorite food group), then maybe a candy bar or granola bar a few hours later.  Then dinner – well, I never really knew dinner – some days sure I’d have a salad or whatever my mom cooked and that was usually followed by some more ice cream.

Basically I was eating three or four times a day and nothing I ate was really healthy. I would eat salads for lunch or go out to lunch and have a wrap, but would indulge in the french fries that came along with the meal.  At that time, I didn’t really think too much about my diet because I felt skinny and thought that I was doing the right thing to be skinny.

But I was wrong.  Now I look at pictures and I wasn’t really ‘skinny’ at all. Not to mention I wasn’t happy and was usually seriously lacking energy because I wasn’t eating the right things.

As I have learned over the last few years, if you want a flat stomach, having the right flat stomach diet is very important.  And NOT eating is not going to get you there. You may ‘feel’ good but as soon as you start eating regularly or the right foods your body is going to plump up and your flat stomach is going to go away.

I have taken what I have learned to compile this list of 22 tips to help you make sure that you have a flat stomach diet that will help you get a flat stomach.

1. EAT – The biggest mistake most women (and myself) make is to think that to get a flat stomach we aren’t suppose to eat. WRONG! That’s the worst thing you can do. To really get a flat stomach you should eat at least 5-6 small meals throughout the day.
2. Each meal should have a healthy fat, protein and some carbohydrates (depending on what your flat stomach goals are).
3. Drink lots of water. Water will flush your system of toxins and help you stay fuller for longer (keeping you away from those unhealthy snacks.

   

4. Stay away from soda and sugary fruit drinks. Say no to extra sugar! Sugar only prevents you from getting a flat stomach.
5. Make sure you have ‘healthy fats’ in your diet. Some examples of ‘healthy fats’ include almonds, natural peanut butter, olive oil, walnuts, and flaxseed.
6. Make sure your diet has enough protein. Protein helps you rebuild your muscles after your workouts (more muscle = less fat = a flat stomach).
7. Follow a flat stomach workout.
   
8. Stay away from simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates will bring you up and then you’ll crash right down (just like the ice cream did in my diet!).
9. Include complex carbohydrates in your diet. Yes, these types of carbs are good for you – grains, fruits, vegetables and some cereals are filled with complex carbs (and fiber) that will help fill you up for longer and give you more energy for longer – keeping you away from those snacks that won’t give you a flat stomach.
10. You don’t have to just eat salads everyday to get a flat stomach – there are lots of great flat stomach recipes out there.
    
11. Eat LOTS of vegetables. Vegetables are only good for you – they are low in calories and a good source of dietary fiber (that will help fill us up for longer).

    

12. Add some blueberries to your diet.  Blueberries are a great flat stomach food – full of antioxidants and cancer fighting capabilities.
13. Take Omega-3 Fish Oils.  Omega-3 fish oils will help your brain, heart and joints.  It will also lower your blood sugar after each meal, which will help you get a flat stomach.
    
14. Eat breakfast. It IS the most important meal of the day. After sleeping all night – it wakes your metabolism and gets it burning fat off your stomach as you start your day. Not sure what to eat – here are Three Quick Healthy Breakfast Options.
15. Drink green tea. Green Tea has been proven to help you burn fat. If you don’t like the taste of plain green tea – try some of the flavored varieties.
16. Post – Workout Nutrition is very important for a flat stomach. Make sure you eat after your workout to help your body recover and burn more fat.
17. Think about ‘what does your flat stomach look like?‘. Know what you are working towards and that will help you get there.
    
    
18. Plan your meals. Sit down on Sunday morning and figure out what you are going to eat for the week. Then hit the grocery store and buy what you need to make your meals for the week. If  you have everything you need to eat healthy then you can’t stray! Plus, if you pre-cook your meals, you can make lunch for the week or when you’re home after a long day – there is food in the fridge – no excuses to not eat healthy!
19. Go to the food store with a list of what you are going to buy. This will make sure that no extra ‘non-healthy’ treats show up in your cart.
20. Write down what you eat.  Keeping a journal of what you eat, will make you more responsible and aware of just HOW many cookies you are sneaking in daily.

    

21. Positive Thinking. Know that you can do it – that you can eat healthy, that you can get a flat stomach – if you don’t think you can – you never will.
22. Don’t beat yourself up if you have a bad day! Get back up – refocus – and make sure the next meal is a good one.

Okay, there it is – 22 tips to help you create a flat stomach diet that will GET you a flat stomach and avoid the mistakes that I made.

Lately I have been receiving a lot of questions about what to eat after a workout.  So, I wanted to take the time to make sure that we all understand the importance of post-workout nutrition and how it can affect how quickly you reach your fitness goals, without getting too scientific.

There are two major things to consider with your post-workout meal:
1)  How soon after your workout you have your first meal
2)  What to eat after your workout

How Soon After my Workout Should I have My First Meal?

Timing of your post-workout meal is VERY important. If you wait too long to eat after your workout your body will store the food you eat as fat, instead of feeding it right into the muscle.
Ideally, you should eat 30 minutes to 60 minutes (at most) after your workout. During this time, immediately after your workout, your muscles are in the most optimal state to absorb the nutrients, from your post workout meal, directly into the muscle.  It is also a time where glycogens, the energy reserve in your muscle, can most efficiently be refueled. Waiting too long to eat will then starve the muscles and make your workout less effective.

What to Eat after My Workout?

The best post-workout meal should consist of a proper proportion of protein and carbohydrates.  If you are working out to lose weight, you want to make sure that you have more protein in your post-workout meal than carbohydrates. However, if you want to splurge on carbs, having them post-workout is the most optimal time, as your body will not store them as fat.
Also, make sure to stay away from fat in any post-workout meal. Healthy fats are a great source of nutrition; however, during the time right after your workout, fats will slow down the digestion of the protein and carbohydrates that you have. By slowing down the digestion process you are slowing down the absorption of nutrients into the muscles.

The simplest and one of my favorite post-workout meals is a protein shake. I use a whey protein, combine it with water in a shaker cup, and sometimes have a piece of fruit to go along with it. This liquid meal absorbs into your body quickly and works immediately to restoring and rebuilding your muscle. Or, if I am not in a rush I’ll make myself a ‘fancier’ post-workout shake and combine the same ingredients in a blender.  Another option, if you have more time, you can always cook egg whites, or chicken breast for a post-workout meal. But you want to make sure that you are getting it into your system as quickly as possible.

What you eat after your workout is one of the greatest determining factors in how quickly you reach your fitness goals. Keeping in mind these simple nutrition tips will help make each workout that much more effective and keep your fitness goals a reality.