Eat your way to flatter stomach

Higher oestrogen levels tend to favor fat deposition around your hips and thighs when you’re younger, but as you age, there tends to be a redistribution towards your midriff. Fortunately, you can tackle a wayward tum. But if you have you lots of excess fat in this area, no amount of sit-ups is going to reveal the toned abdominals beneath. Boring as it is, watching the calories is the first and most fundamental thing you can do to get a trimmer tum. That said, the quality of your diet and how you spread your meals can make a big difference, too. Little and often Keep your meals small and regular. A big meal sitting in the stomach will produce a pot-bellied look even in the slimmest person, whereas eating little and often won’t overtax your digestive system, and is less likely to spoil your silhouette in that little black dress. But good news for baked bean-lovers – plant-breeding programmes have made these beans lower in raffinose, the sugar that causes wind. Get in balance An imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut can also cause bloating, so top up with a healthy probiotic yoghurt or drink. Take a little care at first, though, as sometimes probiotics can unsettle things digestion-wise, at least temporarily. If you’ve been overdoing refined carbs, swap to smaller portions of slower-releasing, low-GI types, such as porridge, grainy breads and wholewheat pasta. Swapping some of your carbs for monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) will also help (think nuts rather than pretzels, tahini rather than jam). Other great flat-tum-friendly foods are potassium-rich fruit and veg, in particular bananas, beetroot and a daily glass of orange juice. Potassium works its magic by counteracting the water-retaining effects of excess sodium in the body. But you’ll also need to cut down on salty foods to maximize the stomach-flattening impact. Finally, cut back on alcohol if you want to look elegant.