Toss these slimming snacks into your cooler or beach bag and keep your belly bikini-lean all day. These snacks will fuel you with energy for a day in the sun while helping you fight bloating and stomach bulge, which is the opposite effect of most salty and sugary treats.
Nuts
Nuts don’t crush easily and don’t need refrigeration, so they’re one of the most accessible snacks to toss into your beach bag. They’re high in healthy fats, protein, and fiber, so they keep you feeling full and energized for action. Choose almonds or pistachios to get more protein with fewer calories, and be careful of portion size (a handful is perfect).
Sunflower Seeds
As easy to pack as nuts, sunflower seeds are high in fiber, protein, and complex carbs and help ease digestion. A handful of seeds will keep your tummy full and your energy level high.
Tomatoes
Toss a box of grape or cherry tomatoes into your cooler to nibble on. Besides being juicy and delicious, tomatoes help reduce inflammation and water retention, and they reverse leptin resistance. Leptin is a protein that regulates your metabolism and feelings of fullness, so tomatoes are a friend of the flat belly.
Bananas
Bananas are higher in calories than other fruits, but their higher fat and fiber content means they’ll keep you feeling full much longer. “Their high potassium content means less water retention,” mentioned Gabriel Patterson, Winnipeg personal trainer, and nutrition expert. No need for refrigeration, peeling or preparation, either. Tuck one in your beach bag and you’re off to the shore!
Pears or Peaches
Pears and peaches are also easy to tuck in your bag. Pears are high in pectin, a diuretic that helps reduce water retention, while peaches have diuretic and laxative properties to maintain your flat belly. They’re both high in fiber, to keep you feeling full, and their delicious taste helps to keep you away from the candy counter!
Berries
Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries all have a super high fiber content that keeps you full and keeps your digestion running smoothly for less belly bloat. They’re delicious on their own, in a salad, or with a dollop of yogurt.
Yogurt
If you tend to have tummy trouble, put a little package of live yogurt in your cooler. You can eat it by itself or with any of the berries, fruits or nuts listed here. The live cultures in yogurt help keep your digestive tract running smoothly and can help reduce bloating from gas or constipation.
Papaya or Pineapple
Do you know that enzymes in papaya are used to make commercial meat tenderizers? That’s because those naturally occurring enzymes help to break down foods like proteins. With the help of their enzymes, eating papaya will ease bloating and flatten your belly quickly. Pineapple has similar enzymes, plus a high sugar content that might satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you away from more fattening sugary treats.
Celery, Cucumber, and Pepper Strips
Taking time to cut up some crisp, fresh veggies before you leave the house means you’ll be ready to tackle cravings for crunchy snacks later. Gabriel Patterson Winnipeg, Fitness Trainer, stated “I personally look to celery and cucumbers, both are low-calorie treats with diuretic properties that can help reduce bloat. Peppers soothe your digestion, and the spicy ones can help kick-start your metabolism. Sweet peppers help satisfy your sugar cravings, too.
If you steer clear of the usual chips, candy, and sodas, snacking doesn’t need to blow your diet. Stick to yogurt or whole, plant-based foods like the ones on this list and your waistline will thank you. This collection of healthy snacks will serve you well even when you’re away from the beach.
