Do you feel like you wake up with a swollen belly? It could have to do with your dinner the day before. The last meal of the day conditions directly influences about our sleep and our body.
In fact, A study prepared by researchers at Harvard University, published on October 4, 2022 in the scientific journal Cell Metabolism, confirmed that dinner time had an influence on weight. 7:00 p.m. would be the ideal time to limit effects such as fat storage.
(Slimming hormones: your great allies to lose weight faster)
In this sense, dinner must be lighter than lunch. A dinner that is too fatty can cause a digestive discomfort, hence a feeling of overflow, bloating and flatulence, belching and even nausea.
In addition, dinner precedes sleep, a time when the body is at rest and does not need as much energy. But what foods are recommended for the last meal of the day? We review them.
What am I going to have for dinner?
Your dinner should include 50 grams of protein and vegetables. Fish, shellfish, and white meat are good options. Lighter and less caloric than red meat, they are key for the last meal of the day. To them, you can add vegetables, preferably cooked or prepared in soup, to promote digestion and avoid, incidentally, the feeling of a bloated belly.
You can complete your dinner with a dairyif possible, a natural yogurt or fresh cheese without fat, or a piece of fruit. The advantage of the latter is the sweet taste, which limits the temptation to snack on a higher-calorie food. Finally, do not hesitate to opt for a tea with a draining and detox effect before going to bed to purify the body and encourage waking up with a flat stomach.
In summary, the key would be to “reduce simple carbohydrates and prioritize proteins and complex carbohydrates (vegetables, oatmeal, brown rice…), reduce bread intake, drink plenty of water, consume soluble fiber like oatmeal or nuts,” recalls Sarah Álvarez, co-founder and creator of the methodology CHALLENGE 48.
Keep in mind that not only the composition of your dinner influences, but also the way of absorbing it: “the worst habit when eating is not paying attention to the body’s hunger and satiety signals. To adopt healthier eating habits, it is important to eat slowly and enjoy food, choose nutritious and varied foods,” recalls Leyre López-Iranzu, nutritionist at Clínica FEMM.
Exercise, also key
Sara Álvarez explains that not only diet influences when it comes to achieving a flat abdomen. In the mornings, do not hesitate to follow a rolling routine, which includes abs: “It must be taken into account that almost all the exercises that are carried out with other parts of the body activate them, even if only in a secondary way.
For that reason, it is enough to dedicate 2 or 3 days of specific abdominal training, a week, doing a circuit of 45 seconds per exercise, resting 20 seconds, and repeating 3 to 5 rounds each. It all depends, of course, on our objectives and the rounds we do,” explains the expert.
aerobic exercise It can also be helpful for a flatter tummy: “Aerobic exercise also improves heart health and general health, and according to some recent research, postulates it as the best method to help lose belly fat.
By doing cardio exercises like brisk walking, light jogging, running, or doing some kind of HIIT, you can reduce belly fat, especially the fat near your internal organs, which is the most dangerous fat.” concludes Sara Álvarez.
Follow the topics that interest you
