4 diet tips for getting a flat stomach

Exercise is important when it comes to getting washboard abs, but diet also plays a key role in your ability to create the stomach you want. There are several dietary changes people can make to help ensure a flat stomach. Whether you are going on vacation soon or want to know what it feels like to have a six-pack, dietary factors are important to learn. Knowing what to eat, and how much, is vital in sculpting a flat stomach; following these four tips will help you achieve your goals.

• Your mother might have told you this at the dinner table as a kid, but if you want to have a flat belly, then it's important to chew all of your food thoroughly before you swallow it.
• Chewing helps eliminate the risk of bloating, which happens when large pieces of food are swallowed.
• Experts recommend chewing your food until it is the consistency of applesauce in order to make sure your stomach stays flat.

• It's essential to avoid salt at all costs; sodium naturally makes humans retain water, which ultimately causes your belly to swell.
• Today, most people are in the habit of eating nearly two times the amount of recommended sodium, which means many people are actually walking around with a swollen belly.
• If your food is bland, substitute sodium for other flavors like spices, mustard, or citrus.
• If you must have salt, choose crystal sea salt instead of iodized table salt.

• Bananas are excellent for maintaining a flat stomach because they're rich in potassium.
• Potassium helps beat belly bloat by balancing the level of fluids in your body--the opposite of sodium.
• If you eat too much sodium in your diet, consider adding bananas and other potassium-rich foods in to balance the sodium and normalize water retention.
• Other foods rich in potassium include: potatoes, papaya, and spinach.

• It's a little counter-intuitive, but drinking water actually helps reduce the level of water that your body is holding onto.
• When your body is not getting enough water, it retains the little it has, making your stomach swell.
• If you consume enough water, your body flushes it out normally, which means that it won't sit in your belly or cause bloating.
• Experts recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water per day.