12Ways to Shrink Your Belly in 24 Hours

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Beat bloat and look visibly slimmer in a matter of hours with these simple tricks.

When Michelangelo sculpted David, he worked on the marble from the outside—turning a block of stone into a masterpiece of art—and abs. But sculpting your abs needs to be done in an entirely different manner: from the inside.

Working out and eating right are at the core of getting the lean, flat belly you want. But when you want to shrink your belly as fast as possible (like, by Friday night for that holiday party), you need to rely on your body’s own internal belly-flattening mechanisms that can be activated in less than 24 hours. It can sound a little like voodoo, but there really are a handful of simple tricks. Bring your digestive system into balance, and you’ll rev up your metabolism, dramatically reduce bloating...and see results in less than a day. Then check out these 55 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism, too.

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 MAKE A METABOLISM TEA

A sluggish digestive system equals a slower metabolic rate. Wake up your innards by starting the morning with a cup of ginger tea. This fast-friendly drink will help improve the digestion and elimination of your food and cut unhealthy cravings for salt or sugar, and is a key part of The 7-Day Flat-Belly Tea Cleanse—test panelists lost 10 pounds! Boil 1/2 tsp grated ginger with 1 cup of water and pour into a cup with your favorite tea bag.

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TAKE A BATH WITH EPSOM SALT

Relaxing in any tub is always nice, adding two cups of Epsom salt may help deflate your belly more effectively by pulling excess water out of your body. To avoid dehydration, only do this ritual once a week.

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. EAT A BANANA

Bananas are packed with potassium, a nutrient that helps regulate fluid balance to flatten belly bloat. It's just one of the 21 Amazing Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Bananas!

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AVOID CERTAIN VEGGIES

Even though they’re filled with health-promoting nutrients, these are also contain sneaky belly-bloaters that may be contributing to your ever-clinging food baby: White onions, artichokes, corn, brocolli, cauliflower, kale, raw spinach, and button mushrooms.

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SPIT OUT THE GUM

Not only does chewing gum cause you to swallow tummy-bloating air, many gums also contain sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and xylitol that can cause bloat. If you have to have something to chomp on, go for an organic variety like Glee gum or Simply gum instead. They’re still low-cal, but they don’t use those sweeteners that’ll make you puff up. If that makes you cringe, then you'll definitely want to see the 40 Most Horrifying Things Found in Food!

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 SKIP THE PROTEIN BAR

You probably don’t think “beans” when you unwrap a protein bar, but a lot of them include protein isolate derived from soybeans—something many people find just as gas-inducing as the musical fruit. Like other beans, soy contains oligosaccharides, sugar molecules that the body can’t break down entirely. With nowhere to go, these oligosaccharides hang out in the where they ferment, causing gas and bloating of the stomach.

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PILE ON THE CILANTRO

Research shows that cilatnro's unique blend of oils (specifically, linalool and geranyl acetate) work like over-the-counter meds to relax digestive muscles and alleviate an “overactive” gut. A study published in the journal Digestive Diseases and Science found that patients with IBS benefited from supplementing with coriander (also known as cilantro) as opposed to placebo. Cilantro is just one of the 25 Best Foods That Beat Bloat!

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 HAVE SOME DARK CHOCOLATE

You don't need to tell us twice! But the catch is that the chocolate has to have a cacao content of 70 percent or above. Chocolate-loving microbes in the gut convert the candy into anti-inflammatory compounds, researchers at the American Chemical Society found. When the cocoa reaches your belly’s digestive juices and enzymes, it’s feasted on by your belly’s good gut bugs, which ferment it into anti-inflammatory compounds. Bingo: You lose belly bloat.
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EAT SEVERAL TEENY-TINY MEALS

To keep your metabolism revving throughout the day, focus on small, protein- and fiber-packed snacks or small meals every 3 to 4 hours. You will not only burn more calories eating a series of smaller meals, but also avoid the afternoon crash and end of the workday slump. (Make sure to eat that first protein-packed meal; skipped breakfasts leave many of us grabbing for more food than we really need.) Use your smartphone or computer to remind you of these intervals. An apple with peanut butter, some nuts and berries, hummus or yogurt all make great go-to snacks. Speaking of peanut butter, find out What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Peanut Butter!

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 EAT SLOWLY SO YOU DON'T GULP AIR

When you finally get home after a long day, you’re totally famished — we get it. But that doesn’t mean you should scarf down your dinner in a hurry. Eating too quickly causes you to swallow excess air, which can lead to uncomfortable gas and bloating. Slowing down the chewing with your mouth closed, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect. Fight off the urge to vacuum your entire meal by snacking on something like a small piece of fruit or an ounce of nuts on your way home. Then, after you’ve settled in, sit down and have a leisurely supper.