Today's Flat Abs Tip

Lose the gum, girl.

Sure, it may keep you from chomping actual food, but gum is likely to have a belly-bloating side effect you probably didn’t anticipate. Read up on why you should kick the sticks!

It’s a diet trick a lot of women turn to: Chewing gum to keep their mouths occupied so they won’t be tempted to dive into the office candy jar or swipe a slice of cold pizza when they’re bored or stressed. But according to Marissa Lippert, R.D., all that chomping makes you to swallow excess air—and can lead to gas and belly bloat. Not exactly the effect you were going for, right? Some women, she adds, are also sensitive to the artificial sweeteners, like sorbitol, used in sugar-free gum, which upsets their digestive system. Result: a double waist-expanding whammy.