When planning for a fun get-together with friends everything goes through your mind, from your wardrobe to jewelry and make-up. What many of us don’t plan for, however, is our meals.  Eating the wrong foods before an event can sabotage your beauty plan. Certain foods can give your gut an instant bloat that looks and feels awful. However, there is a solution to this dilemma. Instead of skipping dinner to squeeze into your LBD or grabbing Einstein’s bagels for a quick morning bite, New York City area certified nutritionist, personal trainer and exercise physiologist Franci Cohen suggests these meals that will not give you a bulging belly.

For a girl’s night out: Don’t be afraid to have a large meal beforehand (large meaning more than just a PB&J). If you are planning for an active night, whether dancing, bowling or party hopping, you will need the fuel. Franci has created the perfect meal for this situation:

• 1 grilled chicken breast (approx 4 oz)
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and lentils
• 1 cup steamed string beans

This combo will fill you up without weighing you down, and will give you the energy you need to dance the night away!

For a dinner- date: You’re wearing a stunning new BCBG dress that already had to be zipped up by your roommate. When you’re at the restaurant with your guy refrain from ordering a salad to make it look like you’re being healthy. All the veggies in the salad will actually cause your stomach to bloat more. Franci advises that a fish dish with one side of grilled veggies is the way to go! “Wild Salmon is jam-packed with heart healthy vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids. If Salmon is not an option, mackerel, sea bass and lemon sole are all good options as well. As for the veggies, try to steer clear of cruciferous veggies (such as cauliflower, broccoli) that can cause bloating. Instead opt for grilled zucchini, asparagus, or carrots – which will keep your tummy tamed!”

For a day at the beach: It’s finally getting warm out and you can take that bathing suit out of hiding. If you’re going to the beach you need a healthy, energizing meal to get you through the morning but you don’t want it to show in your stomach.  You’re probably thinking that the easiest thing to eat before you head out is some Special K with skim milk. It’s low in calories after all, right? It doesn’t matter how low-cal it is, the dairy and multi-grains will expand in your intestines, causing your gut to stick out. Instead of cereal, Franci has an awesome recipe for oatmeal pancakes. Take 1/2 cup raw oats, 3 egg whites, 1/2 apple, and a dash of cinnamon and throw in a blender to create the pancake mix. This high fiber non-fat breakfast choice offers whole grain fiber plus additional fiber from the apple, and protein from the egg whites. It’s a great filling way to start the day, and will not create any abdominal gas or bloating, so you can go bikini-bare with ease!

For an afternoon luncheon: Eating a well-balanced lunch is essential for boosting energy and productivity; giving you power over that mid-day slump and keeping your metabolism active.  A lot of times people want to skip lunch in hopes of losing weight and grab an energy drink to keep them going. This is so bad! The carbonation from an energy drink will make you more bloated then a light lunch. Franci says, “For a mid-day luncheon, your best bet is a salad chock-full of fresh veggies and greens, and topped with a piece of grilled fish, low-fat tuna salad, or fresh turkey breast slices. Throw a few walnuts or almonds on top and dress with a low fat/low sugar dressing, to finish off your delicious salad creation!”

For traveling days: These days airports are getting bigger and so are the food courts. It’s tempting to give in to the convenience of fast travel food, but the combination of a high-sodium smorgasbord and air travel equals a very bloated body from head to toe. You absolutely must resist because there are better options. Eat before you leave for the airport.  Franci suggests packing your carry-on with fruits, veggies, and granola bars. Believe it or not these are available at kiosks. Also, avoid the beverage service on board. Stick to water, you will have a happier flight and feel revived upon arriving at your destination!

Meet Franci Cohen:

A No Nonsense Approach to Fitness, Health & Your Life

Franci Cohen is a personal trainer, certified nutritionist, exercise physiologist and creator of SPIDERBANDS®, a total-body cardio resistance workout that leverages gravity and your bodyweight with other intense exercise modules such as rebounding, kickboxing and indoor cycling.  With over 18 years of experience, 

Franci has been a mainstay in the fitness and nutrition industries. Franci believes in a tough love approach to fitness and health.  “We all have our fitness wake-up call at some point in our lives and it can be a powerful catalyst for change,” says Franci. “Unfortunately, many people overcompensate and try to change everything at once, which is a disaster. Making lasting change involves going through stages that aren’t necessarily linear.  People fluctuate and transition between the stages. Knowing how to move through them can get you where you want to be.”

Franci devotes much of her time to Fuel Fitness, a specialty fitness center in Brooklyn, NY and continues to teach group fitness classes, train clients and broaden her perspective in all areas of fitness, nutrition and wellness.  She designs unique fitness modules and group exercise programs for her clients utilizing the most effective and popular products, tools and exercise equipment available.  “Exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your health, but sometimes it’s hard to just get motivated.  My goal is to keep it fun and interesting by creating out-of-the-box programs that wow my clients with both the innovative nature of the classes, as well as with the rapid results they see in their bodies!  My classes are the ultimate playground where fitness meets fun, and nothing is off limits!”

Education:

• Triple Bachelors Degree
• Masters in Nutrition
• Masters in Exercise Physiology

Certifications:

• Nutritionist
• Group Exercise Instructor
• Group Fitness Specialist
• Personal Trainer
• Lifeguard/Professional Rescuer
• Indoor Cycling Instructor

Certifying Institutions:

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (A.N.D.) 
• American College of Sports Medicine
• National Academy of Sports Medicine
• American Council on Exercise (ACE)
• American Fitness Association of American (AFAA)
• Mad Dog Athletics
• American Red Cross

Franci has been married for 14 years and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and four children.     

The post Avoid Belly Bloat: Foods That Make You Look & Feel Fat appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.