It's bikini season and every woman wants to look her best strutting her stuff in her bathing suit. But while you can do your part by exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, did you know there are also some foods out there that can cancel out your hard work and make you feel and look bloated? To avoid having that happen to you, make sure you stay away from the items below.
Read more ¿Qué más?: 9 Shocking reasons you feel dehydrated
Below, check out six foods to avoid before hitting the beach:
Image via Thinkstock
Soda
Soda and other carbonated drinks can cause gas and a bulge in the belly. Plus, the artificial sweetener in them will only make you want to drink more, which will in turn cause more bloating.
Chips
Chips and pretty much anything salty make you retain water, which isn't the best idea before hitting the beach. Opt for something with low sodium levels instead!
Broccoli
Broccoli, kale, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables are all super healthy in the long-term so keep on eating 'em! But you might want to hold off on ingesting them right before a beach trip as they contain raffinose, a sugar that's known to cause bloat.
Mixed drinks
I know, I know…nothing is better than a piña colada on the beach. But all that extra sugar isn't gonna do you any favors!
Pasta
Pasta, bread and other carbs aren't great for your belly in general, but especially when you're about to hit the beach! Try brown rice or quinoa as a great alternative.
Gum
In addition to the artificial sweeteners in gum, all the air you're swallowing in between bites can also cause some bloat in your belly.