Is Your Belly Fat the Result of a Food Allergy?

Yesterday we talked about the basic principals involved in losing your belly fat: that you can't expect to keep doing the same things you've always done (both eating and not exercising) and expect to have a flatter stomach. If that concept is still foreign to you, please scroll down and read that post.

Another thing that people don't often consider is that some of their paunch (likely not all) could be due to a food allergy. In my case, I look fatter after I have eaten anything with wheat in. I also belch like a drunken sailor. But mostly, I look and feel bloated. My spouse discovered she had a gluten allergy (the basic ingredient in wheat-based products) and stopped eating things with wheat in them . . . and there are A LOT! Like high fructose corn syrup, gluten is in a lot of stuff other than bread and cookies. You have to pay attention to labels to make sure they're not sneaking it in on you!

The result, however, could be quite pleasant, if you're like me. Although technically I haven't lost any weight, a gluten-free diet makes me feel less bloated and I look thinner as a result. How many people have a gluten allergy in the United States? Hard to say, but if you think you might have even a mild allergy to wheat (In addition to the bloat and belching I also had to clear my throat frequently) why not give it a try. Plan a few "wheat free days" and see how you feel. In most cities it's much easier now to find gluten free products and most are quite good.

Tomorrow: what's up with all this water?