Summer is coming and you want a flat belly.

Pretty much everyone does these days, and that’s OK. However, I must say: don’t do it for vanity!

Getting a flat tummy for the wrong reasons won’t make sustainable changes in your life.

You are already complete and whole. Let me say that again:

You are already complete and whole.

Yo don’t need to live up to any conventional standard of beauty to have value or be the best you.

You are loved and beautiful just the way you are. If you want to get rid of a bloated tummy just to look like the people on Instagram or a magazine, you won’t be keeping that bloat in check for long, and you won’t be feeling super good about yourself for long either.

Instead, if you want a flat stomach, think of your summer weight loss goals as an opportunity to get fit and healthy (just like that new-year resolution said!)

A summer slim down challenge doesn’t have to be about vanity; it can be a way to kick your health journey into gear.

Slimming down your mid-section can improve your health:

Fat accumulating around your waist can be a sign of overeating, too much sugar, high-stress or unbalanced hormones  - among other potential health issues. Belly fat, in particular, can put you at risk of inflammation and disease.

Visceral fat (aka belly fat) can be a sign of underlying health problems.

So if you’re ready to use your summer weight loss goals as an excuse to become the best and most energized version of you yet, all while dropping belly fat and getting healthier - this summer slim down challenge is for you!

Get Your Health On Track With This 14-Day Challenge

YAS! You’re here: motivated and with the right mindset to walk into summer feeling proud of every inch of you. Excellent!

We don’t need to tell you that an unhealthy diet may lead to digestive troubles, including bloating and gas; you probably know that already. What you’d like to know is how to get rid of it efficiently and for good -beyond summer weight loss.

And that’s where things get tricky for our summer weight loss goals:

A bloated belly is not flat even on a slim person, and it can be anything from inflammation to dangerous visceral fat.

Bloating, gas and indigestion are not signs of health, they’re telling signs from your body that something in routine needs to change - and that means it’s more than just food!

The healthy (flat) belly components include:

• A gut cleanse; there are bacteria there asking for sugar and other unhealthy meals)
• Healthy and balanced diet ( a no brainer, but this includes carbs, healthy fats, and sugar from fruits and vegetables)
• Three cups of green vegetables a day.
• Rest and relaxation (stress is connected to increased visceral fat)
• Probiotics for digestive health
• Exercise and increasing your metabolic rate

It sounds more complicated than it is! It’s actually quite simple and we break it down in this two-week summer slim down challenge.

During The Next 14 Days:

#1 Start Your Day With Detox Water:

In order to improve gut health, boost energy and kill the bloat start your day (for the whole summer slim down challenge) with a glass of alkaline detox water that helps remove the sugar-craving bacteria that nests in your gut. We combined the benefits of apple cider vinegar and lemon water in this simple recipe for potent results.

Detox Water Recipe: 1 cup of water + 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar + the juice of half a freshly squeezed lime/lemon. Optional: 1 pinch of cayenne pepper. Too strong? Cut the recipe in half and have as a shot.

Bonus! This 14-day lemon water detox protocol can up-level your detox goals for this summer slim down.

#2 Eat Greens for Breakfast!

According to the USDA, we need to eat between 2.5 cups to 3 cups of vegetables per day. Fuel your body following your detox drink 20 to 30 minutes later with at least two cups of those veggies. A great habit to keep beyond this summer slim down challenge.

What to eat: These 14 green breakfast recipes cover your entire two-week summer slim down challenge with protein, greens, and healthy fats.

Alternatively: Not a big breakfast fan? Short on time? Try these 10 green juice recipes for beginners. Perfect for non-veggie lovers and kids.

Bonus! No time to juice? Try our green juice instead - 11 green superfoods in every scoop and the quickest way to hit the two-cup veggie mark for the day.

#3 Uptick your Metabolic Rate:

One of the benefits of your morning detox water (have it as soon as you wake up and on an empty stomach!) is that it will slightly increase your metabolic rate. During the 14-day slim down challenge go on three 15 minute walks throughout the day.

Bonus! Try these 14-day 10 minutes per day at home Free Yoga Challenge

#4 Eat the Rainbow:

Balance your diet cutting out processed foods, excess sugar, and fried foods. Instead, focus on getting a variety of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in all your meals - the color of the food is an indicator of the nutrients. Use this guide for reference.

What to Eat: Try these 12 color-packed recipes for your summer slim down belly-bloat-slaying.

#5 Beat Sugar Cravings and Afternoon Slump:

Make sure one of your 15-minute walks happens between 3:00 and 4:00 PM, or whatever time you usually crave a pick-me-up in the afternoon. Follow it with a healthy drink to avoid a sugar-filled snack.

What to do: drink unsweetened Green Tea, berries infused water (just drop strawberries or raspberries in ice-water) or our tart-sweet Red Juice.

Bonus! Take a daily probiotic for digestive health. Eat probiotic-rich foods, such as kefir, kimchi, saurkraut, and kombucha. You can add this to your rainbow-based meals during this summer slim down and in general for your future summer weight loss.

#6 Create Calm:

Focus on creating more calm in your life. Try to meditate, do yoga, journal, spend time in nature, color mandalas - your choice! Do something that focuses attention and slows down the breath to fight stress.

Slow Down With: 14-day intro to meditation, or an app like Calm or HeadSpace.

#7 Screen-Detox and Bed-Time Routine:

Rest and relaxation are critical to reducing inflammation, stress, absorb the good nutrients of your day and kill that belly bloat. For this summer slim down challenge, cultivate a night-time routine; cortisol and sleep deprivation are connected and can cause weight gain or retention.

Support Sleep: shut down all screens, news, and stress winding down with a book, a nice family face-to-face chat or a literal nothing+comforting drink of choice. Lavender, reishi mushrooms, and chamomile tea are good choices. Go for the gold with our 9-superfood nigh tea: Gold (pun totally intended.)

Do this every day for two weeks, and you’ll see inspiring results as you achieve your summer weight loss goals.

Go the Extra Mile:

To really crush those summer weight loss goals and this summer slim down challenge try a 6:8 intermittent fasting schedule starting to eat at 10:00 AM and ending your meals at 6:00 PM, this will be a great way to reduce bloat and boost your metabolism.

Use our sunrise to sunset bundle  to help make health (and a slim tummy) a no brainer this summer. You can have your Gold drink after 6:00 PM as it’s liquid and not solid food.

What To Do After Summer Slim Down Challenge?

Continue eating a whole food, mostly plant-based diet. Greens, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, and legumes are your friends.  Have detox water (just add lime or orange slices to tap water) and add 30 minutes of regular exercise that you enjoy to your day.

Ready, Set, Go!

Fight inflammation, improve your gut health, boost your metabolism and feel good when you look in the mirror implementing these seven steps. Recruit a friend as an accountability partner to make sure you stick to this summer slim down challenge and make it fun! Double it up for a full month and see exponential results, plus bonus habit-building.

I did it and it worked for me, can’t wait to see you tagging @organifi on your Instagram with your own summer slim down results!

Report back, we love to hear from you!

And remember, we're in this together.