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Before a big event: Party poopers

Avoid carbonation. Fizzy drinks are full of gas—and you will be, too, if you drink them, Beth Schorr-Lesnick, MD, says. The result? A not-so-svelte profile.

Cut back on energy drinks. Your body turns sugary, caffeine-laden drinks into fat faster than caffeine-free ones, spelling danger for your waistline, one New Zealand researcher notes.

Don’t sip through a straw—you'll swallow extra air, which will show up on your middle, Schorr-Lesnick reveals.

Pass on the gum. Not only can chewing it make you swallow air, but sugar alcohols in sugar-free gum and mints can cause a blown-up belly, Lesli Bonci, RD, reveals.

Next: Before a big event: Natural gas remedies