So here are six easy ways to whittle down your waistline in just seven days. 1. Wring out any water retention Symptoms including abdominal bloating or puffiness, swollen legs, ankles and feet, and stiff joints all point towards water retention. If you think this may be adding to your girth, there are plenty of natural ways to ease this. In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, green tea has long been used for its diuretic benefits. If you don’t like green tea, coffee has a similar effect, but you’ll need to drink several cups a day to see any benefit. Another dietary adjustment would be to increase your intake of the minerals magnesium and potassium. Magnesium acts as an electrolyte to help regulate fluid balance, while potassium-rich foods can increase urine production and decrease sodium levels, thus reducing fluid retention. One food that contains both is bananas , along with a bonus 3g of fibre . Have one for breakfast along ...