Secrets to a flat stomach
It’s a goal that seems unattainable to many of us – the beautifully toned abs of celebrities such as Gigi Hadid, Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus are the envy of many and with cropped, midriff-exposing fashions continuing to rise in popularity it leaves many of us feeling conscious of our own underwhelming bellies.
A flat stomach is often seen as one of the ultimate body goals as well as one of the hardest to achieve. But achieving and maintaining a flat stomach might not be as hard as you might think. Building your own set of enviable abs is all about reducing your belly fat through a combination of smart eating and effective exercise. Read on for some of our top tips for achieving a flat stomach and a couple of extra tricks to help you along the way.
Nutrition
You only get out what you put in and this could not be truer when it comes to the food you eat. It’s not a matter of just eating less food – drastically reducing the amount of food you eat can reduce the amount of leptin, a fat burning hormone, in your system and actually slow down your weight loss. Be smart about the food you eat and choose foods that can be digested with limited bloating and gas.
Rather than eating carbs that contain wheat, such as breads and pastas, try white rice, brown rice or potatoes as a base to your meal. Foods which contain fibre can also produce gases in your system, some of the worst offenders being beans, tofu, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts and lettuce. The size of your meal is important to consider – eat until you are comfortable rather than until you are full – and avoid carbonated drinks, making sure you drink plenty of water instead.
Exercise
There are many popular exercises for working your abdominal muscles but decreasing the fat around this area won’t be achieved through sit-ups alone. You will need to combine your abdominal exercises with overall cardio fitness as this will help to reduce the overall fat content on your body. When focusing on your abs, be sure to work your core in all directions by using a variety of different exercises that will collectively require you to engage all of the muscles in that area. We recommend consulting a fitness professional to create an exercise plan that is suited to your needs and abilities.
Posture
This is a clever trick that can instantly reduce the appearance of unwanted fat around your middle. Good posture helps you look slimmer as well as more confident and in many cases, taller. An added benefit of practicing good posture is the natural strengthening of your abdominal muscles it achieves.
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Sources: harpersbazaar.com, womenshealthmag.com, popsugar.com
Pic credits: webmd.com, miamiherald.com, popsugar.com, glamourmagazine.com, amiclubwear.com
