I’m relieved to finally publish this piece after much effort.
It was critical for me to gather all of the knowledge I knew about this subject and provide it to you in the most helpful way possible. These are the finest methods I took to acquire a flat tummy. My journey to the body of my dream was lengthy and winding. And even though I used to think of my tummy as my most valuable asset (since legs were always my number one issue), I still struggled to keep it small and flat. But I worked it out, it works, and I hope it might help you as well.
I don’t promise that they are the simplest ideas, such as “drink lemon water and your fat will melt in a week,” but they are effective (I tested them on myself) and straightforward (simple steps to follow). They are as follows:
Proper nutrition for a flat stomach
To reduce belly fat and flatten your stomach in a month (or less, depending on your starting position), you must first focus on your food. “Abs are formed in the kitchen,” as the saying goes, and this is extremely true since the things you consume have a significant influence on how your body appears.
It’s quite improbable that you’ll have a gorgeous fit figure if you eat a lot of junk food, processed meats, fat sweets, and sugary drinks. Unless you are blessed with exceptional DNA (which is rare).
First and foremost, I would advise you to clean up your food. I’m not saying you should be really rigorous and only consume healthy foods all of the time. However, the majority of your meals (approximately 80%) should provide nutritious value to your body while avoiding unnecessary calories.
Avoid consuming processed foods (anything that comes in a can, bag, tube, or container), such as pizzas, burgers, pies, readymade freezer dinners, and so on. Eggs, seafood, beans and legumes, whole grains, vegetables and fruits, nuts, and seeds are all good choices.
Be cautious while using sauces and condiments. You may eat WAY fewer calories without even realizing it by replacing bad dressings with homemade alternatives (like tomato paste, coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, tahini, unsweetened yoghurt and others).
Manufactured sauces are high in sugar, salt, and fat, which you don’t need on your plate if you want to lose weight.
The same is true for sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages. If you drink a Starbucks coffee every morning or a cocktail in the evening to unwind, you may be consuming a lot of sugar (and consequently calories) without realising it. I know folks who cut back on their favourite beverages (or switched to a healthier version) and began to lose weight without altering anything else in their diet! That is something you should consider.
Reduce your intake of sweets and harmful fats. Instead of cakes or sweets, try fresh fruits and berries, nuts and seeds, and unsweetened nut butter with stevia, yoghurt, and cottage cheese.
Reduce your intake of animal fats and replace them with healthy plant-based alternatives such as avocado, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, almonds, and tahini.
Be in a caloric deficit to get a flat stomach
If you still don’t have a flat stomach owing to abdominal fat, it signifies you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. For example, if you consume 2000 calories a day while sitting in front of a computer for long periods of time, you would most likely burn roughly 1600 calories. This results in a caloric surplus, which leads to the storage of these extra calories as fat in your stomach (and other areas).
However, you must be in a calorie deficit instead. They believe that in order to lose one pound of fat each week, you need to have a 500-calorie deficit every day. You may achieve this by consuming fewer calories (for example, foregoing high-sugar coffee and dessert) or by burning more calories (for example, walking one hour every day or doing a HIIT workout). More about that in the next paragraphs.)
I recommend tracking your diet to obtain an idea of how many calories you consume. The simplest method to accomplish this is to utilise any useful smartphone app. I like Fatsecret, but I’ve heard great things about MyfitnessPal as well. I feel it is sufficient to log your meals for a week. Then subtract 500 calories from this total to produce a caloric deficit. Alternatively, you might boost your physical activity. Typically, a mix of both works best.
This stage is critical since you might be overly optimistic about how much you consume, believe me! Haha, I used to believe that I was eating too little and puzzled about why I couldn’t lose weight. However, I ate at least 300–500 calories more than I anticipated, resulting in weight maintenance rather than weight loss.
Please be disciplined enough to track each and every item you take. A single piece of fatty cookie might sometimes contain a hundred calories. And if you take a couple of them without realising it (and without keeping track of them), you may ingest more than you need on a daily basis.
Reduce bloating
I simply wanted to highlight that bloating was a major issue for me. Even though I worked out regularly and had abs, my belly appeared large and flabby. Sometimes I just felt bloated and couldn’t even suck in my stomach to seem thin. Not to add that, aside from the awful look, it was always unpleasant and uncomfortable.
Fortunately, I modified my dietary habits and was able to lessen my symptoms. So I strongly advise you to read this essay, print the checklists/files I give, and finally get rid of bloating for good!
Improve your digestion
Improving your digestion is another crucial strategy for getting a flat stomach. First and foremost, make sure you don’t have any major issues with it. Because certain intestinal disorders make losing weight difficult. If you suffer from acid reflux, for example, you may wish to eat regularly to relieve the pain. You might also gain weight as a result of SIBO (small bowel bacterial overgrowth), which is a frequent illness nowadays. Check your health first to ensure that nothing is impeding your progress.
Second, maintain consistency. This simple action might sometimes be the major reason you don’t have a flat stomach. Constipation is extremely toxic and inflammatory, and it can result in bacteria overgrowth, leaky gut syndrome, hunger difficulties, thyroid disorders, and a variety of other problems. Furthermore, if you are not regular, you may suffer from bloating, which inhibits your tummy from being flat and thin.
To have a flat tummy, reduce water retention.
Sometimes your tummy might not seem flat due to water retention. Excess water in your tissues can lead to weight gain, so be sure you don’t have this issue.
How can you tell if you have water retention?
It is usually noticeable if your ankles, calves, or fingers are swollen. Try pressing your fingertips against them. If an indentation appears on the skin, you most likely have oedema.
There are two primary methods for treating oedema:
- Reduce your salt consumption. Most of the time, we have no idea how much salt we take on a daily basis. This occurs because when you consume junk food or buy processed foods (such as pizzas, sausages, and sauces), you may be unaware that the product contains salt. It works effectively as a preservative and taste enhancer. So the best option is to eat natural foods and prepare them at home. It will be easier for you to limit the amount of salt you use.
Personally, I enjoy salty dishes. However, if feasible, I attempt to limit the quantity of salt in my meals by using more spices and herbs.
- Increase your water consumption. Hydration is essential since it lowers retention. It may sound paradoxical, but drinking more water will help you get rid of oedema. The problem is that your body attempts to retain water if you consistently ingest insufficient fluids. As a result, the body wants to keep it just in case. That is why you need to drink at least 1,5–2 litres of water every day to stay hydrated.
I have a hard time drinking enough water because I just don’t like it, hehe. But there are several tactics that help: I pour a gallon of water and place it on my working desk so that it is constantly visible. This way, I’m always reminded to drink it. It’s also a good idea to flavour your water with berries, fruits, or mint to make it more flavorful and enjoyable to drink.
You should also get your kidneys checked since some disorders might cause oedema. So, before you continue your weight-loss journey, be sure you don’t have any such concerns.
Check your hormonal balance
It was a major difficulty in my situation since I have PCOS, which prevented me from reducing my weight. For years, I fought to control my weight; I tried every diet available, I exercised frequently, and I ate mostly nutritious foods. However, because my hormones were screwed up and I was naturally prone to weight gain, I didn’t see any progress.
And it wasn’t until I worked out how to fix my hormones and developed a PCOS-specific eating plan/exercise program that I started seeing benefits. I worked on my abs, shed weight, and got in shape. Finally!
That is why I insist on first determining your hormonal condition. You must ensure that your hormones are balanced. Otherwise, attempting to reduce weight will be a waste of your time and efforts. Or perhaps worsen the problem by picking the incorrect exercises/foods that disrupt your hormonal balance.
Insulin resistance, high leptin, raised cortisol, oestrogen fluctuations, and thyroid disorders are the most prevalent hormonal factors that prohibit you from having a flat stomach.
If you suspect you’re gaining weight owing to hormonal imbalances, start with these.
Exercises that help you to get a flat stomach
There are several workouts that promise to give you a flat stomach. Some individuals believe that you must do cardio every day, while others believe that you must lift big weights in order to modify your body form. It might all work. However, just two types of workouts provide meaningful effects for me. The first is abdominal strength training (exercises that increase your abdominal muscles), which tightens up your stomach and makes it appear slimmer. The second is HIIT (high-intensity interval exercise), which aids in fat loss.
I began training my abs with conventional crunches and saw decent improvements. However, this activity has been heavily criticised in recent years. To flatten and tighten your stomach, I propose the following exercises: normal plank and its variants, bicycle, flat kicks, and reverse crunches.
HIIT is a type of interval training in which you execute a sequence of intensive anaerobic workouts such as sprints, jumps, push-ups, burpees, and so on. This sort of training is quite difficult. At least, not for me. I’m just sweating profusely and feeling incredibly weary when I do it. However, it normally takes 20–30 minutes until you are free. This workout is simple to fit into any schedule. Better in the early, though, because you’ll need energy for this.
And HIIT is effective. It’s one of the finest ways to burn a lot of calories, melt fat, and keep your muscles in shape.
Other sorts of physical exercise are also excellent for you and may add to your flat tummy. You might start walking (quickly, for at least an hour) every day to burn an extra 300–500 calories and so establish a caloric deficit to decrease excess fat in your abdomen.
If you are not used to training on a regular basis, I propose that you select an exercise that you enjoy. Only this way can you drive yourself to do it every day and develop a consistent workout programme that will bring you to your ultimate objective — a flat tummy.
Vacuum exercise for a flat stomach
Another small method that can yield big effects! I was sceptical of this exercise since it appeared to be completely pointless from the outside. My judgement was probably based on my internal idea that only hard, aggressive exercises (when your muscles are burning and you are sweating profusely) could be useful. But I can now tell you that this is not always the case. If you want to have a flat stomach, I strongly advise you to try a vacuum workout. Furthermore, it is so simple and quick that it does not require much time or specific equipment.
Massage for a flat stomach
There is much dispute on whether massages (and other exterior aesthetic treatments such as wraps, body washes, and so on) work or not. However, I believe that massage never hurts. It reduces cellulite, relieves tension, and, most importantly, promotes blood circulation. It can help you burn fat in this area more efficiently when combined with exercise and nutrition. If you incorporate massage into your regular regimen, you effectively double the fat-burning impact.
How do you massage your stomach to acquire a flat stomach? If you cannot afford professional massage therapy, I recommend that you practise self-massage on your problem areas (tummy, thighs, calves etc). Make your motions smooth and delicate by using oil. Circular motions, tingles, and pats are the most prevalent techniques. You may find several video lessons on YouTube and get started right away!
Be patient
I know this is a popular and vexing tip (I feel you! :)) But it’s something you should remind yourself of whenever you feel like giving up. I completely understand how you feel when your outcomes are sluggish or insignificant. My body is extremely obstinate and will try anything to maintain its weight. As a result, in my situation, I must wait longer than others to get the same thing they do more quickly and easily.
But simply know that you’ll obtain a flat stomach whatever! Be consistent, measure yourself to track your progress (since scales are sometimes inaccurate and do not reflect the true situation), and be kind to yourself. If you get a little off course (or a lot, lol, it happens), simply restart and resume your quest.
Also, please do not hesitate to contact me or seek guidance. I’m always delighted to assist you with your fitness objectives!