Tips to get a flat stomach: Getting a flat stomach is a dream for many people. Many believe that abdominal crunches are the best way to get a flat stomach. A study conducted on Twenty-four healthy, sedentary participants (14 men and 10 women), between 18 and 40 years, published in the journal of strength and conditioning research shows that Six weeks of abdominal exercises resulted in a greater abdominal endurance compared to the Control group. However, abdominal exercise did not result in a change in measures of abdominal fat (android fat measured by DXA, waist circumference, abdominal skinfold).
This study concludes that just abdominal exercises are not much effective to reduce fat in the tummy. There are a lot of other simple things to keep in mind if you want to get a flat tummy.
In this article, other than abdominal workouts, we’ll discuss some of the effective, most proven, and simple tips to get a flat stomach.
Table of Contents
8 simple tips to get a flat stomach
1. Eat Healthily:
The kind of food you eat and the overall calories you consume in a day matter a lot. The extra calories that are more than required by the body store around the belly first resulting in a round tummy. So, eat less and move more, and make a good food choice like lean meat, chicken, vegetables, and fruits. Count your calories.
2. Stop consuming Alcohol:
You may know this. Belly bloating beverages like alcohol add extra calories to your diet which slows the fat burning process and even leads to weight gain. To be precise, 1 gram of alcohol has 7 Empty calories. This is being said, these calories are neither protein nor carbs and fats. These calories store directly as fat around the belly mostly. So, when you’re about to party, reconsider drinking alcohol.
3. Avoid salt:
Sodium retains water in the body and gives you a puffy appearance. You might weigh more than usual on a scale. This means you need to minimize salt consumption. Remember sodium doesn’t only mean salt, sodium content is also high in processed and packed foods.
4. Drinking water before meals:
This is the most common practice nowadays. Drinking water has several health benefits. Water assists with flushing the toxins out of the body. Drinking enough water is essential for burning off stored fat, as well as fat from food and drinks you consume.
A 2016 study found that increased water intake led to increased lipolysis and a loss of fat. Drinking water just before meals helps you to stay full and therefore you will end up consuming fewer calories. This helps you to stay in deficit.
5. Say no to stress:
Again, this is the most important thing you may neglect. You may see less discussion about it on the internet. However, several studies are there to prove this too. Stress and anxiety can cause the over-production of a certain hormone called cortisol, which is also called the stress hormone.
A study published in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) states that exposure to chronic social stress for a long time activates both the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) that contribute to an anabolic state, which promotes fat storage in the abdomen area.
It is also said that people under stress may end up eating more than usual. This will also promotes you to gain weight. So, be cool.
6. Get enough sleep:
Sleep plays a major role in metabolic processes. Disturbed sleep also leads to a rise in cortisol, which is a stress hormone. And this stress leads to the accumulation of unwanted fat in the abdomen area.
Get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night to get away from stress.
7. Avoid sugary foods:
Avoid sugary foods like sugar, cakes, sugar cubes, pastry, sauce, ketchup, etc… All these sugars being simple carbohydrates, digest quickly and you may feel hungry in no time. You may end up eating more calories.
Sugars directly help you gain weight if consumed more than the daily limit. Cutting down the sugary substances will help to reduce calorie intake.
Related: Is sugar really bad?
8. Add more protein to your diet:
Add more protein to your diet. As you already know, proteins are the building blocks of the body. Protein, if consumed in required amounts, builds lean muscle. Several studies prove that a high protein diet leads to greater weight loss, increased metabolism, and improved lean muscle mass.
Now, protein in the diet doesn’t necessarily mean protein supplements. You can consume enough protein with whole foods. If you cannot fulfill the protein requirement with whole foods, then supplementation will be the best option.
Related: Types of protein supplements
FAQ’s
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Do abdominal exercises help reduce belly fat?
Abdominal exercises do not directly help burn belly fat. However, abdominal exercises help you strengthen core muscles. A study conducted on Twenty-four healthy, sedentary participants (14 men and 10 women), between 18 and 40 years, published in the journal of strength and conditioning research shows that Six weeks of abdominal exercises resulted in a greater abdominal endurance compared to the Control group. However, abdominal exercise did not result in a change in measures of abdominal fat. Follow these 8 tips mentioned in this article for better results.
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Does sleeping on the stomach reduces belly fat?
No. You must exercise and maintain a balanced diet for that. You must work out to see any small changes in your body.
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Can I do ab workouts daily?
Abs are like every other muscle group in the body. Training abs twice or thrice would be sufficient. You should give some time to recover.
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Can I eat sweets if I want to lose weight?
Sugars are not completely bad. However, you have to reduce consumption. Sugars being simple carbohydrates digests quickly and you may feel hungry in less time.
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What foods should I eat to lose fat?
If you want to lose fat or build muscle, think about whole foods. Consume foods that are high in complex carbs.
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Can I get abs without exercise?
You may get a flat stomach by following all these tips mentioned in this article. But if you want to get abs, you must work out and maintain a balanced diet.
The Conclusion
Researches prove that Ab workouts alone cannot get you results. Workouts along with proper diet is very important to see any minor changes in your body. Avoid packed and processed foods thatare rich in sodium and sugar content. Follow these tips to get a flat stomach.
I hope this article(Tips to get a flat stomach) is helpful for you. I’d love to know your opinion and queries about this blog post in the comment section below.
