There are many different types of exercises for the stomach, which will help tone and strengthen the muscles for a flatter appearance. To lose excess belly fat you will need to burn more calories daily than you consume, by eating a healthy diet and doing cardiovascular exercise daily. To help reduce belly bloat avoid gas-forming foods, drink plenty of water and include lean proteins and essential fatty acids in your daily diet, notes "Fitness Magazine."
Avoid Gas-Forming Foods
If you are needing to flatten your belly quickly, cut out all foods that cause belly bloat. Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage are all high in vital nutrients, but can cause gas to form in the intestines. Other foods such as beans, high fat or fried foods and carbonated drinks can also contribute to belly bloat. This can create a pooch in your belly that is uncomfortable and unflattering. Other factors that can cause bloat due to gas formation in the intestines include stress, anxiety, smoking or intestinal problems, notes Mayoclinic.com.
Eat Almonds
Almonds are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, MUFAs, which help prevent belly fat accumulation and distribution, according to the March 2007 "Journal of Diabetes Care." Almonds are also high in fiber, which helps your colon stay clean. Almonds are a great snack, providing you with a high source of protein and magnesium to boost your energy level, build and maintain muscle, and regulate blood-sugar levels. Eat 10 to 23 almonds a day for optimal benefits.
Strengthen and Tone
To tighten the abdominal muscles you need to do core-specific exercises, such as crunches, planks, reverse-curls and oblique twists. To lose the fat around your stomach, do a minimum of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise daily, states Michele Olson, Ph.D., in the "Fitness Magazine" article "Top Ten Firm Belly Tips." If you are finding it difficult to fit it all in try combining your abdominal strengthening exercises with your cardio in a core circuit workout. A core circuit workout is a 40 to 50 minute workout, consisting of seven to eight core exercises that you perform without rest. Begin the workout with a five to eight minute warm-up and then move into your core exercises. Choose core exercises that flow easily into each other, such as a crunch, into a roll-down, into an oblique curl. End your workout with a five to eight minute cool down and stretch.
References
- Fitness Magazine: The 10 Best Foods For Flat Abs
- Mayoclinic.com: Bloating, Belching and Intestinal Gas: How to Avoid Them
- "Journal of Diabetes Care"; Monounsaturated Fat–Rich Diet Prevents Central Body Fat Distribution; Juan A. Paniagua González et al; Mar. 2007
- Fitness Magazine: The 10 Best Foods For Flat Abs
- Fitness Magazine: Top 10 Firm Belly Tips
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