You might dream of having a supermodel-quality flat stomach, but the "ideal" rock-hard set of abs isn't necessarily possible for everyone. Although genes partially dictate what your stomach looks like -- how your internal organs are shaped, how much fat you store in your midsection -- you do have some say about how you look and a lot of say about how healthy you are. Making a few simple lifestyle changes will help you flatten your stomach to its greatest potential.
Pick Up the Pace
Although crunches can help strengthen your midsection and lower back, abdomen-specific work won't burn off fat in just one area, according to Health Services at Columbia University. Stop focusing on just getting your stomach flatter and concentrate on working out your entire body. If you need to lose fat from your stomach, doing at least 20 to 30 minutes of cardio most days of each week will help you reach that goal as you slim down your entire body. Extend each session to 60 minutes for even more dramatic results.
Bulk Up
Building muscle in all areas of your body will also help flatten your stomach because having extra lean muscle helps you burn more calories. In one study at the University of Pennsylvania, overweight or obese women who exercised with weights twice per week burned off more body fat and kept off belly fat better than women who just got advice about exercising. Use resistance bands, lift weights, ask a trainer for help with weight machines or use your own body weight with exercise forms such as Pilates. Do multiple strength training exercises to target 8 to 10 major muscle areas in your body, repeat each exercise 8 to 15 times and include at least two sessions per week on nonconsecutive days to ensure muscle recovery.
Eat Flat-Stomach Foods
What you eat can work for or against your stomach. Whereas eating mostly saturated fats, trans fats, refined grains and added sugars can pack on belly fat, focusing on eating complex carbohydrates -- whole grains, fruits and vegetables -- and sticking to mostly lean sources of protein, such as poultry, beans and tofu, can help you fill up your stomach without filling it out. Most adults should eat at least 3 to 4 oz. of whole grains, two to three cups' worth of vegetables, one-and-a-half to two cups of fruit and about 5 to 6 oz. of protein per day.
Work Out Your Core
Your core muscles that lie deep in your torso can help pull in your midsection if you keep them toned, according to website Women's Health. To locate your core muscles, lie face-up on the ground and place your palms beneath your navel. Fully exhale, so your stomach expands to its maximum, and draw your navel in as far as you can toward the floor. The muscles you feel tighten here are the ones you should engage when you do core exercises. A plank is another effective core exercise. To get into plank position, lower onto an exercise mat until you look as though you are about to do a push-up, but bend your elbows and rest your weight onto your forearms rather than pushing your body downward. Keep your body rigid and tight to form a line and hold for up to 60 seconds.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines
- "Women's Health" Magazine: Get a Flat Stomach
- Health Services at Columbia University: I Want a Flat Stomach
- Harvard Health Publications: Abdominal Fat and What to Do About It
- "Women's Health" Magazine: Basic Workout -- Plank
- Mayo Clinic: Belly Fat in Women
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