To get a flat stomach, you have to first adopt a diet that is low in calories and fat. That way, whatever exercising you do will help you lose weight. However, you also need an exercise routine that helps to tone your muscles to give you the slim and trim abs you've always wanted.
Aerobic Exercises
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the average person needs 30 minutes of moderately intense cardiovascular activity five times a week to be healthy. This holds true for those looking to gain a flatter stomach as well. Commit to 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, five days a week, to burn off calories to eliminate the layer of fat that might be covering your abdominal muscles. Examples of exercises you could perform include swimming, cycling and walking, and when you're more conditioned, you might consider trying a vigorous regimen of running, which is very efficient at burning belly fat.
Leg Lifts
Leg lifts help to tone your lower abdominal muscles, which are often ignored by other exercises, leaving you with a "pooch." To do this exercise, lie on your back on the floor with your legs together and your hands beneath your bottom. Engage your abdominal muscles and lift both legs at the same time. Lift them until they are straight up in the air, then lower them back down until they are six inches from the floor. Repeat the exercise at least 10 times, three times a week, to see a change in your stomach.
Exercise Ball Roll-In
Using an exercise ball can help you change up your exercise routine and target your stomach muscles in an entirely different way. For instance, the exercise ball roll-in involves assuming pushup position, but resting your shins on top of an exercise ball. With your body balanced, you then roll the ball in toward your chest, contracting your abdominal muscles as you do so. Push the ball back out and repeat several times to increase your stomach and core strength.
Bicycles
To tone the all-important side abdominal muscles or obliques, you can do bicycles. That is, you move your legs in a bicycle motion to tone your abs. To perform this exercise, lie on the floor with your knees bent and your shins parallel to the ground. Place your hands at your ears and try to touch your right elbow to your left knee. As you twist, straighten out your right leg. Switch sides. Continue switching sides in a fluid motion as though you were riding a bike. Try for 20 repetitions to get an ab-flattening workout.
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