It often seems like everyone is on a quest for a tighter, flatter stomach, and an entire industry has sprung up to convince people that the right pill, exercise or food is the key to success. But spot-reduction doesn't work for the body. The only way to get a flat stomach is to lose your overall body fat and tighten your abdominal muscles through exercise. There are things you can do to increase your chances of success.
Count Calories
The only way to lose stomach fat is to reduce your body fat percentage, and that means dieting. Dieting canned be summed up as a calories in-calories out scenario. To lose weight, you must take in fewer calories than you expend. This means creating a calorie deficit every day by eating less food and burning more calories through exercise. Consistent exercise will also help ensure that the weight you lose will be fat instead of muscle mass. The exact number of daily calories you need to fuel your body without storing fat is calculated by taking your age, weight, goal weight and activity level into account. See your doctor for a precise figure, but the average is 2,000 to 2,400 for adult women, and 2,000 to 3,000 for adult men.
Eat Fiber
Fiber is important for a number of reasons. It decreases "bad" LDL cholesterol and your risk for cardiovascular disease. Foods that are high in fiber tend to expand in the stomach, making you feel full after a eating smaller amounts of food, and that full feeling sticks around longer, keeping you satisfied until your next meal. Eating a large meal can cause a distended abdomen, but a small, high-fiber meal will barely affect the appearance of the stomach. Fiber is also vital to digestive health and can prevent and relieve constipation that can cause bloating. The American Heart Association recommends eating 25 grams of fiber every day.
Keep Track of Fat
Fat is not a dieter's worst enemy. A healthy diet should include up to 30 percent fat, but be careful to choose the right fats. Healthy fats come from salmon, nuts, vegetable oils and avocados and are important in nutrient absorption and a variety of bodily functions. The wrong fats, like those found in fast food, junk food and fatty cuts of meat contribute to heart disease and take much longer to digest. As a result, they sit in your stomach longer, and can cause you to appear bloated.
Avoid Gas
If a flat stomach is your goal, you naturally want to avoid anything that may cause gas. Carbonated beverages are a prime culprit, so stop drinking soda, even if it's a diet variety. Unfortunately, many healthy food like broccoli, apples, beans and cabbage are notorious for causing gas, but they offer so many nutritional benefits that it's unwise to avoid them completely. Try taking an over-the-counter gas prevention medication with your first bite of the offending food, or even a gas-relieving medication after the meal. Be sure to eat slowly, and sip rather than gulp your beverage. The less air you swallow, the less ends up in your stomach.
Drink Water
Water is essential for proper body function, and drinking enough might help you see a flat stomach sooner. Water helps keep the digestive system hydrated, which helps move things along more smoothly, reducing constipation and bloating. Not drinking enough water causes the body to hold on to whatever fluid it has, causing water retention and an all-over "puffy" appearance. Drinking plenty of water, especially before and during meals, will help fill your belly and control your hunger, helping you to eat less. The general rule is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, but it's not necessary to measure. If you are rarely thirsty and your urine is pale or colorless, you are drinking enough according to the Mayo Clinic.
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