Water weight, bloating and excess fat around your middle can create the appearance of a not-so-flat stomach. To lose excess fat, you need to eat a well-balanced diet and include cardiovascular and weight training exercises in your weekly routine. Avoiding gas-forming foods and keeping your body properly hydrated will help reduce belly bloat.
Eat Clean
One of the best ways to flatten your stomach fast is to clean up your diet. Eating processed, fast and refined foods that are high in fat and sugar cause fat gain and bloat. Instead, consume clean, whole, fresh foods to ensure that your body is getting plenty of essential nutrients to work efficiently. Tosca Reno, author of "The Eat-Clean Diet," recommends eating proteins, such as lean beef, fish, turkey, chicken and tofu, and sticking to complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Clean eating will help your body burn fat by keeping your metabolism running high, which will give you a flatter stomach.
Avoid Gas-Forming Foods
Eating vegetables is good for you, but eating gas-forming veggies, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower, can cause belly bloat. If you are trying to flatten your stomach quickly for a big event, such as a wedding, party, vacation or bikini season, avoid these gassy foods. Instead choose foods that are easily digested, such as bananas, eggs, rice and yogurt.
Stay Hydrated
When your body is dehydrated, it causes water weight gain, which can cause belly bloat. Hydrate your body by drinking eight, 8-oz. glasses of water a day. The Institute of Medicine advises 13 cups of total beverages daily for men and 9 cups of beverages daily for women, the Mayo Clinic reports. Carrying a water bottle is an easy way to remind yourself to drink water. Having a water bottle accessible also helps you avoid reaching for drinks, such as soda and juice, that are high in calories and dehydrate the body.
Sweat It Out
Doing aerobic exercise will help you sweat off excess water weight, get rid of toxins and boost your metabolism. Getting rid of water weight and burning overall body fat will decrease belly bloat and fat. You should do aerobic exercise four to six days a week for a minimum of 20 minutes for fat-burning effects. Running, jogging, walking and swimming are all excellent forms of aerobic activity. High-intensity interval training is also an extremely effective fat-burning exercise, according to Jason Karp's article "The Fat-Burning Zone" published in the October 2009 "Idea Fitness Journal."
Abdominal Toning Exercises
Abdominal exercises will not burn off excess fat, but they will strengthen and tone your stomach. A tighter abdominal wall gives the appearance of an overall flatter stomach. Standard crunches are advantageous for tightening the upper rectus-abdominus, the front of the abs. The reverse curl will target the lower stomach, and the bicycle will engage the obliques, your sides.
References
- "The Eat-Clean Diet"; Tosca Reno; 2007
- "Idea Fitness Journal": The Fat-Burning Zone; Jason Karp; October 2009
- Mayo Clinic: Water - How Much Should You Drink Every Day?
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