Read on to learn about the best waistline exercises and diet tips to get a slim waist. Scroll down!
5 Effective Exercises To Get Flat Abs
Here are some effective core workouts to strengthen and flatten your abs at the same time. Note: Before starting these stomach slimming exercises, warm-up properly to prevent injuries.
1. Cardio And HIIT
Cardio and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) are a must if you want to burn fat. Ideally, you must aim to shed fat from your overall body. As the body loses fat, it helps the belly slim down as well. Focus on core exercises to tone your muscles, which will make you look slimmer. Do exercises like jogging, running, rope jumping, box jumps, squat jumps, staircase running, high knees, jumping lunges, burpees, swimming, Zumba, dancing, or play any sport. You may also use equipment like a Swiss ball or resistance bands to make your workout more intense. A blogger shares her experience of taking up a 30-day squat challenge: “Doing the challenge made me want to work out more. I started using the treadmill at the gym, going to Zumba with a friend, and doing light hikes on the weekends (i).”
2. Reverse Crunch
Note: You can try bicycle crunches for a variation after doing reverse crunches.
3. V Sit-Up
4. Plank With Opposite Arm And Leg Raise
Note: If you are looking to spice up your workout routine and want to try pilates for abs, you can try doing the bird dog exercise.
5. Thread The Needle
Note: If you are trying oblique exercises for the first time, be careful and take it slow. Do these exercises for 30 minutes every day, and you will start to see a difference in two weeks’ time. However, you should also be careful about what you eat. Here are 5 easy diet tips to get a flat belly.
5 Easy Flat Abs Diet Tips
1. Avoid Processed Foods and Added Sugar
Choose whole fruits over juices, fresh over canned, and water over soft drinks. Consume bakery staples like cakes and cookies in moderation. Canned and packaged foods contain a lot of sodium and very less fiber and nutrients. Excess sodium retains more water, puffing up your belly. Stay away from sugar substitutes as well; they are only partially digested by your body.
2. Control Alcohol Intake
Alcohol inhibits fat oxidationi The process of breaking down fatty acids. (1). This means that frequent alcohol consumption can lead to higher body fat in the long term. When you drink, the liver works overtime to burn alcohol instead of fat, giving rise to terms like ‘Beer Belly’ or ‘Beer Gut.’ Also, one tends to underestimate the calories in alcohol, making it easy to overdrink.
3. Go For Flat Abs-Friendly Foods
Flat abs-friendly foods deal with the causes of belly fat, like balancing your gut bacteria, reducing gas, and preventing constipation, and contain healthy fats. Whole grains, lean protein, eggs, leafy vegetables, almonds, and green tea are toppers in this list. Get your dose of omega 3-fatty acids from fatty fish or capsules. A well-prepared cup of green tea contains catechins, which are antioxidants that claim to reduce belly fat.
4. Eat At The Right Time
The trick is never to stuff your tummy or starve. Eat something within half an hour of waking up and have a breakfast that contains whole grains and protein. Go for a filling lunch and a light dinner at least three hours before bedtime. Eat two snacks – one mid-morning and one at tea time. Having small, balanced meals does not lead to tummy bulge and keeps your metabolismi The chemical reactions in the body’s cells that convert food into energy, which our bodies require to function correctly. up and running. The best part is that your body never goes into starvation mode, which is when it feels the need to store everything as fat.
5. Space Out Foods That Cause Bloating
Do not eat multiple servings of gassy foods in a single day since it may lead to bloating and belly bulge. The common foods in this list are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, dried beans, and lentils. These are very healthy and have good fiber, so do not omit them. Space them out across your meals throughout the week.
Why Losing Belly Fat Is Important
People with abdominal fat or a large midriff are 2.75 times more at the risk of heart disease, even if they are within a healthy weight range (2). The fat stored in your belly region is more dangerous than the fat stored in the hip and thigh regions (3). It increases bad LDL cholesterol, messes with your blood sugar, and increases your blood pressure and risk of a heart attack (4), (5). Also, a flat tummy can make you look slimmer, more proportionate, taller, and more attractive. Men tend to hold excess fat in their bellies, and women are more prone to store it in their hips and thighs – protection offered by hormones. However, menopausei The time that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle that usually occurs around 50 years of age. removes this protection, making women equally vulnerable (6). Your body shape will also change accordingly. Other reasons include more calorie intake, mainly from processed foods, alcohol, trans fats, and bloating due to gassy foods. Can I get a flat belly by exercising at home? Yes, you can get a flat belly at home. You can do lower ab workouts like mountain climbers, flutter kicks, or crunches and upper ab exercises like Russian twists, dead bug, and hollow hold to lose belly fat. Here is a list of superfoods for weight loss and a few more belly exercises with pictures. How soon can I get a flat belly post-pregnancy? Be patient. Talk to your doctor about when to start exercising vigorously. Start with yoga and stretching and then move on to light cardio like walking. Once you feel confident, you can start with cardio, HIITi An exercise form entailing short bursts of intense exercise with brief rest periods until you reach exhaustion. , and other belly tummy toning exercises. You can also do exercises for diastasis recti. Within 4-5 months, you can start seeing results. Does drinking hot water with lemon burn belly fat? There is no scientific evidence to prove it, but drinking warm water with the juice of half a lime seems to help shed overall body fat. Does sleeping on your stomach flatten it? No, sleeping on your stomach will not flatten it. How long does it take to lose stomach fat? Anecdotal evidence suggests that by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and sleeping well, you can start to notice changes and lose belly fat in as little as 2 weeks. Why are my abs not getting toned? Factors such as consuming unhealthy food may contribute to a high percentage of body fat. This may make it difficult to see your abs. Making positive changes to your lifestyle will make it easy to cut down your body fat percentage between 10% to 18%. This will make your abs more toned and visible.
