- Do cardio exercises, like running, swimming, or jogging throughout the week.
- Target your ab muscles with exercises like crunches and planks.
- Eat small meals every 2 to 3 hours to stay full for longer.
- Reduce bloating with potassium-rich foods, like mangoes, cantaloupe, and papaya.
Exercise
Do crunches to strengthen your abdominal muscles. There may never be agreement among trainers as to whether or not crunches are the best way to flatten your abs, but there's no disputing the fact that they work the muscles on the front and side of your abdomen. Check out some crunch variations below, and incorporate them into your exercise routine. Curl Up: Lie flat on a mat with your knees bent and your heels pressed into the mat to stabilize your body. Tilt your torso so your lower back stays pressed into the mat as well. Put your arms behind your head and keep your elbows pressed back, then curl your torso upward, being sure your lower back stays against the mat the whole time. Pelvic Tilt Crunch: Lie face-up on a stability ball with your back and head pressed into the ball, your feet together on the floor and a 5 to 10 lb (2.3 to 4.5 kg) dumbbell or medicine ball in your hands positioned against your chest. Tighten your abs and crunch up until your shoulders are off the ball. Then use both hands to reach the dumbbell or the medicine ball up toward the ceiling. Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps resting for 30 seconds between each set. Arms Over Straight-Leg Crunch: Grab a pair of 10 to 12 lb (4.5 to 5.4 kg) dumbbells and lie on your back with your arms behind you and your legs extended and raised to a 45-degree angle. Bring your arms up over your chest and lift your shoulders off the mat while raising your legs until they're perpendicular to the floor. Return to your starting position without letting your legs touch the floor. Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions with a 30-second rest period between sets.
Work your core to strengthen your abs. Your core is made up of your abdominal muscles plus the muscles of your lower back, pelvic floor and hips—more than 15 muscles in all. To work toward a flat stomach, do core exercises that target all of these muscles. Side Plank: Lie on your left side with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder and your legs stacked one on top of the other. Place your right hand on your left shoulder or on your right hip. Tighten your abs and lift your hips off the floor until you're balancing on your forearm and feet so that your body forms a diagonal line. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. If you can’t hold the pose for 30 to 45 seconds, stay up as long as you can and work your way up. Push-up Walkout: Get on the floor in a push-up position and place your hands so they're two inches wider than your shoulders. Keeping your feet in place, walk your hands out as far as possible, then walk back. Do 10-12 reps. For more of a challenge, lift one leg before you walk your hands out and back. Climbing Rope: Sit down with your legs extended out in front of you and your feet turned out in a V position. Point your toes. Contract your core muscles and roll your spine into a C-curve. Lift your arms up and move them as if you were climbing a rope twisting slightly with each reach. Do 20 reaches with each arm.
Practice cardio throughout the week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise in the battle against belly fat. A study by Duke University found that aerobic exercise was the most effective way to burn deep, visceral belly fat and that aerobic workouts burn 67% more calories than resistance training or a regimen that combines cardio and resistance. Try to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity (like brisk walking or swimming), or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity (like running or jogging). To lose weight faster, increase the intensity or the duration of your workouts. You can't spot-reduce fat away from a certain area, so you don't have to worry about only doing exercises that tone your stomach. Instead, pay close attention to your diet and follow a balanced workout plan that targets your overall body.
Diet
Eat small meals every 2 to 3 hours. Instead of 3 large meals that can fill your belly and tax your digestive system, eat small, frequent meals or snacks. Eat your meals about 2 to 3 hours apart; they'll take up less space in your stomach, cause less expansion, keep your metabolism up and keep you feeling full. Try to avoid snacking while you’re bored or eating without thinking about it. The more you can eat mindfully, the faster you’ll reach your weight loss goals.
Eat high-fiber foods to feel full longer. Many high fiber foods, such as broccoli, beans, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower will fill your stomach and keep you feeling full. Try to incorporate 25 to 38 grams of fiber into your diet every day for healthy, balanced meals. High-fiber foods tend to make some people feel bloated or gassy. Fight back against gas-producing foods by using Beano, which contains an enzyme that helps to break down complex sugars found in beans and cruciferous vegetables so that they can be digested more easily.
Eat small portions of fruits and vegetables throughout the day. While raw vegetables and fruits are great choices for overall health, they cause your stomach to stretch, so it's best to eat them in 80-gram (1/3 cup) portions spread throughout the day. Or, stick to cooked vegetables to reduce bloating. Aim for 5 portions of fruits and veggies per day that are around 80 grams each.
Test for lactose intolerance if dairy makes you bloat. If dairy products cause uncomfortable gas and bloating, you may have difficulty digesting lactose, the sugar found in dairy. Try eating low-lactose foods such as yogurt, consume only small amounts of milk products at one time, and eat milk products with other foods. Or, buy lactose-free products or take a digestive aid like Lactaid to help break down the lactose in your digestive tract. Watch out for dairy that is hidden in the ingredients list. Sausages, deli meat, protein bars, chips, and salad dressings often contain dairy. If you’re eating yogurt for probiotics, swap it out with a different probiotic food, like miso soup or sauerkraut.
Choose potassium-rich foods to reduce bloating. Eat high potassium foods including avocado, mini bananas, papaya, mango, cantaloupe and nonfat yogurt (made without artificial sweeteners). Potassium is a natural diuretic, so it will help reduce water retention and puffiness. Eat mango on its own or with other probiotic foods, like yogurt.
Limit the amount of refined carbs you eat. Following a low-carb diet can help you lose weight, especially in the short-term. Focus on eating lean protein (like turkey, chicken, and fish) and starchy vegetables. Try to avoid refined carbs, like white bread, pizza dough, pastries, and most breakfast cereals. Your body needs carbs to aid in digestion and give you energy. Choose natural carbs, like whole grains, legumes, and seeds to help you lose weight while staying healthy.
Hydration
Drink around 8 glasses of water per day. You always need to drink water, but it can be especially important if you're trying to flatten your stomach. When you drink water, you help your body maintain proper fluid balance, stop water retention (a major cause of bloated bellies), and feel full so you're inclined to eat less overall. Water also breaks down fat for energy and moves nutrients to your muscles to maintain your metabolism. Add lemon, orange or cucumber slices to your water to give it a little flavor boost. Or, try herbs and flowers such as mint or lemon verbena.
Drink green tea to get more antioxidants. Among its many benefits, green tea can also help reduce belly fat thanks to antioxidants called catechins that it contains. For extra fat-burning power, sip green tea before a workout. Studies show that green tea works best in conjunction with an exercise routine.
Blend up a smoothie to stay hydrated and get your fruits and veggies. Smoothies are a great way to stay hydrated and can contribute to a flatter stomach. Watermelon smoothies in particular contain arginine, which decreases body fat and increases muscle mass. A smoothie made with pineapple gives you the benefit of bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple that helps break down protein, ease digestion and banish bloat. Watermelon smoothie recipe: Chop up 2 cups (400 g) of watermelon and put it into a blender. Add ⁄4 c (59 mL) of fat-free milk, and blend for about 15 seconds or until smooth. Add 2 cups (400 g) of ice and blend for 20 seconds, or until you get the consistency you like. This recipe makes 2 smoothies. Pineapple smoothie recipe: Measure 1 c (240 mL) of skim milk and put it in a blender along with 4 ounces (113 g) of fresh or canned pineapple chunks. Set the blender to "whip" and blend for 1 minute. Pour the smoothie into a glass and add 1 tbsp (15 g) of cold-pressed organic flaxseed oil. This recipe makes 1 smoothie.
Add ginger to drinks to reduce bloating. Ginger helps calm your GI tract and can help reduce bloating. Add some freshly grated ginger to your green tea or boil some chopped pieces of the root to make ginger tea. Avoid drinking ginger ale, as this drink tends to have a lot of added sugar in it.
Drink peppermint tea to aid in digestion. It's no accident that many restaurants offer diners peppermint candies after their meals—peppermint is a digestive aid. Brew a peppermint tea or add peppermint leaves to water or green tea to reduce bloating.
Stay away from alcohol. When it comes to flattening your stomach, alcohol is not your friend. It makes your body store more of the fat you eat and burn up to 36% less fat than you normally would. It can also inhibit your body's production of fat-burning hormones.
Avoid carbonated and fermented beverages. These drinks have gas in them, and when you consume them, you end up with gas in your intestinal system, which leads to a swollen and bloated belly. Stay away from seltzers, sparkling water, or kombucha to keep your stomach flat.
Avoid sorbitol in diet sodas. Sorbitol is an artificial sweetener found in some diet sodas. While it adds sweetness without adding calories, the problem is that our bodies have trouble digesting the substance. And it's not just some sodas that contain sorbitol: look for it in yogurts, reduced-calorie foods, chewing gums, and hard candies.
Creating an Illusion of a Flatter Stomach
Improve your posture to flatten your stomach. Standing up taller can make you look 5 pounds lighter, so why wouldn't you do it? Stand in such a way that your pelvis is relaxed and downward with the belt line slanting forward and your backside angled back and behind (not under) you. Line your rib cage up with your stomach. Roll your shoulders back and let them drop down gently. Center your head over your spine and elongate the back of the neck by imagining a string tied to and gently lifting the crown of your head. Good posture can take some getting used to, but practicing it more and more over time will make it much easier.
Choose clothes that flatten and flatter your belly. There are a lot of ways to put your wardrobe to work for you in the battle against the belly. By choosing the right fabrics and styles, you can create the illusion of a smaller tummy. Pick fabrics that skim the body. These include woven cotton, silk or rayon blends, and lightweight wool blends. Stay away from fabrics that cling, such as Lycra and lightweight knits; they tend to emphasize every bulge. Divert the eye. Look for garments with features that draw the eye away from your midsection. For example, tops with detailing around the neckline or a ruffle down the center give the eye something else to focus on rather than your stomach. Wrap tops and dresses are also good choices, as long as they're not made from the kind of clingy fabric you're looking to avoid. Add a belt. Use a wide belt in a dark color to cinch your waist, separating the hips and bust and creating a waistline. Play around with patterns. Geometric and floral patterns can be a good way to disguise a bit of a belly. Put color to work for you. Yes, black is the most slimming color, but it's not your only choice. Experts recommend purple, navy, burgundy, eggplant, charcoal gray and deep emerald for a slim look. Go monochromatic and dress head-to-toe in just one color—another way to look long and lean.
Use shapewear. Shapewear can give you the more fashionable figure that you're looking for. It comes in many different styles, but a high-waisted bike short is the best for keeping a tummy (as well as hips and thighs) looking slimmer. Choose a control level—light, medium or firm—that gives you the look you want without causing you great discomfort or outright pain.
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