What is the first thing you notice when you see your reflection in the mirror? Recent research shows that women mostly notice the their fat tummies first. There are thousands of women out there struggling to regularly exercise and follow strict diets in order to flatten their tummies and appear slim. Belly can be a really tough place to tone up.
We have collected some of the healthiest ways you (for both men and women) can use to make yourself slim and trim through a little dedication and commitment. You have to be a sincere and a little strict with yourself while you utilize these fun ways to get a flat tummy. You don’t have to do endless crunches or cut down on all your favorite foods. Just add a few changes in your day and see how it works wonders.
Carry on reading if you want to feel less puffy and bloated and get a flatter belly.
1. Exercise with Your Buddies
Are you looking forward to a reunion with your friends? How about a little change of ideas? Don’t meet the over food or drinks. Instead meet them while you are on the move that is while you are doing exercise or simply walking. Having an exercise buddy or buddies will also enhance your motivation level and not make you stop just after a few days. It’s a good idea to form a friendly fitness club, utilize gym specials together or have weekly walk and talk sessions. Regular walking will not only tone up your belly, but also give you toned legs. Cycling can also be a good idea. It not only keeps the environment clean but will also help you melt down the belly fat. Try cycling for an hour for 14 days and notice the difference yourself.
2. Take out Time for Some Cardio
Are you really serious about burning your belly fat? A recent study conducted by Duke University shows that aerobic exercise is still the most effective when it comes to melting that ever so thick belly fat. Aerobics is known to burn 67% more calories compared to strength training.
3. Plank Harder
Now this is a perfect Spiderman climbs pose. Get down in a plank position with your legs and arms stretched, feet flexed and hands beneath the shoulder. Bend your left leg out to the side and bring the knee towards the left elbow while you keep your abs tight. Take a break, then start again by changing sides. Repeat twenty times by shifting sides. Do this for half an hour 5 to 6 times in a week.
4. Make More Fiber Friends
Did you know consuming 10g of fiber every day will make your belly have 4% less fat? Fortunately, there are lots of tasty ways to increase your intake of fiber than just consuming a box of bran flakes. Half a cup of pinto beans, 2 cups of broccoli, two apples or one artichoke will provide your body with 10g of fiber necessary for cutting down on belly fat. You can even eat oats, brown bread, different fruits and vegetables.
5. Be the first to order
When you go to restaurants, don’t feel ashamed to be the first one to place your order (just don’t!). You are raising a fat havoc in your belly when you say you will be the last to place your order when the waiter comes to your table. Placing your order first will make the wait for the food shorter, making you feel less starved which in turn will keep you from overeating. Showing yourself like you are not so starved and just trying to be ethical can simply be a deadly food trap. Don’t fall for it if you love your flat tummy more!
6. Do the Windshield Wiper
Lie down with your face up, palms down, arms stretched towards the sides, and legs are off the floor bent at 90 degree angle. Lower your legs to the floor slowly while keeping your shoulders on the floor and keeping your abs tight. Pause for a while and then do it again. Repeat 20 times.
7. Work on Your Posture
Posture has a role to play with your belly. It doesn’t matter where you are and what you are doing, whether you are waiting at the office, sitting or driving, just make yourself believe that there is a wet paint on the back. This will make you have an upright posture instead of a slackened one. Keep your abdominals lifted by letting your should blade down and back.
8. Cut Down Salt Intake
Are you someone whole likes to sprinkle some additional salt on the top of your food every time? Then don’t! Too much salt retains more fluid which will then make you look bloated and puffy with all the additional water weight.
9. Melt Down Fat with The Boat Move
Want to target your deepest abs muscles? Try the boat move. Lie flat on a mat with your face up. Keep your arms straight above your chest and lift your upper body from the ground exerting some pressure on your spine. While you do this, lift your legs off the ground by trying to balance on bent knees and hip. Now you are in a perfect boat pose. Gradually get back on the mat like you were originally. Repeat this 5 times. You can pause for 30 to 60 seconds in between if you feel tired.
10. Eat More Avocado
If not whole, do eat half an avocado as a it contains 10 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids, which keeps the blood sugar from peaking up which sends signals to your body to start storing fat around your belly. Don’t over eat it. Take 1/4th cup serving to get rid of belly fat. You can easily incorporate it into your diet.
11. Play Catch
Lie down on your back in a crunch position with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, head and shoulders above the floor along with keeping your abs contracted. Then ask someone to throw a basketball or exercise ball to you. Ask the person to first throw it to your left and then to your right so that you have to twist to catch the ball. Start with the number of times it makes you feel comfortable and then raise the number every week.
12. Cut down on Soda
If I tell you what soda actually does, you will leave soda right this instant. Ever wondered where all the bubbles go when you consume carbonated drinks? They all accumulate in your belly. If you are too hooked up on sodas, try replacing it with unsweetened ice tea, sparkling water or diet soda.
13. Get More Sleep
Do you get an ample amount of sleep? a recent study conducted by the University of Chicago revealed that people who sleep for seven hours and more every night are liable to burn two times more fat and feel less hungry compared to those who sleep less than seven hours.
Another thing that you can do to flatten your tummy is sleep on your tummy. Sleeping on your belly will help you make your tummy flat faster.
14. Keep Peanut Butter Available
Did you know peanut butter can be very valuable for you in your struggle towards flatter tummy? Know it now then. One serving peanut butter contains 8 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber along with fat killing monounsaturated fatty acids. Why don’t you try adding this belly flattening recipe to your dinner: Take 3 ounces of cooked shrimp and add half cup of whole grain noodles, quarter cup sliced red bell pepper and minced scallions to it. Use 2 tablespoon of peanut butter as dressing, and add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with 2 tablespoons of warm water.
15. Lots of Fluids
Do you think you don’t drink much water? Then rethink. Want to know what properly hydrating yourself will do for you? Good hydration will keep all the functions of the body working to its optimum especially the metabolism. If you are all up for losing belly fat, then water is your best companion throughout your struggle. Drinking plenty of fluids, particularly water can aid in giving you a flatter belly. One of the reasons is that it also minimizes hunger.
Final words!
Apart from all these ideas to lose your belly fat, you should laugh out more often. Surprising isn’t it? Laughing makes the muscles in your stomach do some exercise which is why don’t hesitate laugh with all your might next time. Also, if you are an ALL meaty person, try to eat more green veggies. The green veggies season is around. Do consume cabbage, bitter gourd, and broccoli. Avoid fatty junk food and deep fried items as it remains no more a myth that they are one of the prime reasons of obesity. On the whole, let’s all be realistic because there is no short cut to lose belly fat. It definitely requires a lot of dedication and commitment from your side BUT hey, it’s worth it after all!
