There are various reasons why people strive to have a flatter stomach but perhaps the most common one is to achieve a splendid figure. Rest assured that when you attain a flatter stomach, there is a great chance that you are also working your way towards a healthier you. Below are some of the most effective tips that you can follow to get a flatter stomach.
Eat more fiber
One of the primary things that you can do to get a flatter stomach is to eat more fiber, particularly soluble fiber which absorbs large quantities of water. Effectively, this will slow down the flow of food to your digestive tract. As a result, you tend to feel full because your stomach expands. With soluble fiber, fat is less likely to accumulate around your organs as well. Thus, apart from cutting a few inches off your waist, you also reduce your risk for several diseases.
As much as possible, you should also practice mindful eating, which simply means being more conscious and aware of your emotions and physical sensations when it comes to food and hunger pangs. With this technique, you need to slow down and eat without distractions, eating only until you already feel full. This will most likely help you keep those excess pounds off in the long term.
Cut down on your caloric intake
Another thing that you can do to get a flatter stomach is to cut down on your caloric intake, but not too much. For instance, if you reduce your caloric intake by around 500 calories a day, you can already expect to lose a couple of pounds in a week. However, restricting your caloric intake excessively can be counterproductive because this can decrease your metabolic rate in the long run.
Think about supplements
Apart from being mindful of what you eat, you can also think about taking supplements to foster your weight loss and eventually achieve a flatter stomach. Just keep in mind to only go for the fat loss supplements offered by reputable and reliable manufacturers. In this way, you are guaranteed that they are safe for consumption, and they are effective as well.
When it comes to supplements though, you may be overwhelmed by the different types available in the market. There are fat burning supplements that are designed to foster your weight loss by speeding up the natural process of your body in converting fat into energy. You can also opt for appetite suppressants that are meant to control your hunger pangs. Either of these supplements can help you shed off some pounds, particularly if you use them properly.
Drink lots of water
If you want to get a flatter stomach, exert the effort to drink lots of water. In parallel to fostering your weight loss by temporarily increasing your metabolic rate, you will also tend to increase your total energy expenditure by up to a hundred calories. Drinking plenty of water can also help make you feel fuller, which means that you are more likely to eat fewer calories. Water can also help relieve constipation, reducing the feeling of being bloated. In this case, take the time to drink a large glass of water before each meal to help you attain a flatter stomach.
Apart from drinking plenty of water, you can also consider drinking protein shakes that prove to be an easy way to add protein to your diet. With sufficient protein, you can boost your metabolism and aid in fat loss, particularly in your midsection. Thus, rather than drinking calories, go for protein shakes instead.
Perform cardio exercises
Consider doing some cardio exercises the next time you work out because this is also an effective way of getting a flatter stomach. This can be attributed to the fact that when you do cardio exercises, you burn lots of calories and effectively improve your overall health. A set of cardio exercises can also strengthen your midsection while removing some inches off your waistline. Ideally, you should perform about 20 minutes of cardio exercises daily.
Consider resistance training
In parallel to cardio exercises, you can also consider doing some resistance training to prevent you from losing muscle mass, which is a common side effect when people diet. In parallel to this, resistance training can also help tighten your midsection and reduce your waistline. For this reason, you should combine resistance training with some cardio exercises to further slim down your waistline.
When you do exercise though, it is a good idea for you to perform more standing exercises rather than sitting exercises. This can be attributed to the fact that when you are standing, you are activating more muscles to keep you balanced, which means that you also get to use more energy. Standing exercises can also help improve your breathing, effectively strengthening your midsection.
Walk more
If you are too busy to include daily exercise in your routine, what you can do is to walk for at least half an hour every day instead. You can do this during your lunch break at work or if you live close to your office, then walk a few blocks heading to work instead of taking your car. Aside from reducing your total body fat, regular brisk walks will reduce the fat located in your midsection.
Reduce your stress level
Finally, exert the effort to reduce your stress level if you want to get a flatter stomach. The reason behind this is that when you are stressed, you may tend to binge eat or consume calories even if you are not hungry in the first place. In this case, what you can do is to try to add some stress-relieving activities to your days such as yoga or meditation.
There are various ways to get a flatter stomach and the ones listed above are only some of them. Some diet and workout plans are even designed primarily to help people achieve the flat stomach that they are after. Just keep in mind that the key is in prioritizing your health as you strive to achieve your goal.