Simple Ways To A Slim Stomach
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Ask any woman what the number one part of her body that she wishes was thinner is and more than half of the responses you will get will be the abdominal region. Who can blame them though? A toned, sexy midsection is a good indication that you are doing something right in the diet and fitness department of your life and definitely does increase your attractiveness level.
Unfortunately though, for most women, one of the hardest places to lose body fat is the abdominal region due to the hormone levels we have. Our bodies simply like to store excess fat here (the other area that is common for women is the thighs and hip area) and are stubborn to release it.
For some individuals, it would take many months of hard dieting coupled with intense exercises sessions in order to get down to body fat levels where you could see really defined abs. This may actually not be healthy either as you do require a certain level of body fat to keep your body functioning properly, particularly where your reproductive abilities are concerned.
Some lucky women are able to simply get down to reasonable levels of body fat to see a clear picture of their abs while others who aren't so fortunate need to get so lean that the rest of them starts looking a little too thin.
So what is the solution? The trick is to make small adjustments to your diet, workout, the way you carry yourself, all which will aid in making that stomach of yours look more defined and slimmer.
Try one of these next time you are feeling a little more than conscious about this area of your body.
Dietary Changes
Watch Your Sodium Intake
The biggest dietary change you should make to help trim up your midsection in the short term is watching your sodium intake. High amounts of salty foods are really going to create a bloated look, which will distend the stomach and make you carry excess water weight.
Be aware that there are some foods that have 'hidden' salt that you would never think to be a culprit. For example, prepared chocolate pudding has a much higher sodium level than people would guess. Similarly, many packaged snack foods such as granola bars, string cheese and crackers are quite high in salt. The obvious ones to be aware of are any tomato-based products, canned soups and stews, sandwich meat and frozen dinner entrees. If you are going to consume some of these foods, try and consume them in moderate doses along with plenty of water to help flush that excess salt out of your system.
Increase Your Vegetable Intake - But Within Limits
Often dieters, upon starting a new diet will eat boatloads of vegetables because not only are they virtually fat free, they are not very calorie dense, hence making them the perfect diet food. This is great as they are also filled with many vitamins and minerals, all of which your body needs to maintain proper health.
The downside to this however, in the short term, is that vegetables are another very bloat-causing type of food, potentially even more so than sodium. If you've ever eaten a very large stir-fry, you may have noticed you looked a little pregnant afterwards. Sure it's a funny way to put it, but it's very close to the truth. All this fiber hits your digestive system and the lower portion of the abdomen starts sticking out as if you were 3-6 months along already. Not a fun thing when you are trying to squeeze into a tiny dress or pair of pants.
So keep your vegetable intake up, as it is important health-wise, but don't overdo it if you have a special event or date coming up where you want to look slimmer. Long term, a high intake of vegetables will definitely help you lose weight which is what will really make you look thinner permanently but for the same or next day, a reduced vegetable intake may be beneficial.
Beware of Soda And Gum
Are you a heavy diet soda drinker? Or maybe you are popping gum continuously throughout the day in an effort to keep yourself from snacking. Again, while both of these habits aren't really that detrimental in the long term as far as weight loss is concerned (assuming you are drinking diet soda of course - albeit water would be better), in the short term when you consume these things you also take in high amounts of extra air with it. In the soda this comes in the form of carbonation and with gum it's all that chewing you are doing. Both of these issues will then increase the air in your system and you guessed it, could potentially cause bloating. To help yourself look thinner you will want to try and avoid mass consumption of these things.
Workout Changes
Along with the small dietary changes you can make to get your midsection looking thinner, these quick workout changes can also help speed the process along.
Go Hard On The Weights
You're first inclination might be to hit the treadmill for a couple of hours to try and blast away a maximum amount of calories. Unfortunately while you will burn calories, it isn't really going to make you look that much thinner - unless of course you sweat out buckets of water, which will in effect cause a weight loss. A better approach however would be to do a couple of really great strength training sessions. This will help bring oxygen to the muscles and give you a nice toned look. If you've ever watched a bodybuilding or fitness competition, many times right before going on stage competitors will perform a few exercises to help 'pump' their muscles up. So the same idea applies here. It doesn't have to be strictly ab exercises you do either as your abs will be working in almost every exercise you do as an synergistic (helper) muscle. If looking thinner is your goal, spend half your time on the cardio equipment (as this is important too) and then dive into some weight training. You will be much better off.
Take A Yoga Class
While yoga, unless you are doing an intense power yoga form, isn't exactly the greatest calorie burner, what it will do is really help to lengthen your muscles giving you a long and lean appearance. Taking a yoga class once or twice a week will not only help reduce muscle tension and relieve stress, but it will also help to teach you the proper posture that you should be maintaining thus giving you the elongated look that you are going for.
Work Your Abs On An Exercise Ball
If you normally spend your workout sessions crunching away on the matt, give an exercise ball a try. The nice thing about this piece of equipment is that it allows you to work your muscles through a larger range of motion thus targeting more muscle fibers. For you this will mean a firm, tighter midsection, rather than small bulging muscles closer to the center of your stomach (since when you crunch you focus in on these more directly). Keep in mind the importance of breathing while performing your ab exercises, as this is a common mistake people make.
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I didn't see nothin'.
gggggggggggrrrrrrrrrr
well....i think dis is a real nice way to help people nd m really thank ful fr dis...thanx people
I think I better cut on my salty foods. :-)
Hi, Shannon. :-) Vegetables cause bloating? :-o Even when you don't cook them in oil like in stir fry? :-o What about if you eat them raw? (Hehe... do I sound desperate? :-p)
Hey Shannon. My abs are the hardest to tone! I get on the exercise ball a lot.... and I'm constantly training for tennis. However, my abs won't budge! How can I get on a consistent meal plan.... because I'm stuck with eating cafeteria food every day! Help!
Hi shannon omg I never knew that vegies could do that!!! = / okay I run and just sarted eating properly and play some b- ball when I can but im freakin tall but im not the weight im supposed 2 B so like any tips?
don't eat crap, get some exercise and you should do well
Good information here. I am a man but I have found that a lower carb lifestyle reduces the size of my belly dramatically. by lower carb I mean no sugar, breads or processed foods. Fruits and Veggies work fine for me.
Nice info. You forgot something though- STRESS!
Stress causes a lot of that extra weight in the lower abdominals. In addition to exercise and diet, take care of your mental and emotional well-being to keep from gaining that stomach fat. Sometimes, just taking 5 minutes a day to practice deep breathinig (through your stomach, not your chest) can make a big difference. Thanks for all the info!
Thanks for all the responses! Just remember veggies are temporary bloating, so not something you should eliminate because they are so healthy, but maybe something avoid if you've got a special occasion coming up, etc.
Low carb definitely helps too; actually that's probably what helped me the most.
And stress, good point, cortisol and abdominal fat are definitely tied together.
I love the reference to the soda and gum. Recent studies have pointed towards them as drastically increasing the cravings for food-intake during the day as well, and I whole heartedly agree with them.
thanks for sharing this information, I do only cardio exxercises, next time I go to the gym I'll try weight training.
Drink
i have been trying not to chew gum latley. its hard because we are allowed to chew gum in class. i heard stem rooms also help. is that true?
Is there a easy way of getting slim other than working hard in the gym and sweating in the process or not eating real food like meat sandwiches etc .. i luv these man
For long term there should be a solution for me lol.
Thankyou for the information!
Thanks Shannon - some great points there - didn't realise that about veggies - at least too much of it!
Does it ever get easier? Sigh!!!
this did not help me at all:(
I already take care of all those things, but i'm stil too fat. what should I do?
i tried all those things but my belly and my stomach are still bloated
very detailed and informative hub shannon....but i would suggest also to use slimming pants or sauna belt for getting a flat stomach, check these site out http://slimmingpants.blogspot.com or http://saunabeltshop.blogspot.com
hi. thanks for the infos:) great!
i'm really fat hope u can give me tips on how to be slim.....
useless
we all know what to do and what not to do.
but nobody do impliment
i find this a very valuable post. I follow some other tips too which can be found at http://slimbelly.org
After reading your book, I lost 85 pounds! I can’t express how good I feel! This is a comment which I recently received about the book Lose Weight Using Four Easy Steps which can be ordered through www.bbotw.com
Hi, I m Shruti, Student. I have big round tummy(stomach) within 4 months it increased. May be due to hostel diet.
It looks too bad. Pls give me ideas to decrease
You got very different ideas of how to keep slim. My ideas are different from yours.
Irene Chen of http://bodyslimmer.org/body-slimmer/body-slimmer-t
Woott, ROCK OUT! Totally works. See ya, Killahs
Wow, fantastic!Your tips make me lost 32lb...THANKS A LOt!
D; FAIL!! :( hehe i lie thats alot of work
nusai lang ta.
I've been walking long distances even in rural hills, i did lose weight but my stomatch didn't. (Eish that's a disgrace ) Help me ?
good points
my hip and shoulder is lager than other girls but shoulder is wider than hip. how can i get rid from it. i want to see both equal
How aboutt instead of focusing on short term you lose the weight for good.. Just excersize and eat small portions 4-5 times a day.. Do not starve your body...nd about the aerobic workout if you are very overweight then you go on the treadmill to LOSE the fat before you use the weights which build muscle you'll juss keep getting bigger... So if ur overweight keep sugar bread nd processed foods to a minimum nd enjoy food don't be scared of it just don't overindulgence by eating too much..set ur portions... I lost 40 pounds 10 yrs ago nd kept it off nd I'm never hungry or tired
wow i got to stop my gum cause i eat it every day thanks to u shannon i quite slim now THANKS!!!!!!
u stink sannon it doesnt work at all
This helps me a lot. my lower stomach fat is very unbalanced... i look at models and LOVE their bodies. i did learn a lot though! salty foods are so hard. cardio is important in weight loss too though, and SLEEP is important also so you don't mess up your metabolism. i don't know why i'm not losing much weight.. i guess i'm just not so dedicated. :/
I was wondering...does going by serving sizes work???
have big round tummy(stomach) within 4 months it increased.Pls give me ideas to decrease
i have a big tummy,so that i want to be a very attractive ,very slim and famous model.im very thankful fr this.pls give me a more ideas to decrease.
Great info. I would add a few points:
1) Try to eat breakfast each day, it's the most important meal and it kick-starts your metabolism.
2) Eat 5 to 6 smaller meals spaced every 3 hours during your day, instead of just 2 or 3 meals. Again, it regulates metabolism, and the act of digesting burns calories - so 5 opportunities to digest each day will burn more than just 2 or 3.
3) Remember, whole body exercise in general is more effective for losing belly fat than any ab exercise by itself can be. In fact, its more important to do that than doing ANY ab work, in getting a flat stomach.
...This is an OK article.
1.) I feel like you "experts" try to shove down a bunch of crap that totally screws me up. First I read that we need to chow down on veggies, then I read this and it says it's bad to. I believe your forgetting that overweight people have severe appetites and need SOMETHING to get through the day. Veggies or chocolate? Now that you say not to eat a lot of veggies, they'll head for the chocolate.
2.) Sleep is also very important in maintaing homeostasis/hunger control. Without proper sleep hours, your brain will not be secreting enough leptin an ghrelin- the key chemicals that signal from your stomach to brain that you are full.
3.) Enough talk about "eating to much air." I'm pretty sure most of the air we intake when chewing is going to leave our body soon enough due to natural digestion processes; flatulence and burping.
I find it that yoga classes have drastically reduced my belly. It also helped in the relief of tension from my back and hip pain.
Thank you. I found this lost to b insightful!!!!
Interesting with some useful tips.
Take care
Eiddwen.
I think this will be really helpful to stay fit and get rid of tummy tuck.
im only 12 and cant really go buy an exersiseball,diet or join a yoga class...anny tips for how i can still do it?
Can't anyone be slim without being vegetarian ,if any1 knows the way plz tell me....................
This is very informative. Do you suppose doing a lot of housework equals work outs in the gym?
This 8-9 hours work at the office creates problem for me
have been exercising but nothing change...want a flat belly,what can i do next?
it really works to do gym regularly...
yup salty foods like mcdo fries it gets my tummy bigger.. haha my favorite, should cut eating this.. huhu #sacrifice
I dnt hve flat tommy i wnt it flat and tht freaks me out i cant wear thin clothes help plz
Love it!!
To the point, articulate, and interesting.
Thanks.
Information provided here is really informative.
I found a very unique point from a fellow that mental stress can cause abnormal weight gain too. I have a similar case.
Well! I find the most important role in all this is to control your mind. If you control your mind and decide to be slim - you surely can do that then.
I feel genetics play a very small role in fitness, anyone can have nice abs if they go about it correctly. There is some more info on this at http://www.tonedstomach.org
thanx
how can i reduce my excess fat without doing exercise...:-)
i dont know if it actually work
i am fat what should i do
controlling salty food is good for health
I realized 6 months ago that I was gluten intolerant. After cutting gluten out of my diet entirely, (wheat, barley, and rye) I have lost a significant amount of weight, and those love handles are gone! I had spent years dieting and exercising and that bloated belly would not budge. I found out that people who are allergic to gluten and consume it regularly have inflammation in the small intestine which causes the belly to protrude. Making the switch changed my life. I have more energy and don't have that weighed down feeling. Now I can exercise regularly and get dramatic results. Also, being on a gluten free diet helps you to develop more healthy eating habits. You can't just grab a cookie or slice of pizza, or a muffin randomly. You have to think about your choices. Sometimes I miss beer, but there's always wine! If your belly is constantly bloated and you feel worse after eating, try it out for 2 weeks. I felt results after 1 week, and at 2 I knew for sure I had found my problem when my belly started melting away before my eyes. Good Luck everyone!
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Maddie Ruud Level 5 Commenter 4 years ago
Unfortunately, genetics plays a large role in how people look, and even in prime shape, not everyone will have a six pack.