How to Get a Flat Stomach For Life

Posted on 30. Nov, 2008 by admin in Story

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Everyone asks the question “how to get a flat stomach”? It’s something we all crave. No matter what your age, a flat stomach makes you look and feel fantastic. But how do you achieve that lean, toned look and more to the point, how can you keep that flat stomach for life?

There’s no doubt about it, stomachs are getting bigger. It’s not just the huge beer bellies that we’ve become accustomed to seeing over the years. Women too are falling victim to ‘pot belly syndrome’ made even more noticeable with the increasing popularity of low slung jeans and exposed midriffs. So this leads us back to the question, “how to get a flat stomach”?

There has only ever really been one answer – diet and exercise.

Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re about to stop reading and say,

“Here we go again. Same old stuff. Salads, sit ups and crunches.”

Disappointing isn’t it? No miracle cure, no magic pill to pop that will suddenly turn that bulging belly into a toned flat stomach overnight. Unfortunately that’s the reality. If you really long for a flat stomach you’re going to have to work for it.

Having said that, it may be a lot simpler than you imagine. Tips like correcting posture, practising standing tall and straight, gently pulling your stomach in without holding your breath for example, can make a huge and immediate difference. Pilates, The Alexander Technique and Yoga will all help you realign your spine and stop slouching. Just by holding yourself up properly you can give the impression of being a dress/jeans size smaller.

The next step is to consider your weight. Achieving a flat stomach when you’re carrying too much excess weight is never going to be easy. You need to think about what you are eating, how much you are eating and the amount of energy you are burning off every day. If you have a very sedentary lifestyle it may simply be a case of increasing your daily activity levels. Going for walks, taking the stairs instead of the lift and generally making yourself move at a faster pace may be all you need to give your metabolism a boost. However if you are overeating you will have to consider changing your eating habits to shift excess weight.

This doesn’t necessarily mean taking drastic measures and forbidding yourself all the things you enjoy. Sometimes small changes may be all it takes to make the difference. Instead try exchanging full fat products for low fat, suck frozen grapes instead of boiled sweets, replace large chocolate bars with fun size chocolate treats and most importantly of all – eat slowly and chew everything to a pulp. It takes around 15 minutes for the signal from your stomach to reach your brain and tell it you’re full. Not only does eating slowly give your body time to process the correct messages it also helps prevent indigestion and bloating by breaking down the food properly before it reaches your stomach.

Lastly you need to consider toning exercises. Whether you choose to do crunches, yoga, pilates – it’s your choice. There are literally thousands of books, dvds and exercise classes to help you and these are going to be the ultimate step to finally give you that firm, flat stomach if it’s what you truly want.

So set your goals now:

Stand tall and straight
Increase your daily acitivity
Make sensible adjustments to your diet
Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly to help prevent bloating
Add some toning exercises to your routine

Start making these changes today and get that flat stomach for life.

If you would like to reprint this article you may do so provided the text remains unchanged and you include the “Author Bio” statement below:

Elizabeth Hartley is the author and creator of The Flat Stomach Diet. This diet plan is the result of many years of research after consultation with doctors and professional nutritionists in an effort to discover the causes of painful abdominal cramps and bloating. The findings are based on personal experience after undergoing numerous medical tests and procedures and failing to find any other alternative long term solution. Details of The Flat Stomach Diet can be found at http://www.flatstomachplan.com