Hours-long abs workouts may be the right thing to do for those hard-core athletes who need to perform their impressive professional sports routines. Research shows, though, that for those people who simply want to get rid of their midriff flab, abs workouts are usually not the best route. The reason is, people often get confused: most of them have already got well-conditioned abs, only they can't see them under a layer of protective fat.
Abdominal muscles are among the most important in the body – as well as among the most used ones. Crunches have nothing to do with it: a person who has weak abs wouldn't be able to walk, sit, lie down, let alone perform basic bodily functions. Most people already have well-built, perfectly functional abdominal muscles. This is even more true of overweight people whose abdominal muscles receive daily weight training simply by having to cope with extra body weight. And when they say they want to have a fit midriff or a flat stomach, they in fact mean they want to get rid of the protective layer of fat that hides it.
So here are three tips whose objective is getting rid of midriff fat and achieving a flat stomach:
Jogging Is the Best Exercise for Flatter Stomachs and Fitter Abs for Girls
The effect of jogging on the abs area is twofold. Firstly, it's arguably the most universal fat-burning activity that can be done at any time and any place. Contrary to popular belief, even three or five minutes of jogging in place, when done regularly, might result in a noticeably flatter, firmer stomach within days.
Secondly, the other important side of jogging is that it produces a vibrating effect – very much like those costly vibrating belts and cellulite machines. Whether the jogger exercises in the park, on a treadmill or jogs in place in the comfort of her bedroom, each step gives her entire body a thorough shake which works like a professional cellulite massage while also improving lymphatic circulation, thus getting rid of toxins stocked up in her body.
Drinking Plenty of Water is an Essential Flat Stomach Tool
Water plays an important part in fat disintegration and elimination. Lack of water causes metabolism to slow down and even stop burning fat altogether. According to WorldwideHealth.com, drinking plenty of water assists in speeding up metabolic rate as well as in eliminating old stocks of fat and toxins.
No need to be afraid of those frequent bathroom trips: the body is jumping on its chance to get rid of all the old junk it's been carrying around for years.
Russian Flat Stomach Tip: Go to Bed on an Empty Stomach
Russian girls – some of whom have been on the lists of top models and beauty queens for many years by now – are known for their good looks and flat stomachs. The secret is simple: every Russian girl who takes her health and her looks seriously, does her best not to eat anything after 6 p.m.
The fact behind this conviction is simple: after six o'clock, our metabolism slows down so a late meal often can't be digested properly before we retire for the night. Instead of sleeping and getting some rest, the body will be busy processing food and releasing energy, which may often cause restless sleep, nightmares and sweating.
A late meal may also cause severe water retention, resulting next morning in a flabby stomach and puffy, unhealthy looks – plus, possibly, an extra pound or two on the scale reading. This extra pound is not fat: it's the water the body has stored in order to get rid of the excessive food it has failed to digest overnight.
For many people with slow metabolisms, having a meal just two or three hours before bedtime is way too late: their body won't be able to digest it before their metabolism shuts down. So going to bed on an empty stomach is a simple and effective weight loss strategy for a flat stomach.
Sources:
Peta Bee, Seven Ways to a Flat Stomach. The Guardian, Saturday 29 October 2005
A. Epstein, The Medical Guide to a Flat Stomach. Daily Mail, Wednesday 26 May 2010
Additional Reading:
How to Choose the Right Weight Loss Diet Plan for One's Type
Burn Fat without Diets: Weight Loss Solutions from Dr. Ginzburg
Clothing Tips: Look Slimmer without Losing Weight
Irene Woodhead - Irene Woodhead is a bilingual English/Russian freelance writer and translator. After years of working as a professional opera/jazz singer, ...
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