Site Search

How to Get a Flat Stomach

By Kim Ball

Doesn't everybody, at some point in their lives, wish for a flat stomach? Yet everywhere you look nowadays is a collection of people with soft, pillowy midsections or hard, distended bellies. You may even be one of them. Ironically, whenever you turn on the TV or open a magazine, a barrage of deliciously flat tummies flashes in front of your face, reminding you of our culture's obsession with a toned abdomen.

Now, if we're so enthralled by the look of a tight stomach and the healthy benefits that come with it, then why do we see so few yummy tummies? Why are flabby bellies becoming a normal sight to see?

Honestly, we see more flab than fab because it's difficult to create a flat stomach! In order to achieve washboard abs or a smooth waistline, it takes hard work, discipline, and the desire to change old habits and behaviors. Of course, there will always be those genetically-gifted individuals whose midsections remain svelte no matter what they do. But if this does not describe you, it does you no good to complain and gripe about your rotten luck while you continue to follow the same old counterproductive habits! Do you want a flat stomach? It's time to develop some new habits!

Step 1: Clean Up Your Diet.

Each type of food that you eat affects the amount of sugar in your blood (not just foods that contain sugar). To have a lean body and a flat stomach, you want to eat foods that slowly elevate your blood sugar to a moderate level. What foods are those? Whole foods, foods with protein and healthy fats, foods containing fiber, 'low-glycemic' carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruit. (Keep reading to find examples)

Are all other foods bad? Not necessarily. With the exception of trans fat, you should simply eat these 'other' foods less often or at specific times. In other words, you want to 1) minimize the foods that quickly raise the blood sugar to substantially high levels, or 2) eat the bulk of these foods after physical activity. What foods will fall into these categories? Processed foods, foods high in sugar or flour, 'high-glycemic' carbohydrates, sugary drinks, and alcohol.

You're probably wondering, what does your blood sugar have to do with a flat stomach? Well, high doses of sugar in the blood invoke the hormone insulin. Your body uses the sugar as fuel, then insulin stores any excess sugar. But here's the cool part! If you have just exercised or completed any sort of strenuous physical activity, insulin stores the extra sugar in the muscles! This allows the muscles to have access to more fuel, which gives you more energy and allows you to more quickly recover from activity. However, if you have not exercised, insulin will push that extra sugar right into the fat cells to be stored; primarily the fat cells in the abdomen.

And, beware, the fat that accumulates in your stomach because of poor diet can become very dangerous! It can lead to many ugly health problems.

So, let's recap our diet Do's and Don'ts:

  1. Eat more foods that slowly raise the blood sugar
    1. More lean, unprocessed protein Examples: Chicken, fish, turkey, lean red meat, eggs / egg whites, low-fat dairy, beans
    2. More whole veggies and fruit
    3. More low-glycemic carbs Examples: Whole grain breads / cereals / pastas, brown rice, oatmeal, beans, sweet potatoes / yams
    4. More healthy fats Examples: Fish, avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish oil, flax oil, flaxseeds, low-fat dairy
  2. Minimize the foods that quickly & severely raise blood sugar (OR eat these foods within 2 hours after strenuous physical activity)
    1. Less white bread and pasta
    2. Less cookies, crackers, pretzels, popcorn, baked goods, and sugary cereals (notice: all of these are processed)
    3. Less soda, fruit juice, sugary drinks, and alcohol

Step 2: Increase Your Activity

If you do not yet have a scrumptious flat stomach to brag about, then you need to get moving! Physical activity will help you burn extra calories so that you are using up more than you are taking in (creating a caloric deficit).

What do I recommend by way of physical activity? Not 500 - 1,000 crunches a day, that's for sure! In fact, I'm not even going to prescribe any abdominal exercises, simply because 'ab' exercises are for strengthening your abs, not for creating a flat stomach. Now don't get me wrong, I strongly believe that it is essential for everyone to work on strengthening the abdominal muscles. These core muscles are key players in preventing injury, maintaining spinal health, and alleviating lower back pain. But for our specific tummy-sculpting purposes, your stomach will flatten out only if you get rid of the fat that is covering those muscles.

Therefore, to specifically achieve your flat stomach, I recommend enlisting a combination of high-intensity strength and aerobic exercises. You will want to work the muscles of your whole body - and work them hard! The more intense the exercise, the more calories you burn throughout the day, and the more fat you will shed off of your midsection (and everywhere else!). So, to ultimately create this 24-hour commotion in the body, you need to add whole-body strength workouts at least 3 times per week, include intense interval sessions on the cardio equipment during the days in between, and simply attempt to be more active altogether!

Step 3: Attempt to Control Your Hormones

Were you aware that you have some power over those pesky hormones that dictate how your body functions? That's right! Your actions can and do affect your hormones. In my previous example, I described how specific dietary practices can affect the secretion of insulin. Through simple timing of carbs, you can control how insulin responds. So, what else can we attempt to control?

Well, our bulging bellies are often the result of 1) too much cortisol, and 2) not enough testosterone.

We often hear about excess cortisol these days because it's linked to stress and lack of sleep. So, how do we decrease our cortisol? We aim to get sufficient sleep (7-9 hours / night) and we find ways to manage stress. We can also employ less obvious solutions as well. Supplementing with 6-10g of fish oil / day can aid in the cortisol reduction. Implementing a post-workout nutrition supplement (I recommend Biotest Surge) during and immediately after strenuous exercise can maintain cortisol levels as well. And, finally, eliminating the marathon cardio sessions can keep cortisol under control. So, shorter, more intense 20-minute interval sessions not only burn more calories over the course of the day, but they keep cortisol levels under control, too!

In regards to waning testosterone levels (which applies to both men AND women), strategies to elevate testosterone include: eating a variety of fats, including sufficient protein in the diet, and strength training! Good sources of fat and protein are described on the previous page. Foods w/ healthy fats and lean proteins should be included in every meal throughout the day (even snacks!). Compound, multi-joint strength exercises like squats, lunges, pushups, pull-ups, dips, and mountain climbers are also great ways to get the testosterone flowing.

Now, Get Going!

So, there's your flat-stomach plan! It's not a magic pill, a fancy abdominal exercise regimen, or a new breathing technique. It is a plan that requires consistent effort and a break away from unhealthy habits. And it's the only plan that really works, especially if you adopt these new habits for the long haul. So, get to work! And simply understand that dietary choices and strenuous whole-body exercise are your must-have tools for a healthy, gorgeous midsection.

About the Author:

Kim Ball is the owner and sole trainer of Deliberate Movement in Long Beach, California. She specializes in fat loss and spends much of her focus on correcting poor nutritional habits. She holds a masters degree in both exercise physiology and nutritional sciences. Sign up for her FREE monthly newsletter at www.deliberatemovement.com