So you want to flatten your belly. Time to hit the floor for a
zillion crunches, right? Not so fast. Power crunching alone isn't
necessarily the best—and certainly not the most enjoyable—way to flatten
your belly. When we talked to dozens of people, just like you, who've
toned their abs, we discovered their secrets to a flat belly
include fun activities such as gardening, tennis, and dancing—with some
crunches in between for good measure. Leading weight loss and fitness
experts also suggest some simple lifestyle changes to provide you with a
complete belly-flattening program.
So if you're sick of crunches—or not getting the results you want—read on for surprising ways to get a belly worth baring.
So if you're sick of crunches—or not getting the results you want—read on for surprising ways to get a belly worth baring.
1. Calm down. Too much stress can contribute to a
potbelly. Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that seems to
direct fat to our middle, says Jacob Seidell, PhD, of the National
Institute of Public Health in Bilthoven, Netherlands. To keep levels
low, try this 5- to 10-minute stress reducer: Find a quiet, comfortable
place to sit. Next, take several slow, deep breaths to help clear your
mind. Continue breathing deeply and repeat the word "one" to yourself as
you exhale. (If you get distracted, just bring your focus back to the
word "one.") Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day.
2. Skip the alcohol. That glass of wine with dinner may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol also tends to raise cortisol levels, sending fat to your belly, Dr. Seidell says.
3. Stop smoking. "It keeps me thin," proclaim many smokers. But the truth is that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, says Dr. Seidell. (The stress hormone cortisol seems to be the culprit here too.) "When people stop smoking, the amount of abdominal fat actually decreases," he says.
4. Eat more fiber. Not only is fiber great for overall weight loss (it fills you up so you don't eat as much), it also prevents constipation, which can cause your tummy to bulge, says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. To stay regular, aim for 22 to 25 g of fiber a day by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; or try a fiber supplement such as Metamucil.
5. Drink up. For premenstrual bloating, drink lots and lots of water. This will actually help flush away bloating, not make it worse.
6. Stand up straight. Heeding Mom's advice can make you look 5 pounds thinner (and your abs flatter) instantly. To straighten up, imagine a string tugging you from the top of your head toward the ceiling.
7. Sit like a royal. Slumping accentuates your stomach. To improve your posture while sitting, start with your chair. If your chair seat is too high to let your feet touch the ground without slumping, find a footstool about 4 inches high to let you sit up straight. Or place a pillow at the small of your back to help bring you forward in your chair.
8. Strengthen your shoulders. Strong shoulders will prevent you from hunching forward. To target this area, try the overhead press. Start with dumbbells at shoulder height, feet firmly on the floor. Slowly press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended. Don't arch your back. Hold, and then lower.
9. Build your chest. Good posture is easier when you have strong upper body muscles. For the chest, do the bench press: Lie on an exercise bench with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor or on the bench. Hold dumbbells or a barbell at chest height with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Slowly press the weight straight up until your arms are fully extended, elbows almost locked. Hold, and then lower.
10. Work your mid-to upper back. These muscles are also important for good posture. The bent-over row exercise is a great way to strengthen them. To do it: Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench or chair so your back is parallel to the floor. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, start with your right arm directly under your shoulder and extended toward the floor. Bending your elbow so that it's pointing toward the ceiling, pull the dumbbell up until it touches your rib cage. Hold, and slowly lower. (The movement is like starting a power lawn mower, only slower and smoother.)
11. Target your lower back. To stand tall, you need to strengthen the muscles that support your spine. To do that, try this exercise: Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel under your forehead. Clasp your hands behind your waist and slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor, pinching the shoulder blades together. Only go as far as comfortable. Hold, then release.
13. Give boxing a whirl. Aerobic kick-boxing is more than just a great fat-burning, cardio workout. All those arm thrusts and high kicks firm abs too.
14. Do a little dance. Jeanette Friedman tells us that daily belly dancing has helped her maintain her svelte 24-inch waist for years and get back in shape after having two kids. "I started working my abs right in the hospital after my babies were born," she says. "It worked wonders!"
17. Work against gravity. Using an L-seat at the gym to do hanging leg lifts is one of the best exercises for your midsection. You're using the weight of your own legs against gravity. To do it: Support yourself on an L-seat with your forearms, legs hanging straight. Using your midsection muscles, slowly pull your knees up toward your chest and then lower. Keep your back against the seat, and don't swing your legs. For a more advanced move, keep your legs straight as you lift them.
2. Skip the alcohol. That glass of wine with dinner may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol also tends to raise cortisol levels, sending fat to your belly, Dr. Seidell says.
3. Stop smoking. "It keeps me thin," proclaim many smokers. But the truth is that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, says Dr. Seidell. (The stress hormone cortisol seems to be the culprit here too.) "When people stop smoking, the amount of abdominal fat actually decreases," he says.
4. Eat more fiber. Not only is fiber great for overall weight loss (it fills you up so you don't eat as much), it also prevents constipation, which can cause your tummy to bulge, says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. To stay regular, aim for 22 to 25 g of fiber a day by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; or try a fiber supplement such as Metamucil.
5. Drink up. For premenstrual bloating, drink lots and lots of water. This will actually help flush away bloating, not make it worse.
6. Stand up straight. Heeding Mom's advice can make you look 5 pounds thinner (and your abs flatter) instantly. To straighten up, imagine a string tugging you from the top of your head toward the ceiling.
7. Sit like a royal. Slumping accentuates your stomach. To improve your posture while sitting, start with your chair. If your chair seat is too high to let your feet touch the ground without slumping, find a footstool about 4 inches high to let you sit up straight. Or place a pillow at the small of your back to help bring you forward in your chair.
8. Strengthen your shoulders. Strong shoulders will prevent you from hunching forward. To target this area, try the overhead press. Start with dumbbells at shoulder height, feet firmly on the floor. Slowly press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended. Don't arch your back. Hold, and then lower.
9. Build your chest. Good posture is easier when you have strong upper body muscles. For the chest, do the bench press: Lie on an exercise bench with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor or on the bench. Hold dumbbells or a barbell at chest height with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Slowly press the weight straight up until your arms are fully extended, elbows almost locked. Hold, and then lower.
10. Work your mid-to upper back. These muscles are also important for good posture. The bent-over row exercise is a great way to strengthen them. To do it: Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench or chair so your back is parallel to the floor. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, start with your right arm directly under your shoulder and extended toward the floor. Bending your elbow so that it's pointing toward the ceiling, pull the dumbbell up until it touches your rib cage. Hold, and slowly lower. (The movement is like starting a power lawn mower, only slower and smoother.)
11. Target your lower back. To stand tall, you need to strengthen the muscles that support your spine. To do that, try this exercise: Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel under your forehead. Clasp your hands behind your waist and slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor, pinching the shoulder blades together. Only go as far as comfortable. Hold, then release.
12. Play a few holes. Swinging a golf club shapes up
the oblique muscles on the sides of your abs, says Dr. Nagler. After 9
or 18 holes, that's a workout! (For an aerobic workout, skip the cart.)
13. Give boxing a whirl. Aerobic kick-boxing is more than just a great fat-burning, cardio workout. All those arm thrusts and high kicks firm abs too.
14. Do a little dance. Jeanette Friedman tells us that daily belly dancing has helped her maintain her svelte 24-inch waist for years and get back in shape after having two kids. "I started working my abs right in the hospital after my babies were born," she says. "It worked wonders!"
15. Tilt your pelvis. Lie on the floor, arms at your
sides and knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Next, press your lower
back to the floor so that your pelvis tilts upward. Maintain this tilt
as you straighten your legs by slowly sliding your heels along the
floor. Stop when you can no longer hold a full tilt position. Hold and
count aloud to six. Bring one leg, then the other, back to the starting
position, maintaining the pelvic tilt throughout. Hold the starting
position for six more counts. Relax. Repeat 12 times.
16. Play catch. Get into a crunch position—lie on your
back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, shoulders and head off the
floor with your abs contracted. Then have someone throw an exercise ball
(or basketball) to you—first to your left side so you have to twist and
reach to catch it, and then to your right. Do as many times as is
comfortable, and try to increase the number each week.
17. Work against gravity. Using an L-seat at the gym to do hanging leg lifts is one of the best exercises for your midsection. You're using the weight of your own legs against gravity. To do it: Support yourself on an L-seat with your forearms, legs hanging straight. Using your midsection muscles, slowly pull your knees up toward your chest and then lower. Keep your back against the seat, and don't swing your legs. For a more advanced move, keep your legs straight as you lift them.
18. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet
flat on the floor. Place an exercise ball (66 inches around) on your
abdomen and hold it with both hands. Use your hands to roll the ball to
the top of your knees. Tuck your chin toward your chest and lift your
head and shoulders off the floor. Lower to the starting position.
Repeat. Exhale as you lift, and inhale as you lower the ball. Work up to
20 repetitions.
very helpful thanks :)
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