You might have heard about different body size charts; 12, 18, 20 and you feel there is a great need to burn off some fat and learn how to get a flat stomach, either for the bliss of looking fit and attractive or for the health benefits attached.
A countless number of times, I usually hear folks lament, "I've done a lot of pushups, crunches, and sit-ups, but my tummy still lumps between, what’s the best exercise to get a flat stomach"?
Some of these individuals, after fruitless efforts of trying to get a flat stomach, give up the chase for a healthy body.
There is still hope for you to rock the flat stomach that you desire and you know, settling for belly fat is an unhealthy thing you should do.
Is a flat stomach achievable?
It is possible and achievable to have a flat stomach, all you have to do is to create a disciplined routine, fashion a healthy lifestyle, and build consistency through your exercise.
Always stick to any workout session, you create for yourself and never skip an activity.
Exercise with the mindset that your health is dependent on the result of the exercise. And the amount of input determines the output.
Benefits of Stomach Exercises
Getting a 6-pack is not the only benefit of stomach exercises; there are more advantages of stomach exercises than you could think of.
Strengthened Back Frame
Reduces Back Pain
Better Body Posture
Reduce Body Fit
Increase Individual alertness and overall performance.
Mental Simulation.
Builds Abdominal wall
Increases sport performance
Develop Slim waist
What happens to your flat stomach during pregnancy?
A lot of people are eager to know what happens to the flat stomach (abs) during pregnancy.
You might be worried about what a strong core or your flat stomach might do to your uterus, fetus, or unborn baby.
Well, during pregnancy, your flat stomach will expand as a result of the enlargement of the uterus to accommodate the fetus. This enlargement might reward you with a Postpartum belly; an overly round, squashy stomach.
You have nothing to worry about; you can easily go back to your desired shape after child delivery.
The process of enlargement might be itchy for some persons as a result of the stretch of the stomach muscles.
I will strictly advise against ladies growing thick abs, especially before the pregnancy period to reduce the risk of Diastasis Recti.
Top 10 Best Flat Stomach Exercises
A wide range of the exercises listed here does not require the use of heavy equipment. With a trainer mat and some sense of discipline and consistency, you are sure to get a flat stomach after a couple of days of training, right from the comfort of your home.
The time interval for these exercises is based on individual strength and capacity. Still, each exercise should be consistently carried out daily with a time frame of not less than 30 seconds for each activity.
You are free to mix up as many exercises as your body can carry, but always remember to take a break, but don't quit till your expectations are met.
Gym coaches are also advised during these sessions, to study your body needs and guide you on how far you should go.
Nevertheless, if hiring a personal coach is too costly for you, you can opt to visit a local gym house and train along with fellow bodybuilders.
PLANK
Lie on the floor with your toes and forearm placed firmly on the ground.
Your forearms should be placed on the ground in an 'L' form, having your elbow pointing back to your toes.
There should be a space between your body and the ground as your toes and forearms should be the only part having contact with the floor.
Hold this position for as long as you can.
Ensure that your body is in a straight position during this exercise.
Time Frame: Not Less than 30secs.
2. Russian Twist
Sit on the floor with your calf raises.
Have your legs bent in an inverted V format with your feet lifted a little and back tilted back a bit.
Clamp your hands together as you would do after a shot put throw.
Twist the body from side to side in this position.
Time Frame: 30 Seconds
3. Mountain Climber
Place your hands on the floor in a pushup position.
Move your right knee towards your chest while your left leg is straight.
Move both legs simultaneously as if you are climbing a mountain with your hands on the ground.
Switch both legs individually.
Time Frame: 20 seconds
4. Leg Raises
Lie down flat with your back on the ground.
Place your hands behind your hip for maximum body support.
Push both of your legs together, leaving no space between them.
Raise both legs high together.
Make sure you raise them as high as you can, till your relaxed body forms an 'L' form.
Slowly bring down your legs and repeat the process
You can speed up the process at your pace.
Time Frame: 20 seconds
5. Sit-ups
Lie flat on your back with the sole of your feet on the floor.
Bend your knees slowly to a semi-sitting position.
Hold your hands behind your head as you lift your body.
Upon reaching the sitting position, slowly fall back to the ground and repeat the process.
Don't pull your head during this process; the pressure should be on your stomach, not on your head.
Time Frame: 30 seconds
6. Jumping Jacks
Stand with your legs spread apart in an inverted V-shape.
With your arms on your side, jump up as you clap the hands together over your head.
As you jump, bring your feet together simultaneously during each jump and separate them as you land.
Time Frame: 30 seconds
7. Crunches
Crunches are similar to sit-ups. The slight difference is that your hands should not be placed behind your head but in front of your chest.
Spread apart from each other.
Time Frame: 30 Seconds
8. Bicycle Crunches
Lie flat on the floor with your hands behind your head as you will do in a sit-up exercise.
Raise your right knee close to your right elbow, return it to the floor.
Repeat Process for the left knee.
Time Frame: 30 seconds
9. Pushup Rotation
Position your body in the pushup/press up position
Move down as you will, during pushups. As you come up, raise your right arm upwards.
Repeat this process for the left arm.
Time Frame: 30 seconds
10. Butt Bridge
Lie flat on your back with the sole of your feet on the ground.
Place both of your arms on the floor with your palm firmly fixed to the floor.
Raise your butt off the floor without lifting your head or arm off the ground.
Raise up and down
Time Frame:30 Seconds
You should mix up things with these exercises.
Don't limit your body to a particular routine to ensure that there is an overall body development.
Is having belly fat unhealthy?
Belly fat which is also known as Visceral Fat, is generally unhealthy, especially when it starts accumulating larger volumes of your stomach space.
Belly Fat doesn't just create a bulge in your stomach; it poses great threats to your health.
Belly Fat could act as a division between your liver, pancreas, and kidney, but when they significantly become noticeable, they expose your body to heart diseases and inflammation.
Belly Fat (Visceral Fat) acts upon your Adiponectin. Adiponectin is a body hormone responsible for the regulation of fat and glucose.
Belly Fat causes excess secretion of Adiponectin which in turn, leaves your body at risk of going obese, posing resistance to the body's insulin which can result in Diabetes Type 2 and chances of getting Atherosclerosis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Belly Fats have been indicated to cause a high body mass index.
How Can I Get My Stomach Flat Fast?
The fastest way of getting a flat stomach is by toning muscles, burning up fats, reducing calories, and regulating diets.
Most times, stomach exercises do not produce the required results on the bodybuilder because we tend to forget that our eating habit has a great role to play in the body mechanism.
What should you never do to lose belly fat?
In the quest for a quicker means of losing belly fat, most individuals have subjected themselves to standards that are less productive and also harmful to the body.
These are things you should never do to lose belly fat;
1. Starving yourself; Skipping meals will do you no good in losing belly fat, other than rewarding you with stomach ulcers.
2. Non-stop workouts; Most weight-loss beginners think that a 3-hour marathon daily workout session will give you a flat stomach in 7days. It is funny to imagine how this sounds. You can work out the whole day, yet achieve nothing other than a mad rage to eat.
Aerobic exercises are considered the best for weight loss and a flat stomach.
However, instead of an unnecessary extension of time in the Gym achieving less, spend quality time focusing on the target organs you wish to burn off fat.
3. Consuming Gluten-Free Diets: Gluten is a family of storage proteins found explicitly in Barley, Oats, and Rye. It is usually added to bread to help the dough rise and give it its elasticity and munchy texture. Gluten could be harmful to the body or generally related to
fat.
