In order to get flat abs, you need to burn fat by exercising your entire body and eating fewer calories. Also, since weight loss happens all over the body, you need to keep your workouts balanced. Spot reduction is a myth; no matter how much you work your abs, you won't get a flat belly unless you lose fat everywhere.
Your genetics prefer storing fat in your stomach area
Visceral fat—the type of fat the body stores in your abdomen and around your intestines and is mostly responsible for keeping people from a flat belly—can be partly determined by genetics.
Even if you're thin, you can still have too much visceral fat. How much you have is partly about your genes, and partly about your lifestyle, especially how active you are. Visceral fat likes inactivity.
It's especially tricky for women, as our biological make-up works against the idea of having a flat stomach. Other things like bloating, distension, genetics, food sensitivities or allergies, poor posture and a lack of core strength can all make it difficult to flatten your stomach as well.
There are many ways in which a person can get a flat stomach. Adding extra exercise to the daily routine, increasing fiber intake, and sleeping more can all help slim a person's waistline. Before starting a new exercise regimen, people should speak to a doctor about any health concerns.
“Both your visceral and subcutaneous fat contribute to your achieving a flat stomach, which is why some women find it harder to do so than others. Furthermore, factors like hormone regulation play a role in storing visceral fat, which is why many women are not biologically built for a flat stomach.”
You're Into the Wrong Foods
Unhealthy eating is the biggest driver of big bellies. Too many starchy carbohydrates and bad fats are a recipe for that midsection to expand. Instead, get plenty of veggies, choose lean proteins, and stay away from fats from red meats.
A non-fat belly (ascites), is a condition where a person has a protruded stomach, but it's not coming from fat. It's coming from fluids. This type of protruded stomach is caused by a damaged liver. The damaged liver is causing leakage of fluid and accumulation of a protein fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Poor Diet and Lack of Physical Activity
Food products that are high in trans fats such as processed foods, sugar, and saturated fat can contribute to excess belly fat. These foods are high in calories and low in nutrients, which can lead to gaining weight and an increase in belly fat.
The first body type is the ADRENAL and the adrenal belly, which is caused by increased levels of cortisol. When going through stressful periods, the production of cortisol increases, and this, in turn, increases the accumulation of fat around the waist, leading to a saggy abdomen.
No, spotting and reducing fat in a specific area is impossible. However, incorporating exercises that target the abdominal muscles can help tone and strengthen them. Is it necessary to count calories to get a flat stomach? Counting calories can be helpful for some people, but it's optional for everyone.
Getting a flat stomach really depends on two main factors. It is realistic to say that you can achieve a flatter stomach in as little as 6-12 weeks with a sound diet and exercise approach that places you in a slight and progressive caloric deficit for that time period.
If reducing overall body fat, including belly fat, is your ultimate goal, aerobic exercises that increase your heart rate, such as walking, running or swimming, and aerobic exercise combined with strength training are the gold standards when it comes to exercise that supports weight loss.
Sometimes, excess fat around the belly is due to hormones. Hormones help regulate many bodily functions, including metabolism, stress, hunger, and sex drive. If a person has a deficiency in certain hormones, it may result in weight gain around the abdomen, which is known as a hormonal belly.
A hormonal belly looks like an accumulation of fat around the belly. It looks like excess fat on the stomach that cannot be removed. Hormonal imbalances can lead to excess fat accumulation in the belly area.
Common reasons for someone to have belly fat even when they're skinny is: Being too sedentary (inactive), which builds visceral fat around the organs and abdominal fat. Eating too many processed foods, which stores at the belly.
The PCOS belly involves the accumulation of visceral fat in the lower abdomen and typically feels firm to the touch. A PCOS belly is also characterized by a high waist-to-hip ratio of greater than 0.87 (apple body shape). However, some individuals may not experience any noticeable changes in their stomach.
Chronic stress is one of the biggest reasons for belly fat. When the stress hormone cortisol goes through your body, fat takes residence in your belly. This is also called the stress belly.
Aging, weight gain and loss, pregnancies, and other health-related conditions cause fluctuations that often result in loose skin, extra pockets of fat, and separated or weakened abdominal muscles. The excess fat has a tendency to settle around your hips due to gravity and is difficult to target with diet and exercise.
One reason belly fat is so hard to lose is that it's considered an “active fat.” Unlike some fatty tissue that simply sits “dormant,” belly fat releases hormones that can have an impact on your health — and your ability to lose weight, especially in the waist and abdomen areas.
Keep your room temperature cool while you sleep.
According to the National Institutes of Health, sleeping in a cool room can boost your metabolism and activate brown fat, which burns calories to generate heat. So turn down the thermostat and let your body do the work while you rest.