To get a flat stomach, you'll need to follow best practices to lower body fat and lose weight. It's important to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and manage stress. Remember that rock-hard abs aren't necessary and healthy body types come in many shapes and sizes.
The muscles of the stomach and abdomen aren't meant to be flat, unless it is a specific body type. Some people starve themselves of all muscle and fat to appear thin and having a flat stomach, but it isn't natural nor healthy in the slightest.
“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.”
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.
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.
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.
Myth #4:Everyone can have a flat stomach. Reality: Many factors impact the look of your abdominal area such as genetics, disciplined diet and stress.
If you eat too many nutrient-devoid foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy fats, you can end up with a slight tummy paunch or roll, even if you're not overweight. Eat protein-rich foods such as eggs, lean chicken or plain Greek yogurt with every meal to promote muscle growth and accelerate fat-burning.
Fit bodies come in all shapes and sizes, so a flat stomach is possible even if you have a thick body type.
The majority of those that model starve themselves or are on a very strict eating diet with extreme exercises to keep their metabolism high so that they do maintain a flat stomach.
Losing weight and keeping it off involves a calorie controlled diet and 60 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, a day. Fat from your belly is usually the first to go during a weight loss regimen, and regular high-intensity aerobic workouts tend to lead to slimmer waists.
It's a result of weakened transverse abdominus and overactive external oblique muscles. The transverse abdominus is a deep abdominal muscle that runs circumferentially around the trunk, much like a girdle. It is an important stabilizer of the spine and lower abdominal area.
While belly bloat is caused by gastrointestinal distress or underlying medical conditions, bulging abdominal muscles can be the result of a variety of different factors, including diastasis recti, weightlifting, and incorrect breathing during exercise.
Causes include poor diet, lack of exercise, and short or low-quality sleep. A healthy diet and active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and lower the risk of problems associated with it.
Muscle is denser than fat, and as it is more compact within your body, as you gain muscle mass, you end up looking thinner, no matter your physical weight. So, if you've been doing a lot of strength training lately, it's likely this is the reason that you're looking fantastic but not dropping those numbers.
Gaining weight solely in your stomach may be the result of specific lifestyle choices. The two S's — stress and sugar — play a significant role in the size of your midsection. Certain medical conditions and hormonal changes can contribute to abdominal weight gain.
Doing targeted exercises like crunches is great for toning abdominal muscles, but losing both subcutaneous and visceral fat is the first step to unearthing your abs. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), you'll need to lower your body fat to about 14 to 20 percent for women and 6 to 13 percent for men.
The American Council on Exercise says a 1 percent body fat loss per month is safe and achievable. Given that math, it could take a woman with average body fat about 20 to 26 months to achieve the appropriate amount of fat loss for six-pack abs. The average man would need about 15 to 21 months.
Studies show that consuming junk food and processed foods with synthetic additives are the leading cause of high belly fat and obesity. Additionally, foods rich in sugar and Omega 6 fatty acids, excessive drinking, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle are equally likely to cause high belly fat levels.