A Few Secrets To Getting Flat Abs

It may not be a secret that the best way to a six-pack is a healthy diet (even if it's no diet at all) and regular exercise, but there's a right way and wrong way to a flat belly. Read on for the ultimate guide to getting flat abs.

Know the Formula

Getting flat abs isn't about starving yourself or living at the gym. Reducing belly fat involves a mix of smart eating and effective exercise. Make sure you eat enough food to keep your body from experiencing hormone imbalances; eating too little (fewer than 1200 calories a day) reduces the amount of the fat-burning hormone leptin in your body, which will slow down weight loss. And if you're just exercising without changing your diet, you'll spend a lot of time at the gym with little result.Continue....


Posture Makes Perfect

Doing regular posture-building exercises pack a double punch when it comes to busting that belly. Having good posture helps you look slimmer instantly, while sticking to a posture-building routine every day will strengthen your ab muscles, and help get you well on your way to a six-pack.

Fight the Fat

Ab exercises will help define those muscles, but don't forget cardio for overall weight loss; otherwise all those sit-ups will go to waste. If you want results fast, try high intensity interval training, which has been proven to be one of the best ways to fight belly fat.

De-Stress

Having too much stress can lead to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body, which can increase the amount of fat you store around your belly. Can't seem to de-stress?

Start With Oatmeal

The secret to getting flat abs includes a diet that helps shrink that midsection. The best things to eat include foods high in fiber and other foods that help you beat the bloat. Swap your normal breakfast for a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, for example; the fiber in the oatmeal will aid in digestion, and the antioxidants in blueberries may help you shed ab fat.

Drink to Detox

It's not in the foods you eat — what you drink can help debloat and flatten your tummy as well, so bottoms up! Drinking a glass of water every morning, for example, will help you alkalize your body — which helps you burn fat and detox your system.

Stay Away From These

There are those foods that help slim your middle, and those that make you feel like a bloated balloon. As you continue your ab-flattening workout plan, be sure to avoid foods that cause bloating, like broccoli and cabbage, when things start getting serious.

Choose Full-Body Exercises

If you're looking for killer abs, don't waste your time focusing solely on crunches, since they tone just one muscle group and exacerbate bad posture, especially if you sit with a rounded spine at a desk all day. Instead focus on full-body exercises, like squat to overhead press. Not only do these types of exercises save time by working multiple body parts while engaging your core, they also do so without the posture-wrecking position of a rounded spine.

Work All Layers

If you've only got one type of ab workout in your routine, your midsection is missing out. Working your core involves exercising all your abdominal layers, not just the top part that you can see. The inner muscles help pull in your belly for a slimming look, so be sure to work all of your ab muscles

Go MUFA

Foods high in monounsaturated fatty acid burn fat, especially of the belly variety. Go for MUFA-rich foods like avocados, almonds and olive oil to help you keep your belly full.

Practice Yoga

Give your muscles a good stretch while toning at the same time with yoga.                                  

Eat Clean

Salt, sugar, and fatty foods can all lead to bloat, while fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains do just the opposite. Pay attention to labels as you shop and train your taste buds to prefer fresh produce.

Practice Portion Control

Even if you've been working on your abs, no one will see your strong, defined midsection if you've got a few extra pounds covering it. Keeping portions under control can help you lose weight

Add Weights

Think weights won't help you get a six-pack? Think again. Grabbing hand weights for your ab work will increase the difficulty and challenge your ab muscles further.

Find Your Balance

Another way to challenge your abs is to make your workout a little unstable. Do planks on a rocker board to make almost any exercise an ab-working move.

Target Your Pooch

Now it's time to work on your lower abs to help whittle down your pooch. Exercises like the ab scissors or Boat Pose target your lower abs effectively

Work Out Your Back

A strong back will make you look taller and slimmer, and especially helps such in that pooch area.

Eat Lean Protein

Lean protein burns fat and helps keep you full so you don't overeat. Whether you opt for fish, turkey, or tofu, make sure your diet includes enough lean protein to keep you satisfied and your belly flat.

Plank It Up

Planks are an amazing ab-definining move to incorporate into any workout. The plank focuses on your entire core, helping you work the muscles that tighten your midsection while also strengthening your arms and legs.