Do you still struggle to get rid of that holiday food tube even though you’ve tried everything?! We know the feeling because fat around your midsection can be a tough battle! Luckily improving your abs is a simple mission if you know what you’re doing… And we would suggest getting rid of it quite quickly as it’s a risk factor for several diseases and could leave you feeling bloated and discouraged.
So what are the best ways to for flat abs? Well, numerous strategies have shown successful results, and they aren’t the flip-your-lifestyle-upside-down kind of ones, but just a few simple tweaks. Here they are –
- Circuit Training
Try complete body exercises to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously by indulging in lunges, push-ups and pull-ups for one set of 15 repetitions each. To take it slightly further, finish off every exercise with a one-minute jumping rope, and you could burn up to 600 calories per workout. View our home gym exercise equipment to assist you.
- Cut Calories, But Don’t Skip Meals
If you reduce your daily calorie intake by 500 to 1,000, you can expect to lose ½ to 1 kg per week. We repeat, do not skip any meals as restricting your calorie intake too much can be counterproductive. It’s recommended to eat every three to four hours, including breakfast. Ensure to replace processed food with lots of sugar with natural foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, chicken, beef and fish.
- Do Standing Exercises
Don’t sit and exercise, rather stand when doing weights or doing resistance training. When standing, you engage more with your core which helps to strengthen the core muscles and trim the stomach area. While you’re at that, learn how to perfect your posture. Always aim to stand up straight, and if you need to remind yourself, add some sticky notes everywhere – it should do the trick!
- Eat The Good Fats
Or known as monounsaturated fatty acids, are present in fats that are liquid at room temperature. Diets rich in monounsaturated fats can reduce body weight and can be sourced from foods such as avocado, olive oil, nuts, sesame oil and peanut butter with no added sugar.
- Avoid Salt
Lower your sodium intake to minimise water retention. In other words, avoid the salt. There are other herbs and spices available to flavour your food – turmeric, ginger, cumin, peppermint, echinacea, cinnamon, chilli powder, parsley, oregano, and cardamom.
- Drink Plenty of Water
Water will always be the one thing that remains a must in any diet. An adequate amount flushes away toxins and offers dual benefits for glowing skin and a flat tummy. Here are a few ‘secrets’ around drinking water – it may increase your total energy expenditure by up to 100 calories per day; drinking water before meals can make you feel fuller, so you’ll ultimately eat less, and it helps relieve constipation and reduce belly bloating.
- Sleep Enough, Beautiful!
A sufficient amount of sleep is significant for weight loss. Studies have shown an increased risk of weight gain where adults sleep less than 5 hours, and children sleep less than 10 hours. You can get more sleep and improve sleep quality by keeping electronics out of the bedroom, going to bed 30min to 1 hour earlier, stretching or meditating before bed, getting enough sunlight daily, exercising regularly, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed.
There are probably 1000 more strategies, such as walking for 30 minutes each day, eating more slowly and trying to work fish or fish oils into your week. Unfortunately, this is what we have time for in this blog; trust us; otherwise, we would’ve spent a lot more time with you. But feel free to share your recommendations with us!
Happy losing, Trojan fam!
