Anyone struggling to lose weight will bemoan the fact about how losing belly fat seems to be a near impossible task. Indeed, how much ever vigorous one’s workouts may be, belly fat stubbornly seems to just stay where is, much to the desperation of many struggling to get washboard abs. At the outset, one has to keep in mind that losing weight requires a holistic approach which comprises exercise as well as a healthy diet.
There are multiple factors that lead to weight gain and bloating such as a sedentary lifestyle, eating the wrong foods and irregular sleep patterns. To acquire a flat belly, you need a complete paradigm shift in your lifestyle and banish all the wrong foods, drinks, stress, emotions , bad sleep patterns and lethargy which contribute to the unsightly big belly. Here are some pointers to get a flat belly.
Banish emotional eating
Most of the time we eat not because we are hungry but because due to anxiety, stress or boredom. These comfort foods that we reach out to are unhealthy and don’t contribute to our health but only add unnecessary calories.
Banish the foods that make you bloat
Eliminate those foods from your diet that cause bloating and flatulence from your diet and include foods that prevent bloating such as melons, walnuts, wholewheat bread and legumes. A home remedy to eliminate excess gas from your body is taking a teaspoon of ajwain ( Oomam in Tamil or Trachyspermum ammi also known as Ajowan caraway) after each meal which prevents build up of gas. It is best to avoid foods that can lead to excess build up of air in your gastrointestinal tract thus leading to bloating, belly expansion and pressure such as chewing gum, foods high in salt, fried and spicy food, fizzy drinks and excess of tea, coffee, fizzy drinks and acidic fruit juices.
Eliminate Stress
Scientists believe that stress leads to hormonal fluctuations in our bodies which spikes the blood pressure which causes blood to our extremities which can cause our digestive system to become sluggish. When our digestive system slows down, this can lead to our last meal staying an inordinately long spell of time in our intestine, thus causing bloating. The best way to banish stress is to get moving and keep ourselves busy with physical activity. Extensive studies have demonstrated that as little as ten minutes of physical activity will lead to a reduction of the stress hormone cortisol in our bloodstream. Studies indicate that cortisol increases appetite and also makes us crave junk foods high in sugar and fat. This is precisely the reason that when we are stressed, we are more like to reach for ice creams or doughnuts instead of healthy fruits or salads.
Up your intake of fluids
Our bodies need at least eight glasses of water a day and even more if we engage in more physical activity. Keeping our bodies hydrated with enough water also means we should water rich eat foods like melons which will stave off fatigue, constipation and bloating while maintaining our body’s fluid balance.
Eat four or five small meals a day
Reducing portion sizes and eating for or five small meals spaced out through the day will help our body digest food more easily and will also prevent bloating
Engage in light physical activity after a meal
Medicals experts strongly advise against lying down after a meal. Some physical activity such as a five – minute walk after a meal helps eliminate the air trapped in our gastrointestinal tract which eliminates bloating and help ease digestion
Avoid eating two to three hours before sleep
When we sleep, we expend lesser calories and it is best to eat, engage in some light physical activity to enable the food to digest and then go to bed.
Eat foods with a low-glycemic index
Banish polished white rice and go for unpolished brown rice, bajra and jowar and jaggery instead of polished white sugar.n
Following are simple exercises for a flat tummy:
Crunches
Lie down faceup on mat and extend your legs over your hips and hold your arms aloft vertically. Then crunch up, reaching hands toward feet. While keeping legs straight, now bring arms back overhead while lowering your upper back and left leg towards the floor. Now, crunch up whilst lifting left leg over hips and your toes with your hands to toes. Now, switch your legs and repeat the activity. Do this 20 times, alternating sides
Leg Drop
Lie down on the floor whilst holding your legs over your hips at 90 degrees. Then, slowly lower your legs as low as possible making sure not to touch the floor and also not lifting your lower back. Repeat the acti 10 times.
Side Plank
Lie down on your right side with legs extended and feet and hips resting on the floor on top of each other and keeping your right elbow directly under your shoulder. Making sure to contract your core muscles, lift up your hips and knees off the floor and hold for as long as possible. Repeat the actionwith the other side.
Hip lifts
Lie down on the floor with your arms extended by your sides, palms facing down, holding your legs over your hips at 90 degrees and keeping the feet flexed. Lift your hips off the floor whilst making sure to use your core muscles and make your legs are reach towards the ceiling. Repeat the action 15 times.
Crunch Chop And Crunch Chop Twist
Lie down on the floor whilst making sure your legs are over your hips at 90 degrees and your arms are extended overhead. Take a deep breath and whilst you are exhaling lift your head and shoulders off the floor. As you crunch up, open your legs so that your arms chop through your legs. Repeat this action for 1 minute. If you want to work your obliques, you can chop each hand through the opposite leg, for instance, when lifting your head and shoulders off the floor, you must chop with right hand through your left leg. Alternate between the sides.