Exercise, what is exercise? Well, it is the complete opposite of not being lazy! Are you lazy? Ask yourself. If you are, it is time for you to make a move and start running. We have got a complete guide to exercising for a flat stomach!
Fat is an enemy of fitness. Fitness is your best friend. To begin with, when you exercise, you burn calories and your body fat percentage decreases. This means that you not only reduce belly fat, but also fat from other parts of your body.
Physical exercise is the ultimate cure for all existing diseases! Yes, it's true - ask your doctor. It is also a common fact that running for a good 15-20 minutes everyday can help you lose weight, live longer, be stronger and look younger. All you need is a pair of running shoes and off you go towards the healthy side of life.
Another option is hitting the gym, but before you do so, it is important to consult with a trainer or dietician as they will be a good guide for a beginner like you. They will also tell you the type of exercise to be conducted for obtaining a flat stomach.
To help you understand better, physical exercises are categorised into three types - aerobic, anaerobic and flexibility exercises.
Aerobic exercises - This set of exercise generally involves physical activity with respect to the entire body. They are fast-moving, continuous exercises which aim to improve the cardiovascular system of the human body. Examples of aerobic exercise include running, cycling, swimming, brisk walking, skipping rope, rowing, hiking, playing tennis, continuous training, and long slow distance training.
Anaerobic exercises - This set of exercise focuses on building muscle and strength, hence involving weight lifting. Examples of anaerobic exercise are pull ups, push-ups, lunges, and bicep curls using dumbbells. Anaerobic exercise also include weight training, functional training, eccentric training, interval training, sprinting, and high-intensity interval training.
Flexibility exercises - This set of exercise helps to strengthen joint flexibility and keep muscles limber.
These three represent the basic set of physical exercises. If you have a goal of reducing belly fat, you will need to employ a combination of three. Now, let us move forward and look at the benefits of having a flat tummy.
Having a flat stomach has great health benefits too, read more to find out:
A good state of health comprises of many elements of fitness. You heart functions better and so does your entire cardiovascular system (lower blood pressure). You have lesser chances of contracting Type 2 Diabetes. (Diabetes is a group of diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood, Type 2 Diabetes is chronic condition that affects the way the body processes blood sugar). This means that your cells are unable to use glucose and break it down into energy. Regular physical exercise reduces the chance of Type 2 Diabetes by 20-30 percent. When you shed those extra pounds from your stomach, they get converted into usable energy which your body uses to carry out various healthy functions. By losing weight, you will also be more resistant to obesity-related diseases. A good state of health also includes good mental health and a stronger immune system which are a direct result of regular exercising.
Research has very clearly shown a strong link between positive self-esteem and mental and physical health. Self-esteem is defined as our evaluation of our self-concept and feelings associated with that evaluation. Self-concept is our perception of our attributes and qualities. Every individual has experienced low self-esteem because of being fat at some point in life. Symptoms of low self-esteem include negative self-talk (the way you talk to yourself in your mind), comparing yourself to others, and focusing on the negatives or mistakes in your life and ignoring the positives and accomplishments. This is further amplified by the fact that you are fat and people will try to body shame you. When you have a flat stomach, people generally perceive that you are fit and by default build a positive image of you. This, in return, brings about a feeling of high self-worth and confidence - it makes us feel good about our physical self - our abilities and physique.
When you have extra fat on your stomach, life is uncomfortable. Fat makes you uncomfortable because it is a part of your body and you’re forced to drag the extra weight around all day. So it is better to start exercising and burn all that fat. This also makes shopping easy. One of the best feelings on planet Earth is when your favourite pair of jeans fit you perfectly. It is no secret that this feeling comes true with a flat stomach. Whether you are wearing a branded shirt or not, you look great with a flat stomach. For women, a flat stomach allows the dress to fit them just right so they can look great, regardless of where they shop. Even walking, sitting and sleeping feels much better with a flat stomach. With a flat stomach, you finally start enjoying wearing formal clothes and suits.
As we mentioned before, there are several positive impacts of a flat stomach on self-esteem and confidence. When you have a flat stomach, not only are you healthy, but society also thinks the same. This automatically boosts your self-confidence and you can speak and present in a better fashion. You feel in control of your body, as any individual who doesn’t feel in control cannot be confident. The best version of yourself comes with great self-confidence. With great self-confidence, you crush those obstacles like a boss, so start burning that belly fat right now!
One of the challenges of having excessive belly fat is that it brings about bad posture. A bad posture can have severe strain on your entire body. The health of your muscles and bones is very important. As you age, you start losing muscle mass and bone density. Excessive stomach fat adds on to your weight and leads to unbalanced movement while walking. Balance and posture are everything when it comes to preventing injuries and muscle pull. Due to this imbalance of body weight, you may become more susceptible to lower back pain. (Lower back pain has affected about 500 million people worldwide). All of this can be avoided with a flat stomach. When you exercise, it helps improve muscle mass, muscle power, and muscle endurance. It also improves the flexibility of your bones and muscles. You become stronger and are less prone to injury and muscle strain.
You have to admit it that when you are thin, you are more likely to get better attention from the opposite sex. A flat stomach looks smart as it indicates good health, discipline and self-control. You not only look attractive, but also feel attractive.
Ultimately lead to a Happier, Longer, Healthier life - Given all the benefits mentioned above, another important benefit of exercise is that of good mental health. A good mental state of health is a perfect countermeasure to stress. Stress increases the toxins inside the body, which, in turn, leads to other diseases. So if you are stressed, you should exercise. Whenever you feel stressed out, put on your running shoes and run like a wild hog! Post-running, you will feel awesome. All of these points combined will ultimately lead to a happier, longer and a healthier life.
Now that you have gone through the benefits of exercising for a flat stomach, it is time to move onto the next stage - Types of stomach exercises.
Plank or planking is a simple but effective bodyweight exercise to strengthen your inner core muscles. It is perfect for building abs. Planking is a static exercise where your body stays in one position for the entirety of the move. It requires no equipment whatsoever and can be done anywhere. The most basic is a standard plank where you plant your hands directly under the shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder-width apart) like you’re about to do a push-up. And you stay there in a static position as long as you can. Start with 10 secs, then you can move up second by second, ensuring that your breath is not compromised. Other types of planking are based on your forearm, knee, side and single-leg plank.
In a side plank, you have to lie on one side with the legs stacked on top of one another. Then prop the body up on the hand or elbow while keeping the feet stacked. A side plank makes your obliques stronger. These muscles help pull the chest, as a whole, downwards, which compresses the abdominal cavity. The external obliques on either side not only help rotate the trunk, but they perform a few other vital functions.
Also known as a curl up, it is an abdominal endurance training exercise commonly performed to strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles. You start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your fingertips on the back of your ears. Then you simply lift your upper body up as close to your thighs as possible and back to the starting position. Doing a variety of abdominal exercises is a good way to work out both your upper and lower abs, as it keeps your body working to adapt, which is good for muscle growth and a flat tummy. You can combine sit-ups with crunches, flutter clicks, leg raises and planking.
This is a core-carving exercise to make your abs pop. This exercise melts your stomach fat like butter on a hot stove as it involves all of your core muscles. If you’re developing a paunch, all you need is a shot of Russian twist. For a Russian twist, you start with both your knees slightly bent and heels in contact with the floor. Now hold both your arms straight out in front of you so that you can see them. Make sure your hands are positioned one on top of the other. Remember that your hands need to be in level or in par with the bottom of your rib cage. Once in this position, pull your navel slowly and steadily towards your spine and then twist slowly to the left side. You need to do the same on the right side to complete a set. It is a difficult exercise to begin with so it is better you start with your feet on the floor. The Russian twist strengthens the rectus abdominis, internal obliques, and the external obliques (core abdominal muscles).
This is the most common of the abdominal exercises available if you want great abs. You can do this by lying flat on your back with your knees bend and your hands need to be behind your head. Then you rise up to meet your pelvis using the shoulders and the core to maintain and propel you forward. There are many variations of doing crunches - reverse, bicycle, vertical leg, long arm and double crunch. This exercise also improves your muscle flexibility.
This exercise is also known as the best exercise for a flat stomach. If you have perfected the standard plank position already, it is about time you upped your game with a commando plank. To start with, get into the standard plank position and then go into a push plank position using one hand at a time. Make sure that your back is parallel to the floor, shoulders and elbow are at 90 degrees.
Also known as Adho Mukha Svanasana (sun salutation sequence), it is the most widely recognized yoga pose across the globe. To do this pose, you must set your knees directly below your hips and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders. Then you exhale and lift your knees away from the floor. Now, push your top thighs back and stretch your heels onto or down toward the floor. This final pose should form a V shape when in it. Staying in this pose for more than 2 minutes is an ideal way to practice. Adho Mukha Svanasana is beneficial in strengthening the whole body specially the arms, legs, shoulders and feet. Regular practice of Adho Mukha Svanasana tones the muscles of the body and helps in weight loss.
Flutter kicks is a good exercise for toning your lower body. For flutter-kicks, you start by lying down on your back and lift your feet off the ground and begin moving your legs up and down. You can do a set for 20 seconds and rest. Flutter kick helps you get well-toned lower abs, lower back, hips, and thighs. If you like swimming, you can conduct this exercise in the pool as well. It will help you propel your body faster. You can also move your legs in a crisscross manner.
Similar to a standard sit-up mentioned before, the difference is in the movement. You start by lying on your back with your knees bent and arms in a cross position over your chest. Then you simply lift your torso but only till the midway. You do not have to reach for your knee caps.
Swiss Ball Press-Up and Knee Tuck - This is a beginner level core exercise which strengthens your obliques and upper abs. For this, you require an exercise ball. You start in a push-up position with your feet up on the ball. Then keep your back flat and extend both legs back out to the starting position and repeat.
It is another type of yoga pose, also known as Urdhva Dhanurasana, which looks like half a wheel. You begin in a supine position with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Now, bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor beside your head, forearms relatively perpendicular to the floor, fingers pointing toward your shoulders. Next, exhale and push your tailbone up and firmly press the inner hands into the floor and your shoulder blades against the back and lift up onto the crown of your head. Next, press your feet and hands into the floor, tailbone and shoulder blades against your back, and with an exhalation, lift your head off the floor and straighten your arms. Now, spread the shoulder blades across the back and let the head hang, or lift it slightly to look down at the floor. This is the final pose, you can practice this for 2-3 minutes on a daily basis.
For this activity, you will require an exercise or a stability ball. You begin with lying down on the floor holding the stability ball with both hands. Now, you lift your arms and legs together in order to pass the ball from your hands to between your legs. When you repeat this movement of passing the ball from your arms to legs, you have completed one set. You can do this continuously in the form of multiple sets.
Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of the different exercises for a flat stomach. It is time to hit the gym. But before you begin your journey in the world of fitness, it is advisable to look through the mentioned guideline.
Keeping all things in mind, it is time to get active and make a move towards a healthy lifestyle. Healthy living is happy living.
