10 Tips to Get a Flat Stomach

Losing belly fat and getting rid of bloating can be a struggle. In fact, for many of us, our belly is the last place that ‘goes’ as we begin to lose weight.

In this article you'll find 10 tips to help you get that flatter, toned stomach.

How to Get a Flat Stomach

Tip #1: You Booze, You Lose!

Enjoying a few glasses of wine with dinner every night can stack up the sugary calories, throwing your system off-balance and knocking you off track in your weight loss journey.

Our livers process alcohol before they work on breaking down protein and carbs, which means that alcohol itself slows down your body’s overall fat-burning ability.

But hold on! Don’t panic. You can still enjoy one glass a day without an adverse effect on your fat-burning process.

Tip #2: Muscles, Metabolism, Calories, and Cardio

The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will work. Muscle beats fat when it comes to overall metabolic activity.

This also means that the more muscle you have, the more calories you can eat and burn all day.

For example, a woman that is 1.6m, 70kgs, has 22% body fat, lifts weights, and does cardio 4-5 days a week can eat and burn 2,500+calories per day.

However a woman who is 1.6m, 70kgs, 30% body fat, and leads a sedentary life 7 days a week, should only eat around 1,600 calories a day. Any amount above that will not be burnt and stored as fat.

Tip #3: Take a Chill Pill

Weight loss pills and other items are usually never as effective as a good diet and exercise regime. When you want to lose that stubborn fat the best pill to take is a chill pill!

The anxiety and stress you may feel from your daily life can cause extra cortisol to be produced in your brain. This hormone only encourages your body to store more fat (especially in your abdomen).

Take time out of your day to simply relax whether it’s a few minutes of calm meditation in the morning or a quiet cup of coffee.

Work on allowing yourself to not be too overwhelmed and stressed. I know, easier said than done at times but the more you focus on letting go of stress, the easier it will be to condition your body not to hold onto that excess weight.

Tip #4: Eat and Drink More!

You should be very careful about how many calories you cut when you are focusing on a calorie deficit.

Cutting 500 calories from your daily diet is usually fine but cutting 1,000 or more too quickly can wreak havoc on your metabolism and cause you to be fatigued and light-headed.

While drastically cutting calories can lead to faster weight loss, if you go back to your old style of eating, you’ll see all that weight pack back. It’s always better to reduce your calorie intake slowly and surely, replacing empty calorie foods with ones that are full of nutrients. Those foods will leave you feeling full for a longer period as well.

And don’t overlook the importance of staying hydrated!

Drinking more helps to flush out extra water weight and rids your body of toxins that can impede your weight loss.

Tip #5: Time for Green Tea

Plenty of studies have shown that the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea helps to boost your metabolism and targets belly fat. Make a few cups during the week or swap your morning coffee for green tea.

Tip #6: Workout Wise

A big mistake that newbies make in the gym involves constantly working out their abdominal muscles to get the abs they want.

Have you heard the term ‘Abs are made in the kitchen.”? It’s true! Your sit-ups, v-sits, hanging leg raises, crunch and tucks won’t do much if you still have a lot of fat to lose.

Consider abdominal training as a sculpting move once you’ve rid yourself of most of your belly fat.

Also, focus on your whole body with compound moves and weightlifting workouts that use bigger muscle groups. Ab workouts should not take up most your gym session.

Tip #7: Be Aware of Sugar and Labels

Sugar is in practically everything that we eat. It’s usually tucked into processed foods like yogurt, salad dressing, reduced fat ice cream, and other treats and snacks.

The average person may consume about 20 teaspoons of sugar during their day – usually unaware - as the sugar is packed inside their processed meals.

This can add hundreds of empty calories to your diet without you even realizing it!

A good way to avoid excess sugar is by not buying as many processed foods. Try making your meals from whole foods instead.

Another way to be sure you are eating right (less sugar and hitting your calorie goals) is to pay attention to labels.

When you are working on eating the correct portions and counting calories you don’t want to get into a spot where you are eating more than you think you are and essentially self-sabotaging your weight-loss goals.

Labels, especially on processed foods, can be inaccurate or very misleading. Take the time to measure your food on a food scale to be sure that you are eating the right amount.

Tip #8: Do It All or Not at All

When you're new to the gym it can be daunting. However, as you get more comfortable and confident in your daily routine, make sure that you’re focusing on what matters most.

Make the most of your gym time by focusing on compound movements that work your whole body, such as squats or lunges.

If you spend too much time working on isolated muscles, you won’t be burning as many calories as you would if you focus on a complete body workout.

Tip #9: Plan Your Meals

When it comes to cutting down inflammation and bloating, you need to think ahead of what you eat. If you know that certain foods might cause you to bloat, skip them!

If you are planning a weekend away and want to look your best, stick with proteins and things like leafy greens.

Having a lighter dinner that’s packed with vegetables and protein can help to cut down on the chance that you’ll be holding onto belly-bloating water in the morning.

Tip #10: Food Diary and a Food Scale

One great way to be sure that you are keeping on track is to journal your food intake. It’s very easy to let a few hundred extra calories slip in if you have had a busy day and haven’t paid attention to what you put in your mouth.

Tracking your calories during the day can be an eye opener for those of us who aren’t being as regimented as we thought we were.

In addition, being diligent about tracking your calorie intake will also help you identify just how much carb-creeping can happen when you sample this, take a bite out of that, etc.

Careful food planning and calorie and carb tracking can also be the push you need to lose that last ten pounds even though you thought you were doing all that you could.

When it comes to losing weight, and getting those toned abs you have always wanted, a food scale can be your best friend. It’s a great way to accurately measure your food before you eat it and be sure that you are staying on track.

Final Words

You now have the information you need to start on your journey towards a leaner body and a flat stomach.

Begin by creating a meal plan that aligns with staying within your daily calorie allotment.

Plan out your meals for the week in advance so you can minimize carb creeping and stay on track.

Keep a food and workout diary to document your progress and reward yourself when you reach milestones.

Weigh your food so you can stay on track and ensure you’re eating the correct portion size.

Stay hydrated to avoid bloating, improve workout performance, and to better control your appetite.

And most importantly, stay focused and don’t get discouraged! Decide on a series of small goals and work towards improving your diet and incorporating more movement into your day.

Small changes can yield incredible results.

You can do this!

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Jean-Pierre M. d'Avoine

Jean-Pierre M. d’Avoine is the founder of The Nutrition Salon website and experience, and a “healthy ageing” enthusiast and advocate.

After experiencing numerous physical health struggles throughout his life, he was introduced to a philosophy which he adopted and it totally changed his life for the better.

The key to living a healthy and happy life is 80% nutrition, 20% exercise and 100% mindset.

This has been the philosophy he's lived by for the past 18 years, and he is happy to say that it has worked so well that now in his retirement age he is enjoying a reasonably good state of health which allows him to be quite active with his grandkids without the worry of aches and pain.

And best of all, this state of health has been achieved through natural ways.

Now, his mission, his goal, and what he gains enjoyment out of, is helping other people achieve the same results.

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