Having a flat stomach is a common fitness goal. Exercises that burn fat, tone the core, and build muscle can help people achieve this goal.
This article explores exercises and other strategies for achieving a flat stomach. It also looks at how long it lasts and the factors that can affect a person’s progress.
Body composition and results timeline
Human body composition refers to their relative proportions of:
fat
muscle
skeleton
bodies and organs
liquid
Health and fitness experts generally consider two components: “fat mass” and “fat-free mass”. Fat mass is the total mass of body fat, while fat-free mass is the total mass of all other components. Anyone looking to lose belly fat should be looking to lose overall body fat. As this happens, belly fat also decreases.
The time it takes to lose body fat varies from person to person. The following factors may play a role:
– age
– sex
– size
– Weight
– physical activity
– eating habits
– any significant health condition.
Typically, a person needs to burn 3500 calories to lose 0.5g of fat. This means that someone who cuts 500 calories a day from their diet can lose around 0.5g per week or 2kg per month.
People who lose weight at a slow, steady rate of around 0.5g to 1kg per week tend to maintain their weight loss. In general, people who lose weight quickly lose lean body mass and water weight rather than body fat.
Here are some exercises that can help people burn fat, tone their stomach, and build muscle to get a flat stomach.
1 Board
The standard plank engages the following muscles:
trunk, a group of important muscles that connect the spine and pelvis.
upper abdominal muscles
lower abdominal muscles
The squat burns more calories than other abdominal exercises because it works the arms, legs, and back.
Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Lie on your stomach with your forearms parallel to the floor.
Step 2: Supporting your forearms and toes, push yourself up.
Step 3: Make sure the head, neck, back and legs stay in the right line.
Step 4: Hold the position as long as you want before returning to the starting position.
2 side table
The side bar works the following muscles:
the obliques, lateral muscles of the trunk
arm
the excesses
Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Lie on your left side with your torso lifted so that your left arm is directly under your left shoulder and your left palm is flat on the floor.
Step 2: Place the right foot on top of the left foot, so that the right foot is directly above the left foot.
Step 3: Lift the left hip off the floor, making sure that the torso, hips and legs are in a straight line.
Step 4: Squeeze the core and glutes to maintain balance.
Step 5: Hold the position before slowly lowering the left hip to the floor.
Step 6: Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.
A variation of this exercise is to do a round. When getting into position, the person raises their upper arm, then slowly rotates their torso while moving the upper arm under the body to lift. The goal is to do 8-10 reps on one side before switching to the other.
3 Raise your toes
This exercise stimulates the abdominal muscles.
Beginners can start with this exercise to develop their core strength. One can take the following steps:
Step 1: Lie on your back with your legs and feet elevated at a 90 degree angle.
Step 2: Lift your upper body while contracting your core to reach your toes.
Step 3: Hold for a count or two before slowly lowering your upper body while continuing to work your core.
You can start with 1-3 sets of 18-20 repetitions each.
4 Raise your legs
This exercise works the following muscles:
small back muscles
upper abdominal muscles
lower abdominal muscles
quadriceps
hamstring muscle
Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Lie on your back with your legs stretched forward.
Step 2: Working your core, slowly raise your straight legs to the ceiling.
Step 3: Continue to work the core, slowly lower the legs as far as possible without letting them rest on the floor.
Step 4: Continue to work the core, slowly raise the legs out to the ceiling.
Try to do 3 sets of 10 reps each.
5 Straight leg sit-up.
Sit-ups work the following muscles:
internal organs
small back muscles
the obliques
Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Lie on your back with your legs straight and slightly apart.
Step 2: Place both hands behind the head.
Step 3: Slowly raise your upper body while keeping your back straight, and come to a straight sitting position.
Step 4: Slowly lower your upper body while continuing to keep your back straight, until your whole body is flat.
You can do up to 3 sets, each set lasting 1 minute.
6 Stomach (crunches) on the bike
Bike crunches help tone the abdominal muscles and obliques.
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Lie flat on your back with your fingers interlaced behind your head. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor, and lift your knees so they are directly above your hips.
Step 2: As you exhale, twist your torso to bring your left elbow to your right knee, and straighten your left leg.
Step 3: Hold the position for 1 or 2 counts.
Step 4: While holding, return to the starting position.
Step 5: Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.
Try to do 3 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds after each set.
7 Transport
This yoga pose helps strengthen the core and spine muscles while improving balance.
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Sit with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor.
Step 2: Lift both legs and lean back, working your core. Keep the knees bent so that the shins are parallel to the floor.
Step 3: Straighten the legs at a 45 degree angle, so that the legs and upper body form a “V”.
Step 4: Extend your arms forward, so they are parallel to the floor.
Step 5: Try to balance on the sitting bones while holding for several breaths.
Step 6: Exhale as you release the legs and return to the starting position.
8 fruits
Burpees burn calories and build muscle mass.
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Slowly squat bringing the hands in front of the body.
Step 3: Lower hands to floor and bring legs back to plank position.
Step 4: Step the legs forward to return to the squat position.
Step 5: get up.
A beginner can start with two sets of burpees, each consisting of 10 to 15 repetitions. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds after each set.
Other tips for a flat stomach
To have a flat stomach, people must reduce their total fat mass. Here are some tips.
– Do regular exercise
A low level of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle are associated with weight gain. According to a 2020 study, getting more than 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week can counteract weight gain.
– Do resistance exercises
Weight training and other forms of resistance training are great ways to burn calories and build muscle. Additionally, weightlifting continues to burn fat after the workout. Health and fitness experts call this the “afterburn effect.” Resistance training reduces muscle loss associated with calorie restriction, while reducing fat mass.
– Take care of a healthy diet
Anyone looking to reduce their overall body fat should opt for healthy foods, such as those high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats. It is also important to reduce sugar consumption, because the body converts a lot of glucose into fat.
– Stay hydrated
Drinking water can promote feelings of fullness, which can help reduce overeating at mealtimes. It also prevents water retention and bloating, which can make the stomach appear more prominent. Dehydration can also pass for hunger, which can lead to cravings for sugary foods.
– Get enough sleep
Studies show that poor quality sleep can have the following negative health effects, among others:
- changes in hormone levels, including those that regulate food and hunger.
- changes in energy production
- increased risk of diabetes
Poor sleep quality makes people hungrier and more likely to eat.
– Reduce stress
Stress causes the body to release a hormone called cortisol. It can suppress appetite and slow down production. Chronic stress can lead to chronically high cortisol levels. This can lead to increased blood sugar and the risk of weight gain and obesity.
Finally
To lose belly fat, you must reduce your total body fat. Some exercises that can help with this include planks, bicycle sit-ups, and burpees. Other strategies to reduce belly fat include reducing calorie intake, drinking more water, and improving sleep hygiene.
Many factors can affect the amount of time you want to lose weight. Anyone who exercises regularly tends to see and feel changes within weeks to months. But each person is different. It can help to avoid comparing your progress to that of others.
