Say hello to flatter, tighter abs with these moves.
By RealAge
Get the rockin' body you've dreamed of by using these tricks to swap your jelly belly for some lean, mean stomach muscles. Getting rid of excess fat with a healthy weight loss plan won't just give you a boost of self-esteem -- it will do your body good, too.
1. Start by Setting Your Goals
To get off to a successful start, bet on yourself so you're more likely to hit your weight loss goals. That means holding yourself accountable and rewarding yourself when you meet your goals, whether they're weekly or monthly. Just be sure to set realistic, specific goals. Instead of vague statements like "Eat better," try "Eat three servings of vegetables every day this week." Also, be patient with yourself. Remember that changing behavior takes time. If you fall off track one day, just get right back on the next day.
2. Use a Pedometer
Want a sexier tummy, better blood pressure, and the energy you had 10 years ago? Get yourself a pedometer and start walking. This little gadget measures how many steps you take, and it will help you take enough steps each day -- 10,000 -- to qualify you as an "active" person. Plus, it might inspire you to go an extra 2,000 steps by thinking, "If I walk to Joe's office instead of e-mailing him, that's 50 steps . . . If I park at the end of the lot, that's 150 more steps, both to and from." Give it a shot!
3. Stick to Good Carbs
So what are good carbs? The ones with a low glycemic index (GI) -- a measure of how quickly foods break down and send blood sugar up. The slower, the better. Bad high-GI carbs create blood sugar spikes that are followed by sharp plunges -- which make you hungry again. Over time, that roller coaster increases your risk of belly blubber, heart disease, and diabetes. Good carbs include most fruits and vegetables; 100% whole-grain anything -- cereals, breads, crackers, whole-wheat pasta and couscous, brown and wild rice; and beans, lentils, and other legumes.
4. Clean Out Your Fridge
For a real happy meal that's kind to your waist, keep saturated fat low and trans fat close to zero. If your refrigerator is stocked with pepperoni pizza, cookie dough, and full-fat cheeses, it's likely you're getting too much saturated fat and not enough fruits and vegetables. Saturated and trans fats boost bodywide inflammation and gunk-up your arteries. Track down and toss foods saturated with fat. You'll start losing your belly fat and power-washing your arteries, too.
5. Lift Your Own Weight
Push-ups, crunches, and stair climbing use your body weight to build more calorie-burning muscle. Leg lifts are especially good for tightening your transverse abdominal muscles, the ones that keep that pooch contained. (Watch this to learn some ab-flattening moves.) During crunches, keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, and don't tug on your head and neck as you curl up. For sit-ups, leave your feet free; pinning them under an object or having someone hold them delegates the work to your hip flexors, so your abs stay lazy.
6. Take Time to Relax
The bigger your waist, the higher your stress. That can spell big trouble when it comes to belly management. Take 5-minute breaks several times a day to meditate, do yoga (try this yoga starter), or practice deep breathing. All help prevent your body from releasing cortisol, the stress hormone that directs fat to your waist. Releasing tension will also ease stress eating. Ahhhh.
7. Eat Well
If you want to banish belly fat, you've gotta eat. Yep, that's right. Don't starve yourself. Eat. Research shows that dieting too intensely or tracking every morsel too closely creates perfect conditions for adding belly fat, not subtracting it. While it's good to think about what you're putting into your mouth, don't obsess about it. Watch portion sizes, choose healthy foods, be aware of how many times you visit the snack cupboard, but don't make things too difficult.
8. Track Your Progress
Instead of watching the scale -- a habit that has sent many successful losers plummeting to diet disaster -- keep tabs on your waistline by measuring it weekly. It's true that your waist is more important than your weight. How to measure: If your waist measurement at your belly button, with you sucking in, is more than half your height, your fat levels are risky. If your waist is bigger than 37 inches (women) or 40 inches (men), there's no time like the present to whittle your middle. Use this tracking tool to watch your waistline shrink.
9. Reward Yourself
This is the best part. When you meet your weekly or monthly goals, promise to treat yourself to something that will push you to keep on going, like new workout gear or a session with a personal trainer. For instant gratification, pull out those jeans you wore 3 months ago. Are they looser around the waist? Keep celebrating your successes. Brag about them on Facebook. You're sure to meet your end goal and say goodbye to belly fat for good.
Simple Secrets To Flattening Your Belly
For extra credit and to really tighten up your middle, add this "Steady on the Plank" move:
1. Lie face down on a carpet or mat, arms folded close to your body, hands by your ears.
2. Push up your body about 6 inches so only your toes and forearms touch the ground; your body rests like a plank between them.
3. Keep your stomach pulled in, your butt tight, and your body straight, with your eyes looking at the floor. (Ignore those dust bunnies!)
4. Hold as long as you can. (More than 1 minute? We're impressed.)
Try it the next time your favorite show breaks for a commercial. It will do more for your belly than the snack you were going to get.
Excerpts from http://www.realage.com/health-action-plans/steps-to-a-flatter-belly?src=edit&chan=footer&con=related#fbIndex1 and http://www.realage.com/fitness/moves-that-flatten-your-belly-and-more
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