9 Tips To Get A Flat Belly

Why bother sucking it in? Especially when there are better, and more effective ways to shrink that tummy
down. Here are just some of our surprising expert tips to help you shed inches and pounds,banish the bloat, and feel even more gorgeous.

Hello, skinny jeans and summer
shorts! Enjoy An Afternoon
Snack “You must eat a snack
that contains protein
between 3 p.m. and 4
p.m. Go for a protein
bar, a piece of low-fat
cheese, or some almonds with an organic apple. No matter what, do not miss that snack. It’s important because it boosts metabolism and
balances blood sugar. The lower you keep your blood sugar, the lower you keep your insulin, and insulin makes you store fat around your middle. Eating every three to four hours will keep your blood sugar even,but many people tend to go five or six hours between lunch and dinner without eating.” Ball Exchange “My No. 1 tip: Do the ball
exchange three times a
week. Lay flat on your
back with your arms
above your head and
legs straight out. Start with a stability ball above your head in
your hands. Bring the
ball up above your chest
as you bring your legs up to meet the ball and place it between your
ankles. Bring the ball back down to the floor with your legs and straighten your arms back out over your head. Repeat the ball exchange 10 to 12 times remembering to keep your lower back pressed into the floor as
you do this move.” Take Time To Chew “Chewing is the No. 1 tip
I give to prevent
bloating. Chew food
until it is like applesauce
in your mouth.
Digestion begins in the mouth, and without
proper chewing, food is
not well-digested.
Better-digested food
means less gas and
bloating.” Focus More On Belly
Balance “I recommend the DCBA
approach: Diet first,
Cardio second, Building
muscle third, and Abs
exercises last. Follow it
and you can safely lose one to two pounds a
week. Spend 60 minutes
a day preparing
healthier meals. Spend
20 minutes a day three
to five times weekly doing cardio. Spend 15
minutes a day three
times a week strength
training. Finally, spend 5
minutes a day three
times a week doing abs exercises.” Switch To Sea Salt “The culprit making
your tummy bloat? It
could be the salt in your
diet. Use natural sea salt
or kosher salt, which is
lower in sodium teaspoon for teaspoon
than traditional table
salts. And stay away
from soy sauce: Even
low-sodium soy sauce is
still high in sodium and will cause practically
instant bloating. Instead, flavor your
food with a little fresh
tomato salsa or a hint of
cayenne pepper, which
has an added benefit of
boosting metabolism.” Box It Out “Add boxing to your
cardio routine. When
you throw punches
with weights or at a
fast pace, you’re
working your core in a way that helps to
flatten your midsection.
You must engage your
core to throw punches,
and twisting your torso
works all the ab muscles. Boxing also gives you a
cardio workout that
burns extra calories.
Add 16 minutes of
boxing three times a
week to your regular cardio routine (30
minutes at high
intensity four to five
times a week), and you
can lose up to 2 inches
from your waist in four weeks. Simply throw
punches while holding
1- or 2-pound weights
for 8 minutes,
alternating arms, then
repeat without weights at a faster pace for 8
more minutes.” Enhance Your Other
Body Parts “Play up a different
body part to draw
attention from your
middle. If it’s your legs, wear
skirts or slim pants.
Shoulders—bare them
even if just a bit with a
boatneck or sweetheart
neckline. Cleavage? Make sure your bra does
its job. If your bra rides
up in the back, the bra
has likely stretched out.
If it accentuates back
flab or if the space between the cups
doesn’t lie flat, go up a
size.” Stop Overeating “Eating portion-
controlled meals that
include whole-grain
foods and
monounsaturated fats
(MUFAs) throughout the day is the best way to
eat for a flat belly:
People who eat whole
grains lose more
abdominal fat. And
making most of the fats you eat MUFAs reduces
ab flab, research says.” Get Familiar With The
Best Belly Foods Best breakfast: A slice
of whole-wheat bread
with natural peanut
butter and 1 cup of your
favorite berries. Best lunch: Spinach salad
with sliced avocado,
grilled firm tofu, and
cherry tomatoes,
drizzled with a little
olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Best dinner: Grilled
salmon, a roasted sweet
potato, and sautéed
asparagus with olive oil
and garlic. Best snack: A cup of fat-
free yogurt with 2
tablespoons sunflower
seeds. Laugh. And Laugh
Some More. “The best thing for your
abs is laughing. Every
time you laugh it
strengthens your abs.
There are even laughing
yoga classes (Go to Laughter Yoga to find a
class near you). If you
start busting a gust, you
are absolutely toning
your abs.”