8 Simple Ways to Flatten Your Belly

Flat Ab Tips

Provided by Prevention
Flatten Your Belly

So you want to trim your middle. Time to hit the floor for a zillion crunches, right? Not so fast: Power crunching alone isn't necessarily the best -- and certainly not the most enjoyable -- way to flatten your belly. Leading weight loss and fitness experts suggest adding some simple lifestyle changes to provide you with a complete belly-flattening program.

So if you're sick of crunches -- or not getting the results you want -- read on for surprising ways to get a belly worth baring this summer.

Calm Down

Too much stress can contribute to a potbelly. Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that seems to direct fat to our middle, says Jacob Seidell, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Public Health in Bilthoven, Netherlands. To keep levels low, try this 5- to 10-minute stress reducer: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Next, take several slow, deep breaths to help clear your mind. Continue breathing deeply and repeat the word "one" to yourself as you exhale. (If you get distracted, just bring your focus back to the word "one.") Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day.

Skip the Alcohol

That glass of wine with dinner may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol also tends to raise cortisol levels, sending fat to your belly, Dr. Seidell says.

Stop Smoking

"It keeps me thin," proclaim many smokers. But the truth is that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, says Dr. Seidell. (The stress hormone cortisol seems to be the culprit here too.) "When people stop smoking, the amount of abdominal fat actually decreases," he says.

Eat More Fiber

Not only is fiber great for overall weight loss (it fills you up so you don't eat as much), it also prevents constipation, which can cause your tummy to bulge, says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. To stay regular, aim for 25 to 35 g of fiber a day by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; or try a fiber supplement such as Metamucil.

Drink Up

For premenstrual bloating, drink lots and lots of water. This will actually help flush away bloating, not make it worse.

Tuck That Tummy

Jeanette Friedman, of Austin, Texas, suggests imagining there's a "magnet pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Practice the tuck until it becomes comfortable, and soon it will come naturally -- like breathing," she says. "Do it every chance you get. That's how habits start."

Stand Up Straight

Heeding Mom's advice can make you look 5 pounds thinner (and your abs flatter) instantly. To straighten up, imagine a string tugging you from the top of your head toward the ceiling.

Sit Like a Royal

Slumping accentuates your stomach. To improve your posture while sitting, start with your chair. If your chair seat is too high to let your feet touch the ground without slumping, find a footstool about 4 inches high to let you sit up straight. Or place a pillow at the small of your back to help bring you forward in your chair.