How to Flatten Your Tummy

BELLY FAT REDUCTION

Too often many people try to flatten their bellies the wrong way and they see minimal belly fat reduction. The two biggest reasons for this is #1, people do not reduce the fat intake they eat and #2 they do one exercise, often an abdominal crunch, over and over again. This is not an efficient way to tone or flatten your belly. Below is the breakdown on the two biggest reasons people cannot attain belly fat reduction.

First, abdominal crunches work only for one area of your abdomen, the part along the front of your belly button. Unfortunately this is the area that is already the most strongest area of the abdomen. So crunches already are making a strong part of the abdomen, even stronger and ignoring important weak spots that are the true source of your problem and doing only crunches will have minimal impact to belly fat reduction. To create a slender waist line and flat belly, you must strengthen your entire abdomen. That means doing exercises that address the following areas:

THE UPPER RECTUS ABDOMINUS

This large muscle forms the much sought after “six pack” long the front of your abdomen. Though it looks like it is made up of 6 small muscles, it’s only one large muscle broken up with striations of connective tissue. The rectus abdominus (upper and lower) starts at your sternum in your chest and runs all the way down to your pubic bone. The upper portion of this muscle ends at your navel. This is usually the strongest muscle in the abdomen.

THE LOWER RECTUS ABDOMINUS

Even though your rectus abdominus is actually one sheet muscle, not two. You must do two different exercises to address them. Your lower area is in the front of your belly below the navel. This area is often particularly weak in women after childbirth.

THE OBLIQUES

Your obliques are located along sides of your abdomen. They start at the top of your hipbones and end at your rib cage. They help you to twist or bend your body from side to side. Strengthening them help to shrink love handles and slim your waist. Strong obliques are the key to reducing your waist line.

THE TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS

This corset like muscle wraps around your pelvis, just below your rib cage. It’s the muscle you use when you suck in your gut or cough or sneeze. It’s also the most neglected abdominal muscle, primarily because few traditional exercises works this area. Your transverse abdominus is very important because it helps to hold your internal organs in place. It also helps support your lower back and stabilize your torso during certain movements, such as heavy lifting. A strong transverse abdominus gives you balance and coordination in all of your daily movements.

REDUCE FAT INTAKE TO REDUCE BELLY FAT

Now that you understand the anatomy of the belly and the important muscles that need to be exercised. The next important step to creating a flat belly  is to reduce the fat intake and eat nutritionally. You need to maximize the foods that will support lean muscle tissue development and minimize the foods that support the growth of fat cells.

FLAT TUMMY TIP : Follow one simple rule, Fill half your plate with vegetables and other half with equal portions of carbohydrates and protein foods, along with a teaspoon of fat. Always remember, you will not maximize belly fat reduction if you don’t reduce the fat you eat. You can do all the exercises and your muscle will tone, but it will tone under your belly fat.

• VEGETABLES- and or salad or fruit
• PROTEINS- lean chicken, egg whites, fish, 1% milk, lean beaf, beans
• CARBS- whole grains, cereal, potatoes,rice, bread, pasta
• FATS- 1 tsp flaxseed oil, olive oil or butter

Eating the right foods in the right portions will help you fuel muscle growth and will help you burn belly fat in a few other ways. For example, it will provide the right balance of carbohydrates to proteins to fats. That will help to normalize blood sugar and insulin levels. High insulin levels have been shown to increase hunger and as well as to promote the storage of belly fat.

MINIMIZE THESE FATS FOR BELLY FAT REDUCTION

These fats should be minimized when trying to flatten your belly

• Processed foods containing “partially hydrogenated fats”.
• Margarine
• Shortening
• Fried foods
• Fatty cuts of beef and pork
• Chicken and turkey skins
• Butter
• Egg yolks
• 
  

BELLY FRIENDLY FATS

Eat more of these fats to help flatten your belly

• Avocados
• Flax seed oil or ground flax seed
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Nuts, especially almonds
• Fatty cold water fish like salmon
• Almond butter
• Canola oil

SOURCE: http://flattummyworkouts.com/belly-fat-reduction/