Essential oils and probiotics: Your allies for a flat stomach

MOVE TO BURN CALORIES

Fast walking, running and swimming are activities that exercise many muscles at the same time, in particular the abdominal muscles: all are good to remove your small round stomach! Have a good rhythm: half an hour a day, every day, and, if possible, vary the activities.

MASSAGE WITH ESSENTIAL OILs

Lemon, basil and peppermint essential oils have beneficial effects: draining effect for lemon and tensor for peppermint and basil. Diluted in some moisturizing sweet almond oil or, better, in some green tea oil rich in caffeine and in polyphenols, these essential oils are perfectly tailored to help you get a flat stomach. Use them daily to massage your stomach for 2 to 3 minutes to tone up your body in a completely natural way.

Home-made recipe:

Mix 3 drops of peppermint essential oil, 3 drops of basil essential oil and 3 of lemon oil in a tablespoon of green tea oil (15 ml). Avoid exposing yourself to the sun after your massage as there is the risk of developing small brown marks.

TARGET YOUR EXERCISES

Flat stomach = ab exercises! And the good news: if you perform exercises regularly even by small sets the results will be visible quickly. Also think of combining abdominal muscle exercises and core muscle strengthening exercises to refine your silhouette and firm up your abdominal belt.

Fast session to be practised in the morning and evening:

20 crunches. Starting position: lie on your back, with the lumbar vertebrae stuck on the ground, with your hands at ear level, bent knees and feet on the ground. Roll the chest forwards by contracting the abdominal muscles and by keeping the lower back stuck on the ground. Return to the starting position smoothly, by keeping the muscles of the stomach contracted.

20 obliques (10 right, 10 left). Lie on the back, with your hands at ear level, with your right leg folded up and the left foot propped up on the right knee. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor and then curl your upper body diagonally across your body. Come to place your right elbow on the left knee and return slowly to the initial position.

30 seconds of core muscle strengthening. Begin by lying on your stomach. Lean on your forearm as well as on your tiptoes to lift your body. Keep your back straight parallel to the ground during all the exercise and breathe deeply.

20 crunches. Another last effort!

CONSUME PROBIOTICS

To help intestinal transit and avoid any embarrassment or swelling of the stomach, numerous studies recommend the daily consumption of yoghurts rich in probiotics (Actimel®, Activia ® for example).

TAKE YOUR TIME

It is the key to a flat stomach! During meals, take the time to chew food, calmly. These small changes will help avoid the uncomfortable and awkward bloating sensations. The stomach swells, clothes tighten, we release a notch of the belt and we have a stomach ache.

Maïa Baudelaire