10 Tried and tested ways to achieve a flatter belly

Slim It: 10 Tried and tested ways to achieve a flatter belly

Angela Goh

26 Aug 2016

1/10
Chew! Chew! Chew!
It sounds crazy, but simply chewing your food better is a surprisingly effective way towards a flatter stomach. Digestion of food begins in the mouth, and when you don't chew your food properly, your body has trouble digesting it. This can result in more gas produced, giving your stomach a rounded and bloated appearance. By chewing your food more, your body does less work, leaving you with a happier and flatter tummy.
2/10
Eat vinegar
Studies have found that those who consume at least a tablespoon of vinegar each day showed notable reductions in their level of visceral fat. The theory goes that the acetic acid in the vinegar helps to metabolise carbohydrates and fats in your body, breaking them down and burning up belly fat.
3/10
Eat protein
We all know the general formula to weight loss is to cut down on carbs and up the exercise. However, most of us tend to shy away from consuming too much protein for fear of becoming too muscular. However, studies have shown that those who maintain a diet with higher levels of protein find it easier to keep the belly fat at a minimum. As you age, your body becomes insensitive to insulin, causing more insulin to be produced, resulting in stubborn fats. Upping the protein intake can help your body manage its insulin levels and lower your stores of visceral fat.
4/10
Avoid sugar
It probably goes without saying, but stay away from sugar! Not only will this keep your Insulin levels as low as possible, it will keep your Glucagon levels high. And when it comes to the tummy struggle, Glucagon is your best friend! Released in response to low blood sugar, one of its jobs is to break down stored fat for your cells to use as energy. Just hope that it targets your belly, and remember, less sugar = higher Glucagon.
5/10
Fight it out
When it comes to belly busting exercises, adding some boxing to your cardio routine is a killer way to kickstart a flatter tummy. To throw punches, you engage your core in a unique way, hitting muscles you wouldn't normally hit. Combine this with a twisting motion, and you work all of your ab muscles. Try adding 15 minutes of boxing to your cardio workout at least 3 times a week. Simply throwing alternating punches while holding weights can help you lose up to 2 inches in a month.
6/10
Go with the grain
Research has shown that those who eat portion-controlled diets packed with whole grain foods and monounsaturated fats have better luck losing and maintaining stubborn belly fat. Try replacing that breakfast bagel with a wholesome slice of whole wheat toast topped with unsweetened peanut butter, and you'll be seeing results in no time!
7/10
Cheat
When it comes down to it, losing that belly is much easier said than done. While you're putting in all that effort and not seeing the results you want just yet, try sneakily speeding up the process by mixing up your wardrobe. By playing up a different part of your body, like your legs, shoulders, or cleavage, you can draw attention away from your middle.
8/10
Drink tea
There’s a reason so many weight loss products proudly display green tea as their fat-busting super ingredient. Catechin, a type of antioxidant found in certain kinds of tea, fruit, chocolate, and wine, has been discovered to help increase the amount of energy your body uses, resulting in reductions of excess body fat. While nibbling on chocolate and sipping on wine sounds like a great way to diet, unfortunately the effects have only been noted with the catechins present in green tea. Aim for three to four cups of green tea a day and you should see results in no time!
9/10
Chill out!
A lot of people don’t realise it, but one of the top offenders for unwanted belly fat is stress! When we’re stressed, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol, which can lead to weight gain by messing with your blood sugar levels and strengthening your visceral fat cells. The good news is that keeping down your cortisol levels is easier than keeping up an exercise regime or cutting out the cake. Simply taking long, deep breaths for about five minutes is enough to relax your body and slow the production of cortisol.
10/10
Sleep
Studies have shown that there’s a correlation between visceral fat and sleep. Those who get by on only five hours or less of sleep each night tend to have higher levels of belly fat, whereas those who hit the ideal 8 hours better manage their weight. By keeping longer and more regular sleeping hours, you keep your internal clock happy, which lowers the level of fat-storing hormones like cortisol.

Need some help getting rid of the flab?

Belly fat can stay, even if you’ve been doing some intense physical cardio workouts and eating as healthy as possible. You may find other parts of your body look perfectly lean and toned, but that stubborn fat where your stomach is just refuses to budge. Well, if you’ve been trying diet upon diet and none of them are working for you, you might just be doing some very simple things wrong.

Head up to the gallery to see if any of our foolproof tips might make a difference for you.

Angela Goh

Photos: Getty Images

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