8 Steps to a Flatter Belly

I think almost every female in the world has at some point or another wished they could have a flatter belly. Whether it’s because they feel bloated at that time of the month, they want to feel more comfortable in their skin, fit a certain outfit or even to look good naked.

There is something about the belly or abdominals that we as females (and even males!) have a bit of a fascination or hang up with. At Bootcamp when we give our Bootcampers the option to choose which exercises they want to do 9 times out of 10 there are abdominal exercises thrown into the mix.

I thought it would be a good idea to put together a post with 8 steps to a flatter belly. I’m not claiming that simply doing these steps will mean you will have washboard abs but undertaking each of these steps will definitely have you on your way to a flatter belly (and all around better health – which is even more important!).

// Chew your Food
But I always chew my food, you might be saying. In actual fact a lot of us inhale our food and barely give it a chance to get chewed properly When I say to chew your food I mean to REALLY chew your food, think about the taste and texture as you are eating it. You can even try counting the number of times you chew before you swallow. This helps to break down the food before it reaches your stomach meaning that your belly doesn’t have to work as hard, this will help to reduce that bloat.

// Reduce Sugar & Grains
I would have never believed that reducing sugar and grains would make a difference to having a flatter belly but it really does. Any time I have been eating more sugar and grains than usual I notice that my belly just isn’t quite the same, I feel more squishy than usual and generally just don’t feel as good. Additional fat often gets stored around our abdominals, especially for females as this helps to protect the reproductive organs. Reducing sugar and grains will both help with having a flatter belly.

// Weights, Weights, Weights
Any exercise is going to be good for having a flatter belly as we are burning calories. In my opinion the best way in the long run to have a flatter body is to build some muscle. This means picking up some weights, and I don’t mean those little 1kg pink weights. You don’t need to start powerlifting like I do, but you need to challenge your body. Challenging your body is what makes it change, having more muscle on your body means you burn more fat while at rest, all this helps to contribute to a flatter belly.

// Moderation 
It’s pretty basic advice, but enjoying everything in moderation is definitely a key to obtaining a flatter belly. This goes for everything, don’t limit yourself to just one or two items of food and don’t go overboard with food (or drink). It’s very common, especially in New Zealand to eat well during the week and then gorge yourself on the weekend. A pizza and a wine every now and again isn’t an issue, it’s the definition of every now and again. Every second night, clearly isn’t going to help your belly.

// Increase Good Bacteria
I’m sure you’ve all seen that we need good bacteria in our stomach to assist with digestion. If we don’t have these good bacteria then digestion slows down and it definitely shows in our belly. Increase the foods you are eating with good bacteria (yoghurt and fermented goods are a good place to start) and give Healtheries Probiotica P3 a try. Healtheries Probiotica P3 provides three scientifically researched strains of non-dairy good bacteria that survive at room temperature, so they don’t need refrigeration. The Healtheries Probiotica P3 not only supports your gut health it also helps to support your immune system and we all want that, especially as we head towards winter!

// Reduce Sodium
I don’t think it’s a secret that salt (or sodium) often makes you feel bloated. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any issue with salt and I occasionally put it on my meals, however there are so many foods these days which have a ridiculous amount of added salt and this isn’t doing your belly any favours at all. Take a look at the back of the packages of the food you eat and look at the sodium content – often it’s up over 500mg per serve and the recommended daily intake of sodium is 920-2300mg per day (total, not per meal!).

// Relax
We are very busy in this day and age and available 24/7 which as it’s upsides but also it’s downsides. We are far too busy and constantly thinking and stressing about the things that are going on (or going to happen) in our lives. Stress increases the production of a hormone called cortisol in the body. Too much cortisol in the body puts us into a ‘fight or flight’ mode (whether you realise it or not), and this encourages the body to store fat (often around the belly!) as the body believes we are in danger. Take the time out to do something relaxing each and every day and reduce stress as much as possible.

// Catch your Zzzz’s
Similar to the ‘relax’ tip above. When we don’t get enough sleep our body is put under stress, once again we may not realise that we are putting our bodies under stress. The professional advice for sleep has always been around 7-9 hours per night for a GOOD reason! Our bodies need it! IF our bodies don’t get the nutrients, relaxation and sleep that we need, it starts to think we are in danger and stores body fat!

Which of the above tips do you most need to focus on?? – Comment below and let me know, I love hearing from you!

This post was made possible thanks to Healtheries, as usual all opinions and content are my own. To find out more information about Healtheries Products pop on over to their website www.healtheries.co.nz 

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