If you’re anything like me you spend hours looking for cloths that hide your pot belly.  While some people are blessed with natural washboard stomachs most of us have to work for it.  In order to achieve the flat stomach you desire, you need to increase your metabolism, eat properly and work the right muscles.

Metabolism is the process by which the body turns the food we eat into energy.  Your metabolic rate is the amount of calories your body burns over a period of time.  When you increase your metabolic rate then you burn more calories.  The best way to increase your metabolic rate is aerobic exercise.  When people think of aerobic exercise they think of the typical “20 Minute Workout” routine, but aerobic exercise doesn’t have to be boring; it can include any activity that increases the heart rate.  Try taking up an activity you enjoy like dancing, swimming or bike riding.

Eating a balanced diet is critical to attaining that killer flat stomach, but it’s also very crucial not to over eat.  When the body consumes more calories then it needs it sends the remainder to fat storage; one of these areas is that layer of fat covering your stomach muscles.  You can have the tightest stomach muscles in the world but if it’s covered by fat know one’s going to see it.  Not only is it important to control what you eat and how much but it’s also important that you control when you eat.  Eating small meals six to eight times a day is an excellent way to boost your metabolism; caution should be taken since the tendency to over eat is great.  Don’t drink a lot of carbonated beverages or eat foods that are high in salt as they can cause your stomach to bloat.

There are basically three types of muscles in the stomach area; they include the rectus abdominals (the outer muscle), the obliques (side muscles), and the transverse abdominals (innermost layer of muscle).   Focusing too much on one area of the stomach and ignoring the rest is not an effective way to a getting a flat stomach.  For example, many people work their stomach muscles by doing “crunches”, this exercise only works outer muscles (rectus abdominals) and doesn’t really help to flatten your stomach.  In order to achieve that killer flat stomach you need to exercise all of your stomach muscles, but it’s most important to concentrate your efforts on the transverse abdominal muscles since these are the muscles responsible for pulling the stomach in.  Be sure to exercise at least thirty minutes a day, but make sure you rest for a couple of days off every week to rest as this will give any strained muscles a chance to heal.

Gaining the flat stomach you have always dreamed of is not an easy task.  It requires consistency, patience and it won’t happen over night.  It often requires a complete lifestyle change by making healthier food choices and exercising on a regular basis.  It’s very important to check with your doctor before starting any new exercising program.