Flat Belly

You need to identify it, engage it and have all movements extend from it.

It's also key to go beyond basic crunches. They're one-dimensional, hitting only the rectus abdominis or six-pack. My quickie series targets the midsection from multiple angles, part of the reason why my clients over 40, like J. Lo, still have sculpted abs. Pair with 30 to 60 minutes of cardio and aim to do it six times a week. Start in plank; tuck right knee into chest. Rotate waist so that outer side of right hip and thigh are facing ground. Lower body until you are sitting on right hip A. Lift body back up to plank, then raise and extend right leg B. Do 30 to 40 reps; repeat on other side.

Lie faceup with legs together and extended straight out. Rotate hips slightly to left so that legs are on a left diagonal.

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Place left hand lightly on back of head and extend right arm straight out to side, palm facedown A. Crunch up and lift legs, keeping legs on the diagonal B. Slowly lower back to floor. Make sure abs are engaged from the start. Lie faceup with legs extended in a wide split, toes pointing up and hands resting lightly on back of head A. Rotate right leg out, dropping toe to face outward, and raise leg B. Using inner thigh, lower leg and return to start. Place right hand lightly on back of head and extend left arm straight back overhead, holding a 3-pound weight A.

Bring legs up to 90 degrees; crunch upper and lower body while lifting left arm up and then lowering it forward until it's in line with torso B. Keep neck neutral so you don't strain it. Am I overfull after just a few bites of certain foods? Does my stomach make sounds or feel swollen following specific meals?

7-Day Flat-Belly Meal Plan

Your body can retain water when your sodium and potassium levels are out of whack, Bannan says. In addition to keeping sodium in check, consume potassium-rich foods to maintain the balance and de-puff your belly. Live active cultures in yogurt and probiotic drinks can help rebalance your levels, so aim for one serving a day. Peterson has his clients work up to holding a plank for 1 minute. Then they progress to performing vacuums during the exercise: Hold for 3 counts, then release for 3 counts.

Repeat until the end of your plank. The fat in fried foods is digested more slowly, which can cause you to feel heavy and puffy, Henderiks says. And who really wants to chow down on greasy mozzarella sticks while wearing a teeny bikini?

Get a Flat Belly in 4 Weeks - Health

Peterson recommends adding sprints of 10, 20, and 30 seconds and recovering for two to three times that long. Monounsaturated fats—such as those in olives, nuts, and avocados—appear to increase fat oxidation, especially dreaded belly pudge. Plus they can help you stick to your diet, as fat is filling and adds flavor to your meals, Bannan says. All fats are high in calories, though, so stick to two or three servings a day and watch those portion sizes!

To do it, lie face-up with legs straight, ankles, knees, and thighs together. Flex feet and extend arms overhead. Inhale to prepare as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor. On your exhale, continue to roll up by drawing in abdominals, reaching arms up and over toward feet. On your exhale, roll down through each vertebra in a controlled movement, keeping heels pressed evenly into the floor the entire way up and down.

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Do 15 reps as controlled and precise as you can, as many days a week as possible. Your coworkers who sit on Swiss balls may look a little odd, but this trick makes you engage your abs, Holland says. Try lifting one or both legs every half hour or so, which will work your core stabilizer muscles even more as you try to balance. Include the bicycle in your abdominals workout, Peterson suggests. A study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise ACE found this exercise to be the most effective move for strengthening the rectus abdominus, the long, flat muscle extending the length of the front of the abdomen.

Do 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps three times a week. Carbohydrates take water to metabolize, and too much fluid can make you feel bloated, Henderiks says.

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Opt for complex, starchy, and fiber-filled ones such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, legumes, oats, leafy greens, and asparagus, which are more slowly digested, and try to limit your daily tally to about grams. Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol are used as sweeteners in diet products—and they produce gas in the intestines, Henderiks says, which can make you balloon.

Peterson is a fan of Chaturanga Dandasana—a. From plank, bend your elbows and begin lowering toward the floor, with every part of your body an equal distance from the floor. Keep your elbows close to your body, abs engaged not clenched , back straight, thigh muscles active, and glutes soft. Start by holding the pose above the floor for 5 full, complete breaths, and work up to Push back up to plank in 4 counts. Do 4 reps every other day. Do it in the shower, at work, wherever! Having a good LOL causes your abs to contract, Peterson half-kids.

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Your body needs some sodium to function, but too much can lead to fluid retention in the gut, Henderiks says. Put down the shaker and forgo processed and prepared foods as much as possible in favor of homemade meals so you can control the salt. Experts recommend maxing out at 2, milligrams of sodium a day, but this is one time when less is better.

In addition to breaking those bad habits, taking smaller bites can also help you keep the air out, says Marjorie Nolan Cohn, R. We polled trainers to round up the 20 best abs exercises of all time —now get to the gym and work it, girl! Join Now Log In.