Cutting down fat around the waistline and getting a flat stomach is on the wish list of almost everyone who wants to get in shape and improve the overall fitness of the body.
Flat Stomach
However, from time to time, it is proven that the reduction of abdominal fat is a daunting task and requires unrivalled levels of commitment and tremendous discipline levels. Generally, one hits the local gym and starts working out with a personal trainer to get rid of the excess fat. This method works wonders but is not the only fat to get a flat stomach.
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One could achieve the same at their homes by following a couple of very important steps. Nevertheless, remember that getting a flat stomach is not an overnight task and one must follow the routine for at least a couple of months to observe visible results.
Follow these five steps to get a flat stomach in the comfort of your home.
#1 Follow a Healthy Diet
The most common method of burning fat is reducing the portion size. This may work to a certain extent but starving the body could turn out to be counterproductive in the long run and would lead to further complications.
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Several studies have shown that even while trying to lose weight, one must focus on the healthy diet so as not to deprive their body of essential nutrients. Ensure that you pepper your meals with loads of vegetables to get all the vital minerals and vitamins. Focus on having a diet that has fewer quantities of fat while minimising added sugars.
Whole-grains must replace packed food and juices must replace sweetened carbonated beverages. Also, keep yourself hydrated by drinking good amounts of water.
#2 Perform Plyometric Exercises and HIIT Workouts
Traditionally, one recommends aerobic exercises for reducing fat; however, several studies in the recent past have fortified that aerobic exercises burn less fat than plyometric exercises and high-intensity training programs.
In a plyometric exercise, one performs quick eccentric and concentric muscle movements, which are very beneficial for increasing the muscle strength and overall quickness of the body. The rapid movement seen in the plyometric training programs improve the calorie burn and thereby, help you achieve a flat stomach at a quicker pace.
Along with plyometric workouts, one should also perform HIIT workouts. In this type of training program, multiple quick movements are performed in a short duration to time to not only active the target muscle group but also tone a host of other stabilisation muscles both in the upper and the lower body. HIIT workouts consisting of abdominal exercises must be performed to not only reduce fat around the waistline but also to improve the overall conditioning of the body.
#3 Activate the Abdomen Muscles
Building the abdominal muscle is one of the most effective ways of reducing the fat around the waistline. Performing strength training to build muscles not only increases the calorie burn but also converts the extra fat present in the body to meet the energy requirements.
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However, one should not overdo the strength training without proper diet as it could have adverse effects on the body or could even lead to a serious injury. Beginners are advised to perform abdominal exercises under expert supervision. Additionally, perform proper warm-up exercises before beginning any workout program to flex the muscles and improve blood circulation to the target muscle group.
Some ideal abdominal exercises include crunches, planks and mountain climbers.
#4 Include Protein-Rich Foods
Yes, no matter how counterintuitive it sounds, a high-protein diet accelerates weight loss. Protein aids in the suppression of hunger by improving giving you a sense of fullness even after consuming only a small portion of the meal. This naturally leads to the reduction of the food consumption, thereby, minimising the daily calorie intake. Additionally, protein increases the metabolic rate of the body, which could, in turn, help the body in burning calories at a faster pace.
It is recommended to compliment a high-protein diet with strength training for maximum results.
Furthermore, including good amounts of protein in your diet could also improve the overall health of the body.
#5 Get Proper Sleep
Not having an adequate quantity of sleep has several ill-effects on the body, the most noticeable being putting on weight due to stress. Ideally, one should aim to sleep for at least eight hours every day. Moreover, several studies have stressed that getting proper sleep on a regular basis improves the overall health of the body.
Additionally, avoid having caffeine before going to bed as it could adversely affect the sleep quality.
However, one should keep in mind that the quality of sleep is a more important metric than the quantity of sleep. People who have a sound sleep for five hours are more likely to reap the benefits over people having a disturbed sleep for eight hours.
