Archive for the ‘Flat Stomach’ Category
Yesterday, I mentioned we would talk about good form when it comes to the basic abdominal crunch for a flat stomach. As promised, here are a couple of things to remember.
The one and most important thing: Keep the low back into the mat!!! We all have a tendency to arch the back. As soon as that arch takes place you release the abdominals. Think of it this way, when you are laying on your back and you crunch up, concentrate on bringing the ribs to meet the hips. The low back automatically sinks into the mat. Plus you get a little more bang, by tilting the hips up, you are working the full range of the abs.
A second thing to remember: Don’t pull on your head! With our hands behind our head there is a tendency to pull the head up to ease the crunch. This is incredibly bad for the cervical spine. Instead, gently/lightly place your finger tips by your ears and lift.
Another thing to concentrate on is: Keep a fist distance between the chin and chest! Place one of your fists under your chin to get a feel for where that distance is. Or get an
orange, place it under your chin and do a crunch that way.
Finally, I see some folks who want to make the abdominal crunch harder, by lengthening the levers. They have both arms extended over head, which is fine except, they use their arms as momentum to help lift the upper body off the floor. This is called Angular Momentum. You are transferring the real work your abs should be doing, to the swinging the arms. Instead, control the upper body from your abs as you lift with arms extended.
Always remember, GOOD FORM IS EVERYTHING for all exercises, even for a flat stomach!
There are certain foods you can eat that will promote a weight loss diet and help to flatten your stomach. First of all, there is no magic pill for weight loss and it is a matter of calories in have to be less than calories out! With that said, there are foods in a weight loss diet that can help you reduce your caloric intake and also blast some belly fat. Here are a few of those foods:
- Salmon- is full of wonderful Omega 3 fatty acids, and protein. It helps stabilize your blood sugar levels to prohibit excess production of insulin. The controlled bloosd sugar level helps control belly fat. The protein builds muscle that you may lose during a weight loss diet.
- Apples- are a high fiber food. Each apple could contain 4-5 grams of fiber. The antioxidants help control excess production of insulin. With the stabilization of insulin production, apples can help your weight loss diet and reduce excess belly fat.
- Lentils- are another stomach flattening food. Lentils have a high amount of protein, which takes longer to digest making you feel fuller longer. There is a ton of water soluble fiber which also stabilizes blood sugar levels and offsets insulin production helping to reduce belly fat.
- Yogurt- helps to keep you feeling fuller longer with the combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat. It helps to keep sugar levels consistent. Studies show that 61% of people on a weight loss diet who did not include yogurt did not lose as much weight compared to 81% of people who did include yogurt in their weight loss diet.
- Parmesan Cheese- is full of flavor and is also a lower fat cheese. People sprinkle parmesan on their food are less likely to gain weight overtime.
- Chiles- ooooo-eeeee… HOT!!! Inreases your metabolism and helps you burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat due to the thermogenic effect. Also when you eat spicy food you tend to eat it more slowly, giving your brain time to let you know when you are full.
There are other foods that are good in a weight loss diet including, but not limited to: blueberries, steak, avacado, sardines, eggs, spinach, oats, almonds, pomegranates, wheat pasta and olive oil. These foods either have a high amount of protein to help maintain muscle during weight loss or are full of fiber and antioxidants.
Did you also notice a common theme from the foods listed above? The more stabilized your glycemic index is at controlling your insulin production, the flatter the stomach becomes. Your weight loss diet is smart eating! Include the major ingredients in your diet like, protein, carbs, dairy, fiber and fat. Stay away from refined sugars and processed food and you’ll be losing weight and belly fat at the same time!