Flat belly - how is it achieveable??

[bigheartkindsoul]

Ok I weigh right amount, am a UK size 12, don't overeat that often, don't over do the carbs,

 

I work out alot, do lots of ab exercises and lots of cardio incl running & swimming. Do toning things like stab ball, pilates, ballet etc

 

Anyway I have a slightly sticky out tummy and would like it flatter. My Mum is built the same tiny everywhere but there.

 

It gets worse the more the day goes on and sometimes is almost flat first thing in the morning.

 

Any clues?

[lost4ever]

Sounds like you still haven't achieved muscle in that area, if it is flat in the morning but not as the day goes on, do you do just standard sit-ups?

[JosieMcCoy]

I got the McCoy flat stomach!!!

 

As long as you are thin, who cares!!!

 

 

Cheers!

[bigheartkindsoul]

Sounds like you still haven't achieved muscle in that area, if it is flat in the morning but not as the day goes on, do you do just standard sit-ups?

 

do allsorts of tummy exercises, ones on stability ball, ones on machines at the gym, ones on the floor, pilates ones, just holding my core muscles in when in the car or when I remember.

 

think I just suffer as I always have from bloating once start eating, could always just not eat Lol

[Darkzen]

It's your genetics, the only way to change it is to go extreme and pass the limits of your genetic disposition. I.E. get an even lower body fat percentage. People store fat in certain areas depending on genetics... the apple shape, the pear shape, etc... In order to lose those stores you have to get rid of as much body fat as humanly possible. Then build your body to create illusions, using muscle to take attention off of the bad spots. Have a wide mid-section, then you try and build your shoulders to create the illusion of a smaller waist. There's lots of tricks like that.

 

Unless of course you're talking about having a lazy ab wall... your stomach sticks out when not actively flexing it. Not so much about having a little extra tummy. To fix that, you have to really work your abs for endurance to keep it in a natural state of flex.

[StartFresh]

Sounds like you still haven't achieved muscle in that area, if it is flat in the morning but not as the day goes on, do you do just standard sit-ups?

 

I doubt the fact that it being flat in the morning and not as the day goes on is due to lack of muscle but moreso the fact that you have fasted for ~8 hours while sleeping and your body is empty, then you eat/drink and thats why it sticks out slightly more.

 

They only thing you can do is lower your body fat percentage. Women store fat in their stomach, hips, and butt areas for the most part so thats going to be the last place to lose it. Follow a strict regiment and make sure you eat enough. Undereating will cause your body to simply go into starvation, lose muscle mass, and store fat. You'll need to eat around a 500 calorie defecit from your maintenance level (maintenance level is the amount of calories your body burns in a day, look it up online there are ways to calculate it).

 

Doing abs is good and all, but its just going to define the muscle thats under the fat. Work on cutting. Keep up on the abs to bring out some msucle definition, though, for when the fat percentage does go down. If you seek to tone your butt, I suggest weight training and things such as squats and deadlifts.

 

A common misconception is that weights get you big. That is incorrect, your diet gets you big. You wont gain muscle mass if you arent eating enough calories to add mass. Thus, if you are undercutting your maintenance level, you wont be adding mass, so you wont get big. The weight training will simply work as a way of defining your muscles. Protein shakes are good, they help augment your caloric intake for the day and are good for repairing muscles after weight training. No, protein doesnt make you fat/big, your diet does, again. Remember, calories in vs. calories out. A surplus of calories adds mass, a defecit of calories lowers mass. Just make sure you calculate your maintenance level, eat ~500 calories less from that. I suggest staying away from sugars, saturated fats, things with a lot of carbs at night, and sticking to clean foods like chicken, brown rice, light yogurts, nuts (high in good fats), etc.

 

I could go on forever. If you want more information I suppose you could PM me. I'd be happy to help.

 

-SF

[bigheartkindsoul]

Yes I am working on my abs and the core too, hoping it will make a difference.

 

I am 5ft 6 and at 10st5 do not want to lose anymore weight, but also am working on toning up more and gaining more muscle in general.

 

Do you think it is better to mix exercise around to do this or stick to doing the same over and over.

 

I tend to bounce between swimming 1 day to running the next also doing other gym exercises and weights, to new fencing classes I am starting, to using stability ball at home, to others as well.