Roll (Up) With It
A classic Pilates move, the roll up is 38 percent more effective
at targeting the rectus abdominis (the “six-pack”) and 245 percent more effective
at targeting the obliques than a basic crunch, according to an Auburn
University study. 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. Keep
abdominals contracted, with spine rounded in a “C” curve. Pause and inhale. 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. Do 15 reps as
controlled and precise as you can, as many days a week as possible.
Get on the Ball
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.
Put the Pedal to the Metal
Include the bicycle in your abdominals workout, Peterson suggests.
A 2012 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.
Stay Conscious of Carbs
Carbohydrates take water to metabolize, and too much fluid can
make you feel bloated, Henderiks says. But that doesn’t mean you have to ban
all carbs from your diet. 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 200
grams.
Ditch Diet Foods
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.
Push Yourself
Peterson is a fan of Chaturanga Dandasana—a.k.a. yoga pushup—for
the extension and isometric contraction it provides: 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
10. Push back up to plank in 4 counts. Do 4 reps every other day.
Sneak in a Mini Abs Workout Anywhere
Drawing your navel in toward your spine provides isometric
training for the abdominals, meaning the muscles aren’t lengthening or
shortening, but there is tension on the muscle fibers. Do it in the shower, at
work, wherever!
Laugh It Off
Having a good LOL causes your abs to contract, Peterson half-kids.
Obviously that’s not all you need to do for an A-list midsection, but it’s
definitely an excuse to have some fun!
Shake Your Salt Habit
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 2,400 milligrams of
sodium a day, but this is one time when less is better.
Don't Be an Airhead
You likely don’t think you’re eating air, but talking while
noshing, drinking from a straw, and chewing gum can all cause air to accumulate
in your stomach, making it expand over your waistband. In addition to breaking
those bad habits, taking smaller bites can also help you keep the air out, says
Marjorie Nolan Cohn, R.D., author of The Belly Fat Fix and a national
spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.
By Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman, Shape.com
Which of these flat tummy tips have you tried? What kind of results did you get?
