Having a healthy body and keeping in good shape is not an easy task. We all dream of having a figure we see on television or in magazines. However, as soon as we realize the effort we have to make in order to achieve it, we give up very easily. Nowadays, when we have to adapt to a rushing society we live in, it can be very hard to find time for exercises that would improve our physical appearance.
In the following text you will find some useful information about how to obtain a toned stomach you always dreamt of having. It might seem too hard, but as soon as you get used to it, you won’t even realize you are making an effort.
Don’t expect fast results and remember that you have to take step by step!
As in every aspect of our lives, psychology can play a very important role here. First of all, you can’t just determine your goal and aim for it no matter what. Before you begin, you have to know that this is going to be a journey and not something that will happen overnight. You have to go step by step, focus on completing all the tasks required every single day and not think about the objective.
This is actually the main problem with the majority of people who decide to give up after a short period of time. In order to reach your goal, you have to rearrange your daily timetable, introduce some new activities to it and focus on completing them instead of aiming for the final goal.
Take long walks and try to jog as much as possible – it helps your metabolism
As first step, you have to burn the fat on your stomach. This is maybe the hardest step to complete, because burning calories can sometimes be a really slow and exhaustive process. However, if you are willing and determined to succeed, it won’t be a tough one. Jog, or at least walk for 30 minutes at least 3 times per week.
This will help you a lot, because not only it burns calories immediately, it also boosts your metabolism and prevents your body from gaining extra fat. Proper physical activity is a must, especially this one. It is not always enough to make changes from the outside; you have to find the source of the problem and fix it before doing anything from the outside.
Make changes in your diet
In addition to this, the second step has to be taken very seriously. It is understandable that you have to make changes in your diet. That, however, doesn’t mean that you should undergo strict diets that require waiver of everything that contains sugar, fat and other ingredients that can lead to gaining weight.
These diets are really hard to follow and they can be very dangerous not only for your physical health, but also for your mental system and often lead to a temptation, in which people can’t resist anymore and decide to give up. Furthermore, these diets don’t have a clear plan for the period after the weight loss.
They require starvation which will understandably reduce your weight, but also make serious changes in your metabolism. After you complete the diet, your metabolism will be so slow, that it won’t be used to working with normal amounts of food and eventually make you gain extra fat. That’s why you have to remember – you have to eat properly! On the other hand, you have to limit the intake of ingredients that promote weight gain, especially sugar. Sugar adds empty calories which will make you gain weight fast.
Other changes in your diet should include eating more fruits and vegetables. Remember that during this process you can’t allow extra calories, so try to eat as healthier as you can. Fruits and vegetables can help you stay full, but without gaining calories. Furthermore, you have to drink as much water as possible.
That will also help you feed the hungry to some extent and also aid digestion. Additionally, introduce a lot of fiber to your everyday diet. Fiber will improve your metabolism and help you with this issue. Meals that contain pasta, white bread, white rice and similar ingredients should be limited. Instead, try to eat brown rice and whole wheat bread. The intake of bad carbs should be strictly cut down.
Pay attention to how you eat and when you eat
It’s not always about how much you eat. Sometimes how you eat can be much more important. In order to make your body work properly and finally reach the toned stomach you are aiming for, eat more meals in a day rather than 2 or 3 big meals. Another big thing that you can do is stop eating before sleeping. Try not to eat three hours before you go to sleep. All these small changes can make a huge difference. If you really feel that you have to eat, remember that it’s always better to eat fruits and vegetables.
Lastly, give yourself sometimes a break. You have to know that eating your favorite dessert is not forbidden. You are allowed to eat something unhealthy once in a while and it’s also recommended to do so, because it will help you relax and take off the pressure you must be feeling while trying to achieve a flat stomach. Remember that the key to success is in moderation, not starvation and that steady and slow wins the battle, not overnight magic. Once you accept this, you will have no problems with it and you will reach your objective after a while.
Exercise a few times per week
Naturally, losing weight is not enough for getting a toned stomach. You should try to work out as much as you can. If you want a toned stomach, you will, of course, focus on stomach exercises, but don’t give up on other either. Sometimes by doing a certain exercise for legs or other part of the body helps you work out the stomach muscles that normally wouldn’t move while doing a typical stomach exercise. So, focus on your abdominal muscles and try to do push-ups and pull-ups of 15 repetitions for one set. Three sets per week should be enough for the start, but as you get used to it, try to add more sets or increase the number of repetitions per set.
These exercises should be followed by one minute of jumping rope. Crunches and leg raises are also very important. Crunches are probably the best known exercise for abdominal muscles, but not a lot of people know that they actually don’t work very well for the lower muscles. In order to activate the lower abdominal muscles as well, do three sets of 20 repetitions of leg raises in addition crunches. Also, try to do more of them as the time goes by and you feel that you can work out more.
Pilates helps you tone your muscles
Pilates is also a very important part of working out for a toned stomach. It actually helps you tone your whole body and it concentrates on your powerhouse (middle section). You will surely find a fitness center in your area where these exercises are performed, or you can simply purchase a Pilates DVD and do the exercises in your own house. Also, try to perform this routine 2-3 times a week in order to get the desired results. Don’t go crazy about this exercise either. Just take time in order to get what you want.
Once you get used to these new changes in your lifestyle, everything will go easily. Just remember that the beginning is always the hardest part of the whole process. The key is in moderation. There may be a lot steps to follow, but you are not expected to do everything on a daily basis. These tasks will very soon become a routine and you will consider them just a part of your everyday life, activities that you must complete in a certain time.
That’s exactly how you should be looking at the whole thing – like your everyday routines, not something you must do in order to achieve your goal. Too much thinking about the results and constantly being nervous because the time is going by will just put additional pressure on you and make the situation much worse. Stick to these advices and try to complete every single part of them – changes in diet, exercises and other activities.
Literally everybody can achieve this, no matter how they look or what their age is. The only thing you will require is a strong will and determination to the work. Flat and toned stomach is everybody’s dream, but only a few of us are ready to do what is necessary to make that dream come true. You can also look like people you see on TV and in fitness magazines. It’s time to start believing in that and try to do something about it.
