How to Get a Flat Tummy for Women

You may want to achieve a flatter stomach for the sake of your physical appearance as well as your overall health. A healthy diet and daily exercise are the most common solutions to a bulging belly. Both elements are necessary as it is important to build muscle and to lose weight. There is no such thing as "spot-reduction". In other words, you cannot lose fat in just one area. Focus on strengthening the stomach muscles while reducing overall body weight, which will make muscles to be more visible.

Instructions

Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet.

• 1

  Replace the simple carbohydrates and unhealthy fats in your diet with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. For example, replace white bread with whole wheat bread, chips or popcorn with vegetables or fruits and replace saturated fats with avocados, olive oil and nuts.

• 2

  Consume sensible portions and a variety of healthy foods. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid provides you with all the different food types you need in order to promote a healthy metabolism and keep you energized throughout the day. Remember that it is impossible to lose weight if you are consuming more calories than you burn. Also keep in mind, however, that eating too little encourages your body to store more of what it receives and will ultimately hinder your weight-loss goals.

• 3

  Eat foods high in fiber and protein for your breakfast. Putting nuts like almonds in a high fiber cereal is an ideal breakfast. Drink a glass of all natural fruit juice with no added sugars for extra fiber, vitamins and minerals. Eating a sensible breakfast in the morning boosts your metabolism throughout the day and increases your ability to burn fat.

• 4

  Separate your meal schedule into six small meals instead of three large ones. Focus on eating small nutritious meals and do not consume more than 400 calories each time you eat. The smaller and more frequent meals make it less likely that you will gorge and keep your metabolism stoked throughout the day. The more frequently you eat, the less likely your body is to store extra fat because it is used to receiving a regular supply of nutrients.

• 5

  Don't over compensate when you make a mistake and eat something unhealthy. If you cut down your daily food intake after a sweet snack the day before, you won't consume enough calories to keep you energized. Just continue with your regular diet even if you slip up. A positive mental attitude makes a tangible difference in maintaining a diet.

Daily Exercise

• 6

  Stretch your muscles before each workout section. Stretching limbers you up, lessening the risks of injury when you exercise. The stretches also trigger the metabolization mechanisms in the body so that you will start burning fat faster in your exercise session.

• 7

  Perform an intense cardiovascular exercise to increase your heart rate. You can jump rope or run around the neighborhood, but complete a total of 30 minutes. This exercise will really burn a your fat cells, the results of which you will see in a flatter stomach.

• 8

  Work the muscles in your midsection right after your cardiovascular exercise. The muscle workout will help firm up your muscles, creating a more attractive midsection after you lose the extra fat stored there. Remember to focus not only on the upper and upper abdominal muscles but the oblique muscles as well. Exercising a variety of abdominal muscles will give you the best overall tone.