Getting a Flat Stomach With Diet and Exercise

A flat stomach is attainable with diet, exercise, and weight lifting, even if you've never had a flat stomach. If you were wondering if it was possible to get a flat stomach if you never had one I am here to say you can. No matter how much exercise you do, however, you will not lose weight, get a flat stomach, or lose excess fat if you eat more than you burn. Get started on a different diet as soon as you can. Here are some helpful tips to get you started on your road to a flat stomach.
Start aerobic exercise 3-5 times per week for 25-30 minutes. Aerobic exercise burns lots of calories.

Start weight lifting 2-3 times per week. It will build muscle. Muscle is important because it is the engine that burns calories (and fat), and it also helps maintain metabolic rate. The more muscle you have, the better. Muscle will also tone the physique under the fat, and even if you don't lose fat, it's possible that your appearance will change and your clothes might even fit looser.

Start abdominal exercises. Although you can't spot reduce, you can tighten and tone the muscle under excess fat. Here are some of the most popular, and beneficial exercises for getting that flat stomach. You should do these in addition to eating right, and of course doing your cardio exercises.

Bicycle Maneuver:
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring your knees up to about 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Keep even, relaxed breathing throughout.

Captain's Chair:
Stabilize your upper body by gripping the handles and lightly pressing your lower back against the back pad. The starting position begins with you holding your body up with legs dangling below. Now slowly lift your knees in toward your chest. The motion should be controlled and deliberate as you bring the knees up and return them back to the starting position.

Exercise Ball:
Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Let the ball roll back slowly. Now lie back on the ball until your thighs and torso are parallel with the floor. Cross your arms over your chest and slightly tuck your chin in toward your chest. Contract your abdominals, raising your torso to no more than 45 degrees. For better balance, spread your feet wider apart. To challenge the obliques, make the exercise less stable by moving your feet closer together. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.

Vertical Leg Crunch:
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands behind your head for support. Extend your legs straight up in the air, crossed at the ankles with a slight bend in the knee. Contract your abdominal muscles by lifting your torso toward your knees. Make sure to keep your chin off your chest with each contraction. Exhale as you contract upward; inhale as you return to the starting position.

Reverse Crunch:
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head or extend them out flat to your sides-whatever feels most comfortable. Crossing your feet at the ankles, lift your feet off the ground to the point where your knees create a 90-degree angle. Once in this position, press your lower back on the floor as you contract your abdominal muscles. Your hips will slightly rotate and your legs will reach toward the ceiling with each contraction. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.

No matter how much exercise you do, I can't stress the importance of eating right and doing your cardio. It all boils down to the need to eat less then your body needs, so it burns fat. When you do this, you start to see results and you can get that flat stomach. Exercise is the way to burn extra calories that calorie trimming and diet alone can't do. Cardio will kick start your metabolism and help you burn more and more calories then if you just diet. Stick with it, and remember, nothing happens overnight, but with time and work, you can achieve that flat stomach you are seeking.