Maïa Baudelaire, Nutritional expert in Food Behaviour and Founder of the Maïa Baudelaire® Method I Love My Diet Coach® – the first Nutritional Coaching website reimbursed by Healthcare – explains what is the easiest method to get a flat stomach!
There are plenty of sporting challenges on the internet and social media: the Squat Challenge, the Flat Belly Contest …
Of course, sport and exercise do matter, but diet and stress management are just as important.
Identify the origin of your belly
There are several reasons why we might be carrying a a little belly, here is a list of the most obvious ones:
- A diet too rich in sugars and/or fats
- An imbalance of intestinal flora
- Mismanagement of stress
- A lack of physical activity
- Too long spent sitting down
- One or more pregnancies
If you suffer from any of these cases, rest assured, there are numerous solutions!
Your Diet:
Try to reduce alcohol and eliminate as many white sugars and bad fats (like charcuterie…) as possible, replacing them with “good” fats (like vegetable oils and fatty fish …) and whole (and semi-whole) foods and cereals,
Befriend your grocer so he/she can advise you on the best fruits and vegetables currently available. Remember plenty of fibre will ensure a good intestinal transit.
Instead of common tea, drink herbal teas with mint, fennel and star anise. All of these help digestion.
Bowel balance side:
Your external aspect is a reflection on your internal balance. If food is not well assimilated and digested properly in the digestive tract, they will ferment and create gases which will consequently, inflate your stomach.
Consume plenty of Bio yogurts and probiotics that help rebalance intestinal flora.
Stress side:
It has already been proven that stress has a detrimental effect on hormonal balance. Being over-stressed can slow down your metabolism and prevent the elimination of toxins. These toxins will in turn, prevent the elimination of fat.
So, chill out and adopt a ‘Zen-like’ attitude. Breath deeply and try to appreciate every moment of your life, paying special attention to dedicate sufficient time to yourself.
Activities:
It’s your muscles that hold your organs together, therefore, to maintain a flat stomach you need to exercise your abs regularly. But no matter how you decide to do that (pilates, cladding or yoga), target the muscles on the interior of the stomach.
If you are often sitting down, stand up from time to time, take a few steps and tighten the abs by tucking in your stomach. When watching TV, ride an exercise bike or try some other indoor devices.
Care:
In order to reduce bloating, regularly massage your stomach with milk, adding a few drops of peppermint-flavoured, essential oils. The massage will also boost blood circulation and drain the tissues.
That’s it! No excuses now, time to show off a flat stomach!