5 flat stomach facts that everyone needs to know

A trimmer tummy could be closer than you think with these stomach-toning fitness and nutrition tips at hand

The journey to a flatter stomach can sometimes be a confusing and overwhelming one. From an almost infinite number of diet modifications to a gazillion different ways to do a sit up, is there anything out there that will actually give us a slimmer waistline?

We asked James Duigan, founder of Bodyism, fitness expert and bestselling author, for his top five tips to lose weight around your midriff, beat a bloated stomach and target belly fat. From ways to get the best out of your ab workouts to flat stomach diet tip offs, this is one lesson in middle management that’s definitely worth sticking around for.

THINK PLANK AT CRUNCH TIME

“Don’t bother doing 100s of crunches! The movement is not healthy for the spine at all.

“When training, ensure you do abdominal toning exercises which work to lengthen and tone your whole core area and includes your back. If you only have time for one exercise, pick the plank - hold it perfectly for 30 seconds or more and you'll be on track for a flatter tummy.”

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS...ADD WATER

“Stay hydrated. When you are dehydrated you can hold onto water, making you feel puffy everywhere including your tummy.

“Drink a glass of water as soon as your alarm goes off and then have some hot water with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice the very first thing after you wake up to start your metabolism off. Together these things can help reduce excess fluid retention which can help in the general flattening of your stomach.”

EAT TO BEAT A BLOATED STOMACH

“Follow the Clean and Lean Flat Tummy Fast nutrition plan, (available in the Clean & Lean Flat Tummy Fast book, £13). It helps you eliminate the most common food groups known to cause internal irritation and therefore stomach bloating.

“The most common food irritants which cause bloating and an uncomfortable stomach are dairy, sugar, wheat and refined carbohydrates. The meal plans have been written with this in mind and focus on clean meals of lean protein and nutritious vegetables which can be simpler for your body to digest efficiently without annoyance.”

MORE GLOSS: A glimpse into the food diaries of James and Christiane Duigan

HOW TO IMPROVE POSTURE PERFECTLY

“Practice perfect posture - hips rolled under your torso, shoulders back and down, hands by your sides, eyes ahead and your neck in a neutral position with your spine. By taking 10 seconds to do this you can look taller and slimmer as your stomach will be pulled in and flattened.”

TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF YOUR WORKOUTS

“Lastly - don't think about it!! The more you occupy your mind with worrying over the quest for a flat tummy, the more stress you will produce and therefore cortisol levels will rise.

“No one wants to add excess cortisol to their life as it can be stored as fat on your middle!”