More sit-ups. A few more crunches. A bit more dancing. Same result. That abdomen is still so fat. Why? Simply because the real culprit with flabby abdomen, especially among the Indian women, happens to be the diet or even stressful lifestyle.
If results of a new international research were to be believed, what you eat is as important as how much you work out. This is particularly true for Indian women who usually eat or cook what the rest of the family does or wants, leaving them not much choice on controlling a healthy diet. And now with the new working woman avatar on the loose, they are equally prone to lifestyle stress.
Exercising alone cannot shed that extra fat from your belly. It has to be supplemented with the right kind of diet. Here are a few steps for a flat belly:
Fiber eating: A leading fiber researcher and professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto David J.A. Jenkins advises that in order to ditch the fat and show off firm, beautiful abs, you need to eat at least 25 grams of fiber daily. Fiber, which is the indigestible part of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods, helps you achieve flat abs for three reasons:
The bulk factor Fiber is like a dry sponge. When it combines with the water in your digestive tract, it makes everything move through more quickly.
The fill factor Because high-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables supply plenty of bulk to your meals without adding a lot of calories, they keep you feeling full longer and help you lose weight. Then there is the chew factor i.e. High-fiber foods require more chewing and take longer to eat. That way you feel more satisfied with a high-fiber meal.
Caution: It’s important to add fiber slowly but consistently to prevent gas. For best results, increase your fiber intake slowly over the course of one month and drink plenty of water to keep food moving through your system as quickly as possible.
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High-quality carbs: As much as 45-65 per cent of your total daily calories has to be filled with carbohydrates. Don’t go below 45 per cent or above 65 per cent which might lead to water retention, bloating and temporary weight gain that shows up in your middle. A few tips for consuming right kind of carbs:
* Fill up on fruits and vegetables. These are the least bloat-promoting foods because they contain plenty of water and fewer carbs and calories for their volume.
* Avoid fast food, snack cakes, cookies and candy. These foods are high in simple carbs and sodium, which cause bloating and weight gain, and are low in fiber and nutrients.
* Focus on balanced eating. For best results, include lot of veggies, fruits and whole grains per meal. Instead of consuming all this at once, break the routine into eight meals during the day.
* Make sure you eat enough calories, from complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fats. If you don’t get an adequate number of calories (most women require at least 1,800 per day to lose weight, 2,000 to maintain and 2,400 or more if they’re very active), you risk temporarily lowering your metabolism, which can also bring on bloating.
Drinking: Yes this is a myth that drinking too much water will give them puffy abs. Drinking more water can help to flush sodium out of the body, and that reduces the bloat. An easy way to tell if you’re drinking enough is by checking the color and quantity of your urine. If it’s pale yellow and high volume, you’re doing OK. If it’s dark and scant and/or you’re thirsty, you’re very likely to be dehydrated.
However, avoid carbonated drinks. Fizzy drinks, including soda pop and spritzers, increase bloating because the carbon dioxide trapped in the bubbles creates gas, which slows down stomach emptying. Watch your intake of alcohol and caffeine. Both are natural diuretics, which increase fluid loss and don’t replace your body fluids as effectively as water, juice and caffeine- and alcohol-free beverages. Because they promote dehydration, alcohol and caffeine also can fatten abs.
Sodium is vital: Sodium, as against popular myth, is essential for regulating body fluids and blood pressure as well as for nerve transmission, muscle function and absorption of important nutrients. But even a small amount of excess sodium causes bloating. The average woman needs only 500 milligrams of sodium a day. Most of us get more than six times that, or 3,000-6,000 milligrams per day. The consequence of all this sodium — most of which is consumed as salt and preservatives in processed foods, fast foods and restaurant foods — isn’t pretty for your abs. That’s because where sodium goes, water follows.
Here’s how to keep your sodium intake at a healthy level:
* You must consume no more than 2,400 milligrams of sodium daily — roughly 1 teaspoon of table salt. That’s enough sodium to replenish your supply even if you work up a major sweat.
* Choose fresh, natural foods over fast, commercial or packaged foods. Instead of ordering French fries, have a baked potato. Instead of a pickle, enjoy a fresh cucumber. And beware of cured meats.
* Eat light at night – Evening eating is often the most problematic for women, as it can be related more to emotional issues than to real hunger. You’re tired, lonely, bored, anxious; you want to relax or reward yourself after a tough day. This for too many nights in a row becomes permanent fat gain and fatter abs.
By eating light at night you’ll receive a double benefit: You’ll wake up with a flatter tummy, and you’ll also have a better appetite for a fiber-rich breakfast, which sets you up for a day of healthful eating. Some tips to get you started:
Say No to stress: Stress triggers the hormone cortisol to turn up your appetite and deposit fat around the organs in your abdomen. To reduce stress-related eating, try these tips:
* Move it to lose it – Cardiovascular exercise is especially effective in reducing midsection weight gain.
* Chill out – When you feel stress building, take a few moments to breathe deeply and regroup.
These have to be done consistently. As always, never expect instant results but by following these you will train your body to shed fat in the next few months. Keep working at it. Flat abs is just round the corner.
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Now just devote atleast 30 minutes pushing your body beyond what it’s used to doing. Stretch. Hands up and down and up and down. Bend down and sit up. One advantage: you feel fit and fresh throughout the day. It slows down aging too.
es like diabetes and hypertension. So sleep for a steady 7-8 hours each night.
Meri Fitness 