If you are not among those lucky ones who have a flat and taut stomach, experts make an inventory of five types of bellies and the ways in which you can tighten your stomach and get rid of the problems that bother you. Find what type of belly you have and apply the advice with which you are supposed to “remediate” the existing problem.
1. Spare tire
If your belly belongs to this type than you probably mostly sit and work or sit on the couch or you are an emotional “eater”. You also probably consume too much sugar and carbohydrates through biscuits, cakes, white bread, pasta, rice and alcohol.
In order to get rid of deposits and to strengthen your stomach limit your intake of alcohol and avoid snacks. Balance your diet to healthy products, climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator, go and use every opportunity for strolling. Do not think you must have hard workouts in the gym. You just need to take long walks, get step workout, do push-ups at home etc. Yoga classes will also be very useful to you.
2. Belly caused by stress
If you have this type of belly you are probably very ambitious type of person, tend to “great” achievements and maybe you are even perfectionists. Also, usually you are sensitive to interference in the digestive system such as irritable bowel syndrome, which can cause bloating and make your tummy look much worse.
Fat is located in the middle part of the stomach around the navel. When we are stressed, we produce cortisol, a hormone that stimulates the body to retain fat around the abdomen. This type of stomach is also very hard to the touch.
If you have the type of belly you should go to bed earlier and sleep more. Lack of sleep disrupts the production of leptin, a hormone that helps to regulate appetite and metabolism. Try to relax more; do exercises and deep breathing, meditation and baths before bedtime and drinking chamomile tea. Limit your intake of coffee to a maximum of two cups per day. Practice yoga, go for long walks, swimming or practice exercises by creating resistance.
3. „Baggy“ belly
This type of belly usually occurs in working mothers or women with careers. Often, women with this type have lowered stomach/lower abdomen, even if they are on a diet or training. If you have this kind of belly change the diet, choose products that contain a lot of fiber and green leafy vegetables, whole grain cereals and remember to drink plenty of water.
If you practice abdominal exercises, stop. Replace those exercises with isometric exercise that serves to strengthen the muscles. Lie face down and to rely on the forearms. Push away from the floor and lift the toes and elbows so that your body should be parallel to the floor. Try doing this exercise for 10 seconds, in the beginning, and after a while try doing it for one minute.
4. Mother belly
After giving birth, mothers end up with stomach they try to get rid off as soon as possible. Because of it they are often stressed to restore the line before pregnancy and stress complicates the process. Take omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (flaxseed oil is an excellent source of these acids).
Eat nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) olive oil and olives on a daily basis. Besides these foods will help in losing fat and absorption of vitamins from food, they will also help against fatigue. Practice Kegel exercises because they will help to flatten the stomach inside out. Practice doing 5 sets of 15 to 20 reps a day.
Refrain from abdominal exercises after giving birth because the muscles linea alba (white lines), located on the midline of the abdomen, are separated and need some time to recover. Abdominal exercises are the worst thing you can do because these muscles are forcing further apart. Practice so you deeply inhale while standing on your feet and slowly exhale while doing these exercises.
5. Bloated belly
Swollen bellies are often flat in the morning, but swell during the day due to gas or obstacles in digestion. It happens because you probably often eat the same food, and you are not aware that you are not submitting it. The most common causes for inflammation of the intestines are intolerance to wheat and gluten. These causes make the stomach look bigger.
Try to determine which products interfere with your stomach or introduce more new products to your daily diet.