How to have a flat belly ? 20 Scientifically Approved Tips

Contrary to popular belief, having a flat stomach does not depend solely on your physical activity.

In fact, eating healthy and adopting good lifestyle habits could have an even greater effect than physical appearance and losing belly fat! 

If your goal is to get tighter abs and a stronger core, try spending time toning your stomach with a few key exercises, then supplement your workout with a healthy diet to reduce some of the fat around your belly. but also thanks to a few supplements that will speed up your weight loss . 

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How to lose belly fat ? Here are 20 science-backed tips :

1. Eat healthier.

What to eat to lose belly fat?

There is no real secret when it comes to having a flat stomach friendly diet - you just need to change your eating habits to a balanced diet by eating more healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and cut down on junk foods, such as candy, chips, and fast food.

Just by making this simple change, you will quickly see the difference in appearance it will make and also notice the pounds go down.

However, it is not recommended to opt only for chicken breast and random fruits and vegetables - try to introduce yourself to a healthy diet by slowly but systematically replacing the bad with the good.

The respective supplements ( fat burner and appetite suppressant ) can also be of great help in losing belly fat and in general.

Here are some simple changes you can make:

• Eat plenty of lean protein. Beans, nuts and lean meat are good for you.

• Eat whole grains. Look for labels that say "100% whole grain" or "100% whole wheat" and not just "wheat flour." Whole grains provide good carbs that keep you full longer, which can help with weight loss and a flat stomach.

• Eat low-fat dairy products. Good dairy options include milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Avoid high-fat products like ice cream and hard cheeses.

• Eat healthy fats. Not all fats are bad, you know! The monounsaturated fats found in avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fish oil are actually very healthy, as are the polyunsaturated fats found in seed oils. These can help you lose weight. Just stay away from trans fats found in processed foods and baked goods.

• Reduce your sodium intake. Sodium causes your body to retain water, which makes you look bloated, especially around your abdominal area. Whenever possible, try to replace foods high in sodium with healthier options. Replace regular table salt with sea or kosher salt, which contains less sodium. Some foods high in sodium include soy sauce, restaurant meals, MSG, deli meats like pepperoni and salami, ham, bacon, gravies, and snack foods.

2. Do not eat anything for two to three hours before sleeping.

Your body slows down when you sleep, which will prevent your body from properly digesting the food in your stomach.

• You're also much less active in the evening and at night, which means your body is more likely to store the calories you consume late at night as fat, rather than burning them as energy.

• Try not to eat anything at least two to three hours before going to bed, or follow the "daytime diet", which only allows you to eat during daylight hours.

3. Reduce your portion sizes.

Rather than eating the wrong kinds of foods, many people simply eat too much of the right foods. You should eat just enough until you feel full, then stop. If you eat healthy snacks regularly throughout the day, this shouldn't make you hungry.

Calorie deficit is essential for weight loss.

• A good tip is to use smaller plates when eating. This way your plate will look like it's full of food, but you're actually eating less than usual. Also try to fill at least half the plate with vegetables.

• Try to chew slower and more completely when you eat. Chewing your food well helps the digestion process in the stomach, leaving you less bloated and gassy. You should chew each bite until it reaches the consistency of applesauce.

• Take small breaks between each bite of food when eating. The extra time will give your stomach a chance to realize it's full, preventing you from overeating.

• Raw, unsalted nuts and seeds are especially good to snack on when eaten in moderation, as they will fill you up. Don't eat more than a handful at a time as they can be high in calories.

4. Eat foods with a low glycemic index.

These elements take longer to digest, so you feel full longer. Your body will slowly absorb the nutrients, so you'll avoid spikes or dips in your blood sugar until your next meal. Some of the best low GI foods are:

• Cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, zucchini, leaf lettuce, onions, pears, tomatoes, watercress, broccoli, bananas, apples and berries are all good good foods to eat.

5. Try to reduce sugar from your diet as much as possible.

Besides being full of empty calories, having less sugar in your system will help lower your insulin levels.

• Use artificial sweeteners with caution. Although they may help reduce calorie intake, there is also evidence to suggest that they trigger increased hunger which leads to weight gain.

• Beware of drinks like sodas, alcohol, fruit juices and specialty coffee drinks. These often contain high levels of sugar.

6. Eat a protein-rich snack between 3 and 4 p.m.

According to experts, eating a protein-rich snack at magic hour between three and four in the afternoon will boost your metabolism and balance your blood sugar.

• A protein bar or shake, a handful of almonds or pumpkin seeds, or a piece of low-fat cheese are good options.

• Having a balanced blood sugar level reduces the amount of insulin in your system, which is good because insulin can cause you to store fat around your belly.

7. Eat small, frequent meals.

Replace your usual system of eating three large meals a day with smaller, more regular meals.

To lose weight, many people make the mistake of eating nothing at all between breakfast, lunch and dinner, especially when trying to lose weight.

• However, this type of diet will have a negative effect on blood sugar and cause you to eat more due to hunger, which will make it more difficult to lose weight.

• Having a small, healthy snack every three to four hours and not feeling hungry is a much healthier and more efficient system. 

8. Eat more high fiber foods, especially soluble fiber.

Soluble fiber absorbs large amounts of water and slows the passage of food through the digestive tract.

This has been shown to delay stomach emptying, causing the stomach to expand and feel full .

Additionally, soluble fiber can decrease the number of calories your body is able to absorb from food .

By eating fibers soluble , you're also less likely to accumulate fat around your organs, reducing your waistline and risk of several diseases .

One observational study showed that every 10 gram increase in daily soluble fiber intake reduced fat gain around the midsection by 3.7% over five years .

Good sources of soluble fiber include oats, flax seeds, avocados, legumes, Brussels sprouts and blackberries.

9. Do cardio.

Doing cardio or aerobic exercise is a great way to burn fat and calories while improving your overall health.

Plus, studies have shown it to be very effective at tightening your core and reducing your waistline .

If you want a flat stomach, go for it!

Studies generally recommend getting 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise per week, which translates to about 20 to 40 minutes per day .

Examples of cardio include running, brisk walking, cycling, and rowing.

Strength training is also very effective for losing fat .

10. Drink protein shakes.

Protein shakes are an easy way to add extra protein to your diet.

Getting enough protein in your diet can boost your metabolism , reduce your appetite and aid in fat loss , especially from your midsection .

Additionally, studies have suggested that adding protein shakes to your weight loss diet may be particularly effective in reducing your waistline .

11. Walk at least 30 minutes a day

Short of exercising, a combination of diet and exercise is probably the most effective way to lose weight and improve your overall health.

Interestingly, studies have shown that you don't have to exercise vigorously to reap health benefits.

Regular, brisk walks have been shown to effectively reduce total body fat and the fat around your midsection .

In fact, brisk walking for 30 to 40 minutes (about 7,500 steps) per day has been associated with a significant reduction in dangerous abdominal fat and a slimmer waistline .

12. Avoid Liquid Calories

Sugary sodas, fruit juices and energy drinks are usually loaded with sugar and liquid calories.

It's also very easy to drink large amounts at once, resulting in an abundance of empty calories.

The problem with liquid calories is that your brain doesn't register them the way it registers solid calories. As a result, you'll end up consuming these calories in addition to anything you eat or drink and risk increasing your visceral fat levels.

One study showed that each daily serving of a sugary drink increased the risk of obesity by 60% in children .

These drinks are also usually loaded with fructose , which has been directly linked to abdominal fat gain .

13. Drink water.

There are at least three ways water can help you get a flat stomach .

First, water can help with weight loss by temporarily increasing your metabolic rate.

In fact, drinking water can increase your total energy expenditure by up to 100 calories per day .

Second, drinking water before meals can make you feel fuller, so you end up eating fewer calories .

Third, water can help relieve constipation and reduce belly bloating .

Try to drink a large glass of water before each meal. It can help you achieve your goal.

14. Avoid chewing gum and limit soft drinks.

Carbonated drinks like sodas are the biggest source of gas in the diet.

The bubbles in it contain carbon dioxide, which is released from the fluid in your stomach. This can cause stomach distension or bloating .

This can also happen when you chew gum , drink through a straw or talk while eating.

Eating in silence, drinking from a glass, and swapping soft drinks for water can help you achieve a flatter stomach .

15. Do high intensity workouts.

A popular way to do high-intensity (hiit) training is to perform intervals of very intense activity, such as sprinting, rowing, or jumping, with short breaks in between.

This way of exercising allows your body to burn more fat and increase your metabolic rate , even long after your workout is over .

High-intensity training has been shown to have superior fat-burning effects compared to other types of exercise, HIIT increases your endurance and is especially effective for slimming your waistline .

In addition, this type of exercise takes much less time than other types of exercise, as it can usually be done in 10 to 20 minutes. and is known as the best way to lose fat fast .

16. Get enough sleep.

Getting enough sleep is very important for weight loss .

Studies have repeatedly shown that sleeping less than five hours per night for adults and less than 10 hours for children is linked to an increased risk of weight gain .

In women, short sleep duration is consistently linked to increased waist circumference , compared to those who get a good night's sleep .

Similarly, sleep deprived people are up to 55% more likely to become obese .

Fortunately, shifting sleep duration from shorter to healthier durations has been shown to help eradicate these effects .

17. Drink coffee (unsweetened) or green tea.

Unsweetened coffee and green tea are among the healthiest beverages in the world .

Drinking coffee has been shown to increase the number of calories you burn by approximately 3-11% .

Similarly, drinking tea or taking green tea extract supplements has been shown to increase fat burning by up to 17% and calorie expenditure by 4% .

This includes green tea, black tea, and oolong tea.

More importantly, animal and human studies have shown that drinking coffee and tea can reduce the risk of belly fat accumulation, helping you reduce your waistline .

18. Don't drink too much alcohol.

Alcohol contains seven calories for every gram, which is part of why alcoholic beverages tend to be loaded with sugars and liquid calories.

Beer has a similar calorie count to a sugary soft drink, while red wine in contains twice as much .

Although moderate alcohol consumption is unlikely to affect weight gain, excessive alcohol consumption is linked to increased weight gain , especially around your midsection .

If you want a flat stomach, you should consider reducing or avoiding alcoholic beverages.

19. Take probiotics.

Probiotics are live bacteria that play an important role in weight loss and weight maintenance .

Overweight and obese people have been shown to have a different composition of gut bacteria than people of normal weight, which may influence weight gain and fat distribution .

Regular intake of probiotics can shift the balance toward beneficial gut flora, reducing the risk of weight gain and fat accumulation in your abdominal cavity .

Certain strains of probiotics have been shown to be particularly effective for a flat stomach and reducing belly fat :

• Lactobacillus fermentum

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus

• Lactobacillus gasseri

Probiotic foods include some types of yogurt, kefir, tempeh, kimchi, and pickles.

There are also a wide variety of probiotic supplements available. However, these supplements usually contain multiple strains of bacteria, so be sure to choose one that contains at least one of the strains mentioned above.

20. Replace dietary fats with coconut oil.

Coconut oil contains a unique combination of fatty acids. It is one of the few foods high in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs).

Studies have shown that replacing certain dietary fats with MCTs can increase energy expenditure and make you feel fuller .

Additionally, coconut oil has been shown to reduce waist circumference more effectively than other types of fat .

Keep in mind that coconut oil is still fat with 9 calories per gram. Therefore, it is important not to simply add coconut oil to your diet, but rather to replace other sources of fat by it.

The best exercises to get a flat stomach

If you're wondering what exercises to lose belly fat, there are plenty you can do to burn fat, build muscle, and define your abs.

In addition to the tips above, these exercises can speed up the process and put an end to bulges and love handles.

If the endless lists of abdominal exercises to make your stomach flat have you perplexed, we have what you need:

1. The plank (sheathing). Lie on your stomach and place your forearms on the floor. Next, press down with your forearms and push yourself up—using your toes for support—until your head, neck, back, and legs are all in a straight line.
2. The "bicycle" crunch. This exercise is essential if you want a flat stomach and work your obliques. To begin the bike crunch, lie on your back. Place your palms under your head and lift your legs up until they are positioned at a 90 degree angle. Keeping your right hand on your head, twist your body bringing your right elbow to your left knee. Alternate your limbs by bringing your left elbow to your right knee. For best results, this exercise should be performed slowly.
3. Jumping rope. All you have to do is lift your feet a few centimeters off the ground with each passage of the rope and make sure that your heels do not touch the ground. Also be sure to twist the rope with your wrists, rather than using all of your arms.
4. The mountain climbers. To perform this exercise, place both hands on the floor in front of you, about shoulder-width apart (as if you were about to complete a push-up). Then, using your toes to push off, pull your right leg forward and extend your left leg back. Stay on your toes throughout the exercise, alternating between each leg for the desired number of reps. Your upper body should not move during the exercise
5. The pose of the boat. If you want to try a challenging flat stomach exercise, you need to introduce boat pose into your workout. Doing this yoga pose regularly will quickly help you achieve your goal of a flat stomach. To begin, sit on the floor with your knees bent. Lean back slightly, then raise your legs and straighten them until your body forms a V. Your arms should be straight and parallel to each other. Keep your palms facing inward. Remember to engage your abdominal muscles while doing this exercise and keep your stomach relaxed and flat.

In conclusion

As you can see, there are many strategies that can help you slim down and achieve your goal of a flat stomach .

By incorporating some of the tips mentioned above into your daily routine, you can therefore lose belly fat, get abs and maybe see your six-pack sooner than you expect.

Keep in mind that it may take some time and effort, but it will all be worth it in the end!