Is It Possible To Get A Flat Stomach In Two Weeks?
To achieve a healthy and fit physique, the most important thing is to change certain lifestyle habits and be consistent with a series of dietary and sports guidelines. Next, we suggest you learn more about how to get a flat stomach.
With determination and willpower, it is possible to lose weight and reduce the accumulated fat in the abdomen. For this, as we mentioned, in the first place you have to adopt a balanced and healthy diet that is appropriate to each particular case.
In addition, it will be essential to do sports on a regular basis. In this sense, cardiovascular exercises – if possible, high intensity – are especially recommended to enhance fat burning, according to a study published by the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism .
Dietary keys to a flat stomach
To get a flat stomach, as well as to maintain a good physical condition in general, it is essential to take care of your diet. This is when the concept of a balanced diet arises, which refers to knowing what we should eat and in what quantities; this type of diet is detailed in depth in a publication of the World Health Organization.
Currently, we live in a society characterized by the great abundance of food that we have available. However, every day we find ourselves with the problem of knowing how to choose a truly adequate diet. Not all foods that sell us as healthy really are.
As indicated in a recent study by Ángeles Carbajal Azcona, from the Nutrition Department at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University of Madrid, the interest in everything related to nutrition is increasing, so it is necessary to clearly establish and disseminate the general rules that must be taken into account to design a balanced diet.
The importance of a varied diet
According to the cited author, for a diet to be nutritionally balanced, it must include all the necessary nutrients, to avoid deficiencies. This can easily be achieved if foods from different groups are included in the diet, such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, oils, dairy products, meat and fish.
Nutrients are widely distributed in food ; in this way, it is possible to obtain them from different combinations. According to the specialist, doing it is already sufficient guarantee of nutritional balance.
There must also be an adequate balance between foods. This is because the excessive consumption of a food can displace or replace another that contains a certain nutrient. Moderation in the amounts consumed in order to maintain an adequate weight, and above all not to increase the levels of body fat, is also a golden rule.
Exercises to get a flat stomach
Exercising is the other necessary pillar to achieve a flat stomach. As we said, to achieve results, you must be constant at work and always advance at your own pace.
Pablo J. Marcos, doctor in Sports Sciences and Principal Investigator of the Research Group in Health, Physical Activity, Fitness and Motor Behavior of the Catholic University of Murcia, indicates in a publication that they perform between 30 and 60 minutes of physical exercise a day it is possible to improve the state of health.
In relation to this topic, we can distinguish between the following alternatives.
1. Low and high intensity exercises
As we explained previously, scientific evidence supports the performance of high intensity cardiovascular exercise training to maximize fat burning.
If you choose this method, one option is to alternate between several minutes of moderate intensity cardio and several minutes of high intensity cardio. These sessions usually last about 30 minutes.
However, it is important to note that not all people are suitable for these types of routines. Therefore, we recommend you consult your doctor or a physical activity specialist before starting them.
2. Strength exercises
Training muscle strength is in turn a method of causing hypertrophy, that is, the growth of muscle volume, as explained in a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research .
Because muscles consume more energy at rest than fat, increasing lean body mass stimulates metabolism and thus reduces adipose tissue — or in other words, burns fat — even after exercise.
3. Localized exercises
Finally, you may consider adding abdominal exercises to firm your obliques and lower and upper abs. In this way, exercises such as squats, crunches, torso twists, planks and reverse crunches can be carried out.
On this point, it is necessary to clarify something to avoid confusion. As a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research indicates , it is not possible to burn fat locally through physical exercise.
In other words, this means that you wo n’t get a flat stomach by doing thousands of sit-ups a day ; this is confirmed in turn by an experiment published by the same scientific journal in 2011.
However, these exercises are highly recommended. According to a Mayo Clinic publication, mid-zone exercises help promote stability and balance and can also improve athletic performance.
If you want a flat stomach, go for it
Adopting these habits is not always easy. For this reason, and especially at the beginning, it is recommended that you go to a specialist to help you with both diet and physical exercise. A good coach can teach you what activities to do based on your goals and abilities.
Ultimately, the final key is to be consistent in your exercise and diet. The secret to achieving goals is often found in patience and a job well done. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t achieved your goals in two weeks!