Right now, people are spending thousands and perhaps even more in their quest for a flat stomach. It is without a doubt that it is the dream of every other person to have a flat tummy and some washboard abs. In response to this, fitness gurus everywhere have compiled thousands of ab exercises and programs. You would think that with all these options, people would be walking around flaunting their flat stomachs and six-packs. Unfortunately though, this is not the case. How To Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight?
Dropping that belly fat to get a flat stomach has proven to many to be quite difficult and very challenging. Understandably, if these people hear or think of a faster way to shed the fat around this region, they will gladly get with the program. This explains why there are numerous searches online on how to make your stomach flat overnight.
We understand the frustrations arising after a time of exercising and making healthy choices but then come to find out one still isn’t getting to that flat stomach fast enough. With this in mind, we hope to comprehend the basis of the question on how to make your stomach flat overnight.
In this article, we will be discussing whether it is actually possible to lose belly fat overnight. If this is indeed so, we will take a comprehensive look at the steps you ought to take to reach this goal. Conversely, if it is not, we will outline the slower yet healthy and rapid ways to lose belly fat. Stick around to discover what are your safe go-to options when it comes to losing belly fat for a flat tummy.
Can You Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight?
We are living in a world where people want fast results in everything they do, especially if they are putting in the work. As this is the case, you will find people wanting to lose weight in a week if they just exercise and follow a weight-loss diet plan.
Unfortunately though, that is not how it works. In other words, the answer is no. You really cannot make your belly fat disappear overnight and just wake up with some rock-hard abs. Ever heard of the saying that slow and steady wins the race? I’ll bet you have.
The problem is that most of us are not willing to wait long before seeing a payoff. Due to this mindset we tend to jump onto quick fixes to get that flat stomach. The bad news is that such antics do not pay off in the end.
The reality of the situation is that successful and long-term weight loss in any body part demands your lifelong commitment (10). It is, therefore, not something you just do overnight and expect effective and long-term results.
Luckily, Medicine Net acknowledges that you can shorten the path to your flat tummy. This is through proper nutrition, abdominal training, and cardiovascular conditioning (6). By combining the three will have you flaunting your flat stomach in no time (or less time, anyway).
Read More: Types of Bellies and Healthy Ways to Get Rid of Them
How to Flatten Your Stomach Fast?
Once again, are you going to flatten your stomach overnight? Of course not! However, there are certain steps you can take that should guarantee results sooner than you expect. These steps revolve around making healthy lifestyle and dietary changes. They include:
Good Nutrition
You can do crunches all you want but they will not count if you do not make the necessary dietary changes. WebMD states that you have to focus on good nutrition if you want to shrink that belly fat for a flat tummy (4).
But what does good nutrition entail? We all have different understandings of what is proper nutrition. For some, it may simply mean avoiding processed and fast foods. For others, it may involve eating healthy and within the calorie limit. Here is what proper nutrition for a flat stomach looks like:
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Eating Low-Calorie Foods
You could be eating healthy foods but still not see any changes in your belly fat. This happens when you do not take into consideration your calorie intake. The most effective and fastest way of losing belly fat for a flat stomach is eating fewer calories than your body burns (2).
Eating fewer calories triggers your body to operate on a calorie deficit. It helps your body burn both visceral and excess subcutaneous fat (2). Visceral fat is what is better known as stomach, abdominal, or belly fat.
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Limiting the Consumption of Refined Carbs
Although carbs are the primary source of energy in our bodies, we need to be cautious of the types of carbs we consume (9). There are two types of carbs; simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates, also known as refined carbohydrates, are sugars.
These carbs provide your body with rapid energy sources. However, you end up feeling hungry in short order. These include products like candies, sugary drinks, and white bread. Excess sugars have been known to be the primary drivers of weight gain, especially in your belly (2).
Instead of this, you are asked to consume more complex carbs. Complex carbohydrates are long chains of sugar molecules, and are often found in foods that are also high in fiber. They tend to increase your satiety and provide more health benefits than refined carbs (9). These are found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
How To Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight?
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Eating High Fiber Foods
To flatten your stomach in a short period of time you will have to eat more fiber. Fiber increases your satiety, which helps in reducing how frequently and how much you snack between meals. It also aids in the functioning of the digestive system. A healthy digestive system reduces bloating and may make your stomach look flat (1). Fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
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Eating More Lean Protein
Protein is also important as it helps in keeping you full for longer. Go for lean proteins such as legumes, lean meats, poultry, fish, and nuts. They tend to reduce your sugar cravings. Similarly, they help with limiting or restricting your consumption of fatty and processed meats (2).
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Drinking Enough Water
Good nutrition also calls upon the consumption of enough water. According to Medical News Today, drinking plenty of water can help you to avoid water retention and bloating, which may cause your stomach to appear even bigger (1).
Knowing this, focus on drinking enough water. If you struggle with hydration, try to flavor your water. You can achieve this by using some mint leaves, berries, cucumbers, or citrus fruits.
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Eating Healthy Fats
Good nutrition also entails choosing healthy fats. For a flat stomach, you are advised to keep away from trans and saturated fats (8). They both raise your ‘bad’ (low-density lipoprotein (LDL)) cholesterol, which increases your stroke and heart diseases risks. They can also promote weight gain and the development of visceral fat (2).
Instead of these fats, you are advised to consume unsaturated fats which are mostly derived from plant oils (8). Some sources of these unsaturated fats include:
- Nut and nut butter
- Olives and olive oil
- Avocados
- Eggs
- Oily fish like salmon, herring, trout, and mackerel
Read More: Health Benefits Of Salad: Find Out Whether or not Your Favorite Salad Made The Healthy Salad List
How To Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight: Abdominal Training
The next step you can take to help you get that flat stomach sooner than later is abdominal training. This involves picking a suitable flat stomach workout that targets the abdominal muscles. However, choosing these flat stomach exercises is easier said than done.
If it is your first time trying out a workout plan, you may be clueless about where to start. Most people make the mistake of picking a popular flat stomach workout plan and rolling with it. Remember that we all have different body shapes that we need to train differently (11).
So, the first thing that you need to do is sit down with your fitness coach. They will help you create a realistic abdominal training workout plan depending on your fitness level and needs. In most of these plans, it will be hard to miss the following flat tummy exercises:
How To Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight: Bicycle Crunches
The bicycle crunches are among the best ab moves for both men and women. They work perfectly on your obliques and rectus abdominis (6). Here is how you do these crunches (5):
- Lie on your back and then bend your knees at a 90-degree angle.
- Place your hands behind your head.
- Stretch your left leg out while bringing your right knee towards your chest and rotating your left shoulder towards this right knee.
- Rotate from the trunk through the center to the other side without dropping your chest. It will appear as if you are ‘pedaling’ in the air.
- Repeat on the other side for 2 sets each with 12 repetitions.
How To Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight: Reverse Crunches
You can also train your abdominal muscles to get a flat stomach by doing reverse crunches. These crunches tend to target your lower abs, which ranks as one of the toughest areas to tone (5). Here is the process of performing a reverse crunch (5):
- Begin on the floor with your back straight, face toward the ceiling, arms by your sides, and palms down.
- Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and keep your legs together.
- Contract your abdominal muscles and raise your hips and lower back from the floor, lifting your knees towards your face.
- Hold this position for some seconds before lowering them back to the ground. However, do not let them touch the floor. Instead, rest them a few inches from the ground before pushing the knees back towards your face.
- Complete 3 sets of these crunches of 10 to 12 reps.
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How To Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight: The Bent-Elbow Plank
Another great flat stomach exercise that is hardly missed in ab workouts is the bent-elbow plank. It works your entire trunk, but specifically your transversus abdominis (6). To perform this exercise, follow these steps to the latter (6):
- Start by lying on the floor, with your face down and back towards the ceiling.
- Engage your abdominal muscles and slowly lift your body from the floor. Make sure that your elbows are in line with your shoulders. Remember to also rest on your toes and keep your back straight.
- You will hold this position somewhere between 10 and 30 seconds before dropping down for some rest and then repeating. With time, you could find yourself holding this stance for even more than 90 seconds. However, for beginners, start anywhere between the 10 and 30-second window. Again, if the bent-elbow plank seems challenging, you can start on your hands in what we call the high plank position.
These are some of the exercises that if you perform consistently, you will notice some changes around your waist and belly. Remember that they do not magically work alone. You also have to incorporate good nutrition and some cardio for faster results. Let us evaluate the cardio concept.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
According to Medicine Net, cardiovascular conditioning helps your body burn more calories. When combined with proper nutrition and effective abdominal training workouts, you get to lose visceral fat that has built up above your abs (6).
Fortunately, you are not tied down to one cardiovascular activity. There are so many cardio exercises that you can consider doing. They range from walking, jogging, running, swimming, cycling, to riding a stationary bike. To lose belly fat and get that flat stomach, consider a vigorous exercise that lasts for at least 30 minutes (7).
Again, try to perform this cardio exercise at least 5 days a week. If you decide to take up walking as an exercise, consistently do this for 30 minutes and 5 days a week. WebMD recommends making the walks longer, to get you sweating profusely and your heart pumping faster (7).
How To Make Your Stomach Flat Overnight
However, if you cannot keep up with vigorous exercises, opt for moderate activities. It can still include walking, but the intensity and duration will be a bit lower compared to when the exercise is vigorous.
Although it will help you burn some calories, you get to torch away more calories when you perform vigorous cardio exercises. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds and walk for one hour at a speed of 3.5 mph, you will torch 314 calories (3).
Remember to also couple abdominal training and good nutrition with your cardio exercises if you want faster results. These practices guarantee you a flat stomach safely and in a healthy manner.
The Bottom Line
You might have probably heard that you can lose belly fat overnight. So, you might be questioning the best way on how to make your stomach flat overnight. The truth of the matter is that you cannot flatten your stomach overnight no matter the promises.
To get a flat stomach, you will have to focus on more long-term plans instead of the mere overnight tricks. They do not guarantee long-term results. So, strive to lose your belly fat to get a flat tummy slowly, healthily, and steadily.
You can shorten this journey by focusing on good nutrition, abdominal training, and effective cardiovascular activities. Always seek professional advice and help before you make these dietary and health changes.
Do you know that your body needs some exercise in addition to a proper diet?
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- 18 ways to get a flat stomach (2019, medicalnewstoday.com)
- 11 natural ways to get rid of belly fat (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour (2019, mayoclinic.org)
- Flat Abs Slideshow: 9 Tips for Flat Abs (2020, webmd.com)
- Slideshow: The Best Flat Abs Moves for Men (2020, webmd.com)
- Striving for Those Six-Pack Abs (2005, medicinenet.com)
- The Truth About Belly Fat (2014, webmd.com)
- Types of fat: Can fat be good for you? (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- What you need to know about carbs (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- What’s the Flat Belly Diet, and can it help you lose weight? (2019, mayoclinic.org)
- What’s Your Body Type: Ectomorph, Endomorph or Mesomorph? (2021, medicinenet.com)
