Health, Whenever you see yourself in a mirror, how do you feel? If
you are like most people you probably feel a bit despondent. You aren't totally
happy with your body and in fact, sometimes you actually despise the way you look.
Perhaps you've tried dieting before and even exercise to change the way you
look and even if you started noticing slight changes, eventually your body
seems to return to its original shape. It seems that no matter what you try
nothing seems to work.
The good news is there is an answer! There are some
fundamental strategies that will work if you're willing to use them. Plus,
these strategies are simple. They don't require an extraordinary amount of time
or effort. All they require is a commitment to use them consistently.
In this article, we'll cover the most effective strategies
to help you flatten your stomach, lose the ‘spare tire' around your waist, and
create a mid-section you can be proud of. You will be able to achieve all of
this in as little as 4 weeks!
Right now, whilst you are reading this article, pinch the
skin next to your navel. Take a horizontal fold of skin with your thumb and
index finger. Look at it and estimate how thick the skinfold is. If it is more
than 2 centimetres then it's time to start taking immediate action!
The first step is to start making changes to your eating and
drinking habits. One of the biggest complaints I hear from personal trainers
these days is that their clients' eating and drinking habits are the only things
stopping them from getting the results they want.
The first area you should look at is your alcohol intake.
Sure, we all know that a glass of red wine every night is good for our health.
Notice they say a glass and not a bottle! However, if you want to lose your
belly then you have to be willing to make some sacrifices, at least for the
next 4 weeks anyway.
There's no need to cut out the alcohol altogether but you
will need to cut it down substantially if you drink regularly. Perhaps allow
yourself to have only 4 standard drinks a week. If you are a regular drinker
then this one step will make a massive difference to the way you look. If
you're not, then it won't make much difference at all.
Let's face it, alcohol is a poison to the body and whenever
it is consumed the body metabolises it before anything else. Even though
alcohol doesn't get converted into body fat itself (it mainly generates heat),
if you eat anything with it, the food will tend to be stored in the body. Plus,
the alcohol provides quite a lot of empty calories to your body, which makes it
difficult to create a calorie deficit and lose weight/ fat.
Since we all tend to be so busy these days, we want
everything to be quick and easy; food probably tops the list. That is why fast
food outlets are so popular. Unfortunately though, convenience comes at a
price, and that price is our waistlines and our health. Regular consumption of
fast food will cause you to put on weight faster than almost anything else. If
you are serious about flattening your stomach and losing the ‘love handles'
then don't eat any fast food for the next 4 weeks.
If you want a flat stomach then it is important that you eat
as ‘cleanly' as possible for the next 4 weeks and don't skip any meals. This
means having 5 or 6 small, healthy meals every day! Here's an example of what
you should have:
When you're busy or tired it is easier to get take away but
rest assured if you make the effort and commitment to prepare your meals every
day you will be amazed at the results you will achieve. Not only will your
results be a flat stomach and better health but you will also feel a dramatic
increase in your energy levels. Your body will start functioning closer to
optimum levels. It is definitely worth the effort.
Plus, make sure you have all of your meals, don't skip any
of them. Skipping meals is one of the first strategies many people employ when
they want to lose weight. Whilst reducing food intake will assist fat loss /
weight loss, skipping meals is not the best way to achieve this. The human body
has many contingency plans to overcome this strategy. It will reduce its output
of thyroid hormones, which slows down the metabolism, it increases the
production of cortisol, which breaks down muscle and slows the metabolism even
further. The human body also increases appetite, which leads to over-eating and
it also increases the activity of fat-storing enzymes so it tends to store more
food as body fat, which will prevent future ‘famines'.
If you decide to follow the nutritional plan outlined above
or something similar, you will be eating much healthier. Despite this, it is
impossible to get all the nutrients your body requires just from food.
Accordingly, it is necessary to take supplements. Supplements are not magic but
they will speed up the fat-burning process in your body as well as improve your
overall health and well-being. Only a few supplements are needed to help
flatten your stomach in 4 weeks.
A good quality multivitamin/ mineral supplement, like
MultiBoost, is a great place to start. MultiBoost is known as the dieter's
multi because not only does it provide nutrients that may be lacking in the
diet but it also provides specific nutrients that up-regulate thyroid function.
These nutrients (iodine and selenium) are absolutely essential for dieters
because if someone follows a calorie controlled nutritional plan (as they
should if they want to lose weight and flatten their stomach), over time their
metabolism will slow down due to down-regulation of thyroid function.
Supplementing with iodine and selenium whilst dieting prevents this metabolic
slow down.
Omega-3's from fish oil or flax seed oil are also
beneficial. Research has shown that omega-3's can assist fat burning in the
body as well as provide many other health benefits. Take 4-6 fish oil capsules
a day or a measured tablespoon of flax seed oil.
Often people find it difficult to have 5 or 6 small meals
each day to assist their weight-loss efforts. In this case, protein shakes,
also known as meal replacement shakes, are a great option. They are certainly
not essential but because most people are so busy they are great to have for the
mid-morning and mid-afternoon meals; they are quick, easy convenient and cheap.
Shakes should NOT replace whole-food meals in the diet (breakfast, lunch and
dinner).
If you are serious about getting a flat stomach in 4 weeks
you really need to consider all possible options. Thermogenics (fat burners),
like XLR8 Thermogenic, are definitely beneficial. They speed up your
metabolism, give you an energy boost, and force your fat cells to release fatty
acids into the blood stream, which then may be used by your body as fuel. They
can certainly help you get a flat stomach fast. Thermogenics aren't for
everyone though. If you have high blood pressure, take blood pressure
medication or are pregnant or nursing then you will need to use a
non-thermogenic fat burner, like SoLean 50+, instead.
One reason why many people find it difficult to lose weight
is due to their body's inability to control its blood sugar (glucose) level. A
high blood glucose causes the body to secrete insulin and insulin has the
effect of storing glucose as fat if the carbohydrate stores in the body are
full. Insulin also stops the body from mobilising and utilising fat as a fuel
source. Insulin stops fat burning in its tracks!
GI Factor has been specifically designed to help keep
insulin low by stabilising the blood sugar level. This results in greater fat
burning in the body. It is best taken with the two largest meals and for most
people this is lunch and dinner. Since they assist in keeping the blood sugar
stable they will also help keep sugar cravings at bay during the ‘danger
times', which are around mid-afternoon and after dinner.
MultiSlim by BCN provides MultiBoost, XLR8 Thermogenic and
GI Factor together in one pack. It is the ultimate weight-loss system and will
help you lose weight and get a flat stomach faster than anything else on the
market. If you are serious about getting the best possible results then this is
your best option. The pack also offer free support to ensure you achieve your
weight-loss goal as well as an information booklet that explains everything you
need to do to get amazing results.
For any weight-loss system to be truly effective, exercise
must be a component. Ideally it is best to perform both aerobic exercise and
weight training but as long as some exercise is performed that is fine.
To get a flat stomach in 4 weeks you need to perform at
least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day. Remember, it is only 4 weeks so
you have to be willing to commit to doing whatever is necessary to get the
results you want. Once you achieve a flat stomach then you can reduce your
frequency of aerobic exercise to 3 times a week.
The type of exercise you perform is completely up to you.
Select the type of exercise you enjoy doing and can see yourself doing long
term. It may be taking the dog for a walk, cycling on a stationary bike at home
in front of the TV, or performing a kickboxing session with your personal
trainer. The most important thing is that you enjoy the exercise.
The aerobic exercise will help you burn fat during the
session, especially if you've taken a thermogenic prior to it. This exercise
and thermogenic combination will also dramatically boost your metabolism and
keep it elevated for some time after the session is completed. As a result, it
is best not to have a meal for at least 20 minutes after the session is
completed. This will promote even more fat burning in your body.
If possible, perform ‘interval training' for absolute
maximum fat burning from the session. This involves interspersing sprints with
moderate intensity exercise. However, if this doesn't suit you then don't
worry. The most important thing is that you perform the aerobic exercise
consistently!
The weight training component is ideal for achieving the
highly desired ‘toned' look to your body. Whilst it is best to perform weight
training exercises for every muscle group, in this article we are focusing only
on the abdominal region to help you achieve a flat stomach.
A very important point is that performing abdominal
exercises will NOT directly burn the fat from your stomach! It is impossible to
‘spot reduce'. However, performing a variety of abdominal exercises will help
to make the muscles stronger, which will improve your core strength and help
you flatten the protruding, flaccid muscles that may be hanging over your belt!
Here are the 7 abdominal training principles:
1. Train all the abdominal muscles
2. Apply the abdominal training principles
3. Do not perform more than 20 reps per set
4. Train to failure on every set
5. Progressively overload the muscles
6. Don't train abs more than twice a week
7. Perform 2-3 giant sets of 5 exercises each workout
If you would like to find out what abdominal exercises to
perform, simply email: and we will send
you the complete ‘Tone at Home' exercise that include the abdominal exercises
to help you achieve a flat stomach in 4 weeks.
So there you have it, the best strategies to
help you get aflat stomach in 4 weeks. If you are seriously committed to achieving a flat
stomach, use all of the strategies suggested here and within a month you can
have a mid-section that any Hollywood star would be proud of. Go for it!
