Let’s move about a few important truths about flat abs. These truths will help you to know more about how to get flat abs and while you are not getting it.

There is more to flat abs than crunches

Even though people think that crunches are very important for the abs and they are true but there is more to flat abs than crunches. It can help you in toning your abs, but it cannot eliminate the fat layer on top of the abs muscles. You will need some aerobic exercises like jogging, cycling, skipping and others to melt that layer of fat. You will need to perform such exercises for more than 30 minutes and 3 to 4 times a week. It is important to increase your metabolic rate if you want to get rid of the body fat and belly fat. It is very important to perform specific exercises which will target specific areas of body fat. If you can increase your metabolic rate, your body will use the stored fat as a source of energy and then will be able to lose more fat. With training can also help you to lose the stored fat in your body and reduce the layer of fat on top of your abs muscles.

Stress

You may have a bloated belly because of stress. If you are stressed, it may prompt your body to store fat in the stomach. If you suffer from chronic stress, you are likely to have the biggest waistline. When you are stressed, production of cortisol hormone increases, which prompts your body to store more fat. You will need to reduce stress as much as you can. Besides yoga and other such exercises, cutting down on cortisol elevators such as smoking, drinking and lack of sleep will also help you to reduce your stress.

It just gas

The bloated belly may just be gas. Your body needs foods like beans, fruits and vegetables and they are good for you but they contain complex sugars called as oligosaccharides. Your body may not be able to readily digest these sugars. Such sugars may produce intestinal gas in many people and can enlarge the stomach. The enlargement may stay there for 24 hours. To avoid that, you will need to monitor your diet carefully and cut back on foods which may cause bloating in your case.

PMS causes a temporary tummy

A week before a woman gets her period, the body will start producing more progesterone and as a result of that the body will start retaining more fluids and it is a natural process. Most of that will show up around the middle. When the period starts and the body realizes that it’s not pregnant, progesterone levels will drop and the excess water will be released from the body. Because of that you may feel and look bloated. It is important that you watch your food and exercise regularly because that will help you to even your hormone levels out and to feeling better.

Crunches are just one form of exercise

Crunches are just one form of exercise and there are many other exercises which can help you to achieve a flat belly. These exercises will work on the muscles in your abs (rectus abdominis and obliques). And when you perform different exercises, they will work on your belly from different angles. Bending forward, bending side words, twisting your torso are some of the important exercises which will work on different plane, but if you’re performing only crunches, you are working on only one plane.

References

1. Flat Abs For Life
2. The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat
3. Abdominal muscles