Simple Ways To A Slim Stomach

Ask any woman what the number one part of her body that she wishes was thinner is and more than half of the responses you will get will be the abdominal region. Who can blame them though? A toned, sexy midsection is a good indication that you are doing something right in the diet and fitness department of your life and definitely does increase your attractiveness level.

Unfortunately though, for most women, one of the hardest places to lose body fat is the abdominal region due to the hormone levels we have. Our bodies simply like to store excess fat here (the other area that is common for women is the thighs and hip area) and are stubborn to release it.

For some individuals, it would take many months of hard dieting coupled with intense exercises sessions in order to get down to body fat levels where you could see really defined abs. This may actually not be healthy either as you do require a certain level of body fat to keep your body functioning properly, particularly where your reproductive abilities are concerned.

Some lucky women are able to simply get down to reasonable levels of body fat to see a clear picture of their abs while others who aren't so fortunate need to get so lean that the rest of them starts looking a little too thin.

So what is the solution? The trick is to make small adjustments to your diet, workout, the way you carry yourself, all which will aid in making that stomach of yours look more defined and slimmer.

Try one of these next time you are feeling a little more than conscious about this area of your body.

Dietary Changes

Watch Your Sodium Intake

The biggest dietary change you should make to help trim up your midsection in the short term is watching your sodium intake. High amounts of salty foods are really going to create a bloated look, which will distend the stomach and make you carry excess water weight.

Be aware that there are some foods that have 'hidden' salt that you would never think to be a culprit. For example, prepared chocolate pudding has a much higher sodium level than people would guess. Similarly, many packaged snack foods such as granola bars, string cheese and crackers are quite high in salt. The obvious ones to be aware of are any tomato-based products, canned soups and stews, sandwich meat and frozen dinner entrees. If you are going to consume some of these foods, try and consume them in moderate doses along with plenty of water to help flush that excess salt out of your system.

Increase Your Vegetable Intake - But Within Limits

Often dieters, upon starting a new diet will eat boatloads of vegetables because not only are they virtually fat free, they are not very calorie dense, hence making them the perfect diet food. This is great as they are also filled with many vitamins and minerals, all of which your body needs to maintain proper health.

The downside to this however, in the short term, is that vegetables are another very bloat-causing type of food, potentially even more so than sodium. If you've ever eaten a very large stir-fry, you may have noticed you looked a little pregnant afterwards. Sure it's a funny way to put it, but it's very close to the truth. All this fiber hits your digestive system and the lower portion of the abdomen starts sticking out as if you were 3-6 months along already. Not a fun thing when you are trying to squeeze into a tiny dress or pair of pants.

So keep your vegetable intake up, as it is important health-wise, but don't overdo it if you have a special event or date coming up where you want to look slimmer. Long term, a high intake of vegetables will definitely help you lose weight which is what will really make you look thinner permanently but for the same or next day, a reduced vegetable intake may be beneficial.

Beware of Soda And Gum

Workout Changes

Along with the small dietary changes you can make to get your midsection looking thinner, these quick workout changes can also help speed the process along.

Go Hard On The Weights

You're first inclination might be to hit the treadmill for a couple of hours to try and blast away a maximum amount of calories. Unfortunately while you will burn calories, it isn't really going to make you look that much thinner - unless of course you sweat out buckets of water, which will in effect cause a weight loss. A better approach however would be to do a couple of really great strength training sessions. This will help bring oxygen to the muscles and give you a nice toned look. If you've ever watched a bodybuilding or fitness competition, many times right before going on stage competitors will perform a few exercises to help 'pump' their muscles up. So the same idea applies here. It doesn't have to be strictly ab exercises you do either as your abs will be working in almost every exercise you do as an synergistic (helper) muscle. If looking thinner is your goal, spend half your time on the cardio equipment (as this is important too) and then dive into some weight training. You will be much better off.

Take A Yoga Class

While yoga, unless you are doing an intense power yoga form, isn't exactly the greatest calorie burner, what it will do is really help to lengthen your muscles giving you a long and lean appearance. Taking a yoga class once or twice a week will not only help reduce muscle tension and relieve stress, but it will also help to teach you the proper posture that you should be maintaining thus giving you the elongated look that you are going for.

Work Your Abs On An Exercise Ball