You dream of firm abs, a flat middle and want to tighten your belly? Here you can learn how to lose belly fat!
For a flat stomach after losing weight or after pregnancy, many women would put up with a lot.
Also a tummy tuck or liposuction. But this is not necessary at all.
We show you a few tips and tricks around fitness and nutrition with which you can tighten your belly. Without surgery.
You'll learn in this post,
- what tummy tightening has to do with nutrition,
- the best diet tips for the flat stomach,
- How to train your abdominal muscles,
- What are the best belly off exercises,
- how endurance training helps lose belly fat,
- Why upright posture is a great belly off trick,
- how massages can tighten the abdomen.
You are not alone with your wish. Many women say that their belly is the number 1 problem area. Even though they are slim, their belly flabbles. Really annoying.
Table of contents
Tummy tightening with diet and exercise
If you want to tone your abdomen, you must know that you need two components for this. On the one hand, you need to lose body fat. And on the other hand, build abdominal muscles.
We'll show you how to get your Tummy tighten can. The secret is a mix of training and nutrition.
Did you know that 70% of your training success depends on nutrition? No? Then it's time you learned a few tips and tricks.
Let's start right away with exercises for a toned stomach. However, it's important that you know right now that doing exercises alone will not not is done. If you want a flat stomach in the long term, you also have to rethink your diet.
How to measure your belly fat correctly
A small belly bothers us visually, but is not unhealthy. But if you have to deal with a lot of belly fat, you should know that belly fat can even be dangerous to your health.
Compared to other body fats, abdominal fat has a high hormonal activity. It releases hormones and other substances into the blood. It is precisely these hormones that are associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
To help you know if you're at risk too, you can measure your abdominal fat percentage.
To do this, take a tape measure. Put it around one belly at the level of the navel. It is best to do this in the morning before breakfast. From a value of 80 cm there is suspicion of too much belly fat. From 88 cm there is an acute need for action!
Tip 1: Tighten belly with nutrition
You struggle and still it does not want to work with the flat stomach? All attempts to tighten your belly have failed miserably? Then it is most likely due to your eating habits.
You can work out as much as you want - if your abs are hiding under body fat, they won't be visible. They are well hidden under the fat pads.
Anyone who has accumulated body fat on the abdomen must first get rid of it. This works very well with Intermittent fasting.
That you can lose weight with a few exercises directly on the abdomen is one of the most widespread Myths around the flat stomach.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to lose weight only on the belly. If we have belly fat, our overall body fat percentage is too high.
So now it's all about reducing body fat. Then the kilos also fall on the belly. Therefore, we have collected 8 nutrition tips that you can use to tighten your belly.
Thereby our We Go Fit Nutrition Plan support. We know from our own experience that it is often very difficult to eat right.
Especially when it comes to recipes, you can quickly reach the limits of your creativity. That's why it's worth making a cooking plan. It's best to plan what you're going to eat for a week in advance.
A conscious diet will not only bring you closer to your dream figure. You will also change mentally. If you eat healthy, you'll be in a better mood and have more power.
So that you can succeed, you can take part in our We Go Fit Program Create your personal nutrition plan. You choose between losing weight, building muscles or clean eating and specify your favorite foods.
We'll put together a nutrition plan that fits your needs and that's 100% for you. It's very easy. Give it a try :)
Click here to put together your personal nutrition plan!
Protein provides a toned abdomen
Now when it comes to you wanting to lose belly fat, you should add more protein (protein) to your diet.
You can also do that very well from vegetable protein sources obtain. In addition, dairy products are of course quite good sources of protein.
Foods rich in protein have many advantages
- They keep you full for a long time
- Many protein foods are nearly fat-free (like lean meats or many dairy products)
- They help you build and maintain muscle mass
- During digestion they consume more energy than carbohydrates or fats
In this way, they help us lose body fat.
In short: Increase your protein intake! This works with Recipes like "Proats" quite super. Proats are oatmeal, cottage cheese, milk and fresh fruit!
Foods that are very rich in protein
Data per 100 gram
- Lupine flakes 42 g
- Parmesan 35.6 g
- Pumpkin seeds 35,5 g
- Soybeans dried 35 g
- Harz cheese 30 g
- Hemp seeds 29 g
- Peanut butter 28 g
- Sunflower seeds 26.1 g
- Tuna 25,4 g
- Lamb 24,9 g
- Turkey breast 24.1 g
- Chicken breast 23 g
- Gouda 21,9 g
- Goat cheese 21,5 g
- Mozzarella 17,1 g
However, you must not completely give up fat and carbohydrates. Have a look at our DIY protein muesli by!
Complex carbohydrates for the flat stomach
Unless, of course, you eat a lot of bad carbohydrates. These are found in white flour products like toast, pasta and other white flour foods.
When we talk about reducing carbohydrates, we mean unhealthy carbs. Especially those from household sugar and white flour.
These simple carbs make your blood sugar level soar after a meal. But it drops again at least as quickly. The result: cravings for more unhealthy foods.
Complex carbohydrates on the other hand, are healthy, give you strength during training and keep you full for a long time. Professional athletes have known this for a long time and therefore leave low carb alone.
Carbohydrates provide our brain and muscles with long and constant energy. So we feel full for a long time. In the photo you can see a delicious recipe for Quinoa salad with sweet potato, pomegranate and blueberries.
You can find complex carbohydrates in
- all whole grain products such as bread or pasta
- Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kale, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus.
- Soy products and teff
- Fruits like apples, pears, pineapple, melon
- All kinds of nuts
- Skim milk products
- Legumes such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas
- Wheat bran, oat flakes, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, millet, lupins
- Natural rice
- Sweet potatoes and potatoes
Calorie deficit for tummy tightening
But whether you're vegetarian, vegan or meat-eater, the overall point is to achieve a calorie deficit.
This means that you must burn more calories per day than you consume. Only in this way can your body also melt the fat pads.
Each kilogram of body fat contains about 7000 calories. To avoid building up even more, we reduce the intake of new excess calories. And the calories that we have too much on our ribs are burned through exercise.
However, there are also foods for which our body has to use a lot of energy so that it can digest them. This brings us back to complex carbohydrates. Our body needs energy to digest fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains swells in the stomach. That makes you full.
There are many Foods that are low in calories and filling make. Thus, 100 g of cucumber have just 16 kcal. Or 100 g strawberries 36 kcal. Potatoes make you full for a long time and have only 73 kcal. A natural yogurt with little fat you can have from 36 kcal and chicken breast fillet comes along with only 102 kcal.
Bloating belly prevents flat stomach
But there is also a second possibility why it just won't work with the belly tightening: You have a bloated belly!
An unpleasantly protruding bloated belly not only looks unaesthetic, it can also cause pain. Here it is important to eat healthy and balanced.
If you're prone to a bloated belly, it's best to avoid legumes, cabbage of all kinds, convenience foods and white flour products.
It's also very important that you take time to eat. So chew sufficiently and drink lots of water.
If you often Air in the belly But this may also be due to other foods. Or you react to some ingredients in Foods with a bloated belly.
Fruits and vegetables can tighten the belly
Both fruits and vegetables are very good sources of dietary fiber. They swell up in the stomach and ensure a long feeling of satiety.
Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water and few calories. And of course lots of vitamins and nutrients.
By the way, it's best to eat fruits and vegetables raw. With some vegetables such as kohlrabi, tomatoes, peppers, etc., this is possible without any problems. This is the best way to preserve the nutrients. There are vitamins that do not survive heating. A typical Representative is vitamin C - it is sensitive to heat and is almost completely destroyed during cooking.
Do not eat fast food
Anyone who eats ready-made meals and fast food is not doing their body any favors. Ready-made sauces, lasagnas, pizzas and the like contain lots of unhealthy substances.
It starts with the colorant. Anyone who has ever made their own tomato sauce will find that it never turns as orange as the one from the supermarket.
Products in the store are often given a helping hand. They are also artificially colored so that they appear healthier and we buy them. The brighter the orange, the more tomatoes there must be in the sauce. Right? Nope. Not at all.
Not to mention pizza, lasagna and other convenience foods. Here, there's an additional load of sugar, lots of fat and salt.
And then there are the preservatives. After all, the food should have a long shelf life and look beautiful. So a number of E-numbers are packed into the food.
Sauces that you mix from bags and refine with meat or vegetables are also ready-made meals.
All in all: very unhealthy and far too high in calories to be able to tone the belly.
We say: Hands off! Just try to prepare a sauce from tomatoes, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and fresh herbs. You can freeze it in small portions and get a lot closer to your goal of a toned belly.
Crank up your metabolism
If you boost your metabolism, you can positively influence fat burning. And the good thing about it is that you already consume a lot of it unconsciously on a regular basis. If you now consciously put it on your menu, the kilos will fall even faster.
Metabolism Ankurbler for the tight belly
- Apples
- Coffee
- Ginger
- Potatoes
- Eggs
- Cauliflower
- Garlic
and there are still much more foods that stimulate the metabolism.
The most important thing is that you drink a lot. But of course, no soda or fruit juices. Instead, drink natural, low-calorie beverages. Water is best. If that is too boring for you, you can help yourself with orange slices, lemons, mint or other ingredients. You can use fruit and herbs to make your Make your own detox water.
Herbal teas are also allowed and welcome. So you don't sweat, you can prepare a liter and let it cool. Tea also tastes wonderful cold. It tastes even better with a small dash of lemon.
By the way, another metabolism booster is sports!
Stay away from alcohol if you want a flat stomach
Cocktails taste especially good on warm summer evenings. And there's nothing wrong with that. If it really remains the exception. And you keep this in mind: Drinking alcohol has a negative effect on fat burning.
On the one hand, this is due to the sugar in the delicious drinks. And on the other hand, alcohol of all kinds is poison for the body.
When he drinks alcohol, the reduction has the highest priority for the body. Fat burning is put on the back burner. Or, in the case of larger quantities, even stopped altogether.
So if you ever want to toast, don't do it with cocktails. Instead, reach for lower-calorie options. How about a white wine spritzer and mint? But of course only in moderation! Do not misunderstand :)
Tip 2: Build abdominal muscles to tone the abdomen
So that the excess kilos fall even faster, we get to grips with them with fitness.
Sports burn calories and grow muscles.
We rely on a healthy mix. On the one hand, endurance training. That means cycling, running or swimming. And on the other hand, abdominal muscle training.
By the way, muscle building is a very great thing. Because muscles burn a lot of energy - calories - even when they are at rest.
At rest, 1 kg of muscle mass consumes about 13 calories per day.
That doesn't sound like a lot now. But if you compare it with body fat, the difference becomes clearly visible.
1 kg of body fat consumes 4.5 calories per day. So 3x as much.
The more muscles the better it is for calorie consumption.
How often do I need to do exercises for a flat stomach?
To really see progress with Trianing, you should train at least 2 days per week. 3 sessions are better. However, 2-3 sessions of bodyweight strength training and 2-3 sessions of endurance training make the most sense.
The best exercises to tone the abdomen
We show you the best exercises for a toned abdomen! This workout trains the abdominal muscles particularly effectively. So you will soon see the first results.
Important: Abdominal exercises alone will not get you there. Ideally, you build muscles all over the body. Abdominal muscles are relatively small. The calorie consumption is therefore low. We recommend holistic exercises. In addition, for trained abdominal muscles you must always strengthen the counterparts - i.e. in the buttocks and back.
Here we present you exercises that specifically strengthen the abdominal muscles. For the beginning is suitable Full Body Workout with Bodyweight very well. As an advanced helps you HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or Dumbbell workout.
Ab exercise 1: Planks / forearm support
With Planks (forearm support) you train many muscle groups at the same time. You strengthen your body from the feet to the arms.
- Lie on your stomach. Put your elbows under your shoulders.
- Lift your body off the mat.
- Now only your toes and elbows (+hands) touch the mat.
- Tighten your abdomen and buttocks and make sure your body forms a straight line.
Hold the position for at least 30 seconds. Do 3 passes with 30 seconds rest in between.
Abdominal Exercise 2: Side Support (Side Planks)
The Plank is an exercise that can be performed in many different ways. Click here for the Plank Variations for the abdominal muscles. These planks are good for toning the abdomen because they particularly work the lateral abdominal muscles.
- Lie down on one side. Stretch your legs through and lift your body off the mat.
- To do this, place your elbow under your shoulder.
- Tighten the abdomen and buttocks.
- Those who want and can, can lift the upper leg stretched in the air.
Hold this position for at least 30 seconds. Make 3 passes.
Abdominal workout 3: Sit ups
What would be the abdominal workout without sit ups? But beware: very often it is claimed that you can only tighten the abdomen through sit ups. Of course this is not true! Because you can not reduce body fat with it.
However, sit ups are very good for defining the abdominal muscles.
- Lie on your back.
- Angle your legs and place your hands on the back of your head.
- Slowly lift the upper body off the floor.
- And slowly lower again.
Very important: work with the abdominal muscles. Getting momentum is forbidden ;)
Abdominal muscle exercise 4: Crunches
With Bicyle Crunches you can train the lateral and straight abdominal muscles. This abdominal toning exercise is more suitable for advanced users. But as a beginner, don't worry if you only manage a few repetitions. With time you will create more and more ab crunches :)
- Lie on your back. Put your hands on the back of your head.
- Take both legs off the floor.
- Pull the right leg to the left elbow. Lift the upper body off the mat.
- And change sides. Left leg to the right elbow.
1x right leg and 1x left leg lift = 1 repetition. In total you do 15 repetitions. Then rest 1 minute and then do another round.
Abdominal workout 5: With table
For abdominal training you can easily turn your coffee table into a training tool. This exercise will help you build your first abdominal muscles. And it's a great preparation if you can't do sit ups yet.
- Sit down on the table. Hold on with your hands.
- Lean back slightly. Make sure your back is straight.
- Put on the legs as shown in the photo.
- Then stretch them straight through. And then pull the knees back to the chest.
Important: Perform this abdominal toning exercise very slowly. At first, you probably won't be able to do more than 2 repetitions. If you succeed, you should do at least 10 repetitions for three sets.
Exercise 6 for the back: Superman
If you want to have a trained abdomen, you also need to strengthen the opposing muscles. So train the back muscles. With the Superman exercise goes quite well. In addition, this is a fine relaxation for the already stressed abdominal muscles :)
- Lie on your stomach. The arms and legs are stretched.
- Tighten the buttocks and lift the upper body and legs off the mat.
- Either hold both legs still. Or you lift them alternately from the floor.
- Very important: body tension!
Hold the position for at least 10 seconds. Then slowly lower the legs and arms again. Pause for 10 seconds. And then lift again. Do a total of 15 repetitions.
Whole body exercise 7: Mountain Climber
And then there's the Mountain Climber. With it you can train your entire body. If you train with a lot of body tension, you'll be rewarded with a toned stomach.
- You start in full plank. To do this, place your hands under your shoulders.
- The legs are extended and the back is straight.
- Now alternately pull the right and left knee as far as you can towards the chest.
- Tighten the abdomen well.
1x right leg and 1x left leg to chest = 1 pass. Do at least 10 passes. Then rest for 30 seconds. And then 2 more repetitions.
Tip 3: Endurance training to tone the abdomen
The healthiest is always a mix of strength and endurance. That way, you'll get close to your goal of a toned stomach.
Your training plan for a toned abdomen could look like this:
- Monday: body weight exercises
- Tuesday: Running
- Wednesday: Break
- Thursday: body weight exercises
- Friday: Endurance
- Saturday: Break
- Sunday: light stretching exercises
Endurance sports lift your mood and release happiness hormones.
As a beginner, you may not believe me now and shake your head with wide eyes. But perseverance really pays off.
With cycling, running or swimming you simply sweat away the stress.
Endurance training motivates the heart muscle to perform at its best. This makes it work better and protects you from cardiovascular diseases.
The advantage of endurance sports is that they help us achieve our daily physical activity quota. We should walk about 10,000 steps per day to stay fit and healthy. With strength training alone, we lack this movement.
Basically, any exercise is better than none. If you lack the drive or don't feel fit, you can do something very good for your health with a quick walk.
The basics for endurance training
If you want to tighten your belly, do endurance sports at least 2x a week. The following applies: You should sweat but still be able to entertain yourself at least a little.
When running, start alternating between running and walking. Don't overdo it at the beginning!
As a sports beginner, you'll find it easier if you start with cycling. We have a Guide how to lose weight with cycling can be compiled.
Also for Run beginners we have a small training plan written down. With this you will become a runner in a few units :)
Tip 4: Upright posture for the flat stomach
Posture is also important for a toned abdomen. On the one hand, this naturally ensures a healthy back. And on the other hand for a flat stomach.
But not only visually. Because if you always walk bent over, you make sure that your abdominal muscles slacken.
And that in turn promotes a hunchback. Or also the hollow back. In both cases, muscle building helps.
The best tips for the correct posture
The back is always when sitting and standing always straight. To do this, pull your shoulders back and open up your chest. If you tend to have a hollow back, tighten your buttocks when standing and look at our Hollow back exercises over.
Endurance sports help you improve your posture. Especially running and swimming are good for this. When cycling you have to make sure your back is straight!
Yoga, Pilates and stretching exercises promote upright posture.
Do stretching exercises every day after getting up. And also for the office there are very good exercises for stretching.
Tip 5: Massages have a tightening effect on the skin
Simply knead the belly tight? No, it's not that easy. But the basis for smooth and firm skin is always good blood circulation.
It ensures that toxins are transported out of the tissue. At the same time, it also aims to stimulate the metabolism.
If you want to tighten the skin on your belly, regular massages can help you. They have a supportive effect!
How to do it. Simply take a little skin between your index finger and thumb. Pull on it a little and then let go. This will improve the blood circulation.
By the way, this also works with a brush in the shower. To do this, massage the abdomen with circular movements.
Our conclusion
If you want to tone your belly, you need to rethink your lifestyle. That means reducing body fat through exercise and diet. To reduce the Belly off you have to participate in a Calorie deficit work. Only through strength and endurance training can you lose belly fat in the long term.
For you, this means: approach the problem with a good plan, regular training and a healthy diet. You must have the goal in mind for the long term. Do not do crash diets or similar attempts. This is very unhealthy and will not lead you to a flat stomach in the long run!
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more