Americans are getting less sleep than ever these days and it’s taking a toll on our health—most visibly on our waistlines. Losing just 30 minutes of sleep per night can make you gain weight, according to a study done by the Endocrine Society. Worse, that weight is more likely to go straight to your tummy. Instead, the researchers found, the best sleep cycle is one that follows your natural circadian rhythms, which means sleeping and waking around the same time as the sun, as previously noted. Here Jenna Fletcher, MedicalNewsToday.com, reflects on ways to get a flat stomach, medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS, specialty in fitness:

 

“Fat around the belly can be challenging to lose. Even with diet and exercise, it can often be the last part of the body to slim down.

However, there are many methods that a person can use to both reduce overall fat and tone the abdomen.

Techniques that may help people get a flat stomach include:

Add Cardio

Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises are an excellent way for a person to burn calories and improve their heart health.

Many cardio exercises are effective in trimming and strengthening a person’s midsection. Some examples include running, walking, and swimming.

Research has shown that moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise can reduce fat in overweight people, even without a reduction in calorie intake.

Eat more fiber

Fiber can help make a person feel fuller for longer, which can reduce the amount of food that they eat during and between meals.

Fiber also keeps the digestive system functioning. A healthy digestive system can reduce bloating and keep the stomach looking slim.

Add resistance training

Doing resistance training can help ensure that a person who is cutting calories does not lose muscle mass. Developing muscle mass can also help the body burn more calories while at rest.

Common types of resistance training include weightlifting and doing exercises that use body weight, such as squats and lunges.

People can do resistance training by itself or in conjunction with cardio. The results of a study in obese adolescents suggest that combining both resistance and cardio training is an effective way to reduce body fat.

Move more

People looking to lose belly fat can try adding in extra movement and activity throughout the day, especially if they generally spend most of the day sitting at work or school.

Examples of small activities that add up throughout the day include:

• taking the stairs
• walking
• using a standing desk
• fidgeting
• stretching throughout the day

One study even suggested that adding this extra movement could help a person burn up to 2,000 additional calories a day, depending on their body weight and activity level.

Swap out high-calorie drinks

High-calorie beverages often provide few or no nutrients, and drinking them makes it easy to overindulge in extra calories without realizing it.

There are some obvious offenders, such as soft drinks and energy drinks. However, other popular drinks, including juice, milk-based coffee beverages, and alcoholic drinks, all have extra calories, often with no additional nutritional value.

To avoid consuming too many calories in drinks, a person can:

• swap juice for whole fruits, which are full of fiber
• limit or avoid milk and sugar in coffee and tea
• make mixed alcoholic drinks with soda water instead of tonic, cola, or ginger ale

Drink enough water

People can minimize water retention and bloating, both of which can make a person’s stomach look larger, by drinking plenty of water.

Drinking a glass of water before a meal could also fill up the stomach and help with portion control during the meal.

People can drink plain water or infuse it with citrus fruits, cucumber, or berries to add flavor. Drinking herbal teas is another excellent way to stay hydrated.”

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