In this blog, I’m going to talk about how to make your stomach look flatter.
As a cancer survivor, I’ve had three surgeries on my stomach. They cut right through my abdomen. Yep, they split it right open. And as a result, my stomach wasn’t exactly pretty afterward.
My Abs Were Cut
Yes, my abs were “cut,” but probably not in the way a normal person would want them to be.
However, it wasn’t just the scars that made my stomach not look so good, but they also took out a small piece of my intestines.
This, along with years of medication that wrecked my digestion, made my stomach stick out. I hated it.
Basically, it was a combination of a weak core and bad digestion working in conjunction to make it look like I had a gut. The funny thing was though, I didn’t have any substantial belly fat.
Ultimately, I wanted to know how to make my stomach look flatter. So, I learned a few things, changed up a few things, and bam, it worked.
Below are several different ways to make your stomach look flatter.
Here’s How You Make Your Stomach Look Flatter
1. Drink More Water
Yep, who would have thought drinking water can help your stomach look flatter?
According to Livestrong.com, and Dr. Oz, drinking cold water causes the body to burn energy by forcing it to heat the cold water you drink.
And according to Dr. Oz, drinking eight glasses of cold water per day helps a person burn 70 calories.
Additionally, if throughout the day you replace juices and other sugary drinks with water, you can cut out about another 200 calories from your diet.
There is a warning though, drinking too much water can lead to a dangerous but rare condition called, hyponatremia. So there’s that.
2. Eat More Fiber to Get a Flatter Stomach
How many times have you read that you need more fiber in your diet? Well, you are reading it again.
Soluble fiber really is super-good for you.
It absorbs water and makes you feel full. This, in turn, decreases the number of calories your body is able to absorb.
And as HealthLine states, eating plenty of fiber decreases a person’s chances of gaining fat around their organs. This keeps the waistline smaller and helps make the stomach look flatter.
But hey, just a couple of tips from HealthLine. Be sure to drink enough water when you eat fiber, and also slowly increase your fiber intake.
3. Cut Back on the Carbs
Well here is a no-brainer. Cut back on carbs to get yourself a flatter looking stomach. Carbohydrates such as beans, lentils, and bread can cause some serious belly-bloat.
Besides, carbohydrates like potatoes, pizza, and pasta can really add up to a ton of calories.
4. Other Foods to Watch
Furthermore, consider other foods and beverages. For example, carbonated drinks, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, and beer.
These things can also cause some serious belly bloating and work against that flat stomach you’re after. But look, I’m not saying don’t enjoy life and not have a beer or pizza every now and then.
5. Take a Probiotic Supplement
Another excellent way to help make your stomach look flatter and cut down on the ugly belly bulge is to take probiotics.
Probiotics are good bacteria that help the gut with digestion. And now, according to WebMD, science suggests probiotics may also help with other conditions.
Healthline reports that several studies have shown that taking probiotics can help improve digestion and cut down on belly bloating.
Probiotics can also be found in several different foods, my probiotic food of choice is Greek yogurt.
6. Work Your Core
You knew I had to put this one in here. Yes, work your core. You can start slow, but strengthening your core, over time will make your stomach area stronger, firmer, and flatter.
Exercises I suggest for working the core are cable woodchoppers, planks, scissor kicks, knee-ups, side-to-sides, and flutter kicks.
Personally, I love scissor kicks. They help strengthen and define your core.
To do scissor kicks, lay flat on your back with your hands by your sides. Next, lift your feet up straight. With your toes pointed, place one foot over and under the other and repeat. You should definitely feel the burn.
Exercises that work your abs and core:
- Planks
- Scissor kicks
- Knee-ups
- Side-to-sides
- Flutter kicks
- Cable woodchoppers
- Ab coaster
Please note, you should always check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. This is especially important if you have any medical conditions.
7. Correct Your Posture
Basically, good posture and a strong core go hand-in-hand. Strengthening your core will give you good posture. And at the same time, having a good posture will strengthen your core.
So, don’t slouch. Sit up straight at work, and sit up straight when you drive. Whatever you are doing, try to be mindful of your posture.
Also, do some core strengthening exercises (refer to number 6).
8. Stop Eating So Much at Once
Stop eating so much at once. Americans are so conditioned to think we have to “eat it all,” but we really don’t have to eat until we are miserable. When you eat large meals, it causes belly bloating.
Think about the last time you ate a whole pizza and drank all of that beer.
Or maybe, that time you woofed down multiple helpings of pasta. How did that make you feel? Do you think the excessive eating made your stomach look flatter?
Of course, it didn’t. But I know, it sure did taste good.
9. Eat Smaller Meals
This one is closely tied to number 8.
Instead of eating big meals in one sitting, eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.
Not only will this help cut back on belly bloating, but according to WebMD, it will also help your body increase its ability to burn fat.
And as you lose fat around your midsection, this will help make your stomach look flatter.
10. Do More Cardio
Don’t just avoid the extra calories, but burn calories, too.
This can be done with a little cardio. Cardiovascular exercise speeds up your metabolism and improves your heart health.
You don’t even have to do that much.
The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week for your heart. But hey, anything is better than nothing. So just get started. Go for a small walk.
Pro tip: Be consistent with your cardio and you will notice profound results. (As always, check with your physician before starting an exercise routine.)
Think about it, a little cardio is great for burning calories, improving heart health, and helps make your stomach look flatter.
Also, did you know that exercise can help with concentration, mood, and motivation?
11. Emsculpt
Emsculpt is an FDA-approved method of tightening and toning muscle—usually muscle associated with the buttocks and abdominals. I mean, everyone wants a sick pack, right?
Many professionals claim that Emsculpt doesn’t just tone and firm, but that it also burns fat.
In short, a patient lies on a table. They are then hooked up to an Emsculpt machine. From there, the patient just relaxes and lets the machine do the work. Sounds like some sort of Voodoo magic to me, but feel free to try it.
A session takes approximately 30 minutes. And get this, it’s the equivalent of doing 200 sit-ups every day for a year. It literally produces 20,000 muscle contractions all at one time.
Yes, many people think it sounds too good to be true, but many medical professionals are embracing Emsculpt technology.
Rachel Nazarian, MD, a New York-based dermatologist and Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (FAAD), referred to Emsculpt as an
advancement for the body contouring world.
Rachel Nazarian, MD, and Fellow of the FAAD
12. Shapewear
This is a pretty hot thing right now.
Shapewear is worn as an undergarment to make the body look in a way that many people perceive to be more desirable.
For example, you can buy shapewear to make your stomach look flatter. And, actually, you can buy shapewear that not only makes your stomach look flatter but also gives your buttocks a nice lift, too.
However, webmd.com says it’s important for people to be realistic about wearing shapewear.
In other words, if you need a size large in shapewear for your stomach, don’t buy that size medium. Not only can this be uncomfortable, but it can also be unhealthy.
13. Chew Your Food
Remember when your mom used to say, “Chew your food!” Well, mom was onto something.
According to Dawn Jackson, author of, “The Flexitarian Diet,” chewing food helps aid in proper digestion and also helps prevent bloating from gas.
So, chew that food so you don’t get that bloated stomach. It will help make your stomach look flatter.
14. Do a Colon Cleanse to Make Your Stomach Flatter
This one is controversial, and I get it. Sometimes, when I even mention doing a colon cleanse for gut health or to make the stomach flatter, I get some crazy looks.
But I will tell you, taking a colon cleanse supplement for a couple of weeks will definitely make your stomach flatter.
How do I know? Well, I’ve tried it and my stomach transformed.
This along with working my abs and eating right has been essential to transforming my midsection over the past two years.
15. Laugh a Whole Bunch
Seriously, this works according to some experts. Yep, simply laughing works your abs.
So I don’t know, maybe watch some funny movies a few times a week, or just go people-watching.
People-watching can be pretty fun. Heck, if it will help you get abs and a flatter stomach, you can now say that laughing at others is good for your health, and you don’t simply do it because you are cruel and have no soul.
A Recap on Making Your Stomach Flatter
Making your stomach look flatter isn’t about just doing one thing. It’s about consistently doing several things, like laughing at people (oh c’mon, not really).
Things such as drinking water, eating fiber, watching carb intake, and exercise are just a few things that can help with getting that lean looking stomach.
Not only that, these things can help improve your health in many other areas.
My advice is to set your goals, develop a plan, and be consistent. You’ll be surprised at the results you achieve on your way to make your stomach look flatter.
And finally, always remember to check with your doctor before starting an exercise routine or changing your diet. Oh, and laugh more. It works your abs, remember?