How to Get a Flat Stomach Without the Exercise Ball
Variety in exercise is the key to developing a flat stomach. Traditional stomach exercises such as sit-ups and crunches work the abdominal muscles in the front of the stomach. Targeting the stomach area with exercises that work the muscles from different angles maximizes the benefits of each exercise. Combining target exercises for a flat stomach with proper diet and cardiovascular workouts will help you reach your goal to get a flat stomach. It's possible to get a flat stomach without the exercise ball by following a planned approach to fitness.
Instructions
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How to Get a Flat Stomach Without the Exercise Ball
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Maintain a proper diet filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Limiting your intake of fatty foods and carbohydrates such as breads and pastas will help trim the fat from your midsection. Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables and space your meals apart by three to four hours to keep your energy level high. Include plenty of water throughout the day to help flush your body of toxins.
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Perform regular cardiovascular exercise such as walking or riding an exercise bike. Both exercises target the lower portion of the body as well as increase your metabolism. You'll need to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat. Your cardio regimen should include three to four days each week of 30 minutes or more of exercise. See additional resources for more information about calories burned during exercise.
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Perform a variety of crunches to tone your abdominal muscles. Your goal is to mimic the use of the muscles that are targeted when using an exercise ball. Exercise balls require your body to engage many muscle groups to create stability on the ball. Instead, try various positional crunches such ad oblique crunches or twist crunches to work the love handles (side of abdomen). See additional resources for instructions and pictures. One key to performing a perfect crunch involves learning to breathe properly. Exhale as you pull yourself up and inhale when returning to the floor.
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Add Pilates exercise to your workout regimen. Pilates focuses on creating a group of strong core muscles, which includes your hips, stomach and lower back. Pilates targets the stomach muscles in particular by focusing on posture and tightening the muscles while performing this type of exercise. For more information on the benefits of Pilates, see additional resources.
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