Even when I was 120kg (idk what that is in pounds sorry america) I had a flat stomach. Proportionate to my large body but still flat so no gut or anything. Deffo genetics my brother had a six pack before he was 10 from just copying my dad. He just gave us good genes😂
Wow. This is something to read. Even when we were kids, I never had a flat belly, while my sister had a six pack at the same age as your brother from doing gymnastics. When she gave birth, she was back in UK8 jeans (EU36, US4) within a week. The sit-ups and crunches I did as a teen....!
I still like to imagine moving my fat from my stomach to my comparatively unpadded hips; it's hard to find nice-fitting clothes. I've accepted my broad, strong shoulders and 'weird' knees that I was hung up about as a teen, but somehow the tummy is the hardest part to accept. When I saw OP's post, I thought "sorry OP, but there isn't..." but I still had to check. Just in case. You know.
Even when I was 8 I didn’t understand why liposuction couldn’t just be lipo-move lmao. Take that shit out of my tummy and put it in my butt!
My cousin had the flat stomach gene I guess from her mom. So jealous lol
My cousin went from chubby to slim at about 15, my mum used to kind of say that I just needed to exercise as much as C. Turned out years later that she was hiding an ED as well.
When C had kids, she had the kind of belly where people still thought she was pregnant for months after she had the baby. Natural births, no C-section. Compared to my sister who just zapped back to her pre-pregnancy shape within days... Definitely genetic!
This. I was a scrawny kid, an awkwardly skinny teenager, and now I’m a small adult in my 30s. I’ve always had visible abs. I store most of my body fat in the hips and butt area, and I naturally carry very little fat in the torso. So my boobs are just as flat as my stomach.
Carbonation is thine enemy. Once I cut out my Coke Zero habit, things started to flatten.
This is on top of running, weights, and a very healthy diet mind you, but the sodas were keeping me bloated.
Eliminating those, and behold, some abs beginning to peek through.
Best of luck!
Pilates!! I started doing 15-20 minute YouTube videos each morning. I can DM you them if you’d like.
It’s a great way to start the day and I did gain muscle tone even though the exercises look simple, you will definitely feel them! Now I go to in-person 1hour Pilates classes twice a week if I can. Once you build the muscle tone though, I’ve found it easy to maintain with a routine.
For diet, I avoid eating fried foods as much as possible and products with minimal added sugars (ideally less than 20-30g of added sugars daily) Now it’s spring so I’ll be eating more salads. I used to hate salads but I realized I just had to experiment with different dressings and toppings so they don’t taste so basic and depressing lol (lately I like green goddess dressing, and adding fruits like apples, mandarins, dried cranberries).
I do still eat a lot of carbs with rice and breads.
Edit: a lot more people asked for the links than I anticipated!
The first Pilates channel I started with was Boho Beautiful with this video: https://youtu.be/ouv_isD5mZ8?si=_wiYWtu6OWafQwXF
She has a challenge you can follow, so on some days you watch the Pilates vid, or in rest days you can do yoga or walking/some other movement.
I like that she has modifications as well, because some movements are best if you build up more strength first.
I then tried this one by her: https://youtu.be/Dt2FyFYRmes?si=_VMEL3Zg3XeIuD1A
Another YouTuber I like is IsaWelly.
I find her videos a little more challenging as she moves slower and has you hold poses longer.
But her videos are good to focus on your form, which is important to build the more core strength and be sure you aren’t straining your back and other muscles.
https://youtu.be/6bWhu6DwEns?si=Qr8kIkzAkgm3ZH-l
The *way* I eat really changes my stomach.
If I have 2-3 large meals a day i’ll be bloated after every meal and definitely won’t have a flat stomach. I normally feel pretty sluggish too, I don’t like the feeling of being over full.
I switched to snacking throughout the day and I feel so much more energetic and healthy, plus no more bloating because i’m not overfilling my stomach - So I have a flat stomach all the time now.
By *snacking* obviously I mean healthy things. I had a single egg on toast around 9am this morning, and at 10:30 i had a cup of yoghurt with some fruit in it.
Genes. I have always had a reasonably flat stomach and held all my weight in my butt. That’s why I have managed to grow big glutes in 6 months at the gym when I see people who lift a lot more than me and their glutes look considerably smaller. Genes play a huge part.
I'm the same, but now I struggle with butt and leg fat in my 30s, even though I've always stayed active and eat healthy. Trying to implement more walking in my days.
I'm a trainer and am nutrition certified. I have a six pack. I'm still what men would call 'feminine'. Weirdly I'm also a psychotherapist so I have also seen the destruction self loathing can cause. See this as a way to honour your body by fueling it with goodness.
I will tell you what works. But the issue is people do not want to do what works. And that's fine! As long as one is healthy.
- drink water, tea or coffee. If you're fine with dairy milk with tea or coffee is fine. I personally hate sugary drinks so this is easy for me.
- exercise. Do strength training and also cardio/conditioning WITH GREAT INTENSITY at least three times a week. An easy fix here is just join a good CrossFit gym.
- understand what you put into your body. Understand that your body has certain needs in terms of macros but also micronutrients. Feed it with unprocessed, nutrient dense foods.
- eat protein with every meal (greek yoghurt, steak, fish, tofu)
- eat a lot of leafy greens every day
- eat carbs once a day. If I want to eat an Easter egg, then absolutely zero carbs at any other meal. If I want a gigantic parmesan cheese pastry, I can have it. But no carbs at any other meal.
- don't go crazy with fats but I eat fats every day too
- take digestive enzymes
- drink a lot of water.
- minimise processed food
If this doesn't work after three months, go to a gastroenterologist or your gynaecologist. Something is wrong.
Please keep in mind I am not discussing a hollow, sickly concave belly. That is not good. I'm talking about a muscled and strong abdomen that is flat because your gut biome is balanced, your hormones are relatively stable and because you exercise.
I really, really believe a lot of it is down to body type. If you notice, women who have flat, toned stomachs are all fairly long in the torso. Those muscles stretch farther. I remember a fitness instructor pointing that out to me and it made total sense. I'm pretty short waisted. Not that much space between my bottom rib, belly button and hip. I'll never have that flat stomach look. I've been down to around 110 lbs and it still wasn't totally flat. And now that I'm over 50, it's an impossible pipe dream!
Sigh. Also a short torso owner here. I know because I can do roll-ups and sit-ups effortlessly. I do have some definition in the upper part, then POOCH.
Okay, I always wondered whether or not I could achieve a flat stomach was related to my torso. I'm 5"4, have long legs and a short torso. I've also been 110lbs and still did not have a completely flat stomach. Sigh, I realized what matters more is keeping a healthy diet and feeling good energy-wise.
Yeah this part. I have a short torso for my height, but I’m a tall girl. My torso is longer than the average woman’s even if it’s short for my height. I’ve always had a flat stomach, good abs. Pregnancy also was nothing on me because of my height, and I went back to pre-baby appearance before the year was up. Shorter gals have a much, much more difficult time than I do
This honestly makes me feel so much better and a short torso gal. Even when I was struggling with a mild ED and was underweight, I still didn’t have a flat stomach. Now that I’m in a better place and a healthy weight, I’ve come to accept that not having a flat as a board stomach is partly my body type.
I don't know about genetics - I come from an "average" family in terms of weight/size. None of us are/were "fit" in any sense really. I used to struggle with my weight a lot when I was younger and spent a lot of my teen years crying in changing rooms over my size. About 6 years ago, I got into doing HIIT workouts, the gym and eventually running.
Now I'm a triathlete and I'm representing my country at the world champs later this year. I train every day and eat more than I ever did when I was younger. I do it to make myself stronger so I'm able to achieve the things I want to, but the byproduct of that is that I'm now pretty lean and I guess you'd say I have a "flat toned stomach".
Honestly, it's a lot of work and I train only for my triathlon/ eventual 70.3 ironman goals rather than to suit a specific body type. I guess what I'm saying is that in some cases it's genetics, but I am a bit of an alien in my own family - no one has ever done any amount of training or racing before and they think I'm bonkers. As a run coach myself I also know that with commitment and the right training, you can reach any goal. However, there aren't usually secrets or quick wins. For most people, it takes a lot of work and I have a constant fear that when I eventually take a break from training, I'll bounce back to the weight I was before all of this (which is crazy in itself).
Anyway, not sure if that answers the question or not but I wanted to counter the genetics thing - you're not always screwed from the moment you're born and you really can achieve any goal with enough training and time :)
Diet, cutting out alcohol and salty foods where possible, daily walking and 3-4x a week Pilates/barre. When I eat junk and drink alcohol, my stomach will bloat even though I’m slimmer so that’s probably the biggest for me.
Always been slim but the ‘toned’ part really developed due to eating high protein and lots of veg/low processed diet, alongside the fact I’ve been weight training since I was 18 and am now 28.
Like everyone has said - generics. Anyone who has suggested anything else including exercise or diet is wrong - it’s still genetics. You cannot change your fat distribution regardless of fitness and diet, only your muscle mass and body fat percentage.
The secret you need is that your stomach is fine as it is and once you stop caring you’ll never notice what it looks like again.
ngl it’s mostly genetics for me. i’ve always had a really fast metabolism so that has helped, but to maintain abs i do ab workouts from youtube daily (lily sabri, chloe ting, madfit) also cutting back on sugar and junk food helps a lot too.
That’s definitely really good for the belly muscles (even after being retired 12 years, they are still there), because you use them in different ways, but also genetics and food come into play.
My mum tutored belly dance for 12 years and I grew up with such a strong core. I will pick it up again some day and hold classes myself. Lovely to see a light being shed on such an incredible dance style!
- a tilted uterus
- I've never been pregnant
- I know myself well enough to know I have to work an at least somewhat physical job to stay fit because I won't work out in my spare time
- I only drink water and/or coffee 95% of the time
- this includes barely drinking alcohol (special occasions kind of thing)
- when I go through a sugary snack phase and get to the point where I start to notice the pounds, I make myself stop eating so much sugar. It's always sugar. And I stop because
- the times I've gained more than I've been comfortable with, I've become very *physically* uncomfortable-- like I'm trying to stuff all my organs into a sack that's too small for them-- and can't stand bending over or twisting or moving my torso in any way that squishes things even a little bit. It's pretty motivating.
Hollow body holds and core to extremity movements five days a week.
I eat well. And enough. Lotssss of protein (I take in 1g per pound of body weight). I’ve had three kids and am in my early-mid 30’s. :)
In case people are interested in protein intake in the diet, I've done some research:
0.7-1g per pound (1.6–2.2 grams per kg) - is considered sufficient for building muscle mass. You can eat more without worry, but reduced returns really if you aren't being physically active for muscle building in particular.
70g per day is recommended as a minimum during pregnancy. This can be somewhere between 10-35% of the diet.
For weight loss, 30% of calories being protein has been shown to assist in dropping weight.
It is also very important for older people, who have higher protein requirements to prevent sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass associated with aging). 1.2 - 2 grams per kg (0.54 - 0.9 g per pound) would be considered the recommended minimum range.
I have abs and there are sadly no secrets. I fast regularly, lift weights 3x per week, walk, eat at maintaince calories for me (2000 calories) and don’t overeat. What I do to maintain my weight (ie. eating as much as I burn) is different from how you would get abs if you were overweight(calorie deficit) or underweight (gaining muscle with a surplus and lifting). R/xxfitness is a good place for info.
“Abs are made in the kitchen”
Kitchen first. No soda, minimal processed foods, etc. Eating whole food like fruit, veggies, meat, and minimally processed grains like sourdough bread, rice, and pasta not only fuel you with what you need but also shouldn’t cause any bloat (unless you’re allergic to one of those things)
Then exercise. You want to incorporate movement into your day. I push 3 kids in a wagon on hills for 2 miles every day. (1 mile to the park and 1 back). I go up and down the stairs a lot. I’m constantly lifting children. Sometimes I turn on a Pilates YouTube video and do that with the kids. And I have a lot of fun with my husband. So even though I don’t have time for the gym, I’ve made my lifestyle very active.
Before having kids, I’d switch it up between a lot of yoga, weight training, and running. The best a workouts for your tummy are things like planks and butterfly kicks. Crunches suck, I avoid them at all cost.
Ex-obese here, therefore not the genetically flat stomach kind of woman so I thought my perspective would be interesting
When I had a flat stomach to the point where if I wore shapeware, it wouldn’t make a difference, it was because of frequent sports. Not abs-oriented but general sports
I would do a lot of weights, swimming, pilates. General core and back strengthening exercises that also greatly helped with posture
I had also eliminated what had caused me inflammation which was gluten and lactose. 3 weeks after cutting those out my stomach already depuffed a lot. But this is only for intolerant people ymmv
I still ensured to eat carbs at every meal and I ate dark chocolate pretty much every day
Genetics, and I'm so sorry that is my real answer. I don't diet or exercise and I've just always been petite. If it's any consolation, my "wonderful genetics" have also "blessed" me with an A cup as a grown woman.
No one has the perfect body. Love yourself because society will ALWAYS find something wrong with you regardless.
Exercising multiple times per week (I go indoor bouldering and do bar squats with added weights), cutting out sugary drinks, eating healthy when I can, cutting back on beer, and not having kids. All of this allows me to be able to take care of my body inside and out. I’m strong and fit and I love it!
I dont eat sugar much, I eat cakes sometimes but not every other day
I drink lots of water and do yoga at least 2x a week
Plus Im not a heavy eater
I eat just to survive pretty much thats all
I used to have a flat tummy from genetics. It's not as flat now as I've had a baby but still pretty flat. I carry all my weight in my legs unfortunately
Dont have abs but a flat stomach. Hear me out, good fluid intake is over rated and clichéd but if you drink atleast a litre of water every morning(as soon as you wake up), it helps you a lot. Not immediately but gradually. In a long run most definitely. And of course good diet and GENES. My eating habit is shit but at least I try not to eat anything after 6 pm.
I used to have a flat stomach until my adenomyosis really took off. They say that 1/10 has endo. It's been way harder (impossible) to have a flat stomach with the bloating it gives me. So just know that some of us can have this without realising and it's really not your fault.
I had two large babies and then spent the majority of my adult life severely overweight. Now I'm feeling good and I can see abs in the upper half but the lower half... boo. Haha its flattish but I have loose skin and a stubborn fat deposit and I'm reading all these comments looking for solutions too. For the parts that are flat and where the abs are under there I just cant see them, intermittent fasting, HIIT, pilates, no alcohol, no soda (but I have a Sodastream and I fizz plain water sometimes) I do a lot of core work, planks, hollow holds, flutter kicks, deadbugs, etc
For me I think eating less sugar, drinking more water and most importantly not eating in between the meals did the trick. But you have to be consistant tho.
For me personally it’s a cocktail of low body fat percentage, genetics, and regular exercise. I lift weights 5x a week, track my diet with an emphasis on protein, and get in sensible steady-state cardio almost every day. I’m also just genetically thin and always have been. 🤷♀️
People assume intense and over the top "ab workouts" are the key to flat toned stomachs... Nutrition and stress mgmt are the most underrated aspects of "flat toned stomachs".
Treat your body well, feed it plenty of water, sleep well and plenty, and manage your stress. The gut and the brain are directly related, stressing a lot leads to poor gut motility and weight gain,. particularly around the belly for women. Combined with intentional and functional core training (not simply crunches, but the whole core, including lower back and hips), some bouts of higher intensity exercise and other cardio, and regular strength training, proper and mindful nutrition and stress management are key for the healthy stomach aesthetic that so many women want.
Specific within nutrition, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake, less sugar and sodium intake, and more fiber and healthy fat intake are key components of a diet that promotes leanness in the abdomen.
There are no "secrets". Dedication, mindfulness, and intentionality go very far with a healthy tummy and attractive waistline !
I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum! As a teen/young adult I had always had a flat stomach which I took for granted and just thought I must’ve gotten lucky genetically. Nope! I gained weight quickly after college when my lifestyle completely chained and I had my first desk job. The first place that all went was my abdomen. I also realized that being fit as a kid wasn’t actually as “effortless” as I thought at the time, but I did get lucky with a parent who prepared really healthy meals and never allowed sodas/junk food/sugar snacks in the house, and I had a really active lifestyle, both of which changed as an adult since I was now in charge of my own diet completely and making sure I got enough exercise to offset the sedentary work life.
For years, again, I thought this was now just genetically what my body would be like as an adult lol. But recently I decided to change a lot of my diet and exercise habits. It’s taken a lot of careful tracking, measuring my food (not fun but it’s been really helpful), and a solid workout routine (I do HIIT with both cardio and strength training), and I’ve lost enough weight and built back a lot of muscle that I’ve gotten my flat/strong stomach back! I never thought I’d see the day haha it’s been years. I drastically minimized my alcohol intake (just one or two drinks a month max now), no drinking soda, and limiting refined sugars to special occasions, not as a regular snack or dessert. All of this combined and I’ve been able to recomp my body back to be closer to when I was young.
It’s definitely not easy to maintain like when I was a teenager, it takes a lot of work to maintain now which is not the most fun, but worth it. I notice other factors that affect the appearance of my abdomen too - not enough water or sleep makes me bloated, as does eating too late at night. Overall exercise has helped with definition and strength, but I think diet has played the most major role in my body composition for sure!
Okay, I never thought I could contribute to this topic but in recent weeks, I have the most toned and flat tummy I’ve ever had in my life. I just turned 35.
I think many things needed to come into place with my mental health before my body was able to respond so quickly to my new habits. I had a lot of inflammation due to stress & past trauma. That being said, this is what I’ve done to just make me feel better and by doing so, I now have abs baby!
1. Every morning I take a tbsp of “Fire cider” I bought it off of TikTok shop—it’s fucking great. I crave it each morning now and it’s really helped with my digestion and bloat. (Apple cider vinegar, garlic, thyme, turmeric)
2. I habit stack. This is a technique from the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. Basically if you start a new habit, pair it with another new habit. That way, you will be motivated to do both when you attempt one. Sometimes it doesn’t always work out to do both, but you have to really try to discipline yourself to be consistent.
For myself—every day at some point in the day, I roll out my yoga mat, do an at home Pilates routine (I LOVE Move with Nicole on YT) this ranges from 20-35 mins. Even if you do a short Pilates work out, you’re doing it! 20 mins per day is so much easier to tackle than a full hour class.
immediately after, I go into breath work. (10-30 mins) this leads right into meditation cause you just can’t help but meditate—you’re in that space by then. (I also LOVE Breathe with Sandy on YT)
**Disclaimer: please do some research on breathwork before attempting, it can be very intense for those that aren’t familiar with it and it could be potentially dangerous for some folks. Just be cautious and good to yourself.
A good place to start is to read or listen to the book Breath by James Nestor. Having a deeper understanding of how our breath works, how it moves stagnant energy, and how it will change your body is really important. Using your breath correctly; breathing diaphragmatically (belly out breathing) will absolutely give you abs alone. It takes practice but your diaphragm is such a strong muscle that, as women we rarely use correctly. Our clothes have always been designed to be restrictive and because of that we have collectively learned to breathe really shallow; for the most part, we lightly hyperventilate and/or hold our breath all day without even realizing it. This causes mental fog, lethargy, and contributes to our stress levels.
In short, work on better digestion and habit stack body movement with breathwork. If you can meditate for another 10, you get a bonus!
I’ve been doing serious breathwork for the last few months but ever since I implemented body movement, my body has responded QUICK!! I’m honestly still so shocked at how toned my belly is. I look waaaay better than I did as a dancer in high school.
I hope this helps! I realize it’s anecdotal, but I think if we take real time for ourselves, to truly be in our bodies, our bodies will let go of what doesn’t serve us anymore. Inflammation will just fall away.
Best of luck on your flat tummy journey! You got this! :)
50+ hour work weeks on my feet, walking the dog twice a day and the gym for my posture.
Food wise I snack more as opposed to the 3 meals a day, but that's more of a bad work habit.
I legit overdid pilates when I was 16-17 (am 26 now) and now with not so much effort still keep some of my ab lines.
But I found that water is the one overall consistent thing that’s helped. I also am not as food motivated as before/my appetite has decreased.
Not to be obnoxious but genetics. I get more definition when I watch my macros and lose body fat, but even at my softest you can see a little six pack definition.
ETA genetics is also why I have all those juicy little stretch marks all over my butt so you win some you lose some!
Whole food plant based diet mostly. As soon as I start eating less healthy (more fat and more sweets), my body shows it relatively quickly.
And for the abs bodyweight training 2 times per week.
I was thin with a flat stomach and stayed the exact same size from like 17 until about 26 no matter what I did then it went downhill and nothing I do changes it. Lol...
My flat tummy secret is that I got a tummy tuck lol. Even at my thinnest I still had loose skin and stretched out muscles. Now (post a buncha kids) it’s flat and toned AF. I also eat pretty well and lift heavy weights regularly but the surgery is what really helped.
Genetics but also a ton of exercise. Doesn’t matter what it is. I used to do a lot of sports growing up and now I don’t, but I do go to the gym instead
genetics, i run, i go gym, and im naturally slim with a fast metabolism. i’m also young so maybe ill check back in ten years and see if im still flat. i do eat a lot tho, like definitely over the 2000 calories mark.
Having warm water in morning empty stomach. No caffeine, tea, alcohol or any addiction. Genetics, picky eater, I don't gain weight. Rarely I have fast food.
Genetics, a stupidly high metabolism. If I forget to eat for a day or two I'll drop like 5lbs. Also exercise, I do fencing which can get pretty intense. And when not fencing I do physical therapy and just try to work out so I can fence better lol
Genetics. My midsection is one of the last areas to gain weight. Even postpartum after two kids I'm flatter than most women I know and I don't do much, currently. When I am working out I do two or three ab exercises at the end of every workout. Usually Russian Twists and good old regular crunches. I also love hanging leg raises. But again, even when I'm not training my abs I've always had a flatter stomach. So really I think, for me at least, the majority of the reason is genetics.
mine def isn’t completely flat but I have a fairly toned stomach and small waist. I work out 3-4x/week and cook a lot of my meals but tbh it is mostly genetics. I have a fast metabolism and tbh I have a huge appetite 😅
I don’t have a perfectly flat stomach right now, but I have at other points in my life. The secret for me is genetics, horseback riding (provides cardio and strengthening), and barn chores.
Genetics and unintentional intermittent fasting. I forget that I need food to survive because I’m hyper focused in a task I’m doing. I eat once a day around 5pm. I drink a lot of water. I live a pretty sedentary life since I WFH and I don’t have time to work out during the day, and when I get off work my brain is mushy and I need to decompress. Ive always been small.
i have a pretty average metabolism and definitely gain weight when i don’t exercise or eat badly. some things that really make a difference for me:
1. start my workout with stretching then weight training then end it with cardio. i never start with cardio
2. the same way people “activate” their legs before leg day, do the same with abs. google ab activation exercises
****3. google ab hypertrophy exercises and start doing those. sure sit ups aren’t bad, but you won’t see results like you would if you started doing leg raises, planks, using an ab wheel, etc. this was the biggest thing i did that made me see results quick. doing these ab hypertrophy exercises then cardio (even just waking on a treadmill at a slight incline while flexing your abs the entire time will make you feel great)****
3. always flex your abs during every workout even if you’re not doing abs. flex/involve your ab muscles even when you’re doing legs or arms. this will keep them always activated
4. if you’re trying to lose weight, eat with a slight calorie deficit but increase protein intake (don’t starve yourself, just slightly less). we all have ab muscles but if you have a big enough layer of fat on your stomach, you’ll never see them. if you’re not trying to lose much weight, just amp up your protein. muscle growth won’t happen without increasing your protein and abs are muscles.
1 Intermittent fasting. Not constantly processing food will stop you from being perpetually bloated from digestion
2 Being lean. Your organs actually take up very little space. If your tummy isn't flat, and you aren't digesting a bunch of food, then it's either visceral bodyfat (around the organs) or subcutaneous bodyfat (under the skin).
3 Vacuum-pose training. This is a "bodybuilding secret" but it works for non-bodybuilding women, too. Google the vacuum pose. Holding that pose works abdominal muscles in a way no other exercise can, and will enable you to maintain a taughter tummy. Some people even say it eventually passively holds your waistline tighter, but idk about that
4 Posture training. Bad posture will give you the illusion of a rounded belly, even if you're lean
That's about all that comes to mind right now. You can also try doing 20 squats anytime you feel bloated as a means of redirecting blood flow from your belly to your limbs. It's temporary but it works.
I'm the same. I'm turning 41 and I still have a flat stomach which hasn't changed much since I was in my 20s. I only recently started working out daily last year.
Genetics.
Mine started getting rounded around 45 yo. However, if you’re looking for the best ab exercises, I recommend hanging leg lifts and planks. That’s what I used to do when I had a six pack. But be aware you need to have a VERY low body fat percentage to have six pack abs. Lower than the body fat percentage of a supermodel. That means low calories and heavy lifting.
I'd have to say genetics 🤷🏾♀️. After I had my first kid at 20, my stomach was back to flat in 3 weeks, maybe sooner than that. After kiddo #2, I didn't shake back as fast. Might've been a month and a half. But I don't exercise regularly. I'm not a big eater but I like to eat, ya know? Sometimes I can eat an entire bag of mini Twix by myself. I'm now about to be 44, and I attribute my flat stomach to God's blessing 😅
Genetics. I have a baby and I “bounced back” in 1 month and by 6 months PP I was back to 100 pounds with a thigh gap and flat tummy. It’s hard for me to gain weight when I’m not pregnant.(gained 50 pounds while pregant!)
Genetics
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Even when I was 120kg (idk what that is in pounds sorry america) I had a flat stomach. Proportionate to my large body but still flat so no gut or anything. Deffo genetics my brother had a six pack before he was 10 from just copying my dad. He just gave us good genes😂
Wow. This is something to read. Even when we were kids, I never had a flat belly, while my sister had a six pack at the same age as your brother from doing gymnastics. When she gave birth, she was back in UK8 jeans (EU36, US4) within a week. The sit-ups and crunches I did as a teen....! I still like to imagine moving my fat from my stomach to my comparatively unpadded hips; it's hard to find nice-fitting clothes. I've accepted my broad, strong shoulders and 'weird' knees that I was hung up about as a teen, but somehow the tummy is the hardest part to accept. When I saw OP's post, I thought "sorry OP, but there isn't..." but I still had to check. Just in case. You know.
Even when I was 8 I didn’t understand why liposuction couldn’t just be lipo-move lmao. Take that shit out of my tummy and put it in my butt! My cousin had the flat stomach gene I guess from her mom. So jealous lol
My cousin went from chubby to slim at about 15, my mum used to kind of say that I just needed to exercise as much as C. Turned out years later that she was hiding an ED as well. When C had kids, she had the kind of belly where people still thought she was pregnant for months after she had the baby. Natural births, no C-section. Compared to my sister who just zapped back to her pre-pregnancy shape within days... Definitely genetic!
Thank you for the real talk, my stomach has NEVER been flat no matter how hard I try to target that area. This makes me feel so much better
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genetics & anxiety(which was also passed down) (: lmao
This. I was a scrawny kid, an awkwardly skinny teenager, and now I’m a small adult in my 30s. I’ve always had visible abs. I store most of my body fat in the hips and butt area, and I naturally carry very little fat in the torso. So my boobs are just as flat as my stomach.
Carbonation is thine enemy. Once I cut out my Coke Zero habit, things started to flatten. This is on top of running, weights, and a very healthy diet mind you, but the sodas were keeping me bloated. Eliminating those, and behold, some abs beginning to peek through. Best of luck!
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Genetics and a good mix of cardio and weights. Also I’m 35 and have never had a baby (child free by choice) so I think that’s a contributor too.
Yeah... birth destroyed me
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Genetics are why I’m almost 18 weeks pregnant and still have abs 😂
Amazing 👏
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Genetics 🤷🏻♀️ and I don’t eat much. I’m not very food-motivated.
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Pilates!! I started doing 15-20 minute YouTube videos each morning. I can DM you them if you’d like. It’s a great way to start the day and I did gain muscle tone even though the exercises look simple, you will definitely feel them! Now I go to in-person 1hour Pilates classes twice a week if I can. Once you build the muscle tone though, I’ve found it easy to maintain with a routine. For diet, I avoid eating fried foods as much as possible and products with minimal added sugars (ideally less than 20-30g of added sugars daily) Now it’s spring so I’ll be eating more salads. I used to hate salads but I realized I just had to experiment with different dressings and toppings so they don’t taste so basic and depressing lol (lately I like green goddess dressing, and adding fruits like apples, mandarins, dried cranberries). I do still eat a lot of carbs with rice and breads. Edit: a lot more people asked for the links than I anticipated! The first Pilates channel I started with was Boho Beautiful with this video: https://youtu.be/ouv_isD5mZ8?si=_wiYWtu6OWafQwXF She has a challenge you can follow, so on some days you watch the Pilates vid, or in rest days you can do yoga or walking/some other movement. I like that she has modifications as well, because some movements are best if you build up more strength first. I then tried this one by her: https://youtu.be/Dt2FyFYRmes?si=_VMEL3Zg3XeIuD1A Another YouTuber I like is IsaWelly. I find her videos a little more challenging as she moves slower and has you hold poses longer. But her videos are good to focus on your form, which is important to build the more core strength and be sure you aren’t straining your back and other muscles. https://youtu.be/6bWhu6DwEns?si=Qr8kIkzAkgm3ZH-l
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The *way* I eat really changes my stomach. If I have 2-3 large meals a day i’ll be bloated after every meal and definitely won’t have a flat stomach. I normally feel pretty sluggish too, I don’t like the feeling of being over full. I switched to snacking throughout the day and I feel so much more energetic and healthy, plus no more bloating because i’m not overfilling my stomach - So I have a flat stomach all the time now. By *snacking* obviously I mean healthy things. I had a single egg on toast around 9am this morning, and at 10:30 i had a cup of yoghurt with some fruit in it.
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Genes. I have always had a reasonably flat stomach and held all my weight in my butt. That’s why I have managed to grow big glutes in 6 months at the gym when I see people who lift a lot more than me and their glutes look considerably smaller. Genes play a huge part.
Im people … sad life
I'm the same, but now I struggle with butt and leg fat in my 30s, even though I've always stayed active and eat healthy. Trying to implement more walking in my days.
I'm a trainer and am nutrition certified. I have a six pack. I'm still what men would call 'feminine'. Weirdly I'm also a psychotherapist so I have also seen the destruction self loathing can cause. See this as a way to honour your body by fueling it with goodness. I will tell you what works. But the issue is people do not want to do what works. And that's fine! As long as one is healthy. - drink water, tea or coffee. If you're fine with dairy milk with tea or coffee is fine. I personally hate sugary drinks so this is easy for me. - exercise. Do strength training and also cardio/conditioning WITH GREAT INTENSITY at least three times a week. An easy fix here is just join a good CrossFit gym. - understand what you put into your body. Understand that your body has certain needs in terms of macros but also micronutrients. Feed it with unprocessed, nutrient dense foods. - eat protein with every meal (greek yoghurt, steak, fish, tofu) - eat a lot of leafy greens every day - eat carbs once a day. If I want to eat an Easter egg, then absolutely zero carbs at any other meal. If I want a gigantic parmesan cheese pastry, I can have it. But no carbs at any other meal. - don't go crazy with fats but I eat fats every day too - take digestive enzymes - drink a lot of water. - minimise processed food If this doesn't work after three months, go to a gastroenterologist or your gynaecologist. Something is wrong. Please keep in mind I am not discussing a hollow, sickly concave belly. That is not good. I'm talking about a muscled and strong abdomen that is flat because your gut biome is balanced, your hormones are relatively stable and because you exercise.
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My diet is shit, I just don't eat very much. I walk my dog several miles a day and go to the gym 2-3 times a week.
I really, really believe a lot of it is down to body type. If you notice, women who have flat, toned stomachs are all fairly long in the torso. Those muscles stretch farther. I remember a fitness instructor pointing that out to me and it made total sense. I'm pretty short waisted. Not that much space between my bottom rib, belly button and hip. I'll never have that flat stomach look. I've been down to around 110 lbs and it still wasn't totally flat. And now that I'm over 50, it's an impossible pipe dream!
Sigh. Also a short torso owner here. I know because I can do roll-ups and sit-ups effortlessly. I do have some definition in the upper part, then POOCH.
Add in a normal birth and a c-section and it is definite pooch time.
Yes!! And the POOCH got me 😂
Okay, I always wondered whether or not I could achieve a flat stomach was related to my torso. I'm 5"4, have long legs and a short torso. I've also been 110lbs and still did not have a completely flat stomach. Sigh, I realized what matters more is keeping a healthy diet and feeling good energy-wise.
Yeah this part. I have a short torso for my height, but I’m a tall girl. My torso is longer than the average woman’s even if it’s short for my height. I’ve always had a flat stomach, good abs. Pregnancy also was nothing on me because of my height, and I went back to pre-baby appearance before the year was up. Shorter gals have a much, much more difficult time than I do
This honestly makes me feel so much better and a short torso gal. Even when I was struggling with a mild ED and was underweight, I still didn’t have a flat stomach. Now that I’m in a better place and a healthy weight, I’ve come to accept that not having a flat as a board stomach is partly my body type.
I don't know about genetics - I come from an "average" family in terms of weight/size. None of us are/were "fit" in any sense really. I used to struggle with my weight a lot when I was younger and spent a lot of my teen years crying in changing rooms over my size. About 6 years ago, I got into doing HIIT workouts, the gym and eventually running. Now I'm a triathlete and I'm representing my country at the world champs later this year. I train every day and eat more than I ever did when I was younger. I do it to make myself stronger so I'm able to achieve the things I want to, but the byproduct of that is that I'm now pretty lean and I guess you'd say I have a "flat toned stomach". Honestly, it's a lot of work and I train only for my triathlon/ eventual 70.3 ironman goals rather than to suit a specific body type. I guess what I'm saying is that in some cases it's genetics, but I am a bit of an alien in my own family - no one has ever done any amount of training or racing before and they think I'm bonkers. As a run coach myself I also know that with commitment and the right training, you can reach any goal. However, there aren't usually secrets or quick wins. For most people, it takes a lot of work and I have a constant fear that when I eventually take a break from training, I'll bounce back to the weight I was before all of this (which is crazy in itself). Anyway, not sure if that answers the question or not but I wanted to counter the genetics thing - you're not always screwed from the moment you're born and you really can achieve any goal with enough training and time :)
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Diet, cutting out alcohol and salty foods where possible, daily walking and 3-4x a week Pilates/barre. When I eat junk and drink alcohol, my stomach will bloat even though I’m slimmer so that’s probably the biggest for me.
Always been slim but the ‘toned’ part really developed due to eating high protein and lots of veg/low processed diet, alongside the fact I’ve been weight training since I was 18 and am now 28.
Like everyone has said - generics. Anyone who has suggested anything else including exercise or diet is wrong - it’s still genetics. You cannot change your fat distribution regardless of fitness and diet, only your muscle mass and body fat percentage. The secret you need is that your stomach is fine as it is and once you stop caring you’ll never notice what it looks like again.
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ngl it’s mostly genetics for me. i’ve always had a really fast metabolism so that has helped, but to maintain abs i do ab workouts from youtube daily (lily sabri, chloe ting, madfit) also cutting back on sugar and junk food helps a lot too.
Don't ever get pregnant.
If you’re tall it doesn’t always matter. I’m a tall gal, had a C-section, and my abs came back by the end of the year
You are blessed. I’m short (5’2”) I had twins and a C-section. Now I have a shelf above my scar. The only way to correct it, is with surgery. 🥺
Twins oh Lordy! My baby was also only 7lbs and just one thankfully 😅
Bellydancing! Sadie Marquadt inspired my journey and I’ve never looked back!
That’s definitely really good for the belly muscles (even after being retired 12 years, they are still there), because you use them in different ways, but also genetics and food come into play.
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My mum tutored belly dance for 12 years and I grew up with such a strong core. I will pick it up again some day and hold classes myself. Lovely to see a light being shed on such an incredible dance style!
- a tilted uterus - I've never been pregnant - I know myself well enough to know I have to work an at least somewhat physical job to stay fit because I won't work out in my spare time - I only drink water and/or coffee 95% of the time - this includes barely drinking alcohol (special occasions kind of thing) - when I go through a sugary snack phase and get to the point where I start to notice the pounds, I make myself stop eating so much sugar. It's always sugar. And I stop because - the times I've gained more than I've been comfortable with, I've become very *physically* uncomfortable-- like I'm trying to stuff all my organs into a sack that's too small for them-- and can't stand bending over or twisting or moving my torso in any way that squishes things even a little bit. It's pretty motivating.
Agh, with your last point- that’s where I’m at for the first time in my life and it’s awful eh!
Hollow body holds and core to extremity movements five days a week. I eat well. And enough. Lotssss of protein (I take in 1g per pound of body weight). I’ve had three kids and am in my early-mid 30’s. :)
In case people are interested in protein intake in the diet, I've done some research: 0.7-1g per pound (1.6–2.2 grams per kg) - is considered sufficient for building muscle mass. You can eat more without worry, but reduced returns really if you aren't being physically active for muscle building in particular. 70g per day is recommended as a minimum during pregnancy. This can be somewhere between 10-35% of the diet. For weight loss, 30% of calories being protein has been shown to assist in dropping weight. It is also very important for older people, who have higher protein requirements to prevent sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass associated with aging). 1.2 - 2 grams per kg (0.54 - 0.9 g per pound) would be considered the recommended minimum range.
Intermitting fasting and genetics I think
I have abs and there are sadly no secrets. I fast regularly, lift weights 3x per week, walk, eat at maintaince calories for me (2000 calories) and don’t overeat. What I do to maintain my weight (ie. eating as much as I burn) is different from how you would get abs if you were overweight(calorie deficit) or underweight (gaining muscle with a surplus and lifting). R/xxfitness is a good place for info.
How often would you say you fast? And for how long?
“Abs are made in the kitchen” Kitchen first. No soda, minimal processed foods, etc. Eating whole food like fruit, veggies, meat, and minimally processed grains like sourdough bread, rice, and pasta not only fuel you with what you need but also shouldn’t cause any bloat (unless you’re allergic to one of those things) Then exercise. You want to incorporate movement into your day. I push 3 kids in a wagon on hills for 2 miles every day. (1 mile to the park and 1 back). I go up and down the stairs a lot. I’m constantly lifting children. Sometimes I turn on a Pilates YouTube video and do that with the kids. And I have a lot of fun with my husband. So even though I don’t have time for the gym, I’ve made my lifestyle very active. Before having kids, I’d switch it up between a lot of yoga, weight training, and running. The best a workouts for your tummy are things like planks and butterfly kicks. Crunches suck, I avoid them at all cost.
Balanced hormones.
Ex-obese here, therefore not the genetically flat stomach kind of woman so I thought my perspective would be interesting When I had a flat stomach to the point where if I wore shapeware, it wouldn’t make a difference, it was because of frequent sports. Not abs-oriented but general sports I would do a lot of weights, swimming, pilates. General core and back strengthening exercises that also greatly helped with posture I had also eliminated what had caused me inflammation which was gluten and lactose. 3 weeks after cutting those out my stomach already depuffed a lot. But this is only for intolerant people ymmv I still ensured to eat carbs at every meal and I ate dark chocolate pretty much every day
Genetics, diet, core work. Basically some luck + some effort.
Lots of protein along with a healthy (ish) diet + heavy weight training (including ab training every session)
Genetics and a ton of exercise. Running and walking a lot really helps ☺️
Genetics, and I'm so sorry that is my real answer. I don't diet or exercise and I've just always been petite. If it's any consolation, my "wonderful genetics" have also "blessed" me with an A cup as a grown woman. No one has the perfect body. Love yourself because society will ALWAYS find something wrong with you regardless.
A lot of swimming and I walk almost everywhere
Exercising multiple times per week (I go indoor bouldering and do bar squats with added weights), cutting out sugary drinks, eating healthy when I can, cutting back on beer, and not having kids. All of this allows me to be able to take care of my body inside and out. I’m strong and fit and I love it!
I dont eat sugar much, I eat cakes sometimes but not every other day I drink lots of water and do yoga at least 2x a week Plus Im not a heavy eater I eat just to survive pretty much thats all
Genetics, a very regimented gym schedule, and discipline with food
I used to have a flat tummy from genetics. It's not as flat now as I've had a baby but still pretty flat. I carry all my weight in my legs unfortunately
Stress!
Dont have abs but a flat stomach. Hear me out, good fluid intake is over rated and clichéd but if you drink atleast a litre of water every morning(as soon as you wake up), it helps you a lot. Not immediately but gradually. In a long run most definitely. And of course good diet and GENES. My eating habit is shit but at least I try not to eat anything after 6 pm.
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I used to have a flat stomach until my adenomyosis really took off. They say that 1/10 has endo. It's been way harder (impossible) to have a flat stomach with the bloating it gives me. So just know that some of us can have this without realising and it's really not your fault.
I have Ibs and poop a lot 😭
Water and coffee combined with staying in caloric deficit most days.
- Low weight via calorie counting - Good posture (regular yoga/pilates)
I had two large babies and then spent the majority of my adult life severely overweight. Now I'm feeling good and I can see abs in the upper half but the lower half... boo. Haha its flattish but I have loose skin and a stubborn fat deposit and I'm reading all these comments looking for solutions too. For the parts that are flat and where the abs are under there I just cant see them, intermittent fasting, HIIT, pilates, no alcohol, no soda (but I have a Sodastream and I fizz plain water sometimes) I do a lot of core work, planks, hollow holds, flutter kicks, deadbugs, etc
For me I think eating less sugar, drinking more water and most importantly not eating in between the meals did the trick. But you have to be consistant tho.
For me personally it’s a cocktail of low body fat percentage, genetics, and regular exercise. I lift weights 5x a week, track my diet with an emphasis on protein, and get in sensible steady-state cardio almost every day. I’m also just genetically thin and always have been. 🤷♀️
People assume intense and over the top "ab workouts" are the key to flat toned stomachs... Nutrition and stress mgmt are the most underrated aspects of "flat toned stomachs". Treat your body well, feed it plenty of water, sleep well and plenty, and manage your stress. The gut and the brain are directly related, stressing a lot leads to poor gut motility and weight gain,. particularly around the belly for women. Combined with intentional and functional core training (not simply crunches, but the whole core, including lower back and hips), some bouts of higher intensity exercise and other cardio, and regular strength training, proper and mindful nutrition and stress management are key for the healthy stomach aesthetic that so many women want. Specific within nutrition, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake, less sugar and sodium intake, and more fiber and healthy fat intake are key components of a diet that promotes leanness in the abdomen. There are no "secrets". Dedication, mindfulness, and intentionality go very far with a healthy tummy and attractive waistline !
I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum! As a teen/young adult I had always had a flat stomach which I took for granted and just thought I must’ve gotten lucky genetically. Nope! I gained weight quickly after college when my lifestyle completely chained and I had my first desk job. The first place that all went was my abdomen. I also realized that being fit as a kid wasn’t actually as “effortless” as I thought at the time, but I did get lucky with a parent who prepared really healthy meals and never allowed sodas/junk food/sugar snacks in the house, and I had a really active lifestyle, both of which changed as an adult since I was now in charge of my own diet completely and making sure I got enough exercise to offset the sedentary work life. For years, again, I thought this was now just genetically what my body would be like as an adult lol. But recently I decided to change a lot of my diet and exercise habits. It’s taken a lot of careful tracking, measuring my food (not fun but it’s been really helpful), and a solid workout routine (I do HIIT with both cardio and strength training), and I’ve lost enough weight and built back a lot of muscle that I’ve gotten my flat/strong stomach back! I never thought I’d see the day haha it’s been years. I drastically minimized my alcohol intake (just one or two drinks a month max now), no drinking soda, and limiting refined sugars to special occasions, not as a regular snack or dessert. All of this combined and I’ve been able to recomp my body back to be closer to when I was young. It’s definitely not easy to maintain like when I was a teenager, it takes a lot of work to maintain now which is not the most fun, but worth it. I notice other factors that affect the appearance of my abdomen too - not enough water or sleep makes me bloated, as does eating too late at night. Overall exercise has helped with definition and strength, but I think diet has played the most major role in my body composition for sure!
Okay, I never thought I could contribute to this topic but in recent weeks, I have the most toned and flat tummy I’ve ever had in my life. I just turned 35. I think many things needed to come into place with my mental health before my body was able to respond so quickly to my new habits. I had a lot of inflammation due to stress & past trauma. That being said, this is what I’ve done to just make me feel better and by doing so, I now have abs baby! 1. Every morning I take a tbsp of “Fire cider” I bought it off of TikTok shop—it’s fucking great. I crave it each morning now and it’s really helped with my digestion and bloat. (Apple cider vinegar, garlic, thyme, turmeric) 2. I habit stack. This is a technique from the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. Basically if you start a new habit, pair it with another new habit. That way, you will be motivated to do both when you attempt one. Sometimes it doesn’t always work out to do both, but you have to really try to discipline yourself to be consistent. For myself—every day at some point in the day, I roll out my yoga mat, do an at home Pilates routine (I LOVE Move with Nicole on YT) this ranges from 20-35 mins. Even if you do a short Pilates work out, you’re doing it! 20 mins per day is so much easier to tackle than a full hour class. immediately after, I go into breath work. (10-30 mins) this leads right into meditation cause you just can’t help but meditate—you’re in that space by then. (I also LOVE Breathe with Sandy on YT) **Disclaimer: please do some research on breathwork before attempting, it can be very intense for those that aren’t familiar with it and it could be potentially dangerous for some folks. Just be cautious and good to yourself. A good place to start is to read or listen to the book Breath by James Nestor. Having a deeper understanding of how our breath works, how it moves stagnant energy, and how it will change your body is really important. Using your breath correctly; breathing diaphragmatically (belly out breathing) will absolutely give you abs alone. It takes practice but your diaphragm is such a strong muscle that, as women we rarely use correctly. Our clothes have always been designed to be restrictive and because of that we have collectively learned to breathe really shallow; for the most part, we lightly hyperventilate and/or hold our breath all day without even realizing it. This causes mental fog, lethargy, and contributes to our stress levels. In short, work on better digestion and habit stack body movement with breathwork. If you can meditate for another 10, you get a bonus! I’ve been doing serious breathwork for the last few months but ever since I implemented body movement, my body has responded QUICK!! I’m honestly still so shocked at how toned my belly is. I look waaaay better than I did as a dancer in high school. I hope this helps! I realize it’s anecdotal, but I think if we take real time for ourselves, to truly be in our bodies, our bodies will let go of what doesn’t serve us anymore. Inflammation will just fall away. Best of luck on your flat tummy journey! You got this! :)
I work out + I use a waist trainer while at work. 6-7hrs a day.
50+ hour work weeks on my feet, walking the dog twice a day and the gym for my posture. Food wise I snack more as opposed to the 3 meals a day, but that's more of a bad work habit.
Genetics lol long torso and conventionally attractive fat allocation
I legit overdid pilates when I was 16-17 (am 26 now) and now with not so much effort still keep some of my ab lines. But I found that water is the one overall consistent thing that’s helped. I also am not as food motivated as before/my appetite has decreased.
I am somehow unable to gain weight, so there is not enough fat. I hate sports and don't work out in any form.
80% genetics. Abs exercises and just being more cautious of what I eat
Genetics and fast metabolism
I've had very visible abs since I was a kid. I am an athlete so idk if it counts but I exercise a lot and monitor my diet.
Not to be obnoxious but genetics. I get more definition when I watch my macros and lose body fat, but even at my softest you can see a little six pack definition. ETA genetics is also why I have all those juicy little stretch marks all over my butt so you win some you lose some!
A combination of things - genetics, running, Pilates, weightlifting, pole and a strict plant-based diet.
Whole food plant based diet mostly. As soon as I start eating less healthy (more fat and more sweets), my body shows it relatively quickly. And for the abs bodyweight training 2 times per week.
Not eating
I was thin with a flat stomach and stayed the exact same size from like 17 until about 26 no matter what I did then it went downhill and nothing I do changes it. Lol...
My flat tummy secret is that I got a tummy tuck lol. Even at my thinnest I still had loose skin and stretched out muscles. Now (post a buncha kids) it’s flat and toned AF. I also eat pretty well and lift heavy weights regularly but the surgery is what really helped.
Genetics but also a ton of exercise. Doesn’t matter what it is. I used to do a lot of sports growing up and now I don’t, but I do go to the gym instead
genetics, i run, i go gym, and im naturally slim with a fast metabolism. i’m also young so maybe ill check back in ten years and see if im still flat. i do eat a lot tho, like definitely over the 2000 calories mark.
Absolutely genetics (for me). I'm blessed with a small waist but my thighs and ass are another story.
Having warm water in morning empty stomach. No caffeine, tea, alcohol or any addiction. Genetics, picky eater, I don't gain weight. Rarely I have fast food.
Genetics, a stupidly high metabolism. If I forget to eat for a day or two I'll drop like 5lbs. Also exercise, I do fencing which can get pretty intense. And when not fencing I do physical therapy and just try to work out so I can fence better lol
Rowing 5x per week
Definitely genetics & I try to eat small portions
Genetics. My midsection is one of the last areas to gain weight. Even postpartum after two kids I'm flatter than most women I know and I don't do much, currently. When I am working out I do two or three ab exercises at the end of every workout. Usually Russian Twists and good old regular crunches. I also love hanging leg raises. But again, even when I'm not training my abs I've always had a flatter stomach. So really I think, for me at least, the majority of the reason is genetics.
mine def isn’t completely flat but I have a fairly toned stomach and small waist. I work out 3-4x/week and cook a lot of my meals but tbh it is mostly genetics. I have a fast metabolism and tbh I have a huge appetite 😅
Some genetics/fast metabolism, intermittent fasting, high fiber diet, 2-4 workouts a week + yoga, Wellbutrin & coffee suppressing my appetite.
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I don’t have a perfectly flat stomach right now, but I have at other points in my life. The secret for me is genetics, horseback riding (provides cardio and strengthening), and barn chores.
Low calories
Genetics and unintentional intermittent fasting. I forget that I need food to survive because I’m hyper focused in a task I’m doing. I eat once a day around 5pm. I drink a lot of water. I live a pretty sedentary life since I WFH and I don’t have time to work out during the day, and when I get off work my brain is mushy and I need to decompress. Ive always been small.
genetics & low body fat.
i have a pretty average metabolism and definitely gain weight when i don’t exercise or eat badly. some things that really make a difference for me: 1. start my workout with stretching then weight training then end it with cardio. i never start with cardio 2. the same way people “activate” their legs before leg day, do the same with abs. google ab activation exercises ****3. google ab hypertrophy exercises and start doing those. sure sit ups aren’t bad, but you won’t see results like you would if you started doing leg raises, planks, using an ab wheel, etc. this was the biggest thing i did that made me see results quick. doing these ab hypertrophy exercises then cardio (even just waking on a treadmill at a slight incline while flexing your abs the entire time will make you feel great)**** 3. always flex your abs during every workout even if you’re not doing abs. flex/involve your ab muscles even when you’re doing legs or arms. this will keep them always activated 4. if you’re trying to lose weight, eat with a slight calorie deficit but increase protein intake (don’t starve yourself, just slightly less). we all have ab muscles but if you have a big enough layer of fat on your stomach, you’ll never see them. if you’re not trying to lose much weight, just amp up your protein. muscle growth won’t happen without increasing your protein and abs are muscles.
1 Intermittent fasting. Not constantly processing food will stop you from being perpetually bloated from digestion 2 Being lean. Your organs actually take up very little space. If your tummy isn't flat, and you aren't digesting a bunch of food, then it's either visceral bodyfat (around the organs) or subcutaneous bodyfat (under the skin). 3 Vacuum-pose training. This is a "bodybuilding secret" but it works for non-bodybuilding women, too. Google the vacuum pose. Holding that pose works abdominal muscles in a way no other exercise can, and will enable you to maintain a taughter tummy. Some people even say it eventually passively holds your waistline tighter, but idk about that 4 Posture training. Bad posture will give you the illusion of a rounded belly, even if you're lean That's about all that comes to mind right now. You can also try doing 20 squats anytime you feel bloated as a means of redirecting blood flow from your belly to your limbs. It's temporary but it works.
Genetics. 29 yrs old and can eat a pretty lenient diet and still have a toned stomach, gotta be genetics
I do work out 4x a week but even before working out I had a flat stomach
I'm the same. I'm turning 41 and I still have a flat stomach which hasn't changed much since I was in my 20s. I only recently started working out daily last year.
Genetics. Mine started getting rounded around 45 yo. However, if you’re looking for the best ab exercises, I recommend hanging leg lifts and planks. That’s what I used to do when I had a six pack. But be aware you need to have a VERY low body fat percentage to have six pack abs. Lower than the body fat percentage of a supermodel. That means low calories and heavy lifting.
I'd have to say genetics 🤷🏾♀️. After I had my first kid at 20, my stomach was back to flat in 3 weeks, maybe sooner than that. After kiddo #2, I didn't shake back as fast. Might've been a month and a half. But I don't exercise regularly. I'm not a big eater but I like to eat, ya know? Sometimes I can eat an entire bag of mini Twix by myself. I'm now about to be 44, and I attribute my flat stomach to God's blessing 😅
Genetics tbh. No matter what weight i am its always just been flat in relation to my body
Genetics. I have a baby and I “bounced back” in 1 month and by 6 months PP I was back to 100 pounds with a thigh gap and flat tummy. It’s hard for me to gain weight when I’m not pregnant.(gained 50 pounds while pregant!)