So there are only 21 days (3 weeks) left before Christmas and thats just enough time for you to make some quick changes to your diet and lifestyle that can give you the possiblity of achieving a flat stomach by Christmas.

To achieve a flat stomach you need to focus on your diet as a whole as well as committing to cardio and muscle building exercise. When it comes to your health and fitness the key is approaching your diet sensibly. Anyone that lives on TV dinners and fast food every day is not going to be as successful as someone who eats consistently and eats healthy fresh food.

Below are my “8 Tips To Help You Get A Flat Stomach Fast By Christmas”.

1) Cut out all junk food and sweets such as:

• Lollies
• Soft drink
• Potato crisps/chips
• Chocolate

Hopefully you get the idea. Junk food is food that we all love to eat from time to time because it tastes great but the fact is it provides little nutritional value. Eating junk food also causes a lack of energy. Other effects are weight gain and increased colesterol levels.

2) Cut down on the processed foods such as:

• Canned foods with lots of sodium
• White breads and pastas made with refined white flour
• Packaged high-calorie snack foods
• Frozen dinners
• Packaged cakes and cookies
• Boxed meal mixes
• Sugary breakfast cereals
• Processed meats such as hot dogs

Many processed foods are made with trans fats, saturated fats, and large amounts of sodium and sugar. These processed foods should be avoided or at least eaten sparingly. The higher sodium content can lead to water retention which induces that bloated look and feeling.

3) Include wholesome and nutritious foods in your diet such as:

• Fruits (apples, oranges, bananas, kiwi-fruit, melons)
• Vegetables (green and leafy are the best)
• Lean protein (salmon, tuna, eggs, chicken breast, turkey)
• Whole grains (brown rice, corn, oats, whole rye)

A diet high in whole grain foods is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. The fiber in whole grains helps slow down the rise in blood sugar that comes with eating refined grains. In addition, whole-grain fiber helps you to feel full so that you may be less likely to reach for that second helping.

4) Drink plenty of water all day long
Drink plenty of water to help flush your system and help you stay hydrated. Our bodies hydration needs can actually stimulate a sensation much like hunger. Hence we often confuse this thirst with hunger and eat when we dont need to. So keep up the fluids to keep down the snacking.

5) Have an apple a day

• Apples contain Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps greatly with your immune system
• Apples are low in calories
• They will provide you with energy
• They are a great source of fiber
• They are also a low GI food so you don’t get that sugar high and then crash

Apples are a great snacking option in between meals. Apples also have a high percentage of water in their make up which can help contribute to you daily water intake.

6) Do a minimum of 20 minutes cardio 5 times per week
This can be as simple or as difficult as you want to make it. I would recommend a bike ride or a jog but you could walk if you are not physically up to running or simply prefer walking.

You could mix it up totally and create a short cardio circuit including a 5 minute walk, 5 minute jog, 5 minute bike ride and 5 minutes on a rowing machine. You just need to get active and get your heart rate up so that you start to burn some calories. Unfortunatly we cant spot reduce our fatty areas like the stomach so you just need to complete general cardio work combined with healthy eating until the weight comes off.

Check out this post for a great 10 minute cross training cardio workout.

7) Don’t snack in between meals and if you must then have fruit and nuts.

‘8) The final and one of the most important steps is to cut out late night snacking.
Again if you must have something keep it healthy. Try having an apple with some natural yoghurt and more water.

If you are serious about getting a flat stomach then you will be willing to stick to these guidelines above. As mentioned you will also need to include cardio workouts as well. Hopefully (depending on what size you are starting at) you will see some good results by the 25th of December and maybe even have a flat stomach. Have a day off for Christmas to eat what you feel like (not overeat) and then get back to eating healthy, increasing your exercise levels in preparation for a healthy 2009.

Sources:
http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/processedfoods.htm
http://www.succeedwiththis.com/9-reasons-why-an-apple-a-day-really-keeps-the-doctor-away
http://www.nutrition.headlinesindia.com/health-nutrition/junk-food-health.html
http://www.accessibility.com.au/news/health-benefits-of-whole-grains-confirmed-by-study
http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/wholegrains.html

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