Toning your tummy can be difficult. It takes a nutritious diet, a healthy daily calorie intake, a proper mix of cardiovascular and strength-training exercises, and good genes! If you need some assistance achieving a toned tummy, try the following tips.
Stand up Straight
Your mother always told you that good posture is important. She was right. Not only does poor posture lead to back problems and other possible health concerns, it also causes a stomach pooch. Standing up straight makes your tummy look more toned, and helps you look leaner overall. Not to mention, practicing good posture helps keep your spine aligned and your core tight, which has multiple benefits, including helping to tone your core muscles.
Engage in Cardiovascular Exercise
In order to see your abdominal muscles, you cannot have much fat over them! To keep your body-fat percentage down, make sure you are eating a healthy diet that does not include an excessive amount of calories. Also, engage in regular cardiovascular exercise to help you burn more calories while you are exercising and after.
Strengthen Your Muscles — All of Them
You cannot simply do a thousand crunches to achieve a toned tummy. There are a few reasons for this. First, your abdominal muscles are only one part of your core. To get a firm midsection, you have to tone your entire core, including your back, glutes, quads, hamstrings and other body parts. Second, again, you need to have an ideal percentage of body fat overall to reveal a toned tummy. Building overall muscle strength helps you do this, because more muscle mass means you burn more calories while at rest.
Ask for Help
If you lead an active, healthy lifestyle but still cannot tone your tummy, it may not be your fault. Sometimes, hereditary factors, pregnancy, major fluctuations in weight or the natural aging process can take a toll on the abdominal area. You may be left with lax skin that has lost its elasticity and has started to hang off the body. Perhaps you have severely damaged, even separated, abdominal muscles. You might also have stubborn deposits of fat that are resistant to your diet and fitness efforts.
If this is the case, you might benefit from cosmetic surgery. I offer body contouring procedures, including tummy tuck surgery in Fairfax / Bethesda, to eliminate excess skin and repair weakened muscles and supporting tissue structures. I also offer liposuction to remove unwanted fat.
If you could use some assistance improving the look of your tummy, don’t be afraid to ask for help. I am happy to discuss your aesthetic concerns and suggest an appropriate treatment protocol to help you get the toned tummy you long for.
To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Joseph Michaels to learn more about body contouring procedures, including tummy tuck or liposuction, please contact Michaels Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery by calling 703.957.8610 (for the Fairfax office) or 301.468.5991 (for the Bethesda office) today.
