The Best And Worst Belly Flatteners: Page 3

Provided by Prevention

At-Home Devices
Best: Exercise ball. Crunches performed on these soft, bouncy balls (about 53 inches in circumference, inflated) improve upon the basic floor version in two ways. First, your abs work nonstop in order to stabilize you -- even between crunches -- and the closer together that your feet are, the harder you work. The balancing also helps improve coordination. Second, an exercise ball allows a greater range of movement so you can extend your body beyond horizontal along the ball's curve, making the crunches more challenging.

You can purchase exercise balls for about $20 to $30 at many major sporting goods stores.

Caution: Avoid using an exercise ball if you suffer from lower back problems.

Gym Equipment
Best: Decline bench. This padded bench makes crunches more challenging because, with your upper body lower than your hips, you're working against gravity.

How to use it: Set the decline for no more than 30 degrees or you'll get too much hip flexor involvement. Lie with your knees bent to prevent your legs from helping out. Slowly curl up about 30 degrees off the bench. Hold, then slowly lower.

Habits
Best: Standing and sitting up straight. Slouching forward accentuates your belly. But good posture is an instant belly flattener--and over time, it will become second nature.

Worst: Smoking. Those who puff tend to have larger waistlines than nonsmokers and former smokers. The culprit here seems to be cortisol, the hormone of stress (which may itself be fueling the habit).

If want to hide your tummy fast, these debloating and camouflaging tricks can take an inch or more off your waistline in 12 hours.

Tummy Tips
Drink water. Carbonated drinks and those with lots of sugar can blow your belly up like a balloon, says Peter McNally, DO, spokesperson for the American College of Gastroenterology.

Skip the chips. Salt makes you retain water, especially before your period. Processed and canned foods also tend to be high in sodium.

Give your jaw a break. Chewing gum can cause you to swallow excess air.

Get some java "to go." If you're feeling overdue for a bathroom session, studies show that a cup or two of coffee can get things moving.

Shape up underneath. Body shapers, or high-waisted spandex waist nippers and panties, can take off an inch or more. The more spandex (Lycra) they contain, the more control you'll get. Note: Excess bulge can squeeze up and over, so avoid clingy tops, says Jan Larkey, a Pittsburgh-based image consultant and author of Flatter Your Figure (Simon & Schuster, 1992).

Buy the dress that fits now. Forget sizes! No one will see the tag, but if it's too snug around your middle, you might as well yell, "Hey, check out my belly!" Show off your strongest feature to draw attention away from your tummy. Great arms? Go sleeveless. Tina Turner legs? Wear a shorter hemline. Sexy shoulders? Choose thin -- or no -- straps. If you prefer a dressy suit, choose a long jacket worn over a straight, slim skirt.

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