Unfortunately, the muscles in our belly aren’t used often enough.  Men tend to walk differently and use muscles differently than women do.  It can be a difficult task to figure out how to properly use those muscles so that we can lose weight in this very stubborn and often times last area of our bodies.

The first thing to be aware of is the fact that health food is often times junk food disguised to be healthy.  Eating this food may actually cause belly fat to multiply rather than help you to lose weight, as promised.

The least effective exercises you can do are ab crunches, sit-ups and ab machines.  These are not nearly as effective as the media would like you to believe.  Just the same, doing boring repetitive cardio exercises won’t produce the results you’re looking for either.

Fat burning pills won’t make much of a difference, so don’t waste your money!

Instead, consider eating foods that are healthy for your tummy.  Grass-fed beef or bison, which is not the meat you typically find in the grocery store, is extremely healthy to eat.  Try your local health food store or farmer’s market.  Grass-fed meat usually contains as much as three times the amount of Vitamin E than other meat.  It also contains a healthy fat, which is referred to as conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA.  This helps to burn fat and build lean muscles.  You can speak to your local butcher or order the meat online.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Avocados are considered to be a fatty food, but they are actually quite healthy for you.  They contain a healthy fat.  Additionally, they are packed full of vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants.  You can make healthy guacamole to flavor your foods (consider piling homemade guacamole onto a grass-fed beef patty for a delicious dinner).  Some people add guacamole to their eggs, omelets and salads too.  Eating avocado helps to reduce your appetite.

Contrary to popular belief, eating whole eggs is good for you.  Yes, even the yolks!  The egg yolk is the healthiest part of the egg!  They contain more than 90 % of calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, Vitamin B-6, folate and Vitamin B-12.

If possible, choose free-range eggs from the organic section of your local grocery store or farmer’s market.

Nuts are an excellent source of nutrients and vitamins.  Think about munching on walnuts, almonds, pecans and macadamia nuts as a healthy and nutritious snack throughout the day.  Snacking on nuts can help you to gain energy.  They are full of fat, but it’s a good and healthy fat.  They are an excellent source of fiber and protein.

Additionally, nuts can help to maintain hormones necessary to burn fat and calories.  Raw nuts are always better to eat than roasted nuts.  Also, consider trying almond butter, pecan butter or macadamia butter to add a variety to your diet.

Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are packed full of nutrition.  They’re full of vitamins and minerals and are the best source of antioxidants you can find. You can add berries to yogurt, frozen yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, oat bran or dried fruit to fresh nuts for a healthy mid-day snack.

Woman lying on exercise mat

Honestly, one of the best abdominal exercises is walking.  If any one exercise doesn’t work for flattening your tummy, try more than one.  Do the following exercise for a total of three sets, five minutes, to see the best results:

- Lie on your back on a flat surface on a floor mat and move your legs in a cycling motion, making slow pedaling motions, alternating legs.  As you do this, breathe normally.  Do a total of three of these sets for five minutes.

- Next, lie on your back on a flat surface on a floor mat and raise your legs so that they are vertical with the floor.  Lift your hips slightly and hold for five to ten seconds.  Do five sets with fifteen reps each.

- Lie on your back on the carpeted floor with your hands behind your head.  Raise your upper body towards your knees and hold for two seconds.  Return to a standing position.  Do five sets of fifteen reps each.

- Now, lie on your back on a flat surface and on a floor mat with your hands behind your head.  Contract your abdomen and hold for two seconds and then return to a standing position.  Do five sets of fifteen reps each.

- Lie on your back on a carpeted floor with your hands behind your head. Put your feet on a bench or chair such that upper legs make a 90 degree angle. Lift your upper back off of the ground and contract your abdominal part.

- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. in a right angle Put your hands behind your head. Breathe in and bring your knees in towards your chest, while lifting your upper body to an angle of 30 degrees, hold for 3 seconds and relax breathing out. Repeat for 15 times.

- Lie on your back on a flat surface on a floor mat with your hands on sides of your back. Curl your head up. Don’t use any pressure from your arms to lift yourself. After some practice, start placing your hands gently to the sides of your head, when doing each curl up.

If your abdominal growth is after your delivery, you should alternately contract and relax the abdominal, pelvic and perineal muscles to strengthen them. For this pull in the abdomen as hard as you can and keep it 10 seconds before relaxing. You can do this contracting and relaxing exercise while sitting, lying, or standing.

- Lie on your back on a flat surface on a floor mat. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee.  Breath normally. Repeat several times.

- Lie on your back on a flat surface on a floor mat. Raise your legs and the upper body an angle of 30 degrees and hold for 30 seconds, then return to the starting position. Breathe normally all through the asana. Repeat this asana for 10 times to begin with, increasing to 30 times. This asana tightens and contracts your upper and lower abs.

- After you practice the Naukasana asana, do the Ushtrasana asana. Stand on your knees, with heels facing upwards. Place your hands on your knees and arch your back pushing your belly outwards. Hold for 30 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat this asana for 10 times to begin with, increasing to 30 times. This asana contract the ab muscles so it is opposite to the ushtrasana asana which releases the tension.