There’s no shortage of advice out there when it comes to getting a flatter stomach. From endless crunch challenges to cutting entire food groups, it can feel like the only thing shrinking is your motivation.

The truth? There’s no magic move, meal plan or detox that will make your midsection flat overnight. But there is a smarter, more sustainable way to approach it—one that works with your body, not against it. It’s about more than aesthetics; it’s about strength, function, bigger-picture health and feeling good in your skin.

What doesn’t work

Learning what won’t help you is a good place to start, as many programmes and fast-fix strategies for a flatter tummy actually won’t help. For a start, while doing large quantities of crunches and long-held planks may have you feeling like the work is happening in the right area, your abdominal muscles won’t show through belly fat, and exercises that target the abs won’t help with that.

Likewise, it doesn’t matter how lean you are if you’ve got:

• Digestive issues or food intolerances that cause bloating
• Hormone problems that contribute towards belly fat deposits
• Posture issues that cause slouching or your belly to push forwards, or
• A split in your abdominal muscles which can commonly happen after pregnancy called diastasis recti

You’re going to be fighting an uphill battle for a flatter stomach if you don’t address this.

Armed with this knowledge, let’s take a look at what does work to help you get a leaner-looking tummy.

Nutrition without the extremes

There’s a saying: ‘Abs are made in the kitchen’. This holds true as the main factor in reducing tummy fat. You don’t need to go low-carb or skip meals to flatten your stomach. In fact, consistent, balanced nutrition supports stable blood sugar, steady energy and reduced cravings—all of which help prevent overeating or bloating.

Focus on whole foods with a moderate calorie deficit — lean protein, colourful vegetables, healthy fats and slow-digesting carbs. These not only support digestion and muscle repair but also help keep you full and satisfied. Don’t be afraid of healthy fats; they’re essential for hormone production and keeping you energised.

Small consistent habits—like regular meals, mindful eating, and drinking enough water—often make a bigger difference than extreme diets ever will (especially if you want your results to be sustainable in the long term).

The bloating factor

Sometimes it’s not body fat or muscle tone that’s making your stomach feel less flat—it’s bloating, and it’s super common. This can come and go and is usually linked to digestion, food choices, hormones or stress. While occasional bloating is totally normal, chronic or excessive bloating may be a sign that something’s off.

Simple lifestyle shifts can make a big difference. Start by chewing your food slowly and thoroughly, which helps reduce excess gas and gives your digestive system a head start. Staying hydrated and including fibre-rich foods can support regular digestion, while reducing highly processed foods, fizzy drinks and excessive salt may help ease water retention.

Also worth exploring is how certain foods make you feel. Even ‘healthy; foods like legumes, cruciferous vegetables or dairy can cause bloating in some people. Keeping a simple food journal can help you spot any personal patterns and reduce discomfort.

Fitness that supports—not stresses—the body

Exercise plays a key role in shaping the stomach area, but overtraining or doing the wrong kind of exercise can work against you. Long cardio sessions or high-stress HIIT workouts can spike cortisol, your stress hormone, which in turn can lead to more fat being stored around the middle.

Instead, build a balanced routine. Include resistance training to increase muscle tone, moderate-intensity cardio for heart health, and mobility work to prevent tightness. Training smarter means honouring rest days, listening to your body, and choosing movement that feels good—not punishing.

Start with what’s underneath

A flatter stomach isn’t just about losing weight or tightening up your abs—it often starts deeper. The core muscles, especially the transverse abdominis, play a vital role in how your stomach looks and feels. These deep muscles act like a corset, supporting your spine and internal organs. When they're strong and working as they should, they naturally help pull everything in and up.

Rather than hammering out sit-ups, focus on core exercises that build stability and control, such as dead bugs, bird dogs and planks. Breathing exercises like diaphragmatic breathing can also help engage these muscles and train them to activate correctly during daily movement.

Don’t ignore diastasis recti

Diastasis recti is a common condition where the abdominal muscles separate, often as a result of pregnancy, but it can affect anyone. When this gap doesn’t heal properly, it can lead to a bulging appearance in the stomach, even if you're otherwise slim and fit. In addition to this, common ab exercises that have the potential to increase intra-abdominal pressure such as planks, or place more load on the affected muscles such as crunches, can actually make this condition worse.

Instead, start with gentle core reconnection work. Exercises that encourage the core to work as a team—like pelvic tilts, heel slides, and supported bridge lifts—can be a great place to begin.

If you suspect you might have diastasis recti, it’s worth checking in with a qualified professional like a women's health physiotherapist who can assess your core and guide your training safely.

Posture matters more than you think

Your posture plays a huge role in how your stomach appears and feels. Slouching can cause the belly to stick out more than it actually does, simply due to the positioning of your pelvis and spine. Over time, poor posture can also weaken core muscles and make it harder to activate them when you exercise.

Improving your posture isn’t about sitting rigidly upright all day—it’s about developing awareness of how you move and hold yourself. Think about stacking your ribcage over your hips, relaxing your shoulders, and lightly engaging your core throughout the day. Pilates, yoga, and strength training that focuses on alignment can all help improve posture naturally over time.

Hormone balance and the middle

Hormones have a big say in how fat is stored, especially around the stomach. Changes in oestrogen, progesterone and cortisol levels can impact water retention, digestion and fat distribution.

Stress, poor sleep, under-eating, and over-exercising can all disrupt hormonal balance. Supporting your hormones means prioritising quality sleep, reducing caffeine and alcohol where possible, managing stress through relaxation or breathwork, and eating enough to fuel your body.

Sometimes stubborn belly fat is more about helping your system feel safe than pushing harder – this is especially true if you are perimenopausal, menopausal or in the post-menopause phase of life. A regulated nervous system and nourished body will always respond better than one in fight-or-flight mode.

To sum up

Getting a flatter stomach isn’t about quick fixes, restriction or punishing workouts. It’s a blend of nourishing your body, understanding your core, and moving with intention.

Whether you’re managing bloating, rebuilding after diastasis recti, balancing hormones or simply improving posture, small consistent changes go a long way. Aim to build habits that support your energy, digestion, and overall wellbeing—and the aesthetics will often follow.

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