losing it in france

Who doesn’t want a flat belly? After I had my first child, it was pretty much all I wanted for Christmas! I wanted to feel good in my jeans again, minus the muffin top and love handles. Unfortunately, I’ve never been a big fan of crunches and sit ups, so my husband Simon kindly showed me some simple but effective core exercise I can do standing up. I wanted to share them with you in this video, so check it out below. I strongly believe flat abs are made in the kitchen, so be mindful about what and how much you eat. In addition to losing overall body fat, avoiding excessive alcohol and performing ab exercises regularly and consistently, there are two things worth focusing on for a flat belly – stress levels and sleep. Studies show that the stress hormone cortisol, which we release when we’re anxious, causes our bodies to store fatty deposits around our waists. This was a defence mechanism back in the days when we had to hunt for our food and we didn’t know where our next meal was coming from. When we are anxious, cortisol floods our body and makes sure we have enough padding around our mid-section to deal with whatever stress is coming our way. So find real ways to release stress every day. Things like yoga, meditation, prayer and journaling are marvellous for stress. How you sleep also has a huge impact on your appetite and the foods you choose. After a good night’s sleep it is a lot easier to choose healthy, clean foods like lean proteins, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fruit. After a night of poor sleep, your body craves sugar, fat, salt and caffeine to help “pick you up”. I know when I’m running on empty sleep wise; I am at danger of over-eating to help me through. Try taking a power nap if you can. Another hormone affected by lack of sleep is called leptin, which tells your brain when your stomach is full. So if you are sleep deprived, it is very difficult to receive the satiety signal that tells you you’ve had enough to eat. This of course leads to overeating, which you don’t want! Along with drinking lots of water and eating good quality food, try making quality sleep part of your life as these healthy habits, performed regularly and consistently, can help whittle your waist and give you the flat stomach you dream of.