Achieving a flat stomach is considered by many to be the ultimate fitness objective. Active individuals pursue this goal by consistently increasing the intensity of their workouts, while others opt for a nutritional approach, with a specific diet. We consulted three experts to help us navigate through the myths and find the right way to achieve this goal.

 "You don't get a flat stomach by doing nothing but crunches!" says Caroline Lesecq, in charge of group classes at Aspria Royal La Rasante. Diet, stress and the choice of the right sporting activity are all crucial elements that will have a significant influence on the look of your stomach. It is therefore important to adopt or change certain small habits in these three areas if you want to obtain visible results

It is often said that the intestine and, more generally, our digestive system is the second brain of the human body. That is absolutely right! This is where tensions, anxieties and stress accumulate. So many discomforts, both minor and major, will disrupt the proper functioning of your stomach and cause bloating. Marie Vassart, a dietician at Aspria Royal La Rasante, takes this opportunity to break down a series of stereotypes.

"Having a flat stomach does not necessarily mean that you are healthy or feel good about yourself. The aesthetic aspect often takes precedence over the wellbeing aspect, which is a reflex you should move away from. In fact, you can have a bit of a belly and be shapely and still be in perfect health! There is often no objective reason to absolutely want a flat stomach. It's just a social pressure," says our nutritionist.

There is nothing to stop you from adopting a suitable diet that will promote digestion and thus help you lose those unsightly curves. "For me, no food makes you fat and gain weight. It's all a question of quantity and frequency. In this respect, you need to take a long-term view, over several weeks or even several months. An occasional lapse in diet will not upset everything," continues Marie Vassart. "On the other hand, some foods can cause bloating. In this case, we recommend eating fibre-rich fruit and vegetables, but also opting for more protein-rich foods such as lean sausages, eggs and certain dairy products. This increases the protein intake, while facilitating transit," concludes our nutrition expert.

You should also bear in mind that everyone has a different metabolism. It is therefore important to determine the ideal quantities to consume at each meal.

Like Marie Vassart, Caroline Lesecq wants to put the 'myth' of a flat stomach into perspective: 'You can have a flat stomach without having a muscular stomach and vice versa. This phenomenon is often due to poor transit. Beyond this aspect, a flat stomach depends on many factors, not only on exercising. There is no point in doing too many exercises if the problem lies with digestion or bowel movements.’

As for the exercises themselves, our expert recommends hypopressive abdominal exercises based on breathing, which will enable the muscle to be worked in depth. "We will then combine these hypopressive exercises with others that will boost the metabolism in order to promote fat burning, while strengthening the abdominal muscles through planking exercises," she explains. For Caroline Lesecq, it is the classes that target the centre of the body that will have the most convincing effects, such as Les Mills Core and Body Core. But that's not all! Squats, Body Pump, Body Sculpt, Body Attack and Pilates will also work the abdominal area, even if they don't specifically target it. And to conclude: "It's better to work the abs indirectly than directly!

Lauriane Laurent, Wellbeing Manager at the Aspria Arts-Loi, agrees: "You should avoid traditional crunches which tend to hypertrophy the muscle. The most effective way is to combine planking and hypopressive exercises, while working the transverse abdominal muscle which acts as a sheath. Our trainer goes further, inviting everyone to ask themselves whether the priority is to have visible abs or just a slim waist. In general, Lauriane Laurent prefers polyarticular exercises to those that target an isolated area: "The former will put much more strain on the metabolism and at the same time lead to greater energy expenditure and therefore make the fat melt away more quickly. On the other hand, too much cardio can lead to the 'skinny fat' effect where you actually lose fat but without developing the desired toned appearance.

Our three experts all insist on the key to success: good nutrition. It is impossible to compensate for a poor diet with sport. Once the diet is determined, it is combined with a series of exercises that will push the body to burn calories and convert carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy rather than fat reserves.

Our Aspria experts are of course on hand to guide you along your journey to find the method that suits you best! Our Aspria experts are there to guide you along the way to find the method that suits you best! And if you are already a member of one of our Aspria clubs in Brussels, come to the fitness area to make an appointment with one of our Wellbeing Advisors or Personal Trainers.