Expert: Daphne E Brown MS CPRP - 7/3/2004

Question
hello there!
i have a problem with my belly. i'm generally slim. however, whenever i eat ar drink anything my belly becomes bigger, and by the end of the day it looks fat, comparing to morning, when i look very slim.
would u suggest any solutions, or may excersise to tone up be stomach? thank you

Answer
****Sugestions offered here may or may not help you in your particular situation.  Always consult your physician when adding or changing your exercise/nutrition regimen***
Nattalie,
You have not given me much information about yourself such as your age, weight, body type, medical/ metabolic/ biomechanical problems (if any), current exercise, etc.  So I am going to have to give you a very general answer.  

Usually, people are predisposed to have body fat distributed in a set pattern,usually similar to their parents .  Also, if you are a woman, the older we get, the more body fat seems to look more pronounced around our midsection and hips.  This is also a genetic predisposition.  Obviously, if you eat and drink throughout the day, your digestive system tends to fill up often times producing bloating gas, thus increasing the appearance of your stomach area.

Many people in Western society, especially women, feel that they need to have "a flat stomach".  Due to our genetic makeup and the fact that we need to feed ourselves every day, a flat stomach is virtually impossible to maintain for many folks.

With that said, make sure you want a flat tummy for the right reasons, not because of some unrealistic goal you have set for yourself.  Now, to answer your question, I cannot offer you a solution, but I can suggest exercises to tone stomach MUSCLES.  To lose body fat, you must participate in vigorous cardiovascular workouts at least 4X a week, eating nutritiously, limiting your caloric intake to just above BMR (basal metabolic rate - the base number of calories it takes for your body to function every day).  Go to these sites for exercises and BMR calculations:

http://www.ironmagazine.com/archive/BMR.htm
http://www.simplefitnesssolutions.com/articles/ab_muscles.htm

Hope this helps you a little bit.

Hang in there with a good exercise and nutrition regimen and I am sure you will achieve the look you desire for yourself.

Sincerely, Daphne