how do you keep a slim waist/ flat stomach?

elliedwyer17

I find eating lower in carbs (130g or less a day) keeps my stomach and waist flat alongside exercise however sometimes I would like to eat more carbs. do any of you find you can eat a decent amount of carbs and keep a small waist/flat stomach?

DeguelloTex

Yes.

Carbs will cause some water retention but, other than that temporary phenomenon, they aren't an issue with having a flat stomach or small waist.

ETA: I eat over 500g of carbs on workout days and I've lost over 22 inches from my waist and am wearing the same size jeans as in high school.

janejellyroll

I eat about 60% carbohydrates and I am very pleased with my waist and stomach. I don't do anything special -- I just make sure that I consume calories in line with what I'm burning (I'm maintaining) and get regular exercise, including resistance exercise. My fiber consumption is pretty high too (40-50 grams per day) which may help.

sheermomentum

The amount of fat that a woman carries around her stomach, as opposed to any other place, is genetically determined. The ratio of carbohydrates to fat or protein in the diet has nothing to do with it.

marissafit06

sheermomentum wrote: »

The amount of fat that a woman carries around her stomach, as opposed to any other place, is genetically determined. The ratio of carbohydrates to fat or protein in the diet has nothing to do with it.

this. My fat clings to my thighs for dear life, but my stomach has nearly always been flat/lean.

VeryKatie

I have that too. If I eat a lot of rice or pasta over a couple of days, my stomach gets bloated. After a couple of days of water and less pasta/rice, it goes down again. It's strange how visibly different it is, even if my weight is the same.

I find it helps if I just have some with each meal rather than a lot at one meal. Spread it out a bit. If I eat it later in the evening, I can expect to wake up with a bloated stomach, but if I have dinner around 7:30 and then stick to not so carby evening snacks, my body digests it well enough before bed.

I think it basically turns into gas overnight for me hahahah. TMI?

rontafoya

Lift weights. Eat an adequate amount of all three macros (carbs, protein, fat). Do not eat surplus calories.

andysport1

sheermomentum wrote: »

The amount of fat that a woman carries around her stomach, as opposed to any other place, is genetically determined. The ratio of carbohydrates to fat or protein in the diet has nothing to do with it.

Ha,
You must be the nutritional advisor to the 52 million obese people

elliedwyer17

thanks for responses! I just find my waist is usually an inch bigger when I eat more carbs (I go from 24-25 inches) however I am not satisfied on 130g or less. hopefully I can find a happy medium

DeguelloTex

andysport1 wrote: »

sheermomentum wrote: »

The amount of fat that a woman carries around her stomach, as opposed to any other place, is genetically determined. The ratio of carbohydrates to fat or protein in the diet has nothing to do with it.

Ha,
You must be the nutritional advisor to the 52 million obese people

Hopefully so. There would soon be fewer of them if they just ate at a deficit.

Azexas

Might be a good read for you:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

janejellyroll

andysport1 wrote: »

sheermomentum wrote: »

The amount of fat that a woman carries around her stomach, as opposed to any other place, is genetically determined. The ratio of carbohydrates to fat or protein in the diet has nothing to do with it.

Ha,
You must be the nutritional advisor to the 52 million obese people

If you have body fat, the distribution is genetically determined. If you want to reduce your body fat, you can do that while eating all three macronutrients.

BoxerBrawler

If I eat too many carbs I bloat. If I eat too much fruit I bloat. Maybe the sugars?

Stacescotty

Eat low sodium and drink lots and lots of water.

DeguelloTex

cushman5279 wrote: »

If I eat too many carbs I bloat. If I eat too much fruit I bloat. Maybe the sugars?

Maybe it's the cardio. Doesn't that make you bloat, too?

melonaulait

I feel very good eating high-ish carb/all the carb I want. I've never had a flat stomach but my weight is not yet in a place where carb consumption would make a visible difference...

lauli22

elliedwyer17 wrote: »

I find eating lower in carbs (130g or less a day) keeps my stomach and waist flat alongside exercise however sometimes I would like to eat more carbs. do any of you find you can eat a decent amount of carbs and keep a small waist/flat stomach?

What kind of carbs? Have you ever considered that you might have a low tolerance of gluten? Try to eat gluten-free carbs and see what happens. If your stomach still get bloated maybe it's for the water retention and you need to drink more...(use some natural diuretics if necessary)

Good luck!

Liftng4Lis

I like carbs, so I eliminate nothing and use the overall fat loss to maintain my tummy.

cwolfman13

my diet is largely modeled after the "mediterranean diet" which includes plenty of carbs...lots of veg, fruit, whole grains, legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc...i would guess that 50-60% of my diet is carbohydrates. i have a flat stomach and whatnot...