Health special: Fit and flat at every age

By James Duigan

Last updated at 8:01 PM on 14th May 2011

Each age group has to adopt a slightly different approach to eating and exercise for a flat stomach. Here are some general rules...

• 20-something

At this age you can get away with more and, for the most part, your youth will soak it all up. But being a 20-something doesn’t give you immunity against stomach fat. The biggest things to avoid are refined sugars (alcohol, sweets, biscuits, etc) and complex carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice, etc). And if you stay flexible, your abs will remain strong and your stomach flat, so try yoga or pilates. Learn and practise good posture and keep your overall body fat down.

• 30-something

You need to eat mainly vegetable-based meals with a palm-sized serving of protein, such as chicken, fish, eggs or meat. And if you didn’t take them in your 20s, definitely start taking fish oil supplements, which help your body to burn fat around your
middle. When it comes to exercise you need a mix of cardio (such as running, swimming, aerobics), weight training and flexibility (such as yoga or pilates). Relaxing exercises are really important as your levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) rise, causing belly fat.

• 40-something

Your lean muscle mass starts to decrease around now. Avoiding complex carbohydrates and refined sugar will help to reduce your insulin levels which, in turn, will slow down the amount of lean muscle mass you lose. You also need plenty of protein, as it provides the building blocks of lean muscle mass – but only eat red
meat once or twice a week, as it’s harder to digest; the rest of the time stick to chicken, fish and eggs. Increasing your fish-oil consumption is an easy way to keep your stomach as flat as possible post-40. The abdominals and pelvic-floor muscles need to be focused on now more than ever, so pilates is the ideal choice, especially if you’ve had children.

• 50-something and above

Meals should be small, with as many coloured vegetables as possible, along with some lean protein. Red meat should only be eaten once a week. You need lots of calcium-rich foods to reduce your increased risk of osteoporosis. Most exercise should be resistance-based, using weights and pulleys, as this increases lean muscle mass, as well as releasing serotonin (the feel-good hormone). It will also leave you with a strong core which will protect your hips, back and knees from injury, as well as keeping your stomach flat.