Dr. Linda Mintle will share helpful tips and advice each week on how to view your body without learning harmful habits.

AUGUST 8, 2006

Stomach Aches

The body part most disliked by most women (drumroll, please,) is…you guessed it, the stomach. I really thought it would be those thighs! Our stomachs can be a pain when it comes to liking what we see in the mirror.

In America, we believe in the myth that the only good stomach is a flat stomach. “Six pack” or “washboard” abs are envied and highly celebrated. Usually these are developed by people who live in the gym and compete in body-building contests or who model fitness products. But for most of us, flat stomachs don’t come naturally.

The rock-hard stomach sounds good in theory. The problem is that acquiring this look just isn’t going to happen for most of us. The abdominal muscles form a rounded shape, not a flat one. And the size and shape of your abdominal muscles are impacted by your age and body type. Even taking up residence at a local gym won’t achieve the washboard abs we see on swimsuit models. Apparently flat abs are genetically bestowed. Biology is destiny!

As women, we are simply designed to store fat in our stomachs. Think about it. Physiology and genetics, pregnancies, weak abdominal muscles, being overweight, or losing a massive amount of weight and the resulting loose skin are all working against the flat stomach. For many of us, it will not be physiologically possible to attain, much less maintain. And we are wasting time going after it. If we try to lose weight as a way to flatten our stomachs, it may not work because we don’t always lose weight where we want to lose it and because exercise doesn’t necessarily reduce abdominal fat.            

Furthermore, special diets and expensive equipment aren’t going to automatically make you fall in love with your stomach. But exercise will tone your abdominal muscles. And it is good for your lower back and posture. So exercise to tone those stomach muscles, but don’t become obsessed with it being rock hard and flat. 

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