Thursday, 23 June 2011

How to tame your tum: Is yours a spare tyre or a stress bulge? Finding out your tummy type is the key to getting a perfect midriff

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Get a flat stomach: First you need to identify your tunny type

For many women, getting bikini ready means tackling one dreaded area in particular — our tummies.

Most of us still think the best way to achieve a washboard stomach is by doing hundreds of sit-ups. Not so, says A-list trainer and body guru James Duigan.

James, who sculpts supermodels Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley among others, insists there is no 'one size fits all' method for getting a flat belly.

Instead, he's identified five key 'tummy types', all of which require a different approach to achieve successful toning.

Once you've identified your type, you can transform it following James' tailor-made plan and get that flat tummy fast.

THE SPARE TYRE TUMMY
The spare tyre: This is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate because it's caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
These people are likely to lead sedentary lives, perhaps with jobs that keep them desk-bound. They may also have an emotional attachment to sugary foods.
Luckily, this 'spare tyre' is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate as, according to James, it's caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
'If you exercise very little, eat lots of sugar and refined carbohydrates in products like biscuits, cakes and white bread, or rely on starchy carbs like pasta and rice, you probably have an overweight tummy with accompanying fat on your legs and hips,' says James.

THE STRESS TUMMY
Stress tummy: These types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Stressed-tummy types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities. They are usually also susceptible to digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause bloating and make their tummies look far worse.
'Stress tummies are easy to spot, as the weight is specific to the front of the midriff and the umbilical area,' explains James. 'When stressed, we produce cortisol, a hormone which encourages the body to cling on to fat around the stomach.'
Stressed tummies will also be fairly hard to the touch, rather than wobbly.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
It's likely you skip meals, abuse your adrenal system with too much caffeine and grab junk food for convenience.

THE LITTLE POOCH
The little pooch: These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers - hey may even be a gym junkie

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers. 'They may even be a gym junkie, but stuck in a workout-and-diet rut, perhaps always eating the same foods and doing the same routine at the gym, which keeps you slim but leaves you with a lower belly that spoils your silhouette,' says James.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
'Doing excessive crunches and using gimmicky gym items such as ab-rollers can place a strain on the hip flexors and the lower back, causing the tummy muscles to protrude so your belly sticks out,' says James.

THE MUMMY TUMMY
The Mummy tummy: Women with these bellies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Women with these tummies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves. 'After giving birth, the uterus drops and is much heavier than it was pre-pregnancy,' says James. 'It takes at least six weeks to return to its usual size, so don't even think about trying to get a flat stomach until after then.

'You need to re-train your pelvic floor and lower abs to increase blood flow and strengthen loose muscles.'

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
Rushing back to exercise too quickly. 'I would suggest waiting around two to three months,' says James. 'Being stressed about getting rid of your baby weight will only make you cling onto it more. Give yourself a break!'

THE BLOATED TUMMY
Bloated tummies: These are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Bloated tummies are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion. Bloating affects both slim and overweight women. It is almost always caused by food intolerances and allergies, or sluggish bowels as a result of a poor diet.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
You eat the same foods and may have done so for a lifetime without realising you're intolerant to them.

source : dailymail