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Home arrow Nutrition arrow Weight Management arrow Stomach Crease – How to Get Rid of It and Get a Flat Tummy

Stomach Crease – How to Get Rid of It and Get a Flat Tummy

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Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
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Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: March 22, 2023
7 min read 1854 Views 0 Comments
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Learn why your stomach has lines and how to get rid of them. You’d be surprised by how your posture affects your belly and so much more! Also, find out what exercises our personal trainer has picked for you to get a flat tummy this summer.

Stomach Crease – How to Get Rid of It and Get a Flat Tummy

In a world where there are endless ads and pictures of “six to eight packs,” seeing your stomach churn and fold is especially frustrating. 

While our mission is to help you create a healthy body rather than follow an illusion of perfection, we can’t deny the appeal of toned abs and a flat tummy.

When losing weight and cutting inches off the size, people have to put in a lot of work, so they expect nothing less than perfection in return. An imperfection or a line, no matter how small, can cause frustration and obsession.

Some people find horizontal lines on their abdominal areas, or larger versions of them, fat folds, to be a constant source of frustration, while for others, they may indicate serious medical conditions such as heart disease. 

Our team at Health Reporter has prepared this article to help you better understand what a stomach crease is and how to approach it. Here are 5 proven tips on how to get rid of stomach crease. 

Read on for more information.

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What Is Stomach Crease?

A stomach crease is defined as a horizontal line or a fat fold on your stomach that can appear when you sit down. In contrast to the skin fold, it usually has a larger volume.

Every now and then, everyone might notice skin folds on their stomach when bending or sitting down. As fat accumulates on the abdominal muscles, the stomach crease lines begin to grow and become larger.

Visceral fat that tends to build up and grow around your muscles might be another reason. It can push the layer of fat on your belly, so it rolls and creates stomach crease lines when you bend over.

Overweight people are more likely to develop stomach creases and even stomach cellulite, but people with normal weight might also have them. Stomach crease lines are common among those who naturally tend to accumulate excess fat in the stomach area.

Are the lines on my stomach abs?

Whether or not you have visible lines separating muscle groups on your stomach depends on your genes, and it is not an indication of abs.

The abdominal muscles consist of five main groups. Two of them are located in the middle of your body, vertical (up and down). The other three muscles are located near the sides of the trunk that are flat and stacked on top of each other.

Reliefs and lines, which are so popular nowadays, are no different than cheek holes or other genetically determined shapes. But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do abs training.

Why Do I Have a Horizontal Line on My Stomach?

There are two main reasons why horizontal lines appear on the stomach: one is extra fat, and the other is excess skin. Stomach lines might also be an indication of excess visceral fat, which imposes serious health risks.

Everyone has a layer of fat on the stomach which is perfectly healthy because it keeps us from starving or getting hurt. But with major weight gain, especially when eating junk and processed foods full of empty calories, it tends to grow larger in size and create fat rolls on the belly.

You might still have stomach creases even if you are not overweight but have visceral fat hiding around your organs. Visceral fat is dangerous and can cause severe health complications such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Another reason you have stomach crease lines is that you tend to accumulate fat mainly around your belly. It is called an apple-shaped body type and is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome.

Getting a doctor’s diagnosis and comprehensive treatment is the best thing you can do.

Does everyone have stomach crease lines?

Most people have a stomach crease, except those who have extremely low body fat, no excess skin and maintain correct posture.

It is the level of belly fat that determines whether or not someone has stomach creases.

Taking your waist circumference can give you a lot of information about your fat percentage. A person with a waist measurement under 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men has a normal fat level and doesn’t have to lose weight to get rid of belly creases.

Inelastic belly skin is another factor that contributes to stomach creases. It needs special care that is rich in moisturizing components. In addition, underweight people might need to gain muscle or fat to make the skin on the abdomen tighter.

Bad posture might cause stomach crease lines too. In people with weak posture, the pelvis tilts forward, causing the lower back arch to become pronounced, as well as the bum sticking out and the stomach protruding, giving the impression that the stomach is larger than it really is. 

How to Get Rid of Stomach Creases

If you want to get rid of stomach creases, you need to reduce belly fat, gain muscle mass, regularly apply skin tightening creams, learn correct posture, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid processed foods.

If you follow these five tips, not only will you get rid of stomach creases, but you’ll also get a flat tummy.

#1 Exercise

Exercise regularly to build firm abs and a flat stomach. You should allocate time for exercises that strengthen your abdomen at least twice a week for half an hour because it’s the only thing that will build your abs.

The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn and the more fat you lose. If, for instance, you eat a healthy diet and perform exercises with weight to gain stomach muscles, you will rapidly lose fat and get rid of stomach creases.

Keep in mind, though, that you will only see visible results if you combine exercise with a healthy diet.

#2 Eat well

Your caloric intake is the key to controlling your body shape. If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to define your weight loss goals and change your diet to create a calorie deficit.

While it’s generally recommended to eat fewer calories throughout the day, you also have to avoid processed food, high sugar foods, and alcohol.

You’ll soon see visible and sustainable weight loss results with a proper diet plan that creates sufficient calorie deficit, provides you with important nutrients, keeps you away from junk food, and supplies you with more fiber.

#3 Drink enough water

Stay hydrated!

Drink plenty of water and ideally increase fiber intake, which, along with water, can help cleanse by-products of fat burning and other toxins. Men can drink up to 16 cups of water a day, while women should drink roughly 12 cups, but you should consult with your doctor about how much water you should drink.   

Staying hydrated will leave your skin elastic, which is another factor that keeps stomach lines at bay. You might also consider using skin tightening creams that contain ingredients like retinol, peptides, antioxidants, and alpha-hydroxy acids that can help stimulate collagen and elastin production.

#4 Concentrate on your posture

Use a low back support pillow to help you remember to sit upright and alternate positions every 30 to 60 minutes.

This is especially important when you are in a sitting position for a long period of time. Make it a habit to walk and sit with a straight back and concentrate on proper posture throughout the day.

Having poor posture can not only result in belly creases, as explained above, but it can also lead to serious health conditions such as incontinence, constipation, and slowed digestion.

#5 Wear comfy clothes

Wear clothes that give you a feeling of comfort rather than tight clothes that irritate your skin.

If you can stick your finger or two into the waistband of your skirt or pants, you are good to go. There is also some evidence that wearing tight clothes negatively affects digestion and indirectly causes weight gain.

Skinny jeans, for example, put a lot of pressure on the abdomen, causing stomach acid to go up the esophagus, causing heartburn. 

After two weeks of wearing tight pants or compression clothing, you can have acid reflux even if you have never had it before.

How Can I Have a Flat Tummy?

The key to getting rid of stomach creases and having a flat tummy is to have professional guidance on what to eat and how to exercise.

It is, however, also important that you make time to exercise regularly and eat at the right time, which means changing your schedule.

Look for a personal coach or even a workout app that would allow you to get a more personalized workout plan and follow your progress. You may need to dedicate as little as 30 minutes a few times a week and wouldn’t even need any equipment to get rid of stomach crease lines, and cellulite, or get a flat tummy with time. It all comes down to motivation and consistency.

A Word From Our Personal Trainer

With a workout routine that incorporates cardiovascular exercise for weight loss and strength training for muscle gain, you can build slender toned abs without stomach folds.

If you’re looking for an effective workout, try high-intensity interval training – or HIIT – to boost your metabolic rate and get rid of visceral fat. The biggest benefit of HIIT is that it promotes fat loss and reduces cellulite as well as boosts muscle growth, which is essential for achieving the perfect body shape.

Meanwhile, there are two effective exercises that have been proven to help get rid of stomach lines and especially excess fat.

Do stomach crunches to get rid of fat on your abs. Lay on your back, feet hip-width apart, plant your feet on the floor and cross your arms across your chest. As you inhale, bend toward your legs and contract your abs. Keep your head and neck relaxed and lift your upper body, then inhale and return to the starting position. You should perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions before returning to the starting position.

You can also do leg lifts to get rid of stomach lines. Place your arms above your head and then lift your feet toward you while lying on your back. You should kick your legs as high as you can, flex your abs hard at the top, then slowly lower your legs while maintaining core tension. Try to perform at least 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Conclusion

The stomach lines or belly folds can become an obsession; even though it is merely a minor imperfection, you can easily get rid of the stomach crease. There are only two things you need to forget about belly creases, and that is regular exercise for abs and healthy eating habits.

Consider getting a personalized workout plan and fat-burning program with Perfect Body to achieve your goals without unnecessary stress or wasting time searching YouTube for exercise routines and diets.

Remember that the quality of your body can be ruined by a lack of skincare and bad posture. You might also think about moisturizing your body and getting into a good posture to have the perfect flat and toned stomach without creases.

While it’s easy to get caught up in the modern perception of perfect body shapes, what’s most important is a self-conscious approach to your self-esteem and meaningful body goals.

Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
Edibel Quintero is a medical doctor who graduated in 2013 from the University of Zulia and has been working in her profession since then. She specializes in obesity and nutrition, physical rehabilitation, sports massage and post-operative rehabilitation. Edibel’s goal is to help people live healthier lives by educating them about food, exercise, mental wellness and other lifestyle choices that can improve their quality of life.
The article was fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
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HR_author_photo_Edibel
Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
HR_author_photo_Rosmy
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: March 22, 2023
7 min read 1854 Views 0 Comments
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