Getting a flat stomach at 40?

[ImplementingTheDennisSystem]

I'm not sure where to put this other than 'chat' so here I go.
I've decided, for nothing more than vanity's sake, that I want a flat stomach and I'd like some tips on how to get it please!
I'm 38 and have always been a size 10.
I do a tonne of CV over the course of my week thanks to an outdoorsy lifestyle (running, cycling, mountain biking, dog walking, mountain hiking) but I don't do anything 'formal' and I don't do anything to purposefully tone me up. I have a small 'paunch' that I'd like to get rid of.
I eat three sensible home-cooked meals a day. My diet includes absolutely everything - lots of "good" (veg, fruit, grains, lean protein) and also a fair amount of "bad" (cheese, cream, booze, carbs, fried food).
I'm not a dieter so wouldn't count calories, but can anyone give me some ideas of exercises and the kinds of meals I need to eat to get a flat stomach? It's presumably not as simple as doing a certain amount of sit ups a day?!

Core exercises are the best - a strength and conditioning class a couple of times a week will definitely help

Fastest way for me to get a flatter stomach is to eat low carb. It's noticeable almost immediately.

@CointreauVersial when you eat low carb, do you give attention to the sorts of food that you're eating? Or should just cutting out carbs be enough?
For instance, if I tweaked my normal diet, it might look like this:

• A homemade fruit smoothie made with yoghurt
• A Greek salad
• Chilli con carne with avocado and soured cream, but no rice

Start riding a single speed bike up hills. You'll need a strong core to do that, so it will tone up your entire torso.

Many years ago when I was a size 8, very limited fat and was still rounded on my belly. Apparently, according to a physio it can be internal who your womb tilts so no amount of exercise will flatten it. Assuming you dont have that, pilate and yoga is very good for core strength

@ImplementingTheDennisSystem your "menu" would be fine, apart from the fruit smoothie, which is surprisingly carby. Have a cheesy omelette instead. Add some cauliflower rice with your chilli, and leave out the kidney beans. It's very easy to adapt a regular diet.

To be honest, if it's something you are interested in, immerse yourself in the Low Carb topic - there are all sorts of useful threads in there. Most people eat low carb to control weight, but a secondary benefit I found was an almost immediate reduction in tummy "bloat".

Combine that with exercise to tighten up the abs and that should sort it!

Thanks all for the suggestions.

Thanks for the tips @CointreauVersial. I'm going to give it a go for a couple of weeks and see how I get on.

Second going low carb.

A lot of things are surprisingly high in sugar/carbs (if you haven't done low sugar low carb before). Even things like carrots, bananas, apples, cherries, smoothies, leek & potato soup.

When I want to get rid of bloat I go low carb.

Low carb works for most (from what I hear others say) ; but do check with the cracker test your amylase levels first.

I accidentally ended up on a low carb diet a number of years back (lived with MIL for a period) and my god I ballooned at a rate of knots; never been so simultaneously large yet starving. Turns out I have exceptionally high levels of amylase and I don’t store carbs as fat they just dissolve to instant use sugars. As soon as I went back to my normal diet of copious carbs all the weight dropped off.

@AhAgain what is the sport you do?

Low carb has been essential for me post 40. And yoga - yiyga with Adrienne's core ones. All of them plus day 21 and 6 from her move dries. All free on you tube.

I do one a day and if I low carb (which I don't always stick to) = flat stomach.

Low carb and intermittent fasting will give you fast results. As well as more weight bearing exercises like kettlebell swings.

As a bulimic in recovery, I would say this is bull crap. Better to have a 'normal' stomach without scurvy and nutritional deficiencies. All those things you list have fibre and vitamins alongside the evil carbs.