Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

Episode 2787: The Best Way to Get a Flat Stomach
Air Date: February 5, 2026
Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge

Episode Overview

In this episode, Sal, Adam, and Justin dive deep into the true, science-backed strategies for achieving a flat stomach. Dispelling fitness myths and marketing nonsense, they emphasize that most people chase flat abs the wrong way. The hosts outline a tactical, no-nonsense approach, covering nutrition, training, digestion, and the overlooked impact of stress—offering listeners the real pathway to a leaner, stronger midsection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nutrition: The Foundation for a Flat Stomach

• Body Fat First:
  • The most crucial step is reducing body fat (03:49).
  • “Step one is we have to eat in a way that gets us to a body fat percentage that makes it even remotely close to see.” – Justin (03:49)
  • You can't spot-reduce belly fat with ab exercises; fat loss is whole-body.
• Out-exercise a Bad Diet? Impossible:
  • “Trying to out exercise a really bad diet is futile. It's really hard to burn calories, you guys.” – Sal (04:03)
  • Even intense cardio won’t undo a high-calorie diet.
• Simple Diet Tweaks (No Counting Required):
  • Avoid heavily processed foods—they drive overconsumption (04:44–05:24).
    • Ultra-processed foods can lead you to eat 600 extra calories daily with the same fullness.
    • “It's like the difficult mode on video games.” – Justin (05:24)
  • Eat your target bodyweight (in pounds) in grams of protein—eat it first, especially at breakfast (05:26–07:44).
    • “Breakfast is key. Win the morning by having a high, 40 to 50 grams of protein meal.” – Adam (07:44)
    • Don’t be afraid to eat “dinner for breakfast”; eggs alone aren’t enough protein.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “My daughter was so mad when she discovered one egg was six grams of protein. She was like, 'That's it?!'” – Sal (07:59)

2. Training: Build Your Midsection Muscles Like Any Other

• Muscle Matters:
  • Train abs with the goal of building, not just burning calories or seeking endurance (08:21–09:20).
    • “If you want them to be more visible, you gotta build them...same way you build your biceps. Use sufficient resistance.” – Sal (08:21)
  • Use resistance, appropriate rep ranges (8–15 reps), and avoid endless crunches with no load.
• Common Misconceptions:
  • Many (including trainers) fall into the high-rep/no-resistance trap from old-school routines (09:21–10:56).
    • “I’m guilty, even as a trainer, of teaching this…then I realized five by five works for abs too, and my abs built!” – Adam (09:41)
• Build for Definition:
  • Training your abs like other muscles means they’ll “pop” even at higher body fat (10:56).
    • “Now my abs are a standout body part. I could be at 12% body fat and I'll look like I have abs because I've built them.” – Sal (10:56)

3. The Role of the Transverse Abdominis (TVA)

• Train the TVA for a Smaller Waist:
  • The TVA acts like the body’s natural weight belt and is critical for both aesthetics and posture (11:21–12:54).
    • “If you strengthen this muscle, you’ll actually shrink your waist a little bit.” – Sal (12:11)
  • TVA training is especially vital for postpartum women and those with lower ab "pooch."
• Functional Core Training:
  • Master “vacuums” and hands-and-knees belly draws (14:37–14:59).
    • “Hands and knees, you draw belly button into your spine as far as you can and hold it…then relax and repeat.” – Sal (14:37)
  • These exercises help both appearance and functional core strength.

4. Addressing Bloating: Digestion Overlooked

• Bloating = Not Always Fat:
  • Many mistake daily bloating for stubborn fat (15:06–15:38).
    • “If in the morning you have a flat stomach and at night a big belly, that's bloat, not body fat.” – Sal (15:06)
• Common Offenders:
  • Gluten, dairy, some eggs, and specific whole grains can cause bloating even if they’re “healthy” foods (15:38–17:36).
    • “We’re so used to eating certain foods, but sometimes our body doesn’t tolerate them well.” – Adam (17:03)
• Tools:
  • Consider elimination and careful reintroduction.
  • Psyllium husk is a simple fiber supplement that can help regularity and even possibly remove microplastics (17:36–18:31).
    • “I've done this with clients…using psyllium husk once or twice a day, suddenly the bloat goes away.” – Sal (17:36)

5. Stress & Cortisol: The Hidden Belly Fat Driver

• Chronic Stress Sabotages Stomachs:
  • “When you’re in a chronic stress state…high cortisol levels change how you store body fat. You get more in the midsection.” – Sal (18:42–19:55)
  • Women are especially prone to storing belly fat under chronic stress.
• Stress Management as a Fitness Tool:
  • Work, life, sleep, or lack of purpose all add up. Sometimes, it’s not the training or nutrition—it’s emotional.
• Memorable Example:
  • Sal recounts a female trainer who struggled with last bits of belly fat, but after ending a toxic relationship, her body composition improved (21:21).

6. The Last 2–3%: Advanced Leanness & “Small” Fixes

• Hidden Barriers:
  • For fit individuals, lingering belly softness may be inflammation or food intolerance, not fat (20:08–22:28).
    • “Sometimes it’s a simple one or two things in the diet that you would consider a health food that your body just doesn’t agree with you.” – Adam (21:08)
  • Watch for water retention and mild inflammation from foods or overtraining.

Actionable, Step-By-Step Guide (22:28)

1. Lower body fat via whole, minimally processed foods and adequate protein intake.
2. Train your midsection with resistance, low-to-moderate reps, and treat your abs like other muscles.
3. Practice TVA/core activation exercises regularly.
4. Identify and minimize foods that cause bloating, use fiber if needed for regularity.
5. Manage stress and prioritize recovery, not just “working harder.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On protein sources:
  “You can have dinner for breakfast…you can absolutely have some ground beef and rice for breakfast. Crack two eggs over it if you want it to feel more breakfasty.” – Adam (07:04)
• On misguided ab training:
  “It’s so ironic. At the end of the day, it’s a muscle. Why would training it be any different?” – Justin (09:21)
• On uncovering the real issue:
  “She broke up with her boyfriend and suddenly got leaner…she just had a toxic relationship and she suddenly got more fit.” – Sal (21:21)
• On inflammation vs. fat:
  “There’d be times where…I ate a food that I was a little bit intolerant to…and then about three days later, water would get excreted.” – Adam (22:28)

Episode Timeline

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:35 | Opening: The real truth about getting a flat stomach | | 03:49 | Step-by-step breakdown begins | | 04:44 | Dangers of out-exercising a bad diet/processed foods | | 05:26 | Protein and strategic eating tips (especially breakfast) | | 08:21 | Training abs for visible results (resistance, not reps) | | 10:56 | Trainer anecdotes, why building abs matters | | 11:21 | TVA training and its double benefit (aesthetics/posture) | | 14:37 | How to effectively train the TVA | | 15:06 | Bloating vs. body fat | | 17:36 | Regularity, fiber, and psyllium husk | | 18:42 | Stress, cortisol, and belly fat demographics | | 21:21 | Personal stories: stress and life changes | | 22:28 | Final actionable summary, Flat Tummy Guide info |

Additional Resources

• Free Flat Tummy Guide: mindpumpmedia.com/flat-tummy-guide
• YouTube for TVA/ab exercises: MPTV (search for “TVA” or “vacuum exercises”)
• Instagram: @mindpumpmedia

Overall, this episode provides a blunt, myth-busting primer for anyone tired of ineffective ab workouts and fad diets. The hosts drive home that a flat stomach comes from the compounding effect of healthy eating, smart training, core awareness, digestive health, and, perhaps most importantly, a calm mind.