We all know that long-lasting, body-changing results are rarely the product of only one intervention. Permanent results are achieved by using a combination of the right nutrition and the right exercise program. This article offers six helpful dos and don’ts to maximize the efficiency of your efforts and allow you to achieve great looking abs.
DO – Take a serious look at your eating habits. Cut out refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour, including white bread and regular pasta. There are whole grain versions of these foods that serve the same purpose in a meal and are much better for you, abs-wise and health-wise.
DO – Shop more in the whole foods section and produce department at the grocery store. The fewer meals you prepare from boxes, cans, jars and frozen food trays, the fewer chemicals and preservatives you’ll take in. Most packaged foods also contain high amounts of sodium, which allows them to sit on the shelves for months and can cause problems with high blood pressure.
DO – Increase the amount of raw foods you eat. The more you cook foods, the less nutrient value they have. Raw foods are multi-functional. Because they’re higher in fiber, the time spent in the digestive tract is lessened. This decreases the amount of fat-absorption from foods.
DO – Get the bulk of your protein requirements from chicken and fish. Chicken should be skinned to reduce the amount of fat, and fish should be eaten to increase the amount of healthful omega fatty acids. Eat lean red meat sparingly, but be aware that it’s also a good choice for helping fulfill iron and B12 requirements.
DON’T – Exercise just your abs. The best exercise routine is one that includes total body workouts. As you lose overall fat, you’ll also lose stomach fat. Abs love to store fat and no matter how many exercises you do, you can’t see toned muscles that are covered by layers of fat. For best results, combine abdominal exercises with 30-45 minutes of strength training.
DON’T – Spend time on abs exercises that are not effective, such as torso twists and lying crunches. To be truly effective, your abdominal routine needs to incorporate your entire core which includes the sides, the front and the back. Strength training exercises will continue to burn fat for up to 48 hours after your workout, something you don’t get with cardio or abs exercises.
DON’T – Give up. You didn’t gain the weight overnight and it won’t come off that way either.
The good news is that with the right combination of exercise and healthy food choices, the fat has no option but to be used, even that stubborn belly fat. You can’t do it by dieting alone or trying to ‘spot reduce’ the abs. You have to strengthen sagging back and ab muscles, get a grip on your food cravings, and reprogram your thinking to restore a healthy self-esteem.
Flabby abs can be developed into great looking abs. Just give your body the tools it needs to do it.
