Want a six-pack? These tips will get you there faster than ever. Follow these six tips and you will be well on your way to the six pack of your dreams.
Aerobic exercise burns fat. Anaerobic exercise burns glycogen, which is stored in your muscles. Anaerobic exercise is great for building muscle strength and tone, but if your goal is burning fat and toning your tummy, aerobic exercise can work wonders! Even “easy” cardio workouts like fast walking, light jogging or a light cardio routine can burn fat. Remember to include at least 30 minutes of cardio into your routine everyday!
Your oblique muscles are found on either side of your tummy. Oblique exercises are often forgotten in the conquest for a ripped midsection. Oblique exercises such as side bends, twists or planks are important for trimming your waistline. For a slimmer waist, don’t forget to workout your side muscles!
3. Upper Abs AND Lower Abs
Crunches workout your upper abs. Leg lifts workout your lower abs. Know the difference. You need to workout both to get a complete ab workout. Any variation of crunches or situps will work the upper ab area. Pick one and then move onto the lower ab area. My favorite lower ab exercises are leg lifts, single leg stretch and plank knee twists. Again pick one exercise and move on with your workout.
4. Length of Time Actually Spent Working On Your Abs
A common ab myth is, working on your abs make your abs more muscular and bulky. This is not true. You need to do ab exercises to have abs. While a full body workout is important for overall tone and fitness, working out your abs is the only thing that will give your midsection tone. Many ab exercises are also fat burning, Make sure to fit in each of your ab exercises for at least 30-minutes a day. Or at least fifteen minutes if you happen to be in a rush one day
5. Protein at Each Meal and Snack Time
Protein at meal and snack times is important! It keeps you full longer and is the macronutrient (calorie containing food – the others are carbohydrates and fats) that adds to your waistline least. Protein also helps your muscles repair. If you are doing intense ab workouts, you will need the protein to repair your muscles!
6. A Balanced Diet
Essential to every health list and to every eating regimen is keeping a balanced diet. A balanced diet is the key to fitness, health and disease prevention. You can not look or feel good without it. Including a balanced diet complete with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats will help you not only with your six-pack, but with your overall fitness goals. The easiest way to make sure your plate is balanced is by making half of your plate fruits and veggies and including protein at each meal and snack time (see point 5). Remember, pairing diet and exercise is the perfect way to have a healthy lifestyle and to reach your fitness goals.
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