| Subscribe to Free Weekly Newsletter to Give You My | | | | and keep the weigh off, than just a quick fake weight |
| Weight Loss Tips | | | | loss. How about you? |
| (c) Anna Overweight NO MORE | | | | Nutritional supplements are good to aid your program, |
| How do I get flat abs? What a common question with | | | | but as the word says, they are just supplements. Your |
| a simple answer. No matter how many crunches you | | | | supplements cannot do the work for you if you are |
| do, unless you lose the layer of fat covering your abs, | | | | not eating and exercising properly. For instance, when I |
| you will not show those sculpted abs. Period. The basic | | | | am running out of time, and cannot have my protein |
| concept to lose that unwanted abdominal fat is by | | | | meal, I drink a protein shake. |
| combining cardio and abs exercise, and eating healthy. | | | | EXERCISE TIPS FOR BELLY FLATTENING - |
| Talking from my own experience, I will share some | | | | DEFINING YOUR ABS |
| simple steps to get flat abs with you, as I am on my | | | | You can expect to feel or see results in as little as 2 |
| way to revealing my own flat abs by saying solemnly | | | | weeks by combining cardio and abs exercises and |
| bye-bye to belly fat and welcome to those flat abs. | | | | your eating regime. A combination of carbs and protein |
| How many times have you heard that by doing 100s | | | | are needed for a pre-workout meal. Exercise tips for |
| crunches a day you will get those sculpted abs? Well, | | | | a faster belly-flattening plan include different sets of |
| this is not so. If you have a high body fat percentage, | | | | exercises, at least 3 times per week 30-45 minutes |
| the abs just won't show no matter how much you | | | | cardio, and 2-3 times per week abs exercises. (I use |
| work or how many repetitions you do, simple as that. It | | | | weight lifting training too.) here is no such thing as |
| is logic, if we are carrying extra fat, toned muscles | | | | magical fat spot reducing. It is a matter of lowering |
| cannot show because they are being covered, | | | | total fat levels; as you lose fat, it will come off |
| precisely, by that unwanted extra fat. The only way to | | | | automatically all over your body-not just in specific |
| get rid of fat is not by targeting exercises, but by | | | | spot areas. |
| burning excessive fat by doing cardio exercises and | | | | Do 2-3 sets for each exercise. Each set consists of 15 |
| adjusting our meals. In other words, showing abs does | | | | to 20 repetitions of each exercise. For every exercise, |
| not happen only in the floor exercise, but also in the | | | | move slowly to make the muscle work: 2 or 3 |
| kitchen. | | | | seconds up, hold 1 second, and 2 or 3 seconds down. |
| Abs exercises, just like any other muscle exercises, | | | | The point here is to fatigue the muscle, not on how |
| should be done at least every other day, not daily. | | | | fast you can do an exercise. You can rest about 90 |
| Muscles need time to recover. In my case, I am doing | | | | seconds between sets. |
| abs exercises every 2 days, so I give my abs muscles | | | | Note: If you cannot do 2 sets, it is ok. Start with one; |
| 48 hours to recover. I make sure to consume enough | | | | the important thing is to start, take action to see results. |
| protein too to help for muscle recovery and burn more | | | | Do not get discouraged; just try your best. |
| fat. In a nutshell, eating better and exercising will | | | | Crunches |
| maximize your efforts to lose weight and flatten your | | | | 1. Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the |
| abs fast. | | | | ground (or resting on a bench with your knees bent at |
| EATING HABITS - Helpful food/herbs for flat abs | | | | a 90 degree angle, three to four inches apart) |
| Before starting with our abs exercise plan, it is | | | | 2. Place your hands lightly on either side of your head |
| important to adjust our eating habits too. Your diet, or | | | | keeping your elbows in. Tip: Don't lock your fingers |
| as I prefer to call it "eating regime," should consist of | | | | behind your head. |
| higher protein intake, moderate fat and moderate | | | | 3. The key is to push the small part of your back |
| complex carbohydrate. Consuming high complex | | | | down in the floor to isolate your abs muscles. |
| carbohydrate and not using all that energy will lead to | | | | 4. Roll your shoulders off the floor; continue to push |
| stored fat; that is why a higher protein diet is advisable, | | | | down --as hard as you can-- with your lower back to |
| not that you have to eliminate carbs. Carbs are | | | | fatigue the muscle. |
| necessary to have energy and properly body | | | | 5. Shoulders should come up off the floor --only-- |
| functioning. However, do not go to extremes, just be | | | | about four inches, while your lower back remains on |
| moderate, not like crazy pre-set diets. Eliminate all | | | | the floor. |
| excess simple sugars and excess saturated fats. | | | | 6. Concentrate on crunching together rather than |
| You can use extra virgin olive oil as it is | | | | moving your body upwards to maximize muscle |
| monounsaturated fat. Reality is that permanent weight | | | | tension. Contract your muscles as tight as you can to |
| loss requires a permanent change in eating habits; | | | | cause them to fatigue, the movement should be like |
| drastic diets are not the way to keep the weight off. | | | | playing the accordion. This is more important than doing |
| Drinking water is your other big step to get flat abs. | | | | quick repetitions. |
| Water flushes both waste and toxins from your body | | | | Note: Another option is exercise ball crunch |
| and maintains a sense of satiety while also flushing fat | | | | Reverse crunches |
| from your system before it can be stored. Water not | | | | 1. Lie face up on the floor, place hands on the floor or |
| only dilutes the digestive fluids, but also accelerates the | | | | just behind the head. 2. Bring the knees in towards the |
| passage of food. Drink at least 8 glasses of water. | | | | chest bent to about 90 degrees, with feet together or |
| How about burning extra calories with water? How? | | | | crossed. 3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the |
| Drink cold water, and you can burn extra calories as | | | | floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling. 4. Use |
| your body warms it up. | | | | slow movements, emphasis is to use your abs to lift |
| About eating habits, many times, we tend to retain | | | | your hips not swinging the legs. |
| water or gas, which seems that we are accumulating | | | | Bicycle |
| "fat" when in reality it is "gas" for eating too fast or | | | | 1. Lie face up on the floor, lace your fingers behind your |
| having foods hard to digest. It is crucial to eat slowly, | | | | head. 2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift |
| enjoy each bite, and do not swallow without | | | | the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on |
| appreciating all flavors. The best suggestion to aid | | | | the neck. 3. Pedaling movement: Straight the left leg |
| digestion is to have daily yogurt (good at fighting the | | | | out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the |
| bad bacteria and improving digestion), or add some | | | | right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee. 4. |
| type of "anise" (either raw or as a tea infusion), the | | | | Now, switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the |
| other option is by adding digestive enzyme aids. | | | | left knee to complete the pedaling movement. 5. Do |
| A great mistake is skipping breakfast. As many | | | | slow pedaling to feel muscle contraction ... remember, is |
| nutritionists highlight, this is the main meal because is like | | | | not about speed but about fatiguing the abs muscle. |
| fuel to the body. After sleeping, we need to recover | | | | Captain's chair / Roman Chair (mostly found in gyms) |
| water and add protein to our bodies as well as fiber. | | | | 1. Stand on chair, grip handholds to stabilize your upper |
| Ideally, oatmeal is great for breakfast with enough | | | | body, keep it firm. 2. Make sure you are pressing your |
| carbs, fiber, and low in sugars. Besides, it helps reduce | | | | back against the pad, now contract the abs to raise |
| cholesterol. | | | | the legs and lift knees towards your chest. 3. |
| For dinner, you can have some chicken with salad | | | | Remember to be firm and don't arch the back, repeat |
| because you need to have some type of protein to | | | | slowly...remember, emphasis is on the abs muscles. |
| help you burn fat, build muscle and do not only limit only | | | | Vertical Leg Crunch |
| to salads, which is mostly "low glycemic carbs" ... or | | | | 1. Lie face up on the floor, extend the legs straight up |
| better said, water. Also, remember of not adding | | | | with knees crossed. (or straight) 2. Contract the abs to |
| heavy extra calorie dressing. You can use balsamic | | | | lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching |
| vinegar or lemon. If not having chicken, you can have a | | | | your chest towards your feet. 3. Keep the legs in a |
| protein shake, yogurt, tofu, eggs, or any high protein | | | | fixed position and lower to original position, but keep |
| meal. | | | | the legs extended. |
| These are suggested food/herbs to improve abs and | | | | Long Arm Crunch (my favorite) |
| to fight bloated feeling. | | | | 1. Lie face up on the floor, extend the arms straight out |
| Ginger Anise Celery Fennel Onion Garlic Green tea | | | | behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms |
| YOGURT (non fat or low fat) Leek Raw sesame | | | | next to the ears. 2. Contract the abs and lift the |
| seeds Watermelon Strawberries | | | | shoulder blades off the floor, the pressure should be |
| You can include them in your daily regime by either | | | | from the abs, not the neck. 3. Hold, feel the contraction, |
| eating them raw, cooked, or drinking tea, accordingly. I | | | | and lower to original position. |
| cannot emphasize enough the importance of drinking | | | | Super Abs Stretch |
| Green tea. This is my main magical drink because it | | | | 1. Lie face up on the floor, extend the arms straight out |
| speeds up my metabolism and sets it to a fat burning | | | | behind the head. 2. Bring down the arms, slowly, feel |
| mode. I prepare a cold pitcher of green tea for the | | | | the abs muscle stretching. Movement is arms straight |
| day. Sometimes, I drink it hot too. Generally, for the cold | | | | behind the head to next to the legs. |
| pitcher, I combine it with ginger and anise, and that is | | | | 3. Up and down feeling the stretch, hold it and start all |
| my main arm to combat fat and bloated feeling. | | | | over. |
| I suggest you eat every 3 hours to keep your body in | | | | Summarizing, targeting exercises will not work unless |
| "fat burning mode." Naturally, I am talking about small | | | | you are targeting your entire body by doing cardio |
| portions, not super size portions. For instance, I eat | | | | exercises and eliminating fat. Targeting upper, lower, |
| every 3 hours, keeping 2 main meals and the other 4 | | | | inner, and outer abs muscles will not burn fat; they |
| snacks, including protein in all 6, especially for breakfast | | | | define the muscles. Burning fat is done by cardio |
| and dinner. | | | | exercises and by consuming healthy foods. |
| Do not go into drastic diets because if you drop your | | | | Remember, I told you already, flat abs are not only |
| calories too drastically, your body may opt to use | | | | done in the exercise floor, but in the kitchen. Recipe: |
| muscle tissue for energy instead of fat. Moderation is | | | | Cardio, abs exercise, and eating healthy. Just to add a |
| the key. Many people who go on fad diets look so | | | | funny note and bring a smile, as my nephew Nadeem |
| soft because they lose almost as much muscle mass | | | | says, "What do you call a dog with a fever that goes |
| as fat. Many studies have shown that the majority of | | | | out to the snow? CHILLI DOG!! "Ha ha ha. |
| people, who use drastic diets, will gain the weight back, | | | | Oh well, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, adios, arrivederci! It |
| if not even more than they lost. To make it personal, I | | | | is time to do my abs exercises. How about you, are |
| was one of those statistics. I fell many times into the | | | | you ready to say bye-bye to belly fat and welcome to |
| yo-yo cycle until I said no more! I rather lose weight | | | | flat abs? I hope so. |