Ab-solute Fitness
You can do crunches all day long, but they won’t automatically whittle your middle. It takes regular aerobic exercise to get rid of the layer of fat over your abdomen. However, strong “core” muscles can help protect you from back problems; if you’re a woman, they’ll also make pregnancy and delivery easier. Despite the preponderance of gizmos promising to give you strong, slim abs, the best exercise is still the no-frills crunch. Be sure not to pull on your neck; in fact, if you are a beginner, it is best to keep your arms across your chest. For a more complete ab workout, be sure to also work on your obliques (by performing the crunch at alternating angles, reaching with the shoulder to the opposite knee) and lower abs (bring your knees up to a 90 degree angle, then use your lower ab muscles to crunch them toward your chest). Start with 10 repetitions of each of these exercises and work up to 25 reps. Like your other muscles, abs need 48 hours to recover between workouts.
Abs – Work them! Do A Whole-Body Exercise Routine
To look good you need all your core muscles to be firm. That includes your gluteus and back muscles. Core strength training exercises are one way to work all of the core muscles, plus the arms and legs. Start slowly.
Work those Obliques
Stand upright, feet apart. Lock your fingers to create a solid grip. Exhale, and sweep the hands, arms, shoulders, and chest to the left, as if you were rowing a canoe. At the same time, lift the left knee up and to the right. Inhale and return to the starting position. Exhale and perform the movement to the right. Keep switching sides for 20 reps.
Practice the Abs ‘Zip Up’
Stand upright with heels together, toes slightly turned out. Bring your arms up, hands joined, below the chin. Exhale and press your arms down. Keep your hands and arms very close to the body. At the same time, lift your heels off the ground onto your tiptoes. Hold for two seconds at the ‘top,’ inhale, and return to the starting position. The abs go ‘in and up’ and the arms go down. Do 20 reps.
Eat Healthy
Ab exercises won’t show if you have got extra belly fat. To budge the belly fat, you have to look at what you eat and how active you are. Eat less and move more, and make good-for-you food choices. Think lean protein and veggies, and low-calorie foods to get those
flat abs.
Last but not least, Improve Your Posture
Slouch and your stomach comes out. Straighten up, and your tummy looks trimmer without breaking a sweat! For better posture, align your ears over your shoulders,
shoulders over hips, hips over knees, and knees over ankles. Keep your shoulders open like a shirt on a hanger, not one draped on a peg. Draw your navel to your spine. Not
least, keep your weight even on the balls of your feet and your heels.
