How to get better abs
It’s a question most people ask. Getting a six pack takes a lot of time, exercise, dedication, and most importantly patience. Two things are very important in this respect: losing extra fat and building muscle mass. You can exercise and get a toned, flat abdomen, but your abs will not show unless you lose the layer of fat covering them. This is why it is so important to understand the different factors that can improve your midsection. Although, working out is a key factor in building core strength, your abs will never show unless your diet is on point. In addition, there are several other factors that will influence your abdomen. This article will inform you of the best tips for better abs.
Tip # 1: Cut Short Sodium in Your Diet
The simplest thing, which you can try before doing any exercise, is limiting your sodium intake. But how will it help you? The answer is very simple. When sodium intake is high, kidneys retain more water in the abdominal region to dilute this sodium. In other words, if the intake of sodium is minimized, less water is retained and abdomen becomes more flat.
Tip # 2: Do Cardio or Interval Training
All your hard work and hours of abs workouts will produce minimal results unless you lose the layer of fat covering your abdomen. Cardio work outs help a lot in burning the extra fat off your body. The best cardio exercises include jogging, running, dancing, etc. Try doing cardio exercise 3 to 5 times each week for at least 45-60 minutes. For more information to maximize your results with cardio, read When Is The Best Time To Do Cardio.
Another thing you can do is interval training. This type of training is characterized by a short period of intense exercise followed by a longer period of less intense exercise. Several research studies show that such training is better in losing fat as compared to a long exercise session of the same intensity. You can do 20 minutes of fast cycling followed by 20-30 minutes of slow cycling. Another efficient way to incorporate interval training is to sprint for a minute and then walk for a minute. Repeat this for 25-30 minutes for optimal results.
Tip # 3: Don’t Skip Your Breakfast
A healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Most people don’t have time to eat a healthy breakfast, because they have to rush to work, drop the kids off at school, etc. If you want better abs, you should never skip your breakfasts. Eating breakfast has two advantages:
- It makes you less hungry at other times of the day. This way you eat less and don’t gain extra fat.
- After a night’s sleep, you metabolism slows down a bit. A healthy breakfast provides a “jump start” to your metabolism making it efficient.
Your breakfast should include:
- Lean proteins.
- Egg white omelette.
- Yogurt.
- Fruits like bananas, strawberries, and blue berries.
- Flax seeds.
You should try to avoid:
- Cereals having high sugar content.
- Smoothies.
- Refined wheat and starchy food.
Tip # 4: Be Selective In What You Eat
The key to get better abs is to maintain a balance between fat loss and exercise. You should cut short the consumption of anything which leads to increased deposits of fats inside your body. The following foods should be avoided:
- Simple carbohydrate rich foods like pasta and white bread.
- Foods with high contents of sugar like smoothies and sugary cereals. You should use honey instead of table sugar.
- Fried, junk food having high levels of fats and cholesterol.
Tip # 5: Try Some Ab Work Outs
Now we move to the second part of this article. Doing the right ab workouts is extremely critical in getting a muscular abdomen. The following workouts are the best in this regard:
- Sit ups: Lie flat on an exercise mat with your feet lying on the floor, wedged underneath some heavy object. Cross your hands over the chest with your knees up. Now lift your shoulder blades and lower back off the floor, keeping them straight. Lower them again and repeat the process.
- Crunches: Lie flat on an exercise mat with your hands crossed over your chest or touching tightly to your temples just in front of your ears. Bend your knees and raise your shoulder blades, not the entire back, towards the knees. It’s important not to raise your entire back because it can cause serious muscle cramps or possible injury.
- Leg lifts: This is another effective work out for your abdominal muscles. Lie flat on the floor or on an exercise mat with your hands on your sides. Lift your legs till they make a 90 degree angle with your trunk. Throughout the process keep your legs straight and do the movements at your hip joints, not at the knee joints.
- Butt ups: Keep your hands and elbows on the floor, as if you’re going to do pushups. Now slowly move your glutes (butt) as high up as possible. Slowly move your glutes back and repeat the process.
- Jackknife sit ups: This exercise is a bit difficult but is extremely beneficial in getting better abs. Lie flat on the floor with your hands lying on your sides. Now push your knees and torso simultaneously towards an imaginary line extending from your pelvis to the ceiling. Towards the end of the motion you should be able to kiss your knees.
Tip # 6: Learn To Train Your Core
Another important point is to know the exact function of your ab muscles. The basic function of the rectus abdominus (ab muscles) is to keep your body posture erect and stable- working in conjunction with the back muscles. The best exercises for your abs are those which include all your core muscles i.e. both abs and spine muscles. Such exercises include squats and dead lifts.
Tip # 7: Reduce The Period of Rest Between Body Weight or Weightlifting Sessions
Another thing to try is reducing the intervals of rest between your body weight training or weight lifting exercises. Reduce the intervals of rest to 30 – 45 seconds. These small intervals will help boost your metabolism and will help shed extra fat and build muscle mass quickly.
Tip # 8: Drink Adequate Water
During cardio, body resistance exercises, or weight lifting, your body loses a lot water and minerals. To maintain a normal level of fluids inside your body, you should drink adequate amounts of water i.e. 10-12 glasses. Water is essential for all the metabolic processes of human body.
Tip # 9: Get Adequate Sleep
Adequate sleep not only helps maintain normal body function, but also helps lose extra fat- according to the latest studies. According to a research study done at Laval University Quebec, individuals that maintained 5.5 hours of sleep in a week lost body fat much slower, as compared to the individuals getting 8-8.5 hours of sleep- following a decrease in caloric intake.
Tip # 10: Relieve Your Stress
According to research, people maintaining 8 hours of sleep and reducing their levels of stress are more likely to reduce body fat- the most important part of getting better abs.
Visualize and Attack
The most important thing to do to get better abs is stay consistent. Stay consistent with your diet and your exercise. Don’t give up and stay motivated. Getting better abs is not an overnight phenomenon, but instead, takes time and dedication. Keep your goal in mind and visualize it on a daily basis and you will be on the road to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting better abs. Take a few minutes out each day and close your eyes and visualize what your perfect physique would look like. Imagine you having that perfect physique and what it feels like. The feelings and emotions it gives you. The confidence you have by being in the best shape of your life. Continue this exercise daily to reach your goal. Remember that you can do it and your thoughts control your efforts.
References:
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Six-Pack-Abs
http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/03/31/relieve-stress-moderate-sleep-to-help-lose-weight/24851.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/17/sleep-weight-loss_n_1891171.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/5-things-do-right-now-to-get-a-flat-stomach-6-pack-abs.htm