Showing posts with label abs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abs. Show all posts

Thursday, September 17, 2009

FIVE MYTHS ABOUT YOUR ABDOMINAL MUSCLES

Everyone's chasing that six-pack ab look, and whether you're close to achieving it or just taking the first steps towards it, it's highly likely that you'll get some truly horrible advice. With so many people out there looking to profit from your exercise routine, and so many other gym-buffs with horribly misinformed nutritional and exercise advice, it's important to steer clear of the con artists and focus on the ab workouts that really provide you with the results that you want. Here are five myths that you can now avoid, and get on the path towards your six-pack abs in no time.

#1 - Ab exercises don't always give the best workout. This one might seem a little counter-intuitive, at least on paper. Many of us have long been told us that in order to get that flat stomach, you need to ruthlessly work out your abdominals through isolation exercises such as sit ups and crunches. This is profoundly untrue. The best way to exercise your abdominals and build that six-pack is to focus on compound exercises that focus not just on your abs but on your entire core.

#2 - Constant cardio alone will not make beautiful abs. This is another long-held belief that gets people nowhere in the fitness world. The truth is, cardio is no match for high intensity resistance training, at least for building up your abdominal strength and definition. Cardio will help you burn fat but the big exercises like cleans and deadlifts will always give you a better stomach than endless hours of cardio alone.

#3 - There's really no such thing as 'tone.' Tone is just muscle without fat covering it. Work on building your core and ab muscles while losing fat and then you'll see the stomach that you want.

#4 - No, that late-night abdominal commercial won't help you lose weight and get the abs you long to have. Everyone's seen them, the late night ads promising five inches off your waist in one week, so long as you use their amazing new machine. 99% of the abdominal machines you seen on TV are useless, and the ones that do work are vastly ineffective when compared with actual plyometric and resistance exercises. Don't fall victim to another ab scam, instead focus on the workouts and diet that actually produce results.

#5 - Your abs are not special. No, they're not. They're no different from any other muscle group in your body, in terms of training. They don't need a workout every day, and they won't grow from any magic herbal pills. The only way to get the abs you want is by dieting and training intelligently. Don't buy into the hokus pokus formulas, instead work at your abdominals and craft a physique that will make you proud.


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Saturday, May 2, 2009

REDUCE BELLY FAT

Belly fat can be very dangerous to your health. Extra fat carried around your abdomen can increase your risk of heart disease. So it is very much necessary to eradicate belly fat. Some effective measures to reduce belly fat are given below. Before undertaking any exercise or diet program, it is always recommended that you consult with your physician.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Regular cardiovascular exercise will reduce body fat levels. Walking is great cardio. You should move your body aerobically on a regular basis. If you don't enjoy walking then ride a bike, swim, or jog. Participate routinely in some activity that will increase your heart rate.

Weight Lifting Exercises

Regular weight lifting has several beneficial effects for those trying to reduce their body fat levels. Muscles burn extra calories. The more muscle you carry on your frame, the more calories you burn in a 24 hour period which translates into extra fat burning power. Muscles take up about one third less space than fat.

Five beneficial tips to reduce belly fat.

1. Lose belly fat by eating foods that burn fat.
2. Lose belly fat by drinking sufficient water.
3. Lose belly fat by weight training
4. Lose belly fat by getting a cardio workout.
5. Lose belly fat by crunches and other abs exercises

Belly Fat and Exercise

The best way to lose abdominal fat is to eat right and exercise regularly. And there's a growing body of research showing that the fastest way to burn off the fat from your belly is with a combination of weight-training and aerobic exercise. Adding variety to your workout will motivate you to go further into achieving your goal.

Here we are given 5 exercise tips to lose belly fat for including your routine work out.

1. The Plank

The Plank is a core exercise that strengthens and tightens the abdominal muscles, as well as the back and the lower back muscles. The position; push up pose, forearms and toes are the ones only touching the ground. Hold this pose for 6 counts or until you cannot tolerate holding this pose. Then slowly go down and repeat the pose 3 times.

2. Abs crunch with stability ball

This core excercise let's you target and isolates the abs muscles for a more precise muscle workout. However if you do not have a stability ball you can put your legs on a sturdy chair and do the crunch. Do the crunch for 12 counts and repeat for 3 times.

3. Pilates

Pilates provides a great body conditioning routine that develops flexibility, endurance and strengthens the core muscles. It tones the abs muscle without adding muscle bulk this is a good workout to have a flat toned abdominals a great exercise for ladies too.

4. Walking

Walking lets all the muscle in the body burn more easily especially the abdominal muscles. Walking can be a great cardio workout also.

5. Cardiovascular exercises

Cardio exercises or aerobic exercises, like jogging, swimming, biking, and sprinting are some of the best cardio exercises that you will definitely enjoy. It gives a good whole body workout and is a great exercise tip to lose belly fat.

Belly fat and Diet

Uncontrolled diet is the cause for belly fat. You must avoid some food items to gain a flat and strong belly without fat. Some tips for gaining flat belly are given below.

Avoid Junk Food

To lose belly fat you have to throw out the junk food. Do not keep junk food like cookies, chips, sweets and other similar products in your house. If you do not have these bad foods lying around, you won't be tempted and after some time, your cravings for these foods will diminish, helping you to break those bad eating habits. Most junk food consists of refined carbohydrates and sugars, which when eaten quickly, raise blood sugar levels, reduces the body's ability to burn fat while increasing appetite.

Avoid Unnecessary Carbohydrates

Consumption of carbohydrates, also known as carbs, is essential, but there are good carbs and bad carbs. Refined flours and the foods that they create, such as white bread, pasta, donuts, cakes and biscuits should be avoided. They can cause bloating, poor digestion, and lead to accumulation of fat. "Good carbs", such as fresh fruits and vegetables, should be eaten instead. A diet that takes most of its carbs from fruit and vegetables, as opposed to flours, is healthier.

Avoid Late Night Snacks

Try not to have late night snacks. The main problem with late night snacking is that there is not much activity done afterwards. People go straight to bed right after the late night and cause high sugar levels in the blood stream and no energy spent after that. The excess sugar will just turn into fat.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Excess alcohol consumption can really cause weight gain and fat belly. One gram of alcohol, which can be calculated as one ml of alcohol contains 7 calories. Furthermore, alcohol contains no nutrients at all. So, the entire amount of calories consumed through alcohol will be stored as fat.

Best foods to reduce belly fat

Foods that are high in protein and fiber are the best kinds of food to eat if you want to burn fat around your middle. Eggs are high in protein and essential to helping you burn fat. Substitute low fat dairy products in place of high fat dairy products. Some of the best kinds of beans such as Navy beans, White beans, Kidney Beans and Lima Beans are best for flat belly. Oatmeal has some nutritional qualities which can reduce belly fat. Use olive oil instead of oils containing high amounts of trans fats that increase cholesterol levels. Olive oil is one of those good fats, it helps you to burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down. Use whole grain foods. They contain the fiber and minerals that the body needs.

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