Thursday, October 14, 2010

Best Way To Lose Stomach Fat And Get Six-Pack Abs



If you were to ask a group of people what part of their body needs the most work, they would all say their stomach. Everybody wants six pack abs but most people have a hard time getting them because they can't get rid of the stubborn layer of fat that covers their abdominal muscles. No matter how many stomach crunches they do, six pack abs will not show unless they change their eating habits and start an interval exercise routine.

Eating Plan

Instead of eating three meals a day, eat six smaller meals with fist-sized portions. Get enough quality protein daily. Protein has a high thermic effect so you burn calories digesting it. Plus it's a building block for maintaining and building lean muscle, which is an important factor for controlling your metabolism.

Not all carbs are bad. Good carbs are high in fiber like vegetables, fruits, and unrefined grains. Avoid all refined sugars and refined grains these wreck havoc on your metabolism and keep you fat. Remember, fiber helps to fill you up and it slows down the glycemic response of the foods you eat, all beneficial for getting and staying lean.

Eating fat does not make you fat. Not eating enough fat can have a negative affect on hormone levels in your body as well as causing more cravings. Eat healthy fats like nuts and seeds, nut butters, avocados, olive oil, organic meats and eggs, coconuts and virgin coconut oil. Avoid artificial trans fats from margarines, shortening, and hydrogenated oils that are in most processed foods.

Exercise Routine

The key to a good routine is variety and combining short bursts of intense action with longer periods of less strenuous movements. Such as:

Jumping exercises - squat jumps, box jumps, lunge jumps, and broad jumps are some of the best exercises to include in your routine. Squat jumps are known to produce considerable amounts of testosterone and that means more muscle and less fat on your entire body, not just your legs. And you can't beat rope jumping as a great full body exercise. Once you get good, you can jump rope much faster, which will allow you to get a more intense workout. The goal is speed when rope skipping. Try mixing together two legged jumps, one-legged jumps, and arm crossovers to keep things interesting and increase the intensity. Now alternate 15-20 second high intensity bursts where you jump as fast as you possibly can, followed by 15-20 second recovery intervals where you jump slowly to get ready for your next burst and repeat.

Swimming is a great full body workout when you swim as hard as you can to the other side of a 25-meter or 50-meter pool. Rest enough to catch your breath between sprint swims (about 20-40 seconds). You can also mix different strokes (crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, backstroke, butterfly) on each swim sprint. Swimming pumps up the upper body without any soreness the next day.

Using an exercise ball will target virtually every muscle in the body. To work the abs, sit on the ball with your feet flat on the ground. Slowly lean back until your thighs and torso are parallel with the floor. You'll need to roll forwards or backwards to see what position is most comfortable. Next contract your abdominals and raise your torso to about 45 degrees. Slowly return to the starting position. To bring more of the oblique muscles in, you can simply move your feet closer together alternate twisting to each side.

If you would like more information about weight training, losing stomach fat, and getting six pack abs, Derek Bijnaam has discovered a powerful training and nutrition system. He revels it here at http://sixpackabs-bijnaam.blogspot.com/

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

How To Get 6-Pack Abs Quickly At Home - The Shocking Technique Of The Alphabet



Do you want to use exercise equipment to get 6 pack abs quickly without having to go to the local gyms to do it? Here is some good news for you: you don't need to go anywhere to get those 6 pack abs!

To get your 6 pack abs quickly, one of the most efficient exercises remains the classic abdominal crunch: lie on the floor with your arms across your chest or your hands held firmly and tightly behind your head. Keep your feet on the floor. Tighten your abs and slowly curl your shoulders up off the floor one inch. Curl your shoulders up toward your knees until your shoulder blades come up one to two inches off the floor. Hold the position for 7 seconds and then return to the starting one.

Another very effective exercise is the bicycle: forget doing hundreds of crunches, if you want a flatter belly and defined abs the bicycle is your better choice as it will target both your upper and lower abs. Lie on the floor on your back. Now bring your knees to a 90 angle, place your hands behind your ears and gently move your legs back and forth as if you were riding a bicycle.

My favourite abdominal work out is definitely the alphabet: lie on the floor with your arms stretched and hold tightly something behind your head-a chair or something you can really hold on to-. Stretch your legs as well and keep them straight parallel to the ground. Then, and slowly keeping your legs straight, move them a few inches off the ground. Do the first letter of the alphabet, A, with your legs starting on the left, moving up in an oblique way to get to the top of your A and then moving down. Next move on to B, then, C etc., making sure that you follow the shape of the letter you are up to. This is the fastest way to actually visualize your progress: at the beginning you are going to start with the letter A and slowly make your way through the alphabet! By the time you are able to shape the letter Z with your legs, you will be very close to having six pack abs!

You must always remember that having six pack abs is a matter of having the right balance: if you have excess fat, you can exercise all day long and you will never see those 6 pack abs. That is why it is so important to balance specific abs exercises with appropriate cardio vascular training.

Stationary bikes are one of the most common at-home exercise options. Most people invest in a stationary bike for their exercise routine because it's one of the easiest things to do to stay in shape, and you can ride while watching television or listening to the radio. Because it's not complicated to use, it gives a person satisfaction in knowing that they accomplished their exercise routine for the day. Not only will it tone up you abs but it will help tone other parts of your body as well: it is a very comprehensive exercise.

If you do aerobics for your exercise routine, you should consider using a stepping block in your aerobic program. The step increases your calorie burning and helps tone up your legs and buttocks. The steps can be adjusted to the height you need for your personal fitness program and they're easily stored away in a closet. The more you do it, the more weight you lose and the closer you get to your objective: getting 6 pack abs quickly. There are also more expensive exercise equipment options to choose from. The more popular ones include the treadmill, the rowing machine, stair climber and skiing machines. These are much bigger and aren't moved around very easily.

There are a myriad of exercises you can do at home to help you get 6 pack abs quickly. You don't even need to get out of your place. So just get yourself into the right frame of mind, stop reading and get started now!

Sophia Munoz is fascinated by health and fitness and explores little known methods on how to get 6-pack abs. She has recently started a new career in fitness training and works on the publication of a book on fitness instruction.

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Friday, August 28, 2009

Flatten That Stomach - Easy Exercises for a Great Body and Abs!



If you're dreaming about a great body then you're not alone... that's something we all want.

I think having a great body is just a natural genetic thing all bound up in that whole interaction around finding a healthy attractive mate to produce a family with... and that doesn't seem to diminish, no matter how old people get.

But from the look of North America and lots of the developed world today, we're all falling down on the job.

Having amazing abs is the ideal, but finding them can be a big job. We know they're buried here somewhere beneath that spare tire and all that belly flab... but hey!... it's often a full scale archaeological dig just to unearth them.

And we got this way because basically humans are lazy; eating is fun and exercise is just plain hard work.

Whether it's just a pad of baby fat on your tummy, some love handles or a full blown case of obesity, the plan is the same; burn off the fat and tighten up the muscles.

That sounds awfully like diet and exercise to me!

Well it sort of is... but it doesn't have to be an ordeal... in fact it can be really easy and enjoyable. A bit of easy exercise tones your muscles and promotes hormones to burn off the fat.

You can lose the weight without any pain and without ever needing to go hungry. On the plan I can show you the fat will come off your tummy first. Just click my link below and get my free book to find out how.

And the exercise part can be a real blast... I like to do it in bed... well on the bed anyway!

Get yourself some light weights-dumbells-maybe 5 to 15 pounds to start depending on your strength and size; but not too light... you've got to do a bit of work.

Lie on your back on your bed with your legs bent at the knees and dangling over the edge with your feet on the floor... if your legs are long enough for that.

Note: Ask your Doctor about these exercises before you start and stop any of these movements immediately and consult your Doctor if you feel any discomfort; especially in your lower back.

Do five to ten reps for each of these simple movements.

You can work your abs and legs just by just lifting your legs off the bed. Start with feet on the floor and lift your knees maybe six inches and lower them. Build this up until eventually you are raising your knees up to your chest.

Next straighten your knees and raise your legs off the bed from your waist down. Eventually you can raise the legs as high as you can, eventually to the vertical.

Now for some really easy weight bearing exercises:

You're still lying on the bed. Pick up a dumbbell in each hand and do some simple arm exercises. Here are some ideas... I'm sure you can invent lots of variations of your own.

1. With your arms flat on the bed, raise the dumbbells until your lower arms are vertical and lower them back to the bed. This will work your biceps.

2. Start with arms bent and dumbbells at your shoulders and raise them to the vertical. This will work your lower triceps.

3. With your arms stretched fully above your head, lift the dumbbells to the vertical while keeping the arms straight. This will work your upper triceps and deltoids and put some tension on your tummy.

4. With arms bent resting on the bed but at right angles to the body, forearms vertical, raise the arms from the shoulders until the dumbbells touch above your chest. Lower them back down again and repeat.

5. Repeat 3 starting with arms on the bed stretched out sideways from the shoulders and raise to the vertical and back. This will work your deltoids and pectorals.

So isn't that amazing... you haven't even gotten off the bed and already you have a beautiful bod.

If you still have some flab around your tummy (maybe even a whole lot of flab) that you would like to lose I can show you a proven program to get rid of that. Combine that with the simple exercises and you can be looking amazing in no time at all.

I have recently written a book entitled "Lose Weight -Never Go Hungry" which lays out a plan for overcoming carbohydrate addiction and losing weight.

You can download it FREE here: "Lose Weight - Never Go Hungry"

Kirrily Keayes is committed to bringing health and wealth to everyone she encounters

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Monday, April 7, 2008

The Quick and Easy Way to Tone Up Your Abs - Part 3



All About Abs - Ab Training

Exercises for Variety and Development Step by Step Abdominal Training Explained

Concept 1: How Many Times Per Week to Train Abs

Do you remember hearing somewhere that in order to get the abdominals you want; you've got to train them everyday? I know I heard that from several sources. None of those sources had super ripped abs.

Fact: Many of the people who DO have ripped abs train them 1-3 times per week.

Train your abs 1-3 times per week. I would recommend training them after a smaller body part workout like chest and biceps and abs, or shoulder, triceps and abs. You can do them on your off days as well. Try to avoid doing them with legs as it's a major body part. Try to avoid doing them first as you'll need your stabilizers to be 100% when they are used in other compound exercises.

You probably already know this... your abs can be trained a bit more frequently then most other muscle groups because of two factors:

1. The muscle density is different allowing for different recovery time

2. 99.9% of programs do not encourage you to train abs to muscular failure

You don't want to train abs to muscular failure for the purpose of this guide.

Concept 2: How Many Exercises Per Session

If you're like me, you don't want another session added to your workout that is going to add another 20 minutes to your gym time. But like any other muscle, the abdominals require a bit of stimulation but just enough to grow and change and become stronger.

Unlike other body parts, you won't be doing countless sessions for abs. In fact...

Use 3-5 exercises per session

That's all you really need. Use the schedule listed in this guide or just pick 3 different exercises and do 3-5 different exercises per session. You can vary your rest up to 90 seconds.

You've got to wonder why people train abs by themselves for 30 or more minutes at a time. That's crazy! And most of the people coming out of those "Ab Blaster" classes don't even have abs. They are doing longer sessions for a single muscle group then you ever need to engage in.

Simply put, 3-5 exercises will do just fine.

Concept 3: Using Cardio as A Metabolism Boosting Tool

For maximum fat loss, you should do cardio 4-7 days per week for 30-60 minutes (the amount is variable depending on your results). You could continue running or mix up the type of cardio you do (stationary cycling, stairclimbing, elliptical machines, and other continuous aerobic activities are all excellent fat burners without the high impact and joint stress of frequent running).

If time efficiency is an issue for you, you could perform high intensity interval cardio training and achieve very efficient results with even briefer workouts (20-30 min per sessions, or less, if the intensity is high enough) Once you are satisfied with your level of body fat and your abdominal definition, you can cut back to 3 days per week for 20-30 minutes for maintenance.

Concept 4: Advanced Techniques

Part of this guide is to ensure that you use all the techniques possible in order to achieve the results you want. There are two techniques you can use so that your routine doesn't become 'routine.'

1. Tempo Variation: Another way to increase the effectiveness of the training program is to focus on the tempo of the exercise. Tempo just means the speed of the exercise. For example, a 3-1-1 tempo means you'll take 3 seconds to lower the weight, then you'll pause for 1 second, and then you'll lift the weight back up in 1 second.

2. Variety: It's been said that your body will adapt to any routine within 5-6 workouts. By including many different exercises, it will be impossible to adapt. Not only will your body be continually challenged but the variety will help to ward of getting bored of doing the same things every week, every workout.

3. Multiple Angles: While the abdominals are classified as a 'single' muscle, that doesn't mean you can't work it from a variety of angles in order to achieve the maximum stimulation. Many times an individual will have their upper abdominals developed but are lacking any real "visual" development in the lower abs. Rather then focus on a section of the abdominals, this guide will encourage you to work the muscle from a variety of angles for the best possible stimulation.

Stay tuned for Part 4 that will flat out give you 6 months worth of ab workouts you can do.

If you can't wait, the Beginner's Guide to Abdominal Training is just one bonus book in the Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com Learn how to develop the perfect set of abs, the nutritional secrets that will have you in summer shape and the revolutionary training that eliminates the need for 100+ crunches per day. Proven methods to get your abdominals to show.

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Thursday, January 10, 2008

Best Flat Tummy Exercises for Great Female Abs



Are there flat tummy exercises that are the best for great female abs? Abs-olutely! To make this list, the female abs exercises must be safe, effective and can be done nearly anywhere. Your abs can be worked out every day. Here are great flat tummy exercises:

1. Tummy Isometric Crunch - exhale, then suck in your stomach as far as you can, hold for about 15 seconds. Relax and breathe. Visualize moving your bellybutton straight toward your back. Holding in your tummy muscles and tensing your abs is a good way of firming and strengthening them. You will also become more aware of how to control your tummy muscles. Repeat several times. This exercise can be done anywhere, anytime.

Note - if you have high blood pressure, do not hold your breath for extended periods of time.

2. Rectus Abdominis Tummy Exercises (doesn't that sound great?):

a. Lie on your back on the floor with bent knees and your feet flat on the floor, knees and feet spread apart the width of your hips.
b. Place your hands gently on the sides of your head for support, spreading your elbows so you cannot see them.
c. With your chin tucked toward your chest, gently curl upward and forward so that your head, neck and shoulder blades lift off the floor and your lower back presses against the floor (if you want, start with your head resting on a pillow which has your head and neck in the correct position to begin).
d. Pause just a moment, then gently return to the starting position.
e. Repeat several times.

Note - do not use your arms to complete the curl. If you can see your elbows, you're cheating. Do not put your feet under anything since this lessens the effectiveness of these types of flat tummy exercises. If this female abs exercise is too difficult for you, do the next one below.

3. Sit-Back Flat Tummy Exercises - if your female abs muscles are weak and you have trouble lifting yourself off the floor in #2 above, here is an alternate flat tummy exercise for you:

a. Start in a sitting position on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor (secure your feet under a piece of furniture).
b. Cross your arms over your chest and roll your head and shoulders forward toward your chest.
c. Gently and slowly lean back, keeping your head and shoulders tucked. Continue until you begin to feel your stomach muscles contracting.
d. Then try to lean back just a bit more if you can and hold that position until your muscles start shaking. Try to hold this position with your muscles shaking for five seconds, then ease back to the upright sitting position.
e. Repeat in a few seconds.

4. Reducing Chewing Exercises - yes, as in jaw muscles used for excessive chewing as in overeating. Reducing overeating or exercising those jaw muscles less may be necessary to have great female abs. No one can see your great female abs if they are covered with body fat! Having great female abs may require losing some body fat. Losing body fat means:

a. Cardio exercise on a regular basis - getting the heartbeat up with fun whole-body workouts several times a week.
b. Healthy eating habits - eating healthy foods, eliminating sodas/junk food and taking in fewer calories than you burn each day.
c. Besides flat tummy exercises, strength training for the whole body - any muscle tissue you add will burn extra calories 24/7.

Besides looking great, having great female abs is about good health. Visually and physically, the midsection is the center of the body and the foundation of strength. Weak abdominals leave a woman weaker looking and vulnerable to lower back pain. At first, the goal is to build up the basic strength in the female abs area with flat tummy exercises. And remember, always check with your health care provider before starting any exercise program. Start out slowly and gradually build up your strength and repetitions.

For great abs and good health, the ideal is to reduce body fat down to no lower than 15-20% for women. Sometimes, doing flat tummy exercises is the EASY part, losing excess body fat is the TOUGH part. Eat right, exercise right -- it may take time, just don't give up on your dream of having those great female abs.

Olinda Rola is President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a website of physician-recommended natural treatments and articles for a variety of health issues. Visit the website for an excellent free Permanent Weight Loss report you can view online right now.

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