So you want to narrow your waist, flatten your
abs and become the envy of all your friends, right?
Of course you do - who doesn't? I am here to tell
you that there are MANY more reasons to trim your
waist then simply for cosmetics. First, a waist of 32
inches or more significantly increases a woman’s (35
inches for men) risk for weight related health
problems.
It is actually the abdominal fat stored around
those vital organs that wreak havoc on health:
recent studies suggest that an excess of
fat deposits around the abdominal region significantly
contributes to the risk of heart disease, diabetes and
other life-threatening conditions, even some
cancers.
Yet another reason to tone those abs is for pain
prevention and better daily function for your entire
body. If your abdominal muscles (any one of the 4
major abdominal groups) are weak, you have a
greater potential for back pain, imbalances in the
pelvic area and poor posture potentially leading to
major long term structural problems. Your abs are the
central part of your body from which all your
movements come—you must strengthen them to
maintain the integrity of this command center.
Whether your motivation for attaining great abs
is rooted in the health benefits or in looking
phenomenal then this is one newsletter you simply
must read all the way through.
Why is it that so many people
wish they had great abs, but never
attain it?
Contrary to popular belief, doing millions of
crunches will not sculpt your abs. While
there is a time and a place to use the beloved
crunch in your waist slimming effort, this alone will
not create the body of your dreams. The
key to creating an enviable midsection lies in your
ability to effectively challenge your abdominal
muscles.
The "crunch" movement only targets your upper
abdominal muscles, the ones found between your rib
cage and belly button. Imagine you are doing a
crunch - better yet, get down and do one - notice
where you feel the burn. Those are your upper
abs.
To effectively sculpt your waist, focus
on strengthening your upper, lower and side
abdominal muscles. In order to achieve
an overall look of symmetry your flat abs routine
should consist of at least one exercise for each
portion of your midsection. And, I would highly
encourage you to learn to ‘functionally’ train that
midsection so that the movements you practice will
serve you in daily life and health.
A surefire way to kick up the intensity, and thus
the results, of your abdominal workout is to
add resistance training. By
working your midsection against resistance you open
up the possibility for greater muscle stimulation which
equals greater results. You can do this by
learning to properly use a medicine ball, cable
machine, elastic band or
dumbbell.
Oh yeah, just one
more thing...in order to show off your breathtaking
abs they need to come out of hiding.
This means burning off the layer of fat. (No
matter how big or small it may be.) The following two
pronged approach works every time:
First, consistent
cardiovascular exercise is needed to burn off stored
energy. Follow these three tips to ensure
your success:
- Choose an aerobic exercise that uses major
muscle groups such as walking, jogging, swimming, or
biking.
- Find an exercise that you enjoy. This will make it
easy for you to stick with it.
- Make sure that you are exercising aerobically for
at least 30-60 minutes three times a week. However,
feel free to do it longer and more frequently.
Second, to uncover your
abdominal muscles we have to discuss....your eating
habits. I'm sorry to say it, but the food that you put
in your mouth will surely have an effect on the size
and shape of your waist. Use these three
pointers to slash fat:
- Eat small meals frequently throughout the day
and avoid overeating. Listen to your body!
- Processed foods should be kept to a
minimum.
- Load up on vegetables and lean meat with true
whole grains or starches complimenting the meal.
There you have it - your plan for awesome abs.
Do you have questions about the information
presented in this newsletter? Or would you like to get
started on developing awesome abs before the New
Year's Resolution rush? The fitness and
nutrition professionals at MissFIT Complete can guide
you in safe, efficient and progressive workouts to
help you reach your goals (oh and fun...yes, we have
fun with our clients!). Our passion is coaching
people just like you to achieve their goals.
Contact Katie today - simply reply to this
email or call the MissFIT number: 847-775-0076.
