Bust Belly Fat - Week 1
| The Truth About Flat Abs | Power Up Your Metabolism | Effective
Ab Exercises | Omega 3 for Fat Loss | Ab Resources
from Paige Waehner
Welcome to your 4-week e-course to reduce belly fat. Getting rid of
fat around the abs is important and not just for looking
better...losing fat can also ensure you'll have a healthy future since
studies have shown excess abdominal fat can cause everything from
heart disease and type 2 diabetes to some forms of cancer. Even losing
a little fat, even if you don't quite make it to six-pack abs can
improve how you look, how you feel and how you live. All it takes is a
combination of diet, exercise, commitment and patience. Boy I made
that sound easy, didn't I?
The truth is, losing fat is hard work but success will come as long as
you're consistent with new, healthy habits. This week, you're going to
get the facts about flat abs, learn how to rev up your metabolism, get
some ideas for effective core exercises and add something healthy to
your diet that can help you lose fat.
Before you do anything, you should record your measurements and other
vital stats in this Progress Chart. Taking your measurements every 4-6
weeks after starting an exercise program is a great way to track your
progress.
The Truth About Flat Abs
The Truth About Flat Abs
Before you get started on your belly-fat-busting journey, it's
important to know that flat abs (six-packs, washboards, etc.) are
something the majority of us will never see. Flat abs don't come from
ab exercises, they come from a low body fat percentage and how and
where you store fat as well as your body type, gender, age and genetic
makeup are all factors that determine your ability to get flat abs.
That doesn't mean it's impossible nor that having flat abs isn't a
good goal to have...if you set reasonable and reachable goals for
yourself, you're on the right track. Take some time to learn the facts
about getting flat abs before making it your primary goal.
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Power Up Your Metabolism
Power Up Your Metabolism
To lose body fat, one thing you'll need to do is to increase your
metabolism. By taking a few simple steps and creating some consistent
and healthy habits, you can keep your metabolism working and burn more
calories:
Eat more frequently. What's the first thing you do when you're trying
to lose weight? If you said eat less or skip a few meals, you're not
alone. The problem with that kind of thinking is that, by skipping
meals and leaving yourself hungry, you actually set yourself up for
failure. Our bodies are designed to protect us from famine so, when
you starve yourself, your body kicks into protective mode and holds
onto the fat. Instead, eat more frequently which will provide energy
and help you maintain an efficient metabolism.
Cardio exercise. Exercise not only helps you burn calories during your
workout, it also raises your metabolism for a period of time after
your workout, depending on the type of workout and your intensity.
Lift weights. By increasing your muscle, you also give your body more
metabotically active tissue, which means you'll burn more calories all
day long.
Eat more nutrient-dense foods. A calorie really isn't just a calorie.
Yes, you do need to reduce your calories to lose weight, but what you
eat is critical for keeping your metabolism going. As Thyroid Guide
Mary Shomon suggests in her article Do You Need to Increase
Metabolism?, you can increase the thermic effect of food by eating
complex, high-fiber carbs and getting enough quality protein.
More Resources to Rev Up Your Metabolism
Rev Up Your Metabolism
Exercise and Resting Metabolism
12 Ways to Boost Metabolism
Effective Ab Exercises
Effective Ab Exercises
The first step in reducing fat around the abs is to spend your time
and energy on effective exercises that give you a little more bang for
your buck than traditional crunches. I'm a big fan of incorporating
abdominal work in with other moves...the more muscles you engage, the
stronger you'll be and the more calories you burn at one time. Here
are some of my favorite core moves:
Bridge with Leg Lift.
Lie face up on the floor, knees bent. Push body into a bridge position
and straighten one leg up in the air, heel flexed and slowly lower leg
out to the side a few inches WITHOUT moving the rest of the body. Use
the abs to stabilize your body and don't hold your breath.
Balancing Ab Twist
Begin by lying on your side and push up so that your body is supported
by right arm,feet stacked. Straighten left arm and balance for a
moment, then sweep the left arm down and twist the body, turning it
towards the floor while keeping the rest of the body in place. Squeeze
the abs and hold for 2 seconds, then go back to starting position.
Lying Torso Twists
Lie in the floor with knees pulled in over the chest. Place a ball
between knees and stretch arms our to the sides like an airplane,
palms facing up. Contract the abs and twist the hips to the right,
bringing knees towards the floor (keep your shoulders flat on the
floor). Don't touch the floor, but use the abs to bring knees back to
start and go to the other side.
More Ab Workout Ideas.
You can also try this challenging Core Muscle & Stability Test to
really find out what you're made of.
Omega 3 for Fat Loss
Omega 3 for Fat Loss
One small dietary step you can take today is to get more omega 3 fatty
acids into your diet. That may sound like something you want to avoid
but omega 3 fatty acids are good for you. Not only that, there is some
thought that omega 3 helps regulate your blood sugar levels while
keeping your hunger at bay. It's also believed that getting enough
omega 3 fatty acids can help lower the risk of diabetes and obesity.
Here are just a few foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids:
Flax seeds
Walnuts
Salmon
Soybeans
Tofu
Pumpkin seeds
To get more omega 3 into your diet you can eat more fish (salmon,
halibut, tuna or scallops), add walnuts to your salads or start eating
tofu on a regular basis. You can also try supplements.
Ab Resources
Ab Resources
Ab FAQs
Abs Demystified
Best Ab Gear, Videos and Workouts
Core Strength
Ab Workouts
Paige Waehner
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