THE 5 RULES OF FLAT ABS

THE 5 RULES OF FLAT ABS



Rule 1


Target Your Hidden Core Muscles
Crunches target only superficial muscles, so they aren't the most efficient way to work your abs. Instead, you need to target the muscles that lie beneath the superficial ones: your transverse abdominals and internal oblique. Strengthening those pulls in your middle like a corset, keeping the area looking flat and toned.

To practise engaging them, try this drill:

Exhale and allow your tummy to expand as far as you can, then focus on pulling your belly button towards your spine, drawing your abdomen towards the floor. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 8 to 10 times.

Rule 2

Move Your Butt
Your bum and your belly are unlikely partners. Here's why: over time, sitting around too much renders your gluteus practically useless and causes your hip flexors- the muscles that connect your hipbones to your legs- to become stiff. This couch-potato combo tilts your pelvis forward, which increases the arch in your back and puts stress on your spine. That means, to lose your gut, you've got to work your butt.

The glute bridge march and hip-thigh raise will help you get stronger behind. Combat tight hip flexors with this stretch:

In a lunge position, lower yourself so your back knee is resting on the floor. Push hips forward, keeping your back upright, until you feel a stretch in the front of the hip. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and repeat.

Switch legs. Increase stretch by reaching your arms over head.

Rule 3

Eat Stomach Friendly Foods
You can't see abs muscles if they're buried under a layer of fat. Excavate them by following these easy dietary guidelines.

Pump Up Your Protein Intake
Substitute meat, fish, dairy and nuts for some of the carbs in your diet, you can reduce the amount of fat around your middle.

Researchers from Canada assessed the diets of 617 people and found when they exchanged some carbohydrates in favour of an equal amount of protein, they reduced overall belly fat.

Eliminate Added Sugar
We eat a lot of sugar- some estimates put it at 31 teaspoons a day, 80% of this sugar comes from packaged foods: (cereals, baked goods, fizzy drinks, yoghurt) so, we don't realise how much we are eating. All that sugar increases insulin production, which slows your metabolism.

Rule 4
Stop Stressing
Your never- ending to do list. All that anxiety can produce extra cortisol, a hormone that encourages the body to store fat, particularly in the stomach.

Help keep anxiety in check by taking short breaks. It's like recalibrating your body- remaining you to breathe and relax.

Rule 5
Work Out Less

Ditch your daily abs workouts. You need only three sessions a week to see maximum results. Training every day with endless crunches won't flatten your belly faster. You will see benefits quicker if you give your muscles a day to fully recover between workouts.

That's because stressing your muscles during a workout breaks down the tissues, and they need rest days to rebuild and get stronger. You should stick to only 15 to 20 reps of each move. And if flat abs is important to you, promote them to the top of your fitness to-do list.

A lot of people exercise their abs at the end of their workout, and that's when you get sloppy or run out of time. You should do them first, and then move on to your cardio. To get them looking great, you need to make them a priority.

You will be glad you did.