Learn How To Shape Your Abs With Diet And Workouts
As the core muscles of your body, the abs support and regulate important body functions. Therefore, keeping them firm and in top shape will ensure it performs optimally. Not only this, a slender waistline takes you closer to your goal of a healthier lifestyle by cutting the risk of diabetes and heart diseases. Changing your diet and implementing a few key exercises is the secret to drop a few pounds and shape your abs.
Key Moves in the Abs Workout
You should stick with 5 to 10 key moves and use others to bring variation to your abs workout. The best exercises to shape the abs are those that target the upper and lower abs, train the obliques along the sides as well as work the muscles of the back. If you are training for flat abs your workout should include the following key moves:
The Bicycle - You can do 2 sets of 10 reps each
The Classic and Reverse crunch - You can do 3 sets of 10 reps each. Crunches are the best because they tone the lower abs better than any other exercise.
The Dumbbell Fly - Working the entire torso starting at the pecs moving downwards, it helps create the perfect chiseled body.
Front Plank - It helps you build steely abs without causing any pain in the back as it is with most exercises. You can do 3 sets of this exercise.
Side Plank - Unlike the front plank, the side plank focuses on the glutes and the obliques.
The other exercises you can include in your workout are the bird dog, the knee tucks, the Glute Bridge and the lunge. It is important to rest between ab exercises for the best results. You can create interesting and challenging ab workouts by mixing moves. You should do it at least 2-3 times a week with one full day of rest between every workout.
For the shape of your abs to show distinctly, it is essential to work on all planes and not just one. Trunk rotations, done with a dumbbell or a medicine ball twist the torso effectively to sculpt the rectus abdominis muscle. Increase resistance as you go to avoid hitting plateau. Also, combine a strength training workout with moderate-high intensity cardio.
The muscles need a judicious supply of oxygen to work at full capacity. Hence, you should not hold your breath when exercising, but continue to breathe in a manner that is most comfortable for you.
Key Components of an Abs Diet
Tweaking your diet is also important for a wrong diet can ruin the results of hours spent at the gym. If you want to make your abs prominent, you will have to trim some of your belly fat. The only way to do so is by curtailing your calorie intake. You can eat a smaller amount of fat or opt instead for low-fat varieties of food. You can also eat items containing good fats such as olive oil, avocado and nuts to make up for the body's fat requirement.
To provide for the body's energy requirements, you should double up your intake of lean proteins. Lean cuts of beef, poultry, lamb and pork are good sources of lean protein. You should also eat a judicious amount of fish, beans and nuts.
Replace refined grains in your diet with whole grains. The fiber in whole-grain foods helps you control your appetite. They also help you maintain healthy weight and build muscle mass. Colored fruits and vegetables should also reserve a place on your plate as they are an abundant source of phytochemicals or plant-based nutrients.
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