Tightening up your abs is one of the hardest things because there is no single solution. It takes 3 main commitments that you want to incorporate into your lifestyle.
First thing is calories! Any fat that is overlaying your muscle needs to be broken down into energy ‘burning fat’. To do this, take in fewer calories in than you burn. That simple? Yes, but it’s hard. It’s very easy to overindulge in a few extra hundred calories (yes hundreds!) with a couple glasses of wine or even calories from healthy foods! No matter what, calories are calories and we want to take in less than what we burn in order to lose fat. Some foods are more calorie-dense. Make wise food choices throughout the day. Some examples are to drink low calorie drinks like crystal light or even water; fill up on low calorie foods like fruits and vegetables and stay hydrated all day so that you do not mistake thirst for hunger. With these small changes you can deduct just a few hundred calories from your diet each day.
The second great way to lose fat in your abdominal area is to do cardio. Whether it’s walking, taking your kids to a park, jogging and or doing cardio machines like ellipticals or bikes, it’s all burning calories. If you are prenatal- keep your heart rate below 140. If you are post natal try to stay within your target heart rate zone to burn the most optimal amount of calories.
The third most important part is to build sexy abdominal muscles below your layer of fat so that when we lose a few extra pounds, the tight muscle is exposed and gives you a smooth, flat appearance to your tummy. My favorite core circuit to do at home is below…
If you are pregnant do NOT do this circuit.
Plank 1 minute
- Prone to floor, with forearms below your chest, lift up at the hips while keeping your core tight.
10-16 Bicycle crunches
- Lay on your back and bring your opposite elbow to your opposite knee and alternate.
5-10 V-sits
- Sit with your knees out in front of you bent slightly, lift your feet off the ground and place your hands on the ground right behind your bottom, extend your legs strait, then crunch your knees in toward your body. Repeat.
5-10 Side planks (great for obliques)
–Lay on your side with your bottom foot forward and your top foot just behind, rest on your forearm on the ground and lift your hips up into the air!
5-10 Laying leg lifts
- Lay on your back and put your hands under your bottom. While pressing your lower back into the floor by doing a pelvic tilt, bring your legs up to a 90 degree angle the bring them down about 10 inches off the floor. Repeat.
My favorite exercises to do for my abs in the gym are…
Hanging leg raises
-They look scary, but they are very effective for working mostly the lower abdominal area. It’s important to ask a trainer to help you and give you a spot the first time.
Decline Bench sit-ups
While doing a pelvic tilt, sit on a decline bench and go half way back - sit all the way up while squeezing your abs.
Physioball sit-ups
Physioball side sit-ups
Reverse crunch with physioball between legs
Cable core twist
Many of these exercises you can ask a trainer to help you.
Committing to these three main parts to creating flat abs…
1.Deducting your calories
2.Burning extra calories by doing cardio.
3.Creating a smooth toned tummy by doing abdominal exercises
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