Copyright 2005 MHG Consulting
If you have ever read a fitness magazine...
If you have ever watched TV ads about latest machines that will
"magically" reveal your abs...
If you have ever gone to a gym and seen tens of people lying on
the floor doing crunches....
Then beware - because chances are you are a victim of the two
biggest abdominal training hoaxes!
Hoax # 1
Just doing some midsection exercises can reduce your "love
handles".
Fact:
You cannot reduce fat from a certain targeted area of your body
just by using exercise alone. The abdominal area is no exception.
So, if you want to get a flat stomach and reveal your abs,
losing the fat covering them is the way to go.
The only way to do this is to lose fat proportionately from your
entire body by burning more calories than you consume.
How? By doing these two things:
1) Have a healthy and balanced permanent diet: dark green
vegetables, fresh fruits, whole wheat and whole grain products,
non-fat dairy products, fish, poultry breast, lean red meat, egg
white.
You should cut out all sugar, soda, non-whole grain products and
saturated fats: These aliments should only be a reward for
achieving a goal, not a habit!
2) Start exercising
Aerobic and weight training will raise your metabolic rate. In
result, your body will burn more calories.
* aerobic exercising
3 times per week, conduct an exercise that keeps your heart rate
elevated for at least 30-45 minutes (ex: walking, running,
cycling, swimming, aerobics, etc)
* weight training
Alternate days of aerobics with weight training. You will build
muscles that will burn more calories, even when at rest!
Hoax # 2
You have to do tons of crunches.
Fact:
Overuse of crunches will only shorten your abs, pull your head
forward, and give you bad posture. Do you really want to look
like Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame?
Any standing exercise that will contract your abs will do, but
you should specifically target your lower back to strengthen the
muscles that support your spine.
The easiest exercise is sucking the gut in, also known as the
"stomach vacuum"...
1. Exhale. Suck in your gut.
2. Maintain the contraction for 10 to 20 seconds.
3. Repeat 10 to 15 times, as often as you like throughout the
day (...while in the shower, sitting at your desk, while
driving, etc.).
Time now for YOU to take action!
PS: Do not forget to consult your doctor before starting any
diet and exercise plan.
About the author:
Dan Farrell is owner of
http://www.weight-loss-exercises.info
and http://www.4maximumhealth.com... The Weight Loss Primer.
