Flat abs are quite possibly one of the most desired aesthetic qualities that beginning exercisers hope to attain. Unfortunately, it can prove to be especially difficult to those who are overweight. With a lot of determination and a little knowledge, however, it's entirely possible to get a solid set of flat abs.
Eat Healthy
Diet is one of the most crucial factors contributing to either fat or flat abs. If you're overweight, it's likely due to your nutritional choices. No matter how poor your exercise program is, it won't result in you becoming overweight. However, a poor nutrition plan will, time and time again. Start by throwing out fast foods and processed foods. These are high in saturated and trans fat. Begin eating lean meat, fruits and vegetables. Ditch the white bread, rice, pasta and potatoes in favor of their whole wheat counterparts.
Walk It Off
To get flat abs, you must first drop the fat. Cardio is one of the many methods that may be used to make this happen. For many overweight individuals, typical cardiovascular exercise such as running and biking may not be possible or plausible. Luckily, this isn't the only beneficial form of cardio. Walking provides a very effective alternative. The American Society of Clinical Nutrition published a study in 2009 that "[demonstrates] that walking has an independent effect on weight gain." Walk those extra pounds off for 30 minutes a day.
Perform Ab Exercises
Let's say you shape up your diet and walk off the extra pounds you have packed on over the years. You're likely dealing with loose skin and a still rather flabby abdominal area. This is where specific abdominal work comes in. Set aside two or three days each week to perform ab exercises. Utilize abdominal crunches, sit ups, leg raises and leg raise variations.
Hit the Weights
Even with the above points covered, you're still missing one necessary element to both losing weight and attaining flat abs. Resistance training provides you with an additional calorie-burning opportunity and a way to tighten up those loose areas. The journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise published a study in 2009 concerning the benefits of resistance training for fat loss. Two groups of overweight individuals participated. One group performed resistance exercise while the other did not. The resistance training group produced a much higher energy expenditure than the control group, resulting in increased fat loss.
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