The quest for flat abs has created a multimillion dollar business. Between gimmicky ab machines, books about abdominal muscles, ab diet supplements and more, the pursuit of flat abs could be considered an American pastime. Whether it's from a late-night infomercial or a well-meaning trainer, certain myths are constantly circulated through the world of fitness. These can be confusing when you want to whittle your middle. Separate fact from fiction when it comes to flattening your tummy.
Crunches Are Best
Crunches are typically endorsed as the gold standard exercise to help tone and tighten abs. Unfortunately, many think crunches are the only exercise necessary for flatter abs. Not so, warns Columbia University Health Services. You need a combination of strengthening exercises and cardio to help you tone your ab muscles while burning fat for flatter abs overall. Performing only crunches will largely leave the condition and appearance of your abs unchanged. Cardio that focuses on the core, like kickboxing or dance, can help you achieve tighter abs.
Abs Need Daily Exercise
The most enthusiastic fitness professionals may recommend daily ab exercise. But this could be dangerous, and may even result in injury. Just like your other muscles, the muscles in your stomach need time to recuperate after a workout. "Iron Man" magazine warns that the rectus abdominis, or the abdominal muscles, need time to rest and regenerate after strenuous workouts. Never work your abs for more than three consecutive days.
Diet Doesn't Matter
You may reason with yourself that if you're working out hard at the gym, it shouldn't matter what you eat. But when attempting to build better abs, your diet can matter as much, if not more, than your level of physical activity. Fitness expert David Zinczenko tells ABC News that the best abs are made in the kitchen. Fiber and protein-rich foods are the best for building abs, as they help prevent hunger, promote better digestive system function and help to build muscle. If you're really serious about getting flatter abs, a diet of lean proteins, nuts, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables is in order.
Flat Abs Take Hours
When you exercise, reaching the point of muscle fatigue is what helps to tone and build stronger muscles, overall. That's why you don't need an hour of ab work as part of your fitness routine. You could be overworking your abs, resulting in injury. Instead, as trainer Kathy Kaehler tells "Marie Claire" magazine, you only need about five minutes to work abs to the point of fatigue to condition and flatten your belly over time.
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