Who does not want a lean, tight abdominal area to show off during the hot summer months? Unless you are one of the lucky ones, you will have to put forth some effort to get those abs to show. The secret to a phenomenal midsection is through portion control by consuming a diet of natural, unprocessed foods; regular fat-burning exercise; and not only strengthening the abdominal muscles, but also strength training the entire body several times a week.
Portion Control for Fat Loss
Diet is perhaps the most critical component of fat loss and for getting abs to appear. For fat loss to occur, it is necessary to consume fewer calories than your body needs, but enough calories that your body won't think it is starving and store fat. The best way to use portion control is to monitor your calorie intake. Eating large portion sizes is one of the biggest problems leading to weight gain. Dividing your plate into sections is an effective way to practice portion control, suggests the Cleveland Clinic. Divide your plate into four equal parts: A quarter of your plate should consist of starchy vegetables or carbohydrates; another quarter should be your meat portion; and the remaining half of your plate should be filled with watery, non-starchy vegetables.
Diet for Fat Loss
Follow a diet consisting of clean, natural foods, and avoid quick-fix diets, which usually only result in a loss of water weight. Fill up on fresh fruits and non-starchy vegetables. Read labels and practice portion control with whole-grain carbohydrates, lean protein sources and healthy fats. Aside from fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates should come from whole grains and starchy vegetables such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain breads and pastas, and potatoes. Protein sources should consist of skinless poultry, lean beef, eggs, fish, beans, tofu and low-fat dairy. Fat sources should come from olive or canola oil, nuts, seeds and fatty fish.
Abdominal Exercises
Use a combination of abdominal exercises that strengthen the entire core abdominal area, and complete the routine two to three times a week on non-consecutive days. Begin your ab routine with v-ups, which stimulate all areas of the abs. Next complete reverse crunches, which focus on the lower abs. Then finish with the basic crunch, which targets your upper rectus abdominis. Perform all three exercises in order with little rest between exercises, for 15 repetitions each. Complete the routine three times. Other effective abdominal exercises include the hanging leg raise, decline crunches and planks.
Additional Exercise
Aerobic exercise is necessary to burn excess body fat. The minimum recommendation is 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week, such as brisk walking. However, 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity or 30 to 45 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise may be necessary for fat loss to occur, notes the American College of Sports Medicine. Additionally, strength training your legs, back, chest, shoulders and arms two to three times a week will help build muscle tissue, which can help to increase your overall metabolism and aid in fat loss.
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