If you want to get flat abs in six weeks, you can get on track to lose weight and tone up your midsection with a healthy diet and exercise plan. Cutting certain foods from your diet and adding other foods can help you tone your tummy, while following a regular cardio workout plan will help you lose belly fat. Strength training will tone your abs, offering the final tweak on the road to six-packdom.
Flat Abs Diet
The equation for weight loss is burning more calories than you consume, and a healthy diet can help you eliminate unnecessary calories. Avoid foods low in nutrients but high in calories such as alcohol, processed snack foods, fried foods and prepackaged desserts. Instead opt for foods from the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, food groups, including grains, vegetables, protein, fruit and dairy products. Eat fiber-rich, vitamin-rich foods such as almonds, eggs, berries, leafy greens, salmon, yogurt and veggie soup, advises "Fitness" Magazine. Fiber helps keep waste flowing out of your system so you don't get a bloated stomach.
Cardio Exercise Plan
Contrary to popular belief, abdominal exercises alone won't make you get flat abs. If you need to lose any extra fat covering your abs, cardio is the way to go. Cardio exercises can also help prevent you from gaining weight in your stomach. The American College of Sports Medicine advises doing 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio exercise five times a week for good health. Cardio options include walking, running, cycling, hiking, using an elliptical machine or stair stepper, skiing, dancing and sports such as tennis, basketball, soccer or hockey.
Strength Training
Strength training can help you get toned abs. It strengthens your midsection, boosts your metabolism and helps you burn more calories, even when you're not working out. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing eight to 10 strength-training exercises with eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week to stay strong and healthy. Do exercises that target your major muscle groups, including abs, back, chest, shoulders, arms, legs and gluteals. You can use free weights, weight machines or your own body weight for resistance.
Ab Exercises
Ab exercises target your abs, which will help you get stronger, giving your abs a toned look once you lose any excess belly fat. Do ab exercises that focus on different sections of your abs to get a thorough core workout. Do two to three sets of 15 crunches on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet in the air. Perform planks lying on your stomach on a yoga mat and lifting your body up from the ground, keeping your back and core straight and balancing your weight in your forearms and on your toes. Hold for 15 seconds and gradually build up to a minute. Do bridge exercises lying on your back with your knees bent. Push your pelvis up toward the ceiling, keeping your arms by your sides for balance. Squeeze your abs and hold for 15 seconds. Repeat four times. Do ab exercises daily for six weeks.
Member Comments