And those who only caught 5 hours of Zzzs were 73% more likely to be overweight. "Lack of sleep can affect your blood sugar, your hunger hormones, and even the rate at which you burn calories throughout the day." One study published in the journal Sleep found that people who averaged 6 hours of sleep were 27% more likely to be overweight than those who slept for 7 to 9 hours. "Numerous studies have linked not getting enough sleep to weight gain," says Smith Gomez. Many people do more, thinking it will help them spot-reduce from the belly, but that's a myth." The (very) good news: If you're doing your abs exercises correctly, one to three sets of 8 to 20 repetitions per exercise is all you need to get results. "There is no need to do 50, 100, or thousands of crunches each day," says Nicole Nichols, creator of SparkPeople: 28-Day Boot Camp DVDs. To keep your body challenged and avoid plateaus, regularly change the duration, speed, and resistance of your intervals.ħ. "All you have to do is up the speed of your movement-walking, running, swimming, cycling-or crank up the resistance for 60 or 90 seconds and then slow down or reduce resistance for another 60 to 90 seconds and repeat," says Bowen. Swap your steady-state cardio workouts for interval training and you'll burn through the extra belly fat faster. How do you now when it's time to switch it up? "Once you're no longer sore after a workout, you need to introduce something new," says O'Brien. Personal trainer Suzanne Bowen agrees: "Your body is very efficient and it will get used to specific exercises very quickly." No matter what your exercise of choice is-DVDs at home, gym equipment, studio classes-you should change your workout often. "Doing the same exercises day after day without changing the number of reps or weight is a big mistake," says fitness instructor Heather Schmidt. MORE: The 6 Best Snacks To Eat Before A Run Instead, fill up on lean protein (such as beans, white meat chicken or turkey, lean beef, fish, and low-fat dairy) and non-starchy fruits and vegetables. If you really want results, eat fewer refined carbohydrates (pretzels, bread, pasta) and watch your sugar and alcohol intake, as these foods tend to lead to belly fat. "You could do 1,000 ab exercises a day, but if you're consuming too many calories, your rock-solid six-pack is going to be hiding under fat," says Clayton. "You'll notice a difference immediately."Įxperts agree: A healthy diet is the fastest way to flat abs. "The challenge is to exhale as you pull the abs in," says DeVito. The correct way to breathe during a crunch is as follows: Inhale to prepare begin to exhale as you pull your belly button toward your spine and start to curl up, keeping your abs pulled in throughout the move. Improper breathing pushes the stomach out, forcing the abdominal wall to protrude-the exact opposite of what you want during ab work. Why? Your stomach sits behind the abdominal wall. "Breathing should be a primary focus during ab work," says Fred DeVito, co-creator of the Exhale: Core Fusion DVD series. You're breathing incorrectly-or not at all. "If you strain your neck, most of the work ends up being in the hip flexors rather than the abs." The moves experts love: Pilates-based exercises, which work the deepest layers of the abdominals, plank poses, bicycle crunches, and functional movements that work the entire body (think kettlebells). Bosu and stability balls can boost the power of crunches, as these tools challenge your balance and force your core to work harder.ģ. "The worst exercise for a flat tummy is a sit-up, especially when done incorrectly," says Samantha Clayton, personal trainer and co-star of YouTube's BeFitin90 channel. Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to play
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