SIX STEPS TO FOLLOW:
Clean up your diet. All the sit-ups in the world will do nothing for you if your abs are covered in a layer of fat. Adopting a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, lean protein sources and healthy fats will give you a better chance of displaying the results of your abdominal exercises.
Get some aerobic exercise. This means cardio. Consider what form of exercise you would enjoy most, including walking, running, swimming, etc. Playing basketball or volleyball or anything that gets your heart rate up counts. Aerobic exercise will help you burn calories and increase your metabolism.
Work out your abs. Your abs consist of three main groups: Upper, Lower and Oblique. To achieve an ideal six-pack, you need to work all three. Here are three you can start with:Lower abs - Scissor lifts. Lie on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Place your hands behind your head and lift your shoulders off the ground. Lift both legs off the ground. Do your best to keep your lower back pressed into the ground to prevent strain. Lower the left leg to touch the ground while keeping the right in the air, then switch. Keep your shoulder blades and head raised off the ground. Repeat ten times for each leg.
Oblique abs - Oblique twists. Lie on the floor. Cross your legs in the air and keep your feet off the ground with knees bent. Cup your head in your hands and lift your head and shoulder blades off of the floor. Try to touch your right elbow to your left knee, then switch. Repeat ten times on each side without letting your head or shoulders rest on the ground.
Upper abs - Crunches. Keep your legs crossed in the air and
your head and shoulders off the ground with your hands behind your head.
Raise your upper body off of the ground, attempting to press the center
of your chest up to the ceiling. Repeat ten times.
Roll over and do 10 push-ups, keeping a straight line from your heels to your head. Modify by resting your knees on the ground.
Do a plank for as long as you can. To do a plank lay face down, supporting yourself with your elbows and toes. Make a straight line with your body from the crown of your head to your heels. Increase the time by 15 or 30 seconds whenever it becomes easy.
Keep a log of your progress. As you get stronger and lose weight, you can keep track of how far you have come. Your log also allows you to propose ideas for the next time you train, like an increase in repetitions or a longer running time. You can also log your dietary progress, including calories consumed.
TIPS: Understand your body. Different people store fat in different ways.
Some keep it in their hips, while others accumulate fat around their
midsection.
Wherever it sits, your fat stores are designed to keep you alive in case you cannot find food. This means your problem area will likely be the last to go, no matter how hard you diet or train.Accept that it will take time. Losing weight and gaining strength and definition takes patience and perseverance.
It may take a while to see progress, but it will happen.Start where you are. If you have never lifted weights before, you don't go to the gym and try to bench press 300 pounds. The same goes for any exercises.
Do as much as you can without feeling significant pain. Progress is gained by doing it day after day and week after week, not all in a day.There are literally hundreds of variations on abdominal exercises. The video above shows a few different ones you can try.
WARNING: Always clear new exercise or diet plans with your doctor if you have health concerns.Discomfort is to be expected, but serious pain is an indication that something is wrong. Stop if you are hurting. If the pain continues, consult your physician.Do not clasp your hands behind your head. This can strain your neck and cause injury.
Clean up your diet. All the sit-ups in the world will do nothing for you if your abs are covered in a layer of fat. Adopting a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, lean protein sources and healthy fats will give you a better chance of displaying the results of your abdominal exercises.
Get some aerobic exercise. This means cardio. Consider what form of exercise you would enjoy most, including walking, running, swimming, etc. Playing basketball or volleyball or anything that gets your heart rate up counts. Aerobic exercise will help you burn calories and increase your metabolism.
Work out your abs. Your abs consist of three main groups: Upper, Lower and Oblique. To achieve an ideal six-pack, you need to work all three. Here are three you can start with:Lower abs - Scissor lifts. Lie on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Place your hands behind your head and lift your shoulders off the ground. Lift both legs off the ground. Do your best to keep your lower back pressed into the ground to prevent strain. Lower the left leg to touch the ground while keeping the right in the air, then switch. Keep your shoulder blades and head raised off the ground. Repeat ten times for each leg.
Oblique abs - Oblique twists. Lie on the floor. Cross your legs in the air and keep your feet off the ground with knees bent. Cup your head in your hands and lift your head and shoulder blades off of the floor. Try to touch your right elbow to your left knee, then switch. Repeat ten times on each side without letting your head or shoulders rest on the ground.
Roll over and do 10 push-ups, keeping a straight line from your heels to your head. Modify by resting your knees on the ground.
Do a plank for as long as you can. To do a plank lay face down, supporting yourself with your elbows and toes. Make a straight line with your body from the crown of your head to your heels. Increase the time by 15 or 30 seconds whenever it becomes easy.
Keep a log of your progress. As you get stronger and lose weight, you can keep track of how far you have come. Your log also allows you to propose ideas for the next time you train, like an increase in repetitions or a longer running time. You can also log your dietary progress, including calories consumed.
TIPS: Understand your body. Different people store fat in different ways.
Some keep it in their hips, while others accumulate fat around their
midsection.Wherever it sits, your fat stores are designed to keep you alive in case you cannot find food. This means your problem area will likely be the last to go, no matter how hard you diet or train.Accept that it will take time. Losing weight and gaining strength and definition takes patience and perseverance.
It may take a while to see progress, but it will happen.Start where you are. If you have never lifted weights before, you don't go to the gym and try to bench press 300 pounds. The same goes for any exercises.
Do as much as you can without feeling significant pain. Progress is gained by doing it day after day and week after week, not all in a day.There are literally hundreds of variations on abdominal exercises. The video above shows a few different ones you can try.
WARNING: Always clear new exercise or diet plans with your doctor if you have health concerns.Discomfort is to be expected, but serious pain is an indication that something is wrong. Stop if you are hurting. If the pain continues, consult your physician.Do not clasp your hands behind your head. This can strain your neck and cause injury.
