Don't let that extra bit of padding around the middle become a fact of life as it has for many people. With a little tweaking of the diet and some extra exercise it can be a distant memory. However, if you really want to loose belly fat you have to have the willpower and the commitment to make some important life changes. One of the contributing factors to heart disease is being overweight. Some experts have suggested that your risk is even more increased if you are carrying that extra weight in your belly. This seems to be a bigger concern for men, but it's not something women can ignore. If you want to loose belly fat you need to devise a plan and then strictly stick to it. Diet is difficult for many people to change. They become accustomed to eating the same foods, many of which may not be good for them. Fast food restaurants are a favorite of many families yet they contain foods that have little nutritional value. If you want to loose belly fat, fast food has to go. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains should form the foundation of your diet. Adding some lean meat and protein will keep it balanced and will help you to loose weight. We all hear about the importance of drinking eight glasses of water each day and it's true that there are many benefits to doing this, including reducing your weight. Calcium should be added to your diet as well because it's believed to help cut through belly fat. Exercise is something of a four letter word to many people but it's essential if you want to make a change in your waistline. If you aren't an active person consider walking as a way to begin a program to loose belly fat. Even just walking fifteen to twenty minutes a few times a week, to start, can make a huge difference in the way you look and feel.
When you begin to notice your middle shrinking, take that as encouragement and use it to help push you along to losing more weight. It can be tempting to cheat or skip your daily exercise when you feel yourself becoming thinner, but that can sabotage all the progress you have made. If you want to be successful in your quest to loose belly fat you have to stick with the changes you've made for the rest of your life. Not only will you look great when you've reached your goal weight but you will also be much healthier. It pays to loose belly fat and the rewards are huge, considering that the pay-off may be a few more years alive with your loved ones. You know they will thank you for it.
Six pack abs are desired by almost everybody. Getting those washboard abs are becoming a necessity because of long and convincing infomercials that we see a lot. There are numerous abdominal exercise equipment in the market nowadays like abdominal belts, abs-rockers, abs-lounges and many more.
When choosing for the correct equipment you would need to consider some things first. You should not be deceived into buying fancy equipment which you do not really need. You can do some research about abdominal exercise machines and workout equipment before you buy them. The selected equipment must be easy to move and easily detachable.
Before attempting any rigorous fitness schedules at home with the newly purchased machine, consult with a doctor first regarding injuries and medical conditions. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for maintaining the machine. All said and done, the bottom line is any piece of exercise equipment is a good choice if one uses it.
So what are the benefits of having an abdominal exercise machine at home? This would allow you to focus on hard on the target. Some abdominal exercise equipment is poorly designed or made from weak, undependable materials; some can even be dangerous to use. Strained or torn abdominal muscles are incredibly painful, and can put you on the shelf for a long time. Buying poorly designed abdominal exercise equipment is a risk you don't have to take.
There are steps to ensure that you are choosing the correct abdominal equipment for you:
(1) Choose the equipment based on how much space you have and how intensely you plan on working out. If you live on a small apartment, you may wish to opt for smaller devices.
(2) Make sure to adjust your abdominal equipment so that you are comfortable throughout your exercise. Lay your towel where you can easily get it to absorb your sweat.
(3) When picking up or using weight, make sure that it is not too heavy or it will injure you and will make you fall.
(4) You can interlock your feet, ankles, or knees in the abdominal equipment you are using. This would give you added support and stability while working out.
(5) Begin by inhaling , tightening your abdomen back toward your spine and then raising your neck and head a few inches off the ground. Exhale as you roll up. Support your head with your hands so you don't strain your neck.
Some great pieces for your workout include:
(1) Stability Ball (Exercise Ball)
The stability ball is a great piece of equipment. In addition to increasing range of motion for crunches and other abdominal exercises, the stability ball also improves your balance and coordination. You can start with the basics such as regular crunches or oblique crunches.
(2) Medicine Ball
The medicine ball is simply a weighted ball. Although some people may think that medicine balls are only for boxers and athletes, medicine balls can really enhance your core workout.
(3) Ankle Weights
Ankle weights can increase the intensity of reverse crunches and leg raises. When regular leg raises become really easy, you can add ankle weights to increase the muscle work in your abs.
(4) Cables or Resistance Tubes
Here is another way you can add resistance to your abdominal muscles to break through strength. You can perform cable crunches from a low cable tower by lying on the floor and holding the resistance behind your head. Or you can perform cable crunches from a kneeling position.
There are number of equipment in the market that you can use to get yourself six pack abs. Your just have to choose the correct one and the one that suits your needs the best.
A major complaint of people who want to look more fit is belly fat. Specifically, a large number of people have trouble with "love handles." Far from lovely or lovable, these are deposits of fat that take up residence on the sides of one's lower torso, around the external oblique muscles. Traditional crunches and sit-ups will not do much for this sort of chub, as they mainly work the abdominal muscles and not the obliques. The good news, however, is that there are a few stomach exercises which specifically target the obliques, helping trim love handles. As with any new physical activity, consult a professional before beginning and be sure to properly warm up to avoid injury.
Side Bend A simple exercise, side bends are also probably the most effective method for losing love handles. Start by standing upright. Position your feet shoulder width apart and bend your knees slightly. Lower your whole torso to one side, then back to the other. Lean only side to side, not backwards or forwards.
Torso Twist This stomach exercise is also effective at reducing love handles, and is good to do right after the side bends in your routine, as it is also done in a standing position. Again, with feet shoulder width apart, slowly twist the body to one side, then to the other. The key here is to twist from your torso, not from the hips. As much of the twisting work as possible should be done by your oblique muscles, not your hip flexors. Keep your torso upright with no bending.
Side Crunch The next two stomach exercises require you to get off your feet and lie down, preferably on the floor or other flat surface. Use a mat or towel as a cushion if you have a particularly hard floor to work with. Lie down on one side. For simplicity, let us say you are on your right side to start. Bring your right arm across your waist so that your right hand comes to rest on your left side. Touch your ear with the fingertips of your left hand, so that your left elbows winds up pointing straight upward. Lift your shoulders up off the floor while simultaneously raising your left leg to height of about twelve inches (30 cm). Contract your obliques as you do this. Hold for a few seconds, then gently lie back down. Do this for an entire set, then switch to the right side.
Seated Knee Drop First, position yourself on the floor so that you are resting on your hipbones (not sitting on your butt). You can put your hands on the floor behind you to keep yourself stable in this position. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Put your ankles together. Now lower your knees to the right. Your feet will roll on to their sides, but should remain on the floor. Continue this lowering move until your knees are about six inches above the floor. Hold for one second, then go back up and down to the left side. Move slowly and under control, using your stomach muscles rather than momentum to raise and lower your legs.
Pick up practically any magazine related to health and fitness and there is sure to be an article on stomach flattening exercises. It is no surprise, this is what people want, flatter stomachs. Why do some people have flatter stomachs then others, and what are some ways to achieve this goal? These are a few questions that come up when the subject is addressed.
To answer the first question, why do some people have flatter stomachs then others, there are a couple of very logical answers and some that are not as logical. The logical reasons are the diets of individuals, a person cannot expect to eat chocolate cake every night and still have a flat stomach. The other obvious answer to this question is what people are doing with their stomachs. Some people spend time each day doing stomach flattening exercises, while others do not, they may eat right and hope that is enough to flatten their stomachs. The next few reasons include heredity and factors such as women who have been pregnant and certain medical conditions.
The next question, what are some ways to achieve a flatter stomach then is answered by looking at what causes a person to not have a flat stomach, basically the answers to the first question. Without a doubt stomach flattening exercises are the best and quickest way to get a flatter stomach. Despite a persons good eating habits exercise is absolutely essential in getting the desired results. Good stomach flattening exercises will also combat the factors such as childbirth and heredity.
There is a variety of stomach flattening exercise available to choose from. All a person has to do is do a search on the internet for stomach flattening exercises to find many different ones. It is good to keep in mind that there is a difference between building good abdominal muscles and flattening the stomach, even though they are very similar. The person has to decide what goal is wanted for themselves. Stomach flattening exercises will generally include moves in which the person concentrates on sucking in their stomach, trying to "hollow it out" as they perform each move. If the exercise is intended to build muscle but not necessarily flatten the stomach, the exercise will not stress this point. Every exercise though will build muscle in the stomach, it is just a matter of what the person's primary goal is as they exercise and decide which exercises to do.
One thing to keep in mind as a person works on stomach flattening exercise is that the routine he or she does should include exercises that are meant to flatten each area of the stomach, and not just concentrate on one section, otherwise the person will not get the results he or she is looking for.
A flatter stomach can mean more confidence, better health and more overall strength. It is a reasonable goal to want to have a flat stomach, and is not unobtainable unless there is a specific medical reason for not being able to do stomach flattening exercises. Besides knowing which exercise will bring about the desired results, a person just needs the determination to follow through, remembering that a flatter stomach will not come overnight, it takes time, energy and dedication, but the results are worth it.
Suppose that at a distance you see a short, stooped figure walking with short, slow steps. Most likely, you will conclude that the person is old. The hunched posture gives you the clue.
Why does aging contort so many bodies in this way? The reason is that many people, throughout their lives, never extend the neck to its full range, and so the muscles shorten. Long hours of reading, sewing, typing, or standing at a workbench take their toll. Eventually deposits of calcium salts in the joints complete the process of immobilization. Once this calcification takes place, nothing can be done to reverse it.
Fortunately, older persons can take action before it is too late. The best action is regular exercise that stretches the muscles and improves flexibility, with special considerations on the core muscles. This kind of response is relatively important for a number of factors that when taken for granted will only lead to serious health problems.
What Are Core Muscles?
Core muscles pertain to the muscles found at the obliques, abdominals, lower back, and the glutes. These four areas of the body are the ones that usually frame the posture of a person. Hence, a good posture reflects the good condition of these muscle areas.
What people do not know is that core muscles are actually the "core" or the central part for all the strength that is needed to boost carry out different physical activities. This only means that if an individual's core muscle is physically powerful, it will maintain equilibrium on the body and will stabilize the system every time the person is working out and moving.
Strengthening Core Muscles
The main responsibility of the core muscles is to provide enough power to the body in order to enable it to cope up with the dynamic challenges of every physical activity that a person encounters.
For this reason, many health and fitness experts have realized that it is relatively important to strengthen the core muscles than with the other muscles in the body. Through some series of experiments and research, they have found out that having a stronger core can lessen a lot of health problems concerning posture.
For instance, a well-conditioned core muscle can project good posture. It can also improve the endurance of the back all the way through the day.
Why? Because muscles that are included in the group of core muscles are actually the ones that initiate the proper stabilization of the whole upper and lower torso.
So, for those who wish to know and understand why it is important strengthen the core muscles, here is a list of some of the benefits that you can use as references:
1. Strengthening core muscles will improve posture and prevent low back pain of the muscular origin.
This means that as you incorporate stretching exercises in your routine, taking a particular focus on the muscles of the upper and front part of the trunk, including the abdominal and trunk muscles, the activity has the tendency to strengthen the muscles of the back that extend to the spine.
2. It will help tone the muscles, thereby, avoiding further back injury
Exercising your core muscles will strengthen and tones your lower back muscles and buttocks while stretching the hip flexors and the muscles on the front of the thighs.
Achieving this state will deter you from any serious lower back injury.
3. Improves physical performance
Exercising the core muscles with slow, static stretching is just as effective in relieving stiffness and enhances flexibility. Once the flexibility of a person has improved, it follows that he will be able to perform his physical activities at a better state.
4. They do not cause sore aching muscles
Static stretching for core muscles is best for the muscles and connective tissues. And because it employs slow stretches only, it will not cause any soreness, as do the quick, bouncing exercises that rely on jerky muscle contraction.
5. Lengthen muscles and avoid unbalanced footing as you get old
Core muscle exercises lengthen the muscles that have contracted as a result of pain. It also prevents pain from vigorous exercise if they are included at the end of each workout.
Health and fitness experts highly recommend starting core work out immediately and repeating the routine at least 2 times a week. The process can be done after the workout or even during the activity, for about 10 to 20 minutes only.
Indeed, core muscles are absolutely important in determining the good posture of the body. Strengthening them can absolutely eliminate those nuisances of back pains.
Don't love-handles stink? If anyone actually enjoys having mounds of fat bulge from their sides, I want to meet him/her. The truth is we hate these things. No one knows why they're called love handles. Someone apparently gave them this name to make people feel better. In reality, anyone who has them, wants to get rid of them, and do it as quickly as possible. Well folks, to accomplish such a feat, you're going to need a good fat burning exercise. This is the key to shedding those irksome handles that have nothing to do with love. They have more to do with fast food than anything. Now, are you ready to leave the handles in the dust?
Who wants to go work out? Yeah, come on; I want to see everyone raise their hand. Unless you have a body like Christian Bale or Angela Bassett, you should be raising those hands high. These two actors already have a decent fat burning exercise regime, along with a weight training routine and a personal trainer. Hey, don't hate them! Just get your body in shape too. And as far as the personal trainer goes; if you can afford one, get one. I will pretty much guarantee that they will help you get in shape and stay consistent. Fitness is all about consistency. You can't just blow it off. If you do, you will soon have those nasty love handles again. The trick is to adopt a good regime and keep it for all eternity.
Probably the best way to drop unwanted ponds is through serious exercise. Not just weight training! Although weights are great and I highly recommend them, you'll want a fat burning exercise as well. This is where cardio comes into the picture. Think stationary bikes, elliptical machines, treadmills, aerobics classes and swimming. These are all great for burning calories and shedding extra pounds. You body needs a fat burning exercise on a regular basis to stay healthy. This goes double for those of you who are over the age of 30. Each decade your metabolism really starts to slow down more and more. You should always keep this in mind. Try cyberspace if you're on the look-out for a few other fat burning exercises.
Have you ever seen people with rock hard, six pack abs and wish that you have one like that? There are people who would like to have a great body without spending too much time in the gym. With the fast paced kind of lifestyle that most people have, would there be easy ways to get the body that you want?
Actually there are some easy and simple tips that would help you get the six pack stomach that you want. Avoid eating while watching the television. Since your mind and focus will be on the movie and television show that you are watching, you would not be able to watch the amount of food that you are eating. You may tend to overeat while watching television.
Do not skip breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. Upon waking up, the metabolism is accelerated and fat starts to burn. You would need enough food to cope to cope up with the day. Calories would burn while you perform your daily tasks. By avoiding a meal, you tend to overeat the next meal. Since you would feel that need to make up for the lost fat.
Incorporate good eating habits to your daily routine. Aside from making sure you eat regularly and not in front of the television, you need to make sure that good fats are incorporated to your diet. Some people shudder in the word fats, well, there are fats that are good for your. Fish oil, flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil are the healthy fats.
Water is good for you. The more water you drink, the better. You don't have to stick just drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water when you can drink more. But we are required to drink that much water everyday to keep hydrated. This would regulate fat burning and body metabolic process.
If drinking milk, the choose skim milk. There are healthier alternatives, all you need to do is make sure that whenever you go to the store to buy groceries, you choose the healthier alternative.
Diet is incomplete if you don't put some mobility into your routine. So still incorporate exercise routine into your lives. Doing a hundreds of sit-ups a day is not good enough. Think about your whole body and not only about your abdomen. When aiming for six pack abs, cardiovascular exercises are a must. This kind of exercise increase stamina and heart condition, it burn fat in a quick way. Cardiovascular exercises can be done 5 minutes a day, and can increase it to 45 minutes. Aside from cardiovascular exercises you can also do some weight training to get the body that you want.
Not all exercises can be done inside the gym, take your exercise outside. Take a walk, stand straight in a cocktail party, you can even do some exercises during your break time while you are sitting down on your chair.
Aside from proper diet and exercise, getting the minimum seven to eight hours of sleep every night is very important. Sleeping rejuvenates your body. It repairs muscular system by decreasing the stress hormone levels.
And last, you need to be consistent. You may plan or devise your own exercise regimen, but getting your six pack abs just does not stay there. You must be consistent with the plan or regimen you devised. That is why diet or exercise do not work, because we lack consistency in doing things. Six pack abs are easy, as long as you put yourself into it.
