Warm weather is finally here and everyone has been coming to
the gym looking for the same thing: flat abs. I can’t count the number of times
I hear, “I feel great everywhere except for this stuff around my belly [insert
belly grab here].” And as much as I hate to admit it, there’s not a single ab
exercise in the world that will give you the flat, toned, sexy stomach you’re
after if you aren’t doing at least four of the following five steps listed
here. Why? Because no matter how hard we try to tone those muscles, if you’re
making bad nutrition and lifestyle choices, you can do 1000 crunches and still
barely see a change in your waistline. So here you have it: 5 steps that will
lean out your abs starting NOW.
Cut it out: Dairy,
that is. Did you know that dairy stalls the fat loss process? The unique amino
acid composition in the proteins of certain dairy products causes your insulin
levels to skyrocket (even more than when you eat a piece of white bread). And
as we all know, high insulin levels leads = increased belly fat. The biggest offenders are whey, milk,
yogurt and cheese. The least offensive dairy products are organic butter and
organic whipping cream (high in fat and lacking in insulinogenic amino acids).
Rev it up: If you
really want to see the stored belly fat peel off, add in sprint days on your off
days from strength training. Sprint days consist of bursts of high intensity
exercise. Done correctly, these days of high intensity training will keep you
from the dreaded weight loss plateau.
Write it down: A
couple of chips at work, a sample of some chocolate at the farmers market….here
and there it ALL adds up. In fact, a study on dieters proved that those who wrote
down everything they ate lost twice as much as those who did not. Bottom line:
you might be eating more (or worse) than you think.
Throw it away:
Pretty simple. If it’s there, you are most likely going to eat it. Get rid of tempting
junk food (even if it’s disguised as healthy…Flax Crackers, I’m talking to you)
and load up on healthy snacks so you have something nutritious to reach for
when you’re hungry. Leftovers from dinner the night before, Prather Ranch or
another high-quality beef jerky, organic almonds and turkey slices with avocado
are some of my favorite snacks.
Cool it off: Chronic stress leads to increased
cortisol leads to chronic inflammation leads to belly fat. If you’re really
serious about fat loss, reduce your overall inflammation. It’s the cause of
every disease: cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, the list goes on
and on. And a big, poofy gut is one of its greatest signs. To lower your
inflammation, avoid sugars (even in the form of grains), cut out all vegetable
oils (canola, etc), eat plenty of healthy animal proteins and fats, sleep,
exercise smarter not harder, load up on dark leafy greens, stay away from too
much cardio, get fresh air and sunlight and reduce your emotional stress.
Implementing this fat-burning plan for even a month will have a profound effect on your abs. With proper exercise, nutrition and lifestyle choices, I've seen dramatic results on clients of all ages. So no excuses! Here's to a healthy and happy summer.
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