How do I get Abs? All Questions Answered

Feb 28, 2014

[GARD align=”left”] how do i get abs

The most common weight loss and fitness question I get is some version of “how do I get abs?” or a 6-pack, or a flat belly. There is so much information overload out there. It is no wonder people get so confused!  So I wanted to take some time and put together the most common questions about getting that elusive flat stomach. Here are some of the top questions and my answers:Are abs really made in the kitchen? It depends. Here is the deal with abs. Nutrition plays a huge role with almost everybody that has abs. This is because if you EAT more than you are burning in a day, you will store fat and have a layer over those abs. If you are an athlete, train at a super high intensity, etc. the nutrition becomes slightly less critical as you are burning lots of calories and your metabolism works efficiently so that you will have a flat belly due to your hard training. This is why you will see ultra fit people or athletes get away with eating whatever they want and still having abs. Michael phelps eats 8000 calories a day and has an 8 pack…. you get the gist of it..  but on the other hand think of alot of former NFL players who after their football days are over become extremely obese. Taking in the calories they used to without training like they used to. Personally  I used to eat a super strict diet and would do long sessions of cardio to get those abs to come out of hiding.  As soon as I went off my “diet” they would disappear. Now, due to my high intensity workouts, I am not nearly as regimented or strict with my diet, but I have abs all the time.  I also have to mention that I can’t remember the last time I did long slow cardio at the gym either.  It is nice to have abs without the hours of slow cardio and watching every bite.  The KEY is to train at a super high intensity so that my metabolism is always on fire. Think burpees jump lunges squat thrusts etc. IF you have a C-section can you get abs back? OF course. Now there is not a whole lot you can do to reverse the c-section, BUT you can dramatically change the appearance by developing the muscles in that area and losing overall body fat via your diet and training so the appearance will drastically change. Can I get abs after having a baby? YES. It may be harder, it may take a bit longer but YES, YOU CAN! Again its all about the diet and the intensity in which you train. I have a client with 4 kids who has a 6 pack… she trains super hard and eats clean and in the correct portions. If you have loose skin what can you do? Skin can be challenging, believe me, I know.  I have abs, but downward dog is just NOT a flattering exercise after having a baby. The skin is not as elastic as we age and pregnancy does seem to stretch/change the skin around the mid to lower stomach.  Even if the skin isn’t as tight as it used to be, you CAN still develop those muscles and you CAN lose overall body fat and that will drastically change the appearance of your stomach. Do stretch marks ever go away naturally? Or does there have to be a cosmetic procedure? Most stretch marks will fade over time. Unfortunately exercising and diet will not change appearance of stretch marks.  What you can do is make sure you drink plenty of water and keep the skin moisturized from the outside as well. Maderma ointment can help as well, but just make sure you apply it several times per day. What is the BEST exercise for Abs? I am a big fan of PLANKS. Here is the reason: they are GREAT for your lower back (when done with correct form) and they are AMAZING for CORE development. Planks are challenging to do, and there are lots of ways to progress the exercise and make it harder. Doing planks gives you a stronger CORE which will improve your functional training with EVERY thing you do. They are also challenging, require a lot of energy and you DO burn calories doing planks as it is a full body exercise. So plank away!  Work up to 2 minutes and then start progressing the exercise.  Start by lifting 1-arm at a time.  Then 1-arm and the opposite leg.  Anything to make you unstable or that requires more balance is a GOOD thing.  If you can hold a plank for a long time you are on the right track! I am also a fan of my ten in ten ab series. I have never had stronger abs. Filming these videos has made my abs much more visible. I do ten minutes of abs at least 3 times a week. Doesn’t eating fat make you fat? Diets suggesting fat free eating are based on old research and it has been dis-proven.  Obesity rates have gone through the roof since the low fat diet became popular for so many years.  SUGAR, PROCESSED FOODS, and ARTIFICIAL FAKE FOODS are a primary cause of obesity and many health problems. Eating fat does NOT make you fat. Lack of activity and eating unhealthy processed foods do :) Is there a supplement or pill that targets belly fat? UMMMM NO! I call BS on the ads that say their “magic pill” melts belly fat.  Hard work, intensity, and proper nutrition are the ONLY “magic pills” that really work! So forget ab cuts, ripped abs, and whatever other pills you see locked away at the vitamin shoppe. keep your 80 dollars and focus your attention on hard work and proper nutrition. What is the quickest way to lose weight and get a flat belly? The ONLY way to lose belly fat and KEEP it off is to do it the healthy way. You have to work at it and BE CONSISTENT! I can tell you that switching from a processed food diet to a clean and natural one  will help you lose weight. I too am now gluten and dairy free for about a year now and i see huge changes in my body composition. Get rid of packaged foods … eat foods from the earth and train hard… you will see. How do I get rid of the “pooch”? Usually the pooch is from one of a few things. 1. It can be overall body fat- that needs to be lost through intensity in training and diet 2. It could be BLOAT from an allergen. Keep a log to see if it is more distended due to certain foods like dairy or wheat. ( this was my case for sure) another thing that bloated me was stevia… 3. It could be an anterior pelvic tilt which is common with females. That makes it LOOK like you have a pooch but can actually be a lower back issue 4. It could be extra skin.. that is less likely and usually only the case after losing a lot of weights So there you have it!  I hope this helps give you some quality information so now you can go get that flat belly that you have always wanted!

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