Why Abdominal Exercises Alone Won’t Give You A Flat Tummy

Have you been furiously crunching and doing sit ups but don’t seem to be able to shape your stomach the way you want?

If you answered “yes” then read on to discover why.

 The first thing to realise is that there is no such thing as spot reduction, or the targeting of specific areas of your body to burn fat from. When exercising, your body will convert energy from sources of its own choosing, so although abdominal exercises will be giving you great core strength and will be developing the muscles underneath, unless you remove the outer laying of padding that is hiding them, you won’t be able to see that six pack. The same is true for your whole body.

The key to revealing the washboard underneath is to burn the fat covering it up with aerobic exercise. Couple this with strength and resistance training and a healthy, low fat diet and you’ll start seeing the results in no time at all.

What is aerobic exercise? It’s any exercise that works the large muscle groups in your body, such as the quadriceps found in the thighs and biceps in the arms, rhythmically over a sustained period of time. Examples of typical aerobic exercises are walking at pace, swimming, dancing, rowing, and running. Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity at least 3 times per week and build your way up to 5 times per week.

It’s important to continue with your core/abdominal exercises to maintain balance, stability and good posture. Most of our daily activities depend on core strength and having strong muscles will help reduce the risk of injury and back problems. You’ll also want them in good shape for the big reveal when your outer layers melt away.

Including resistance training in your routine will also develop lean muscle which is more metabolically active meaning that the more of it you have the more calories you will burn, even when you’re at rest.

To summarise then:
1 – Get aerobically active at least three times per week
2 – Include strength and resistance training as part of you exercise programme
3 – Eat a low fat, healthy diet

Good luck!