The Two Greatest Myths About Abdominal Exercises
If you have ever read a fitness magazine...
If you have ever watched TV ads about latest machines that will
magically reveal your abs...
If you have ever gone to a gym and saw tens of people lying on
the floor doing crunches....
then beware because chances are you are a victim of the two
biggest abdominal training hoaxes!
Myth No: 1
Just doing some midsection exercises can reduce your "love
handles".
Fact
You cannot reduce fat from a certain targeted area of your body
just by using exercise alone.
And the abdominal area is no exception.
So if you want to get a flat stomach and to reveal your abs,
losing the fat covering them is the way to go.
And the only way to do this is to lose fat proportionately from
your entire body by burning more calories than you consume.
How? By doing these two things:
1) Have a healthy and balanced permanent diet: dark green
vegetables, fresh fruits, whole wheat and whole grain products,
non-fat dairy products, fish, poultry breast, lean red meat, egg
white.
Yes, you should cut out all sugar, soda, non-whole grain products
and saturated fats: these aliments should only be a reward for
achieving a goal, not a habit!
2) Start exercising
Aerobic and weight training will raise your metabolic rate. In
result, your body will burn more calories.
* aerobic exercising
3 times per week, practice an exercise that keeps your heart rate
elevated for at least 30-45 minutes (ex: walking, running,
cycling, swimming, aerobics, etc)
* weight training
Alternate days of aerobics with weight training. You will build
muscles that will burn more calories, even when at rest!
Myth No: 2
You have to do tons of crunches.
Fact
Overuse of crunches will only shorten your abs, pull your head
forward and gives you a bad posture. Do you really want to looks
like Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame?
Any standing exercise that will contract your abs will do but you
should specifically target your lower back to strengthen the
muscles that support your spine.
The easiest exercise is sucking the gut in, also known as the
"stomach vacuum" :
1. Exhale. Suck your gut in.
2. Maintain the contraction for 10 to 20 seconds.
3. Repeat 10 to 15 times, as often as you like throughout the day
(for example while in the shower, sitting at your desk, while
driving or in the bus).
Time now for YOU to take action!
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.
Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News
where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on
many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
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