Abs are made in the kitchen!

Abs are made in the kitchen!

You've started hitting the gym, and have a routine down...But that six-pack is struggling to reveal itself. Our fitness expert, Anna Wood shows us how it's done.

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The question I get asked most of the time would probably have to be : “What exercises can I do to get a six pack” . As you are reading this statement you are most likely asking the same question.

 

 

People think the secret to a six pack is doing a lot of abdominal crunches day in and day out, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Yes, abs are like any other muscle, to create definition you have to train them as well and give them rest to recover. We all have the infamous “six pack” but most of the time it is covered by a layer of fat, so you have to get rid of the fat layer first for the muscles to show.  So how do we get those ripped abs called “six pack”?  It starts in the kitchen. As the old saying goes, “you are what you eat”, making sure that you have the right foods at hand or in the kitchen and eat at the correct intervals.

 

Bootycamp - Abs are made in the kitchen:

 

To get your abs to show and to lose body fat %, you have to eat clean

 

Follow these 11 steps

 

1.       Do not skip breakfast

Having breakfast kick-starts your metabolism

 

2.       Eat 5/6 small meals per day

You will increase your energy levels, accelerate muscle growth, and speed up your metabolism without storing fat. In fact, frequent eating will actually allow you to eat up to 50% more calories without storing fat.

 

 

3.       Have Low GI carbohydrates

The GI is a ranking of foods based on how quickly they raise blood glucose levels. If the main sources of carbohydrates in your diet are bread and potatoes then try sweet potato and brown rice

 

4.       Drink 2-3l water per day

Water is essential for the functioning of our nervous, skeletal, circulatory, digestive, and even respiratory systems in our bodies. Drinking water also aids in weight loss by speeding up your metabolism and curbing your appetite.

 

5.       Only cheat once a week – only 1 meal

It doesn’t help that you control your calories during the week and over weekends you completely over indulge. Only have 1 cheat meal during the week. But don’t overdo it!

 

6.       Include good fats in your diet

Not all fats are bad for you, nor will all fats cause weight gain. In fact, there are good fats that your body requires to function and even to lose weight. Include the following in your diet: avos, raw nuts, salmon, olive oil etc.

 

7.       Stock your kitchen with healthy food

If there are chocolates and chips in your kitchen, they will be calling out your name to eat them. If there is healthy convenient food to snack on, you have no choice but to go for the healthy option. Examples of healthy snacking are biltong,  or berries

 

A fitness model discusses how to eat for six-pack abs: 

 

 

8.       Eat protein with every meal

Getting enough protein helps preserve muscle mass and encourages fat burning while keeping you feeling full.

 

9.       Swap a cup of rice for a cup of vegetables

You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on your plate and increase the amount of vegetables which also includes many minerals and vitamins.

 

10.   Exercise

Exercise has so many health benefits. Doing regular exercise will tone your muscles and help you get to your weight loss goals a lot faster

 

Enter the Jacaranda USN no more excuses competition. It will help you to set a goal and you will receive awesome tools to keep you motivated and track your progress 

 

 

 

Anna Wood is a fitness professional with over 9 years experience... She is a pilates instructor, motivational health & fitness speaker, personal trainer and has helped, people from all walks of life to achieve their fitness goals. Follow anna on Twitter @AnnaWoodFitness

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