The Secret to Abs

Hello everyone! Your favorite blogger is back again. Today I’m going to tell you about something that is very important to me and to everyone’s health. I’m going to tell you about the myths of weight loss and how you candevelop the perfect set of abs.

My plan is to walk you

through common myths and lies that pertain to weight loss and workouts that you should and should not be doing to shed some lbs. Then you will learn how to sculpt your abs and mid section.

So let’s start off with some of the most common myths that pertain to weight loss. Everyone thinks that it’s all about carbs. “Carbs are the enemy”. Well in most cases this is true, but in reference to weight loss, it’s actually only slightly true. In order to shed the pounds, you need to eat fewer calories while enjoying a nutritious diet that includes a variety of food. Carbs are best pre or post workout to help you restore and recover, you just need to keep your calorie intake in check. Switching to whole grain carbs from white bread is definitely a plus and would help along the process.

Another common myth is that genetics ultimately determine your weight. There is no right or wrong to this myth, other than it is just a myth. It is true that those with a long family history of obesity may be more likely to gain weight than those with a slimmer family tree, but that doesn’t mean a healthy diet and exercise are less effective for you. The most important factor surrounding obesity is watching your calorie and fat intake and how physically active you can be. You should never use genetics as an excuse to give up. Use it as inspiration and thrive from it.

Another common myth is that fat should be avoided. This too is partially true. Some fats should be avoided but others should not be. There are plenty of fats out there that actually help with weight-loss. Some examples are fish, nuts, and olive oil. Eating too much fatty food increases your risk of getting cancer, but the good fats help your body absorb important nutrients and helps you feel fuller longer, which helps you eat less. If you find yourself eating a lot during the day or late at night you may want to consider taking Casein Protein – this is a slow digesting protein that will help fill you up but will also give you the right nutrients you need to get that 6-pack as it’s a very lean protein. Trans fat and saturated fat should be the fat that you avoid, but unsaturated fats are actually pretty good for you. So just be careful in which fats you let into your body.

Skipping meals is a good way to cut calories? Wrong! It’s actually the opposite. Skipping meals can actually cause you to gain weight since it slows down your metabolism. Meal Skippers tend to weigh more than people who eat on the regular. This causes meal skippers to overeat to compensate for skipping meals. A good alternative to skipping meals is portion control and finding lower-calorie meals as substitutes. For example, I eat every 3 hours or so because I’m constantly active and burn calories throughout the day. My breakfast and dinner are the biggest meals of the day and my in between meals are lean and nutritious snacks like salads, nuts, fruit, veggies and protein shakes. Try eating every few hours; you may see some great improvements to your metabolism.

Some people think that switching to “reduced fat” or “fat-free” foods will surely help lose weight, but that’s not always true. As with all other foods, portion control is the key to losing weight, even with reduced fat foods. It’s still fat and calories and just because it’s lower in fat, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Rationalize your portions and watch what you eat and you’ll be on your way to a smaller waist.

Those are just a few of the most important myths that pertain to weight loss. There are still plenty of other myths out there that you should be aware of. Try searching some of them and continue to increase your knowledge on the topic.

Now to the fun stuff. I’m going to share part of my ab secrets with you guys. Why not all? Because you don’t deserve that yet, that’s why!

First off, I like to work abs 2-3 times per week, never on back to back days. Abs need at least a day or 2 to recover. That’s very important!

I usually do about 4-5 ab workouts and 2 core workouts in between. I like to run about 1-2 miles before hand to get a nice sweat going and to increase my heart rate. I’m going to list my workouts and sets and explain them below:

Workout 1: Russian Twists with medicine ball.

3 sets of 15-20 reps. I really like Russian twists. Take a 8-15 lb medicine ball and go on the decline bench and stop half way and rotate from side to side while holding on each side for a few seconds. Side to side is 1 rep. Repeat 15-20 times for 3 sets with 1 minute rest in between sets.

Workout 2: Hanging Leg Raises.

These are a killer. If you master these, then you could bring your entire body up to the bar and rotate your hips from side to side. Now that’s a great core workout, but a bit more advanced. Hanging leg raises are great for the lower abs and mid section. I usually do 3 sets of 20 or until I can’t do them anymore. Grab any pull-up bar/handle and hang and try not to sway back and forth. Bring your legs up and hold for a second and release.

Workout 3: Plank Dips.

Great for core. Plank on your side and dip your hips down. I usually do 5 sets of these on each side for 20 reps. In order to activate your core, you need to squeeze and contract your core throughout the entire set. That’s very important. You can also switch it up to normal planks in between sets or after.

Workout 4: Crazy Pushups.

These are my favorite. Great for the core and abs. I call these crazy pushups because people think you’re crazy and are like “WTF” when you do these in the gym. Take a stability ball and put your feet on it while putting your hands on a bench, so that you are in pushup form. Bring your legs to your chest so that the ball is closer to the bench and your core is activated. Then release and do a pushup. You can bend your knees or leave them straight. The straighter your knees are, the harder the workout. See which is more comfortable. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps and you’ll definitely feel it!

Workout 5: Star Planks.

These are extremely hard but your core will be SOLID after these. Set up like a normal plank and then spread your legs and arms into a star shape. Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat for 4-5 times. Good Luck!

Workout 6: Stability ball Roll Outs.

Take a stability ball and go into plank position. Start with your forearms on the ball and stabilize your core. Then extend your forearms and roll the ball out only on your forearms and you’ll feel the stretch in your core. Hold for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10-12. You can alternate these with the star planks if you could handle that.

Workout 7: Hip Raises.

Lay on a bench or the floor and hold onto a rail or weight and lie flat on your back with your legs straight up (90 degrees). Lift your hips up while keeping your legs straight. Do this 20 times for 3 sets.

Workout 8: Ab Roller.

My favorite and usually my last ab workout of the day. Grab the ab roller or a barbell and get on your knees and roll out by fully extending your arms as far out as you can without touching your stomach to the ground. You should feel like in your core and a little in your lower back. Try and keep your core tight and hold for a few seconds. I usually do 3 sets of 15.

Don’t forget to take your protein recovery drink as well as stretch before and after because you don’t want to pull anything, especially during ab days!

Well, I hope this helped. Try mixing these up with some other ab/core workouts and you’ll be on your way to a nice set of abs in no time!

Good luck!

@AndrewBrauny

#CampusProtein

http://www.askmen.com/money/body_and_mind/7_better_living.html

PS: If you need a good app to help explain some of these exercises or if you just need some motivation, download the Fitocracy fitness app from the App Store.