Beach-Ready Abs

The days between you and summer are counting down to summer. And summer means sun and beaches and pools. All of that adds up to at least one shirtless day sometime soon. And that means you need a plan.

The extra pounds that crept into the picture over the long winter will take center stage without a three-pronged strategy. And that strategy doesn’t require three small payments of $19.95 or fold for easy travel.

Start With Cardio

The first thing you need to do is get your heart rate up. If you’ve been sedentary all winter, start slowly and work your way up in intensity. If you’ve already been working out, then up the ante.

Despite the so-called expert opinions offered up by the infomercials, you don’t simply need to target your midsection. You need to start with a total-body approach to burning fat.

Odds are that somewhere underneath a few months worth of doing nothing are some abdominal muscles that will hold their own at the pool. The key is getting the fat out of the way so the rest of the world can appreciate what you know is already there.

In order to lose weight, you need to be exercising vigorously between three and five times a week. According to experts, your workout should consist of 75% cardio and 25% weight training to maximize your fat-burning potential. Whatever form of aerobic exercise appeals to you, just do it – whether it’s running, biking, swimming or stair climbing. Really, the form of exercise isn’t the issue – it’s doing the exercise.

Cut Calories

Exercise is only part of the equation. In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. So by limiting your intake, you can virtually double the fat-burning effectiveness of your new exercise regimen. Of course you shouldn’t starve yourself, but you do need to cut back on calories – especially the poor choices like foods high in fat or starchy foods late at night.

Another good strategy is to up your protein intake. Meals high in protein can make you feel fuller longer – keeping your appetite in check on fewer calories.

Crunches (You Can’t Escape Them)

The American Council on Exercise found in a recent study that two exercises were most effective in producing defining results.

1. The Classic Crunch : Lie flat on your back on a gym mat with your hands behind your neck and your knees bent. Raise your torso up using your abdominal muscles only, rotating to touch your right elbow to your left knee. Hold for one second and release. Repeat by alternating elbow/knee combinations.
2. The Exercise Ball Crunch: Lie back on the ball, with the ball positioned under your lower back. With your hands behind your head and your feet flat on the floor, contract your abdominal muscles and lift your torso up no more than 45 degrees.

Tip: More isn’t always better. Work your abs intelligently with a maximum of 20 reps per set. And be sure to remember to give them time to recover.

Source: CareFair.com