5 steps to amazing abs… least important is the crunch!

Co-founder of Your Body Programme, Luisa Valenti shares her expert insight and 5 steps to amazing abs… just in time for beach body season!

The first thing to get our head around is the fact that, believe it or not, we all have a 6 pack … unfortunately in many cases it’s hidden behind a layer of fat! No matter how many crunches we do, if we do not shift that little extra insulation, there’s no hope of seeing that stomach of steel! A strong core is invaluable. For starters a stable midsection will improve posture and balance, prevent injury and allow you to lift heavier weights. At YBP we believe it is important to train in relation to your body types. For example an endomorph will tend to have a slower metabolism and be less carbohydrate tolerant than an ectomorph. Regardless of your body type, here are some necessary steps to effectively shift the fat and strengthen the core.

Step one – keep the intensity high for amazing abs

At YBP we suggest high intensity interval training for your cardio workouts. This style of training has a metabolism boosting affect that low intensity training doesn’t have. Over the 24 to 36 hours post training your body will burn fat at a faster rate. This is known as EPOC (excess post exercise oxygen consumption) or the after burn, which is an increased rate of oxygen intake post exercise. In some studies, this has been shown to increase by 15%. Remember when at rest we burn almost only fat, so in this increased state of metabolism for the following 24 to 36 hours post training you will be burning more fat even at rest.

Step two – choose the correct exercises

The second part to your amazing abs workout regime is resistance work (working against a weight or force). I suggest compound exercises. These are exercises that use more than one muscle group at a time. (eg. squats, deadlifts, lunges, rows, chest press) Recruiting numerous muscle groups at once will burn more calories and increase your metabolism. Training at this intensity will create the correct hormonal response (boosting growth hormone and testosterone) to build muscle. The more muscle we have the faster we burn fat, even at rest! Try performing full body workouts in a circuit style to keep to intensity high.

Step three – reach for the right foods

At YBP we believe a sustainable healthy nutrition plan is the way forward. Fad diets do not work! Follow the principles below and aim for the 80:20 rule (healthy 80% of the time)

• Eat slow releasing carbohydrates – whole grains and green vegetables
• Eat a protein food the size of your fist with every meal
• Include essential fats – fish, nuts, and seeds
• Drink water – 1.5 to 3 litres a day, depending on your lifestyle
• Schedule regular meals and always eat a good breakfast
• Eat plenty of fibre from fresh vegetables and whole grains
• Select lean meat and fish and choose more vegetable sources of protein such as tofu, lentils, beans and peas
• Select fresh foods over processed foods whenever possible
• Eat at least 8 portions of fruit and vegetables every day
• Eat slowly and chew your food and stop eating when you are full

Step four – eliminate stress

A stressed body will cause a person to store fat around their middle. Cortisol is the culprit, it is the hormone released when we are stressed. Our body goes into flight or fight mode as it believes us to be in danger. It releases sugar into our system for our body to utilise as energy (to either run or fight this stressful situation). The problem is, in modern life our stresses usually do not demand a physical response and therefore, the body stores the unused sugar in and around the liver, causing us to gain fat around the middle. It is important to try and address the reasons for extra stress and pressure in our lives. Obviously, this is easier said than done but try techniques such as massage, meditation, hot baths, music, reading or taking a walk.

Step five – target the entire core

It’s not all about crunches! They should form part of your routine, but be sure to target the entire core, especially the muscles that stabilise the spine. Some good examples are planks, leg raises, mountain climbers, rolls outs and woodchops.