Although it’s common knowledge that you can’t target fat loss from specific areas of your body, many of us still attempt to overtrain specific regions– abs being one of them.
If your goal is to look your best this summer while showing off that new swimsuit, attacking your abs for 30 minutes in the Gym is NOT the way to do it.
The Magic Abs Formula
According to Tom Holland, an exercise physiologist, “you should spend roughly 10 percent of your total workout time doing abdominal exercises.” Meaning, if your workout is an hour long, that’s only 6 minutes of abs exercise you have to do. BRB, currently feeling a mix of shock and pure regret for all the wasted minutes I’ve suffered doing planks…
More Than Just Abs Exercises
If doing countless crunches isn’t the answer to getting those beach ready abs, then what is? Turns out there is more than one way to work that core. Fortunately, they all don’t involve working up a sweat at the gym.
Although the absolute best way to burn fat is by doing cardio, resistance training is extremely important for your body to torch calories and fat throughout the day. By lifting weights or doing resistance band workouts several times a week, your body will build more muscle which in turn boosts your metabolism.
Perks Of A Faster Metabolism
A faster metabolic rate means your body will be burning more calories throughout the day, even while you are resting. One pound of muscle burns 6 calories a day (compared to only 2 calories for every pound of fat). If you start lifting and change ten pounds of fat to muscle, that’s an extra 280 calories you burn in a week just by existing. Can’t get much easier than that!
Abs Are Made In The Kitchen (Seriously)
Another key component to blasting fat is through your diet. When you consume too much sugar, particularly sweetened beverages like soda and sports drinks, your liver can’t fully process it and turns the excess sugar into fat. Research has found this fat from sugar most often gets stored in the liver and stomach, preventing you from being able to see the results from training your abs!
Along with reducing your sugar intake, cutting out other processed carbohydrates and adding more protein will help you stay full and have less cravings.
Keep That Core!
Although it’s a huge relief we don’t have to dedicate as much time to abs in our workout to get desired results, it’s important to not eliminate core workouts all together. Having a strong core helps to prevent injury and reduce the stress we put on our backs, both when lifting and performing simple daily tasks. By adding a balance of cardio and weights, and maintaining a good diet, you’re sure to see the definition in your abs in no time.
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