Everyone always seems to have the same question….”Why don’t I look like the pictures on the front of the magazine at the checkout stand…why don’t my abs look like that?” Well, there are a lot of reasons. Let’s start with the most obvious. Anything one-dimensional, air brushed and glossy, is going to be difficult to mimic. So, if the goal you have set is packaged like that, cut yourself some slack….but not too much. It is important to keep a mental vision of what you want your body to look like, have a manageable attitude about it and then, get to work! With proper exercise, nutrition and an appropriate amount of rest, you will be well on your way to defining your new physique.
Core Essentials
Your mid section is professionally referred to as your “core.” Your core is made up of many muscles that stabilize and provide you locomotion, giving your body a strong foundation much like the "roots" and “trunk” of a tree. Focusing on the major muscles of the core in conjunction with the right exercise and eating for wellness will turn your core into a strong trunk with deep roots. Plus you get the added benefit of awesome looking abs.
Abs and 20 plus muscles = Core
Your core is made up of 29 muscles. It takes all 29 muscles working together to propel, slow down, change direction, absorb energy, distribute weight and are responsible for all other extended actions of your body. The core of your body is not to be taken lightly. Your abdominal muscles are pretty to look at, like many muscles in the body, but it is the muscles you cannot see that are doing most of the work. Even a body builder can have a weak core, if he or she is not diligent in training the core muscles as a unit of movement and stability.
Working out your core
Concentric, eccentric and isometric muscle actions are different types of exercises that bring added strength and response to your 29 core muscles. The more you continue to develop your core, the less difficult it is training the rest of your body. So take this as encouragement!
If only some of the “roots of your trunk” are fully developed, it will cause stress to those that are not, causing imbalance which can often lead to low back pain and possible injury throughout your entire body. Focusing on core exercises will produce faster results for full body wellness.
Body Fat Percentage
If your goal is to have your abdominal muscles smiling back at you in the mirror than part of your focus needs to be having a low enough body fat percentage to see them. Many people, who especially exercise often, make the mistake that they only need to make their abs stronger to create a six pack stomach; they forget that the most important recipe to a tight tummy is what they eat. They fail to make healthy eating habits for their abs, because they are uneducated in selecting the correct foods to eat to help them reach their goal.
Eat right
Plain and simple, the key to training your core is eating right. In designing your meal plan, you can choose foods that compliment your program for developing the core. You are waging half the battle by eliminating toxic foods that increase fat in areas of your body including the omentum, which is a fat storing organ around your stomach. Adding healthy choices to your diet is another percentage of the battle. This leads to a healthy lifestyle, a strong core, and lets face it…abs you don’t mind showing off!
One of the most important tips is eating more often. That's right, eating smaller meal portions throughout the day, will keep your metabolism high, your energy continuous and keep your body fat lower for the long term. Find out what works for you, try eating five to seven smaller meals per day. If you are eating 3 meals currently, try halfing the amount of food you eat in these meals, and eating the other half for your next meal.
This guarantees to keep you from over stuffing yourself and really helps your midsection stay slim for exposing your abs.
For some additional helpful tips, click here
