HEALTH
Achieving Fab Abs
As we move into summer many of us start to think that it would be a good time to tone up our stomachs so that we look good on the beach or just lounging around the pool. We asked Anna Lancaster, one of the personal trainers at the West Bay Country Club, what steps we need to take achieve a flat stomach.
According to Anna there are, unfortunately, no short cuts. Achieving ‘Fab Abs’ takes patience and more than a little effort to see noticeable results. Anna maintains that to get a flat stomach you need to consider posture, diet and exercise.
POSTURE Poor posture creates lazy abs. This then affects the back, causing back pain and injury. That’s why it is important for long-term health and wellbeing to have strong abdominal muscles. You need to balance the body. Pilates is perfect for strengthening the abdominals and back to promote good posture and reduce the risk of injury.
DIET A healthy balanced diet is another important step in achieving a flat stomach. Consuming fewer calories than
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your body is burning means that your excess fat is turned into energy. Keeping a food diary is an accurate way of measuring how many calories you consume. Write down exactly what you eat/drink, when you eat/drink and then review your food diary after a week and make changes as necessary.
EXERCISE Too much body fat will mean you cannot see the abdominal muscles. Reducing body fat is vital before you can think about getting a flat stomach. Cardiovascular workouts, resistance training and specific abdominal exercises are all great ways to reduce body fat and often a combination of all three will not only strengthen your abdominal muscles but will improve overall fitness levels.
However, if you have not undertaking regular exercise in recent times don’t overdo it. Probably the best approach is to have your fitness levels assessed by a qualified fitness professional who will be able to plan an escalating exercise programme which will get you fit while reducing the risk of injury. She/he should also be able find out what you like and what you don’t like, and plan a varied programme of activities which is fun and does not become boring.
At West Bay we run over 40 different classes a week so there really should be something for everyone irrespective of current fitness level, age or ability. We also run classes such as ‘Abs Blast’ that specifically target the abdominal muscles.
May / June 2012 35
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