Raise your hand if this situation sounds similar: In order to get a flat stomach, you spend hours at the gym. You do 3 sets of plank, 5 sets of situps, 3 sets of squats and bicycle crunches like it's your religion and yeah baby, something's burning, but it's not your core – it's your body. Neck ache, backache and sore muscles are all you can feel in the midst of those busy office hours.
There's no denying that everyone loves the sight of Katrina Kaif working out on that perfect midriff. And of course, with a tight work schedule, it's not easy to maintain or attain a strong, tight and toned belly. You'd be surprised how a few tips can help you get there. Here are some fitness rules to learn by heart.
1. Make sure the pressure is on your core
If you've reached a stage where your body fat has lowered and you can see your flat belly then you already know the importance of core and abdominal exercises. The more you do it, the more you feel your abs. But the issue is that many people don't do it right. While doing a plank or situps, you end up putting more pressure on your legs and hands instead of your core. So, technically your abs are doing no work, hence you can't expect them to become more visible. Make sure you feel the pressure in the right place.
2. Clean diet
Diet plays an important role here. So processed junks, sugar and processed carbs need to go. Add fruits, veggie, healthy fats and organic lean protein to your daily diet. Keep the number of meals per day between 5-6 and keep the quantity of food in each meal small and fiber-rich. Cut off bread and sugar from your diet as they slow down your metabolism.
3. More muscles mean stronger body
Building muscle helps you in many ways. Firstly, it makes your body stronger and secondly, it helps you lose weight. The more muscles you have, more quickly you lose. Apart from that, it boosts metabolism, increases muscle definition, which helps you maintain a flat belly. Having more muscles will reduce strain on the joint, which will prevent serious injuries.
4. Crunches
To be more specific, bicycle and exercise ball crunches. These two type of crunches allow you to use more muscles which means, faster results. Add these to your workout list, if you haven't already.
5. Regular cardio
Do aerobics, Zumba and other high-intensity workouts if you get bored of running on a treadmill but keep the cardio going. Always warm up well before starting anything else. If you have a solid cardio base of exercise, it will help you in the long run. It maintains muscle mass. A walk, bike ride or a hike, would work best as outdoor exercises show better results.
6. Take more oxygen
Oxygen helps your core body to perform at its best. Hence, it plays a very important role, not in just keeping you alive but in keeping you fit as well. Never hold your breath while performing core exercises. Inhale when going up, exhale when relaxing back.
7. Add weights
No, dumbells aren't just for your biceps, they're good for your abs as well. Like other body parts, the core also needs to be challenged and adding dumbells can help. Add it to your situps, squats, wherever you feel you can accommodate weights, do so. Keep increasing the weight as you keep getting used to them.