Do you want to have six abs in time for summer? The first, important step to obtain the classic "turtle" is to reduce the fat mass around the abdomen, so as to bring out the muscles. A combination of diet and targeted exercises will allow you to strengthen the belly area and give it a toned and firm appearance. If you stick to a healthy diet and training regimen, then your abs will pay off - you just have to put in the effort. Read on if you want to know how to get these results without going to the gym!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Lose Belly Fat
Step 1. Eat whole foods
Eat a diet rich in unprocessed foods, with few artificial ingredients, so you are more likely to lose weight in the abdominal area. The simplest way to stay consistent with this food line is to cook each dish from scratch, instead of going out to restaurants or buying pre-cooked meals. These last two solutions are undoubtedly comfortable, but they do not allow you to control what and how much you eat. Instead, try to buy fresh, whole-grain ingredients and cook as many lunches and dinners at home as possible.
- Consume a lot vegetables; the wider the variety of vegetables, the better. Make the majority of your dishes consist of these foods.
- Look for the meats which have undergone very few manufacturing processes and are labeled "hormone free". These drugs are given to animals to quickly gain muscle mass, but they are harmful to human health.
- Choose i Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and oats, and prefer them to products prepared with white flour.
- At the beginning of the week, cook a large pot of minestrone or stew with lots of vegetables; that way you won't have to cook it every day.
- When you have to lose weight, don't forget the importance of healthy fats: Olive oil, avocado, nuts and fish are all excellent sources of these nutrients.
- Eat regularly without skipping meals. If you don't eat, you slow down your metabolism, thus preventing your body from burning excess fat. To make your abs visible, you need to remove the fatty tissue that covers them.
Step 2. Limit the amount of refined carbohydrates
Refined sugars and starches lead to weight gain and fat storage. Sugars, flour, potatoes, rice and all other refined starchy products have been deprived of nutrients and fiber. Cookies, cakes, chips, bread and white pasta, along with all the other processed carbohydrates, cause blood sugar spikes and cause fat to be retained. For many people, fatty tissue accumulates mainly in the abdominal region. The good news, though, is that people tend to notice results early on when they eat the right diet, so swap refined carbohydrates for whole-grain ones and you'll likely see your tummy change in no time.
- Avoid sugary drinks like sodas. Even those that are labeled as "diet" or "light" actually make you fat and do not help you lose weight.
- Instead, try to drink fruit juices or, even better, eat whole fruit; in this way you bring healthy fibers and not just sugars.
- Stop consuming packaged snacks (including protein bars and granola bars) if you want to lose weight. Remember that all packaged products, even "diet" ones, contain a lot of refined sugars and flours that go against your goals.
Step 3. Manage your stress
You may think that this is not such a serious problem and that it cannot affect your body shape. Can you find time to relax every day? If your answer is no, then your body is likely to produce too much cortisol, the hormone that is secreted in response to extreme stress. An excess of cortisol leads to an accumulation of fat around the waist creating a "donut" effect. Use methods to calm yourself down to help in the long process of losing the extra pounds that hide your abdominal muscles.
- Try to understand what triggers stress in your daily life and eliminate it. Are you too busy? Delete some tasks from your schedule and you will have more time for yourself. Give up on events you don't really need in favor of rest and relaxation. You probably never realized that rest helps you lose weight in the abdominal area, right?
- Create rituals to help you relax. It could be some daily meditation, a few minutes spent breathing fresh air or a mandatory walk with your dog. In the evening, you can take a hot bath; create a ritual, a procedure that helps you calm down when you are tense.
- Learn to breathe properly. If you take short, shallow breaths, the brain and body register a state of stress and the adrenal glands start producing excess cortisol. For this reason it is essential to learn to breathe in the right way, that is, with the diaphragm. When you inhale, your belly must swell, and instead deflate during exhalation.
Step 4. Try to get plenty of rest every night
A lack of sleep causes the retention of fat around the belly in two ways. First of all, the body is stressed, causing the hypersecretion of cortisol. Second, little rest reduces inhibitions, leading people to indulge in eating habits that they normally would not have. Since you are well rested, you can wake up early, have a healthy breakfast and make great choices for later meals; if, on the other hand, you have not slept much, you will try to wake your body up by eating lots of salt, refined sugars or flour. The solution is to sleep 7-8 hours every night or for as many nights as possible.
- Setting a sleep-wake rhythm is of great help. Try to always go to bed at the same time and do the same for waking up.
- Too much sleep is also bad for your health, so get up after 8 hours of sleep and don't get to 9-10 or more.
Step 5. Have breakfast every morning
To lose weight, it is important to start the day with a healthy breakfast. This is because nutrient-rich foods, first and foremost, make you feel full and energetic for hours. If you skip this meal, you are more likely to overdo it at lunch and dinner, not forgetting the various snacks. Start the day with these foods:
- Oats. It has a low glycemic index, so it won't raise your blood sugar too much resulting in hunger pangs. Oats give you a sense of satiety for a long time. Add some almonds and some fresh fruit for a delicious and healthy breakfast.
- Scrambled eggs. Eating protein in the morning is another good way to feel full and satisfied. Studies have shown that people who consume protein for breakfast have a greater sense of satiety and for a longer time. Waiting later in the day to eat protein does not lead to the same effect.
- Grapefruit and apples. These two exceptional fruits have components that inhibit appetite and make you feel well nourished.
Step 6. Drink lots of water
Good hydration has been shown to be responsible for a 30% metabolic increase. The best results are obtained when you consume 8 glasses or more of water distributed throughout the day to stay well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water allows you to burn calories faster and keeps your body in good condition for the next important step in getting toned abs: increasing muscle mass!
But remember not to drink liquids that add calories to your diet. So no sodas, alcohol or other sugary drinks
Part 2 of 3: Building Abdominal Muscle Mass
Step 1. Do the crunches
This is one of the best exercises to instantly strengthen your abs at home, without even going to the gym. You don't need any special tools, just some floor space. Here's how to do it:
- Lie on your back on the ground with your knees bent and feet firmly supported.
- Cross your hands on your chest.
- Using your abdominal muscles, lift your torso and head forward so that your shoulders come off the ground. Pause when you are high and then slowly lower yourself.
- Do not lift your back completely off the ground, as you will unnecessarily strain this part of the body.
- Do three sets of 20 reps to get started.
Step 2. Do side crunches
Assume the same position as for normal crunches, with your knees bent and your arms crossed across your chest. This time, however, move your head and shoulders towards your left or right knee. Keep the same direction for a whole series, then do the next on the other side.
Step 3. Do planks
This exercise looks simple on the surface, but you have to feel your muscles burning to be sure you are doing it right! This is a good workout if you're worried about your abs getting too noticeable and prefer a leaner, toned look instead.
- Lie on the floor in a prone position with your legs straight.
- Rise up by leaning on your forearms. The elbows should be perfectly aligned with the shoulders and hands facing forward, like the Sphinx.
- Lift your torso and legs so that your forearms and toes support the entire weight of the body. You need to feel the abdominal muscles contract.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds, return to the ground and then repeat for another 30 seconds.
Step 4. Do side planks
Get in the same position for normal planks. This time, lift yourself up by leaning only on one forearm (right or left) and point your other hand at the ceiling. Your body should roll on its side. Hold the position for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side. This exercise strengthens the oblique abdominal muscles.
Step 5. Do the leg raises
Lie on the ground on your back with your legs straight and your arms at your sides. Keep your legs together and your back straight as you lift your feet up to form a 90 degree angle. Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly return to the ground. Do 3 reps of 15 lifts.
- You can also do alternate lifts, lifting one leg at a time.
- To make the exercise even more difficult, fix some ankle weights and hold an exercise ball between your feet while lifting your legs.
Step 6. Try doing the "bicycle" exercise to exercise the lower abdominals
Lie on the ground with your knees bent so that your feet are parallel to the ground. Straighten your left leg and bring your left elbow towards your right knee while twisting your body. Repeat the movement on the other side, changing knees with each repetition.
Step 7. Perform a leg stretch to train the upper abdominals
Lie on the ground on your back and bend your knees. Bring your head slightly towards your chest. Lift your left leg towards your chest and grab it with both hands. Then lift your right leg up to a 45 ° angle, hold the position for a few seconds and then switch legs.
Step 8. Don't forget the cardio exercises
Cardiovascular training such as running, cycling and swimming must be done a couple of times a week. Remember that the body must burn fat in order for the "turtle" to be visible - and cardio exercises help this process.
Part 3 of 3: Get Safe Results
Step 1. Work your abs three times a week
Set up a routine so your muscles get stronger and firmer over time. Do not exercise them every day, however: they must rest between sessions to repair the stressed fibers and gain strength. Train every other day or every 3 days.
- When you don't have to do situps, exercise your other muscle groups like your arms, legs, or back. If you develop strength throughout the body, you help the abdominal region stay toned.
- Focus on struggling with each workout. When you realize that the abdominal exercises begin to be easy, push yourself a little further. Add more reps, move faster, or use weights. If you don't, your fitness will reach a constant level and won't improve.
Step 2. Stay motivated by getting support from a friend
Getting a toned abs isn't easy and there will be days when you will be too tired to train hard. Getting a strong "turtle" is a long job and it is normal for you to fail from time to time. That said, know that it is important to have something or someone to help you stay motivated and to pick you up when you are about to give up. Setting goals with a friend is very important, you can call on each other to support each other, train together and exchange advice.
Schedule a day of the week when you train with your friend. In this way you will not be able to back down, since you will have a commitment with another person
Step 3. Set yourself deadlines
Promise yourself to follow this schedule - eat healthy, sleep well, drink water, and exercise - for two months. If you don't see results when due, don't let this put you down. Two months of activity to see your abs strengthen is more than enough to notice changes, so hopefully you don't want to stop after this time.
Step 4. Reward yourself when you make progress
When you start to notice that life is getting thinner, reward yourself with something nice that allows you to stay motivated. You can buy a new pair of pants, a box of fine green tea, or go to the movies. Don't indulge in high calorie foods though, or all your hard work will have been in vain!
Advice
- Don't do too many ab exercises - overdoing it doesn't lead to better results. To get the most out of your workout, do the exercises slowly.
- Lie on your back on the ground with your arms and legs facing upwards. Touch the left foot with the right hand and do the same with the other side 30-50 times.
