Today most people are not fully satisfied with just being in shape and the idea of a ripped washboard six pack is often desired as well. This idea has been portrayed so well by the media that almost every conceivable contraption or miracle pill has been designed and promoted to give you great-looking abs while at the same time never requiring real exercise.
The downside of course to taking pills to get ripped abs is that most of us have no idea what those pills contain or what the side effects could be. The risk of endangering your health with these types of pills is a hefty price to pay especially when you consider that with just a little bit of work some proper dieting and following a few of these simple suggestions getting abs that look great is not that hard to do.
Keep Good Records: Yes it may sound simple and even kind of stupid but creating a notebook or journal that catalogs not only the workouts that you did for the day but also the reps and how you felt can go a long way. Begin with writing down what you ate for the day and also what exercises you did, the time it took you to finish each individual exercise and how much time is spent on the whole workout, you might also write down your daily weight and also your measurements. This is a great way to track how much progress you’re making. The more you know about yourself and how far you’ve gone the more willing you will be to give it everything you’ve got.
Burn Up calories: The diary or journal that you use is great for helping you keep track of what you’re bringing into your body. You should also use your journal to help you determine the approximate number of calories that you’re burning with each exercise workout routine. The reason for this is simple, because not only do you need to know which are bringing in which also need to know which are getting rid of.
Pick Ab Specific Workout Routines: If you’re going to be working on your abs and you want that part of your body to look better it would make total and complete sense then to choose exercises that target those specific muscles. Try to avoid the stereo typical model for working out your abs as those old and antiquated exercises typically fizzle out and cost you much time and energy. Attaining success with what you want will take you having to do more than the typical. The typical cardio exercises and aerobics are great for burning off fat but now it’s time to get specific.
The cardio and aerobics style exercises are important and still need to be done so that the layers of fat that are keeping you from having a good-looking six pack style mid section will be gone. This will allow the muscles lying underneath to finally show through. Strength training exercises are a great way to help you once this has been done. They will allow you to build solid muscle mass which will then even increase the amount of fat that you’re burning on a daily basis. To get the most out of your exercises and workout routines strive not for two or three times per day but five or six always taking at least one rest day.
Proper Eating Habits: A common misconception that with exercise comes the need to eat larger portions of meals couldn’t be further from the truth. What you should be striving for is eating smaller portions 5 to 7 times per day this will help speed up your metabolism and better help prepare your body for weight loss and muscle gain. Remember that when you don’t eat food your body begins to think that it is starving and therefore begins to store fat.
The reason of eating several meals each day with short time spans in between those meals is obvious. The meals that you eat also need to be made up of adequate amounts of calories. This may seem confusing since you are probably wanting to lose weight and not gain it. However don’t be confused because ultimately what you are trying to do is keep your body out of starvation mode and out of fat storing mode so that if it feels it has enough food it will feel that it needs to release and get rid of excess fat. The food that you will be eating on a regular and consistent basis is also your main source of nutrients and energy which is going to be much needed if you are to be successful in sticking with exercises and workout routines several times each week.
Above are just a few of the many suggestions there are to help you get great-looking abs. Yet having a mid section that turns heads is not something that can come from just a pill or a late night TV contraption, rather it will take much time, effort and energy on your part. It is possible though and when you consider the fact that anything you enjoy doing you keep doing so therefore try to maintain a sense of joy when you’re exercising on your abs as this will help greatly. Maintaining realistic expectations of yourself and your goals will no doubt add to the benefits that you get and will help you on stay on the path towards those ever infamous sixpack abs.
Getting ripped washboard abs is attainable with the right exercise program and following these simple tips. If your searching for abs related home workout routines that are proven consider Hip Hop Abs featuring fitness trainer Shaun T.