How many of us at some point in our lives were striving for a toned, flat tummy in time for bathing suit season? I know I have been guilty of desiring those “rock hard” flat toned abs (tummy). Endless crunches and ditching all your favorite foods until July 4th just is not the right or fun way to do it. It’s never too late, busy ladies. A sculpted core and trimmed tummy can be attained by making small changes to your daily routine. One example of this is holding in your abs while you walk or drive in your car. My favorite phrase for this is, “tuck”. You can also add the right healthy fats to your diet. Below are a few ways to flatten your belly this summer:
Gossip On The Move
I remember back in the day when we had the 50-feet phone cord and we would cover most of the kitchen talking to our girlfriends. The only problem was that once we hit the stopping point of the phone cord, that was as far as we could walk n talk. Instead of catching up over the phone, suggest a weekly walk-n-talk session. Form a girlfriend fitness club and walk on a nearby track and talk to your girls then. You are likely to work out 104 percent harder if you exercise with a buddy.
Try Out Spidey Moves
Eliminate spillover spots with the Spiderman Climber: Get into plank position with arms and legs extended, hands beneath shoulders, and feet flexed. Keeping your abs tight, bend your left leg out to the side and bring the knee toward the left elbow. Pause, then return to start. Switch sides. Do 20 reps, alternating sides, with 30 minutes of cardio 5 to 6 times a week. Spiderman can’t touch this one.
Tidy Up The House
It’s a great time to start spring cleaning. Vacuuming is a great ab workout. Just tighten your abdominal (tummy) muscles while you push back and forth for a tighter tummy while you clean. Husbands I know you love this…not only will you have a spic-n-span house but you will have a fine wife too.
Play Catch
Your chance to show your super star athletic child that you can catch just as well as they can. Get into a crunch position-lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, shoulders and head off the floor with your abs contracted. Then have someone throw an exercise ball (or basketball) to you-first to your left side so you have to twist and reach to catch it, and then to your right. Do this as many times as is comfortable, and try to increase the number each week.
Take The Peanut Butter Off Tha’ Shelf
One serving of peanut butter has 2 g of fiber and 8 g of protein. Try this easy recipe to add a flat belly punch to dinner: Toss a half-cup of whole grain noodles with 3 ounces cooked shrimp, minced scallions, and 1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper. Dress with a mixture of 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 2 tablespoons warm water, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
See ladies, there are ways that we can work on getting those abs flat without appearing to be working hard. It is very surprising how we can get very effective results just by making tiny changes to what we routinely do in a typical day.