Yet, for most of us, the model midriff seems out of reach.
Fabulous abs are dependent on multiple factors, including genetics, your body shape and activity level, according to Cindy Guirino, a Dayton dietitian, certified diabetes educator and American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer.
But there is hope for those seeking sleek and sexy abdominal muscles. We talked to area fitness and nutrition experts and got the six best tips for fabulous abs.
1. Maintain your ideal body weight
The brutal truth: No matter how many abdominal crunches you do, you will never have washboard abs if you aren’t at least close to your ideal body weight, according to Guirino.
“Developing six-pack abs requires very low levels of body fat and strength training,” she said. “You can’t turn fat into muscle, (but) what you can do is lose fat and build muscle.”
To keep fit, she suggested partaking in 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day.
Strive for a well-balanced meal plan that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes with high-quality protein sources.
“Learn to look at the impact of the foods you are eating,” added Patrick Przyborowski, of Practice Pilates in Dayton. “Learn to swap out the bad with the good.” For instance, instead of eating sugary cereal, choose a high-fiber cereal.
2. Think before you sip
A slip of the lip — whether it’s an afternoon diet soda or an after-work cocktail — definitely can pad the hips and defeat your efforts toward a trim waistline.
Growing evidence shows diet soda consumption may actually cause weight gain and an increase in body fat.
“It seems we taste sweet on the tongue and the body is designed to expect nutrition,” said Guirino. “Instead, with diet sodas, nothing comes but chemicals and acid. Confused, the body stimulates more hunger and we start craving junk food.”
And here’s what happens to fat metabolism after you drink that tasty martini or glass of wine:
• A small portion of the alcohol is converted into fat, according to Guirino.
• Your liver then converts most of the alcohol into acetate.
• The acetate is then released into your bloodstream, and replaces fat as a source of fuel.
“So, you have to use the acetate as fuel, then some carbohydrate, and then fat further down the line,” explained Guirino.
“Aside from all the empty calories of alcohol, and the fact that they probably contribute additional calories beyond one’s daily needs, they put ‘fat burning’ at the back of the line.”
3. Eliminate stress
Visceral, or central, body fat occurs in the intra-abdominal area of the body, according to Guirino, and chronic stress can elevate cortisol levels, resulting in fat accumulation around the waist.
She recommends a lifestyle plan that not only includes regular exercise and proper nutrition, but also such stress-reducing activities as meditating, getting a massage or listening to music that has the power to calm, soothe and inspire.
4. Befriend a stability ball
Julie Early, a personal trainer at the Heights Racquetball and Fitness Club in Huber Heights, said the most effective ab exercise overall is abdominal crunches performed on the stability or fit ball.
“When you are positioned correctly on the fit ball, your back is supported and you are forced to use core control and work your abdominal muscles properly.”
(Fit balls can be found at Target, Wal-Mart or fitness equipment stores, starting at about $20.)
Early said it’s important to choose a ball that is the correct size for your height. Buy a 55 cm ball if you’re 4’11” to 5’5’’; 65 cm for 5’5’’ to 6’; and 75 cm for 6’ or taller.
Begin with several sets of 12 to 24 reps, depending on your level of fitness.
5. Practice your planks
Przyborowski said the yoga-inspired plank is a great way to strengthen the “powerhouse,” or the core of your body.
To do a high plank, place your body in a full push-up position, with hands under the shoulders and legs extended. Engage the abdominal, back, leg and shoulder muscles. Try to hold this pose for 20 to 60 seconds for five sets. To make this move more difficult, extend the right arm and then the left leg and then alternate.
To perform a low plank, go onto the elbows with legs extended. Be sure not to let the hips pike or sag.
6. Focus on Pilates and posture
Pilates is a body-conditioning routine that builds flexibility, strength, endurance and coordination, according to Natalie Malay-Peppel with Trilogy Movement Center in Oakwood, and emphasizes strengthening the muscles, not adding dramatic bulk to them. The controlled movements, done either on a mat or a machine or with small equipment, result in longer, leaner muscles and stronger, flatter abdominal muscles.
Crystal Wilkinson, 36, of Dayton, trains twice a week at Trilogy on the Pilates Reformer, and she attests Pilates — and a posture technique called suppling — have helped flatten her belly, strengthen her back and improve her flexibility.
“I just feel sleek, alive and toned, like a wonderful dancer.”
Essentially, suppling is a body- awareness philosophy promoted in Gyrokinesis and Gyrontonics, which are seated workouts combining the core-strengthening benefits of Pilates, yoga, dance, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, according to Malay-Peppel.
She has Wilkinson perform suppling during her Pilates workouts and also throughout her daily activities. Imagine the upper abdominal area and draw those muscles in and upward. At the same time, pull in the sides of the trunk and the lower abdominal area, as if the pubic bone were tilting into the bladder.
Wilkinson describes it this way: “Think of the secretaries in the 1950s who would sit up straight and suck in their stomachs.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 938-5232 or rmcmacken@DaytonDaily News.com.
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