Strengthen Your Core
We are going to review several exercises that are good for what we like to call “the core”. The core describes the muscles of your trunk, the abs, lats, and pecs. Each of these requires different exercises to strengthen and tone them.
But first we will focus on the abs. Interestingly enough stubborn belly fat is one of the most worried about problems of the human body (looks wise) behind cellulite on the butt and thighs. It is also one of the easier problems to target. Before you close this window in disgust let me define easy. I call getting rid of belly fat easy because your belly is a reflection of your overall healthiness. You will not find an obese person that has ripped legs and arms. Likewise you will not find a tight belly and cellulite laden thighs. Your belly is a reflection of how far you have come down the road of health.
I am not saying that six pack abs are required. But I am saying that if you are leaning forward to see past your belly and read the numbers on the scale, that these exercises can help you.
Many “advanced” products are out there to specifically target the abdominal muscles. But we call the abs part of your core for a reason. You use them for everything, and because of that, cardiovascular exercises are the fastest and most effective route to healthy abdominals, and a slimmer stomach.
A few weight loss tips:
- Vigor matters. Yes, walking is good for your heart and health. But to burn pounds and really tighten your appearance, try something a little faster. A jog that gets your heart rate up in a hurry burns more calories then hours of walking. In fact, if you are eating healthy 3 or 4 days of 15 minute cardio exercise will yield almost unbelievable results. But you need to push yourself at least a little bit. It doesn’t have to be running, but you do need to up the ante of that stroll.
- Grab an aerobic video. Ever notice how those aerobic workouts that are supposed to focus on your legs leave your belly tired. There is a reason we call it the core. And there is a reason that doing aerobics is perhaps the fastest way to burn your belly away.
- Spread yourself out. Pushups, squats, leg lifts. All of these easy to do home exercises focus on another muscle group besides the abs. Yet ALL of them benefit the abs, tightening, toning, and working it away. In fact, it would be hard to find an at home exercise that doesn’t have massive core benefits, they're just tied up in two many things.
Want to test me? When you're moving through your house over the next couple of days, put one hand on your stomach and feel the muscles tighten when you reach for a can of soup, when you vacuum, when you pick up a kid from their crib. You use these muscles for everything. And that is why I called it easy, there aren’t a lot of tricks, just work.