What Exercises Can I Do for my Abs?

This is a common question, which you may be thinking about yourself. One of my cousins emailed me recently and stated, “I’m not joining a gym and want to exercise at home. What are some things I can do to get rid of my stomach besides sit ups?” I also had a class member that asked if I had a workout designed specifically for abdominals.

All of my clients and class members know that I will do some type of abdominal work throughout and at the end of our workouts. I also tell them that they can do abdominal exercises day in and day out, however, if they do not clean up what they eat in addition to adding at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise combined with strength training at least 3 days per week, their tummy will stay. Abdominal exercises mean nothing if you continue to eat in the same manner that put the extra inches around your waist. If you are a woman and your waist is equal or larger than 35 inches and as a man your waist is equal or larger than 40 inches, you are at risk for weight related illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. Even if you are not in that category, you would still need to increase your exercise intensity and eat better if your abdominals are not where you want them to be.

First, reduce with intention to eliminate high sugar, high fat and processed foods from your diet. When your body consumes these items, there is no nutritional content. The greater nutritional value that your body needs is in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Once you have made the food commitment, add more cardiovascular exercise to your life. Find something that you love to do. See my last entry dated August 15, 2010 on Falling Off the Wagon. When these two items are part of your lifestyle, the abdominal work that you are doing will make more of an impact.

One of my favorite exercises for the abdominals is the Plank. Start by lying on the floor with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Push your body into a full flat bridge. Tighten your core, glutes and quads as you push into your forefeet to keep your torso rigid. Without allowing your hips to hike up or your tummy to sag, try to stay in the position as long as you can while looking at the floor. Try it at least 3 times working toward 1 minute each time. If you are new, start with 10 seconds. This is something that can be done during the commercials as you watch your favorite TV show!

Falling Off The Wagon

So, it has been a few weeks since you worked out or maybe a month . . . or two.

You made progress when you were exercising, whether you lost inches, weight or maybe you felt stronger and had more energy. Now the weight and inches are creeping back or maybe you feel a little more sluggish. The benefits of exercise happen when you participate on a consistent basis. It has to be consistent with an activity that you find enjoyable.

There are so many different types of exercise formats to try. It could be machines at a fitness center, an aerobic/dance/boot camp class in or outside of the gym or your own DVD or favorite on-demand show in the privacy of your home. Whatever it is, stay committed and add it into your schedule. Make time. If you get distracted at home, the camaraderie of a class or partner helps because you are working on a common goal together. This could be two or three times per week.

Even if you have fallen off the wagon, it is waiting for you to jump back on and keep going. Only you can do the work for yourself. Yes, it is harder to come back after a hiatus, but it is not insurmountable. Get back on and keep plugging along. It is important for your health and fitness. Our bodies thrive on movement and degenerates without it. Vary your workout, but always include strength, cardiovascular work, balance and flexibility. Be experimental as you consider rock climbing, skating, in-line or ballroom dancing, karate, Pilates, tai chi and yoga. Your options are endless; just get back on that wagon.