STRONG and SEXY ABS! Catherine Hanson Farid

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Well Ladies the summer is upon us, which means it’s time to strut your stuff on the beach. The question is: “Is your bod ‘bikini ready’, and in particular are your abs looking sharp enough?” What goes through your mind when you see a woman with a toned, sexy mid-section? I bet you are wishing yours looked as good! Well as I always say; “If you want it bad enough, you will have it”. What we all need though is a lesson in discipline as that’s what it takes, remember anything worth having is worth working for! And I am afraid to say it all comes back down to good nutrition. How you eat is the difference between success and failure. You can crunch all day every day but unless you clean up your diet, those fabulous abs will not appear, they will be hidden by a layer or two of fat! So let’s get into gear and get committed. A combination of strength training, cardio and a healthy diet is what it takes.

For myself I know when it’s time to get strict on my diet, if I sit down and can pinch an inch below my belly button, well there goes the alarm bells. I think the lower abs are probably the biggest concern for women and usually the last to appear so again nutrition is critical. I find when I cut out bread, wheat and pasta, within a couple of weeks I am leaning up in my abdominals. Now of course it’s not going to be a couple of weeks for everyone, as it all depends on how much body fat you are holding on to around your midsection. Sticking with it though will lead you on to the path of success. Your diet needs to be a combination of Lean protein, complex carbohydrates from fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains, all chased up with plenty of water and there you have the perfect ab-defining recipe. So let’s start with a positive attitude, believe in yourself and believe that you can do it, because YOU CAN! Sometimes I will get a negative response when I suggest to clients to cut out bread, usually a comment like “How can I cut out bread, what can I have for lunch if I can’t have a sandwich?” Remember, if you want it bad enough you have to make some sacrifices. If you are not willing to do that, then stick with what you’ve got and continue to admire those that have the discipline, determination and drive to possess those enviable abs! Anyway there are so many other options for lunch rather than a sandwich, just get creative and think beyond the sandwich! It’s not just at lunch time either, how about when you are at a restaurant and the waiter puts down a basket of bread. I know it looks and smells good and is very tempting, but don’t touch it. If you are not strong enough to resist, ask the waiter to take it away. Also don’t go out to a restaurant feeling hungry as that will set you up for failure, you will either reach for the nuts at the bar or the bread when you get to the table. If I am watching my diet, I will eat something light before I go out such as a protein shake, a mixed salad or some scrambled egg whites, believe me it works!

Some people tend to get bloated around their middle, if you are one of them, look at your sodium intake. High sodium foods can cause bloating. It is important too to drink plenty of water, it keeps things moving around the gastrointestinal system, which again prevents bloating. Wean yourself off those diet sodas and get onto the habit of drinking more water!

Keep in mind too that you cannot spot reduce, so as you see the fat melting away from the abs, expect to see it come off from all over the body!

So Ladies you know what you have to do with your diet, now what about abdominal training, what is required there? How often should we train them and for how long?

Firstly we should be doing strength training for the whole body. While we are training with weights we are also working our core so that’s a good start to strong abs. As far as how often we should train them, well there are a lot of opinions out there and I am going to give you mine. I know I am working my core every day I am in the gym working other muscle groups and I treat my abs just as I treat every other muscle in my body. I incorporate abdominal training into my weekly program and train them 2-3 times per week making sure there is always a days rest in between. I know there are some people who train them daily. I personally don’t think that’s necessary but again that is just my opinion. I usually choose about 3 different exercises and depending on the exercise, do 4 sets of 12-20 reps of each exercise.

A common question is; “Can you isolate the upper and lower abs, focusing on one or the other?” The rectus abdominis is one large slab of muscle so whichever exercise you are doing, every segment is involved, however to a lesser or greater degree. You can perform certain exercises which focus on the lower abs more than the upper. Regular crunches for example focus more on the upper abs and reverse curls and leg raises focus on the lower abs.

Here is an example of some abdominal exercises:

HANGING LEG RAISES: 4 sets of 12-15 reps

• 1. Grip onto a chin up bar and allow your body to hang.
• 2. Lift your legs up to form a 90 degree angle with your body.
• 3. Lower legs down to start position keeping the body still as you lift and lower the legs.

CRUNCH: 4 sets of 20 reps.

• 1. Lay on your back with your knees bent, hands behind head.
• 2. Keeping a fist distance between chin and chest, exhale as you lift your upper back and shoulders off the floor, squeezing abs at the top.
• 3. Lower body down to starting position and repeat

LYING SIDE CRUNCH: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

• 1. Lay on your back bending your knees at a right angle and twisted to the side. With hands behind head.
• 2. Keeping a fist distance between chin and chest, exhale as you lift your upper back and shoulders off the floor squeezing abs at the top.
• 3. Lower body down to starting position, complete reps on that one side and then switch legs to other side and repeat.

PLANK: 3 sets, hold for 30-60 seconds

• 1. Lie face down on your mat resting the forearms on the floor, with elbows positioned under shoulders.
• 2. Push off the floor, raising onto your toes and resting on your forearms
• 3. Keep your back flat from head to heels, just like a piece of wood.
• 4. Contract your abdominals and maintain a flat back and hold.
• 5. Lower the body, rest for 10 seconds and repeat.

So to sum it up; Combine a healthy low fat diet, a strength training program with some effective abdominal exercises incorporated into your program and 30 minutes of cardio 4-5 times per week and you will see those great chiseled abs fighting there way to the surface.

Lastly, pay attention to what you eat and how you train and treat your body with the respect it deserves!

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