| Ready to learn about the steps you need to take | | | | Reduce your refined foods intake. A reduction of |
| that will help you develop tight six-pack abs? Keep | | | | refined carbohydrates will help change your body's |
| reading and discover how you can do it in only 15 | | | | glucose and insulin response and make it easier to |
| minutes a day. | | | | begin shedding stored fat. Refined carbohydrates |
| The stomach muscles are generally the focal point | | | | are foods that have had the bran and germ |
| of most exercise programs. This holds true for | | | | stripped from the whole grain by machine |
| both men and women. There's something about a | | | | processing (i.e. white rice and foods made with |
| well sculpted abdomen that shouts fit and trim. | | | | white flour). As a result important nutrients, such |
| As you already know, it's very easy to | | | | as B vitamins, fiber, and iron are removed from |
| accumulate belly fat around the stomach and | | | | these food types. |
| waist areas, but getting rid of this fat is a much | | | | Your next step is to begin a well-rounded |
| greater challenge. However, you should not be | | | | exercise program. Crunches alone will not |
| discouraged...this challenge can be overcome once | | | | necessarily rid you of your belly fat. Here are |
| you're armed with the proper knowledge and | | | | some quick and simple exercises to get you |
| motivation. | | | | started. |
| So how do you go about getting rid of the | | | | Leg Lifts: Lay flat on your back with arms at |
| infamous spare tire and replace it with a tight and | | | | your side and raise both legs about 4 to 6 inches |
| trim tummy? | | | | from the floor. Hold them up for as long as you |
| First, let's learn a little about stomach fat and the | | | | can stand and repeat for at least 10 reps. |
| abdominal muscle group. | | | | Reverse Sit ups: Lay flat on your stomach with |
| An estimated 95% of people who lose weight will | | | | arms at your side. Raise your head, chest and |
| lose it in the abdominal region before losing | | | | legs for about 7 to 10 seconds and repeat for at |
| anywhere else. The reason for this is the fact | | | | least 10 rep. |
| that abdominal fat is composed of what's called | | | | Standard Crunches: Lay flat on your back with |
| "visceral fat". | | | | arms at your side. Lift your upper body so your |
| This type fat is situated deeper inside your | | | | back is about 6 inches from the floor. Repeat for |
| waistline and hip areas. In terms of metabolism, | | | | at least 10 reps. |
| visceral fat is more active than subcutaneous fat | | | | You should perform these exercises three to five |
| which is located right under the skin. | | | | days weekly for at least 15 minutes per session. |
| So it stands to reason that the first step to | | | | Adjust the frequency and session time to suit |
| six-pack abs is to follow a good weight loss or fat | | | | yourself. |
| loss program. This program will also include an | | | | You may also want to add some additional |
| adjustment in your diet. | | | | exercise routines to the those listed above. Like |
| A recent study published in the American Journal | | | | pushups, light weight lifting, etc. Brisk walks and |
| of Clinical Nutrition showed that a diet rich in whole | | | | slow jogging will also prove beneficial. |
| grains trimmed extra fat from the waistlines of | | | | Adhere faithfully to your diet and exercise |
| obese subjects. Further, the U.S. Department of | | | | programs and you will soon reveal your hidden |
| Agriculture's 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommends | | | | six-pack as you begin to shed abdominal and hip |
| that half of your grain servings come from whole | | | | fat. |
| grains. | | | | |