Hi
Not something new that I am writing about here today. It comes up on a regular, one of the most frequently asked questions that I get is how to lose belly fat or the arm jiggle. We'll tackle the arms another time.
I don't have quick fix answer for you.
First, I'll start with the crunches. If it were that easy to crunch and lose fat, we would all have flat stomachs. I can remember in my early days of fitness crunching my life away. Nothing happened, nor did the appearance of my midsection change.
Secondly, there's nothing wrong with crunching, per se, if you are
doing it correctly. Most people don't; most people are pulling themselves up, using momentum, etc. One sign to look for that is an indicator of doing them wrong is your lower back hurting during and/or after. Also, if you are feeling pain in your neck, that is another sign.
Thirdly, crunching just strengthens the muscle a bit, but they don’t burn or reduce the fat in the midsection. I hate to be
the bearer of bad news, but it's the truth.
Just think about it for a second, think back to the all the times that you incorporated ab type exercises into your training regimen. What happened? Did you notice any difference in your abdominal section?
My guess is probably not. Your abdominals most
likely felt firm and dense, but the fat didn't leave unless you were eating in a way to lose fat.
You are going to get the biggest bang for your buck by getting your nutrition in check first and foremost - by creating a caloric deficit through flexible nutrition.
Next part of the equation is to train
your core, not just your abdominals. You can have strong abs, but not necessarily a strong core - and that's a no go. A strong core will have you feeling like a million bucks, no back pain, strong glutes, and be able to move without pain and pick up things properly without injuring yourself.
Again, I'm not saying you shouldn't do direct ab work, but make sure you are getting the best bang for
your buck first. Be sure to do your compound lifts - such as squats, deadlifts, push-ups, inverted rows, shoulders presses, chin ups. Every one of these exercises works the core along with other extremities at the same time.
Save your direct ab work to the end of the workout, and do it correctly with proper form.
In addition, as I mentioned, train your core as a whole with exercises such as the Pallof Press, Dead Bugs, Bird Dogs, Turkish get-ups, stability ball or ab wheel rollouts, farmer carries - any of the variations, to name just a few.
This brings me to an exercise that I shared yesterday on my Instagram; it's a bird-dog variation (contralateral bird dog). I've been
participating in another Fit Pro's Pull-up Challenge, and it made me realize that I have been neglecting some specific core work - mind you, not just ab work, but core work - which includes the abs.
The exercise that I am doing in the video trains the core as well as the back, because I am doing a single arm row. I'm squeezing my glutes, engaging and keeping my core braced - my whole body is engaged - quads, hamstrings, foot flexed on the working side.
This exercise is sneaky, it's not easy as it looks and it's really good for the core - give it a try, reply back and let me know how it goes!
Thank you for being here and taking the time to read.
Have a wonderful
weekend!
Yours in Strength and Health, Xo Candace
P.S. Any questions at all hit reply and ask away. I'll do my best to answer you back and turn the question into a
blog or video post to share with other women who may be struggling with the same thing or need guidance in that area as well.
P.S.S. The clock is ticking on the 28 Dumbbell Strength Training Circuits! It is still $47, come January 1st the Training Program is increasing to $97. Get while it's hot!
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