"Muscle definition is the absence of body fat, and getting washboard abs means getting your body fat down to near-single-digit levels," says Tom Holland, a New York City-based personal trainer. Because normal body-fat generally ranges from 15 to 18 percent for men and 20 to 25 percent for women, this means serious, consistent, hard workouts, and that, in turn, means more than just crunches. They're important, says Holland, but they're the smallest part of a three-part equation that includes cardio (to burn the fat you have) and diet (to keep more of it from accumulating).

First, the cardio. "Whatever cardiovascular work you've been doing," says Holland, "it's time to turn it up a notch so your body burns more calories." Increase the frequency, duration and/or intensity of your workouts to kick your metabolism into high gear.

Next, the diet. "A calorie is a calorie is a calorie," says Holland. "Protein, carbohydrate or fat, it all ends up in the same place if you eat too much of it." Try to include some protein, carbs and fat in each of your meals. And the less refined, the better. That means whole grains (such as oatmeal and brown rice) and fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible. An orange, for example, has the same amount of vitamin C but fewer calories and more fiber than a glass of orange juice.

Last, the crunches. "I'm embarrassed to say that when I was bodybuilding, I did 2,000 sit-ups a day," Holland says. "I learned the hard way that quality is more important than quantity, especially for abs. Fifteen minutes two or three times a week is plenty, but focus on form, and be sure to work your obliques and lower back too."

Bookmark:

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed