41 Ways To Flatten Your Belly
So if you're sick of crunches—or not getting the results you want—read on for 41 surprising ways to get a belly worth baring.
10 Habits That Will Shrink Your Middle
1. Calm down. Too much stress can contribute to a potbelly. Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that seems to direct fat to our middle, says Jacob Seidell, PhD, of the National Institute of Public Health in Bilthoven 41 ways to flatten your belly, Netherlands. To keep levels low, try this 5- to 10-minute stress reducer: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Next, take several slow, deep breaths to help clear your mind. Continue breathing deeply and repeat the word "one" to yourself as you exhale. (If you get distracted, just bring your focus back to the word "one.") Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day.
[sidebar]2. Skip the alcohol. That glass of wine with dinner may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol also tends to raise cortisol levels, sending fat to your belly, Dr. Seidell says.41 ways to flatten your belly
3. Stop smoking. "It keeps me thin," proclaim many smokers. But the truth is that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, says Dr. Seidell. (The stress hormone cortisol seems to be the culprit here too.) "When people stop smoking, the amount of abdominal fat actually decreases," he says.41 ways to flatten your belly
4. Eat more fiber. Not only is fiber great for overall weight loss (it fills you up so you don't eat as much), it also prevents constipation, which can cause your tummy to bulge, says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. To stay regular, aim for 22 to 25 g of fiber a day by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; or try a fiber supplement such as Metamucil.
5. Drink up. For premenstrual bloating, drink lots and lots of water. This will actually help flush away bloating, not make it worse. [pagebreak]
6. Keep bones strong. Osteoporosis can lead to fractured bones in your spine, causing you to slump. That shortens your abdominal cavity, giving your belly no place to go but out, says Willibald Nagler, MD, physiatrist in chief emeritus at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in New York City. If you're age 50 or over, be sure to get 1,200 mg of calcium every day from the foods you eat and/or from supplements. (If you're age 50 or younger, 1,000 mg a day is the ticket.)41 ways to flatten your belly
7. Get your heart rate up. All the ab exercises in the world won't do a thing unless you get rid of the fat hiding your abdominal muscles. The best way is aerobic exercise for 45 to 60 minutes, five times a week. When Barbara Taylor, 50, of Pasadena, CA, started running, walking, or stairclimbing for about 1 hour, five days a week, she did more than just uncover her abs. She went from a size 16 to a size 4 and lost more than 60 pounds.41 ways to flatten your belly
8. Tuck that tummy. Jeanette Friedman, 54, of Austin, TX, suggests imagining there's a "magnet pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Practice the tuck until it becomes comfortable, and soon it will come naturally—like breathing," she says. "Do it every chance you get. That's how habits start."
9. Hit the weights. That's what worked for Angela Susi, 50, of Vancouver, BC, who lost about 5 inches from her waist and plummeted from a size 12 to a size 3. "I was able to wear my first bikini in 20 years," she says. "It was like a great unveiling! My abs are leaner, with more definition." For similar results, aim for two or three weight workouts a week.
10. Get a bonus ab workout. Stand as much as possible when doing weight-lifting exercises. That way your abs work too. "They help to balance and stabilize your body," says Tammy Strunk, an Emmaus, PA, fitness instructor. Concentrate on keeping your abs tight and maintaining good posture, but don't hold your breath.
Perfect Posture = Flat Tummy: 6 Tips
1. Stand up straight. Heeding Mom's advice can make you look 5 pounds thinner (and your abs flatter) instantly. To straighten up, imagine a string tugging you from the top of your head toward the ceiling.41 ways to flatten your belly
2. Sit like a royal. Slumping accentuates your stomach. To improve your posture while sitting, start with your chair. If your chair seat is too high to let your feet touch the ground without slumping, find a footstool about 4 inches high to let you sit up straight. Or place a pillow at the small of your back to help bring you forward in your chair.[pagebreak]
3. Strengthen your shoulders. Strong shoulders will prevent you from hunching forward. To target this area, try the overhead press. Start with dumbbells at shoulder height, feet firmly on the floor. Slowly press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended. Don't arch your back. Hold, and then lower.41 ways to flatten your belly
4. Build your chest. Good posture is easier when you have strong upper body muscles. For the chest, do the bench press: Lie on an exercise bench with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor or on the bench. Hold dumbbells or a barbell at chest height with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Slowly press the weight straight up until your arms are fully extended, elbows almost locked. Hold, and then lower.
5. Work your mid-to upper back. These muscles are also important for good posture. The bent-over row exercise is a great way to strengthen them. To do it: Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench or chair so your back is parallel to the floor. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, start with your right arm directly under your shoulder and extended toward the floor. Bending your elbow so that it's pointing toward the ceiling, pull the dumbbell up until it touches your rib cage. Hold, and slowly lower. (The movement is like starting a power lawn mower, only slower and smoother.)
6. Target your lower back. To stand tall, you need to strengthen the muscles that support your spine. To do that, try this exercise: Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel under your forehead. Clasp your hands behind your waist and slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor, pinching the shoulder blades together. Only go as far as comfortable. Hold, then release.
13 Activities That Will Slim Your Waistline
1. Make a tennis date. A few sets of backhands and forehands, and you'll feel it around your middle. "Every time you turn to make a stroke," says Dr. Nagler, "you strengthen the oblique muscles on either side of your abdomen."
2. Vacuum the house. Dust-free floors won't be the only benefit. Pushing the vacuum cleaner back and forth helps tighten your abs, says Dr. Nagler. Self-propelled models don't count!
3. Get out and garden. George DeVault, 56, of Emmaus, PA, attributes his flat stomach (he lost about 2 inches off his waist in a month!) to all the bending, lifting, pulling, pushing, and digging. The spinal twist and abdominal contractions while digging are a particularly good ab workout, Dr. Nagler adds.
4. Strike a pose. Chris Jensen, from Huntington Beach, CA, has been doing yoga daily for over 20 years. "I started it because I wanted to relax," she says. "But I also began noticing subtle changes, such as tightening and strengthening of my ab muscles, within four months." [pagebreak]
5. Try Callanetics. Gale Maleskey, 53, of Emmaus, PA, swears by this program. It helped her maintain a 28-inch waist. "After just two weeks, I realized I was tightening up." Callanetics crunches resemble most others, but there's a subtle difference: A very slight, gentle pulsing motion keeps your ab muscles continuously contracted. Callanetics DVDs are available at amazon.com.
6. Go for a swim. "A vigorous crawl stroke is a wonderful way to tighten the abs," Dr. Nagler says. "Due to the fact that you have to breathe out forcefully underwater, your abdominal muscles contract even better. The reaching-forward and pulling-back strokes of the butterfly are great ab toners too."
7. Move those hips! Remember how much fun you had as a kid swiveling your hips inside a hula hoop? Turns out, this late-'50s fad is an excellent waist slimmer. The longer and more often you do it, the better the results.
8. Paddle off your paunch. Forty-five-year-old Erin Bethea from Akron, OH, attributes her lean tummy to kayaking. When you paddle, she explains, you twist your whole torso. The power comes from your abdominal muscles. "Using proper technique keeps your abs constantly moving," she says. And to sit erect and paddle a kayak properly, you need to keep your ab muscles taut--sometimes for several hours at a time!
9. Play a few holes. Swinging a golf club shapes up the oblique muscles on the sides of your abs, says Dr. Nagler. After 9 or 18 holes, that's a workout! (For an aerobic workout, skip the cart.)
10. Give boxing a whirl. Aerobic kick-boxing is more than just a great fat-burning, cardio workout. All those arm thrusts and high kicks firm abs too.
11. Do a little dance. Jeanette Friedman tells us that daily belly dancing has helped her maintain her svelte 24-inch waist for years and get back in shape after having two kids. "I started working my abs right in the hospital after my babies were born," she says. "It worked wonders!"
12. Sweep away flab. Your sidewalk or garage need a good sweeping? Grab a regular broom (not the push type) and go to it, advises Dr. Nagler. The back-and-forth motion is a great ab toner. And don't forget the dustpan: Bending over works your abs too, mostly when you exhale.
13. Discover Pilates. This series of stretching-type exercises done on the floor and on special equipment has been used by dancers for decades. But now New Yorker Margaret Klugman, 55, (and hundreds of others including many celebrities) attribute their tight abs to this low-impact form of exercise. For a list of studios and instructors near you, contact the United States Pilates Association at 888-484-8772. Or visit their website at www.pilates-studio.com.
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Ab-Toning Exercises
If you experience back pain with any of these exercises, stop and check with your doctor before continuing.
1. Tilt your pelvis. Lie on the floor, arms at your sides and knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Next, press your lower back to the floor so that your pelvis tilts upward. Maintain this tilt as you straighten your legs by slowly sliding your heels along the floor. Stop when you can no longer hold a full tilt position. Hold and count aloud to six. Bring one leg, then the other, back to the starting position, maintaining the pelvic tilt throughout. Hold the starting position for six more counts. Relax. Repeat 12 times.
The next two exercises trimmed nearly 4 inches off the waistline of Poughkeepsie, NY, resident Marion Alexandra Licchiello, 43.
2. Lie on the floor with your legs straight up in the air. Place an exercise ball between your knees. Next, do a slight pelvic tilt (see above) from the hips. Squeeze for 1 second and relax. Start with 10 repetitions and work up to an amount where you feel fatigued.
3. Start in the same position as the previous exercise, with the ball between bent knees. Lift your hips off the floor so your knees move toward your chest. Squeeze for 1 second and then relax. Start with 10 repetitions and work up to an amount where you feel fatigued.
In addition to strength training, Angela Susi attributes her flat stomach to the following two moves.
4. Lie on the floor, face down, and support your upper body on your elbows, forearms, and hands. Slowly lift the rest of your body off the floor until you're on your toes. Keeping your body straight, hold for as long as is comfortable, then slowly lower and relax. Repeat as many times as possible until fatigued.
5. Lie on your left side, supporting your upper body on your left elbow, forearm, and hand. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder. Slowly lift the rest of your body off the floor, so all that's touching is your forearm and feet. (Use the other arm to balance. For an advanced move, hold that arm straight up in the air.) Keep your body as straight as possible for maximum effect. Hold as long as is comfortable or until you can no longer maintain good form. Then slowly lower and relax. Repeat on the other side. Do as many times as possible until fatigued. [pagebreak]Here's a favorite from Virginia Markstein, 30, of Birmingham, AL, who also works on reducing her waistline by using an exercise ball.
6. Play catch. Get into a crunch position—lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, shoulders and head off the floor with your abs contracted. Then have someone throw an exercise ball (or basketball) to you—first to your left side so you have to twist and reach to catch it, and then to your right. Do as many times as is comfortable, and try to increase the number each week.
7. Work against gravity. Using an L-seat at the gym to do hanging leg lifts is one of the best exercises for your midsection. You're using the weight of your own legs against gravity. To do it: Support yourself on an L-seat with your forearms, legs hanging straight. Using your midsection muscles, slowly pull your knees up toward your chest and then lower. Keep your back against the seat, and don't swing your legs. For a more advanced move, keep your legs straight as you lift them.
8. Do it at home. Here's a variation of the previous exercise that doesn't require gym equipment: Sit up straight in a firm, armless chair. Place your hands on the sides of the chair in front of your hips. Tightening your abs and supporting yourself with your hands, slowly pull your knees up toward your chest. Keep your lower back against the chair back. Hold and then slowly lower.
4 Back Friendly Moves
For Nancy Moffett, 62, of Coopersburg, PA, back pain actually had a good side. When she started doing the exercises prescribed by a physical therapist to heal her back, as a bonus, her abs got firmer. Here's her workout:
For Nancy Moffett, 62, of Coopersburg, PA, back pain actually had a good side. When she started doing the exercises prescribed by a physical therapist to heal her back, as a bonus, her abs got firmer. Here's her workout:
1. Lie on the floor with an exercise ball (about 53 inches around) resting under your right heel. Bending your right knee, roll the ball as close to your buttocks as is comfortable while keeping your lower back on the floor. Hold 5 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions. Repeat on the left side.
2. Lie on the floor in the same position as above, with both heels resting on the ball. Bending both knees, roll the ball as close to your buttocks as is comfortable while keeping your lower back on the floor. Hold 5 seconds. Return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions.
3. Kneeling on the floor, place your chest on an exercise ball and put your hands on the floor in front of it. Your hands should be directly below your shoulders. Slowly raise your right arm and left leg. Squeeze your buttocks as you lift, and aim to get your arm and leg in line with your spine. Don't lift your head or arch your back. Hold, and then slowly lower. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Do 10 times.
4. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place an exercise ball (66 inches around) on your abdomen and hold it with both hands. Use your hands to roll the ball to the top of your knees. Tuck your chin toward your chest and lift your head and shoulders off the floor. Lower to the starting position. Repeat. Exhale as you lift, and inhale as you lower the ball. Work up to 20 repetitions.
Eat your way to a flat belly!
There are two types of runners: those who have great abs, and those who want them.
Go ahead, admit it: you want great abs! It’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, some scientists, including Devendra Singh, Ph.D., an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Texas, speculate that we humans are genetically predisposed to covet a lean midsection, because it’s a sign of good health and “reproductive fitness”.
Besides looking good, great abs really are healthy. Research has shown that, for both genders, there is a strong correlation between the amount of abdominal fat a person has and the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Obviously, men and women with visible abdominal muscles have a small amount of belly fat and therefore a lower risk for these diseases.
There’s another pair of benefits to having great abs that is specific to runners: better running performance and fewer injuries. Visible abdominal muscles result not just from having a small amount of abdominal fat but also from having well conditioned core musculature. Strong abs increase the stability of your hips, pelvis, and even your knees during running. The result is less strain on your muscles and connective tissues and consequently less chance of injury. Also, by minimizing wasteful movement at the joints, strong abs make your stride more efficient, so you can run faster, longer.
How do you get great abs? Running is a good start, because it burns fat. But running alone won’t do the job. You also have to eliminate those extra calories from your diet that are turned into belly fat. Even if you run 50 miles a week, your paunch won’t vanish if you continue to eat donuts and french fries all day long. Finally, you need to condition your abdominal muscles with core strength exercises, because even with a very small amount of belly fat your core muscles won’t show through if they are poorly conditioned.
Since you’re already running, let’s look at how you can make your diet leaner and your abs stronger.
Part I: Your “Abs Diet”
To get great abs you need to get leaner, or shed body fat while preserving your lean muscle mass. In terms of diet, the best way to get leaner is to consume just enough calories to nourish your muscles, but not enough to continue feeding your excess body fat. This is easier than you think.
Imagine you’ve already achieved a lean body, complete with great abs, and your goal now is to keep it. The eating patterns required to do so are those that you should put into practice now. In other words, if your ideal body weight is 150 pounds, you should eat enough calories each day to sustain 150 pounds of bodyweight, regardless of how much you currently weigh.
There’s no surefire way to predict your ideal body weight, but most people are pretty good at estimating how many pounds of fat they could stand to lose. It takes just 2 calories to sustain an entire pound of body fat for one day. So all you have to do is trim 2 calories a day for every pound of excess body fat you’re now carrying and you will find yourself eating to sustain your ideal body weight—as long as your current weight is holding steady. If you’ve been gaining weight recently, you’ll need to trim 3 or 4 calories per pound.
Does this mean you only need to cut 20 to 40 calories per day to lose 10 pounds of excess body fat? Yes and no. By doing this you will eventually lose 10 pounds of body fat, but not as quickly as you would like. If you want to lose your fat more quickly, take advantage of the fact that you’re a runner by allowing your body fat to help fuel your running, instead of your diet alone.
For each additional calorie you remove from your diet, your muscles will take an extra calorie from your body fat stores while you run. You don’t want to cut too many calories or you’ll begin depleting your muscle carbohydrate stores and compromise your post-workout recovery—not to mention you’ll be hungry all day. But you can certainly trim 100-200 calories per day (in addition to 2-4 calories per pound of excess body fat) without spoiling your running or having to hear your stomach growl constantly.
When you achieve the lean body composition you’re looking for, you can actually ease these 100-200 calories back into your diet without any risk of regaining the body fat you lost. Tracking your nutrition is a critical step to implementing this diet. Use the MyFitnessPal app to sync your calories and macronutrients directly to your TrainingPeaks account.
KEY SUBSTITUTIONS
The good news is that you don’t have to go on any kind of formal weight loss diet to trim this modest number of calories. Eating to sustain your optimal body fat level does not require eating less. By merely replacing some of the foods you currently eat with lower-calorie alternatives, or even by simply adjusting the proportions of foods you’re already eating in meals, you can trim a few hundred calories from your daily intake and start getting leaner. Check out these examples.
Breakfast
Instead of: 1 cup Wheaties cereal with 2% milk
Eat this: ½ cup Wheaties with fresh strawberries and 2% milk
Eat this: ½ cup Wheaties with fresh strawberries and 2% milk
Why: Due to their high fiber and water content, fresh fruits have a very low caloric density compared to most other foods, meaning they fill more space in your stomach with fewer calories. By adding fresh fruit to meals and reducing the portions of other foods, you can trim significant calories and still feel satisfied.
Calories Saved: 46
Instead of: Grande Starbucks Caffe Latte with nonfat milk, no whip cream
Drink this: Tall Starbucks coffee with half-n-half and sugar
Drink this: Tall Starbucks coffee with half-n-half and sugar
Why: Coffee has minimal calories, but the fancy coffee drinks made with syrup and milk (or soy milk) are bona fide calorie bombs, especially when you order the larger sizes. Ordering nonfat milk and holding the whip cream helps a little, but for a truly lean caffeine fix go back to a medium-size coffee sweetened with a little cream and sugar.
Calories Saved: 120
Snack
Instead of: PowerBar Triple Threat
Eat this: Kettle Valley Real Fruit Bar
Eat this: Kettle Valley Real Fruit Bar
Why: Energy bars are convenient and tasty snacks, but most of them pack a ton of calories. While many nutrition experts are fond of dismissing all energy bars as “candy bars in disguise”, some are actually fairly light and healthy. Read labels and choose a bar with 150 calories or fewer.
Calories Saved: 90
Lunch
Instead of: Turkey sub
Eat this: Turkey wrap
Eat this: Turkey wrap
Why: One of the few positive legacies of the low-carb diet craze is the popularization of wraps as a lower-calorie alternative to sandwiches. Tortillas have fewer calories than bulky sandwich rolls, and it’s easier to stuff a wrap than a sandwich with veggies. Just be sure not to spoil your wraps with too much mayo, heavy salad dressings, and the like.
Calories Saved: 80
Instead of this: Baked potato chips
Eat this: Baby carrots dipped in ranch dressing
Eat this: Baby carrots dipped in ranch dressing
Why: Most “light” alternatives to snack chips are still relatively high in calories and low in overall nutrition. Plain baby carrots, while very light, don’t provide the same satisfaction as chips, but when dipped in ranch dressing they do (while remaining low in calories).
Calories saved: 54
Snack
Instead of: Trail mix (2 parts nuts to 1 part dried fruit)
Eat this: Dried fruit (2 parts dried fruit to 1 part)
Eat this: Dried fruit (2 parts dried fruit to 1 part)
Why: While trail mixes that contain only nuts and dried fruit are quite nutritious, those with more nuts than fruit are also heavy on calories. You can make this snack significantly lighter by choosing a mix with more fruit than nuts.
Calories Saved: 116
Dinner
Instead of: Chicken (4 oz) and vegetable (3/4 cup) stir-fry with white rice (1 cup)
Eat this: Chicken (3 oz) and vegetable (1 cup) stir-fry with brown rice (3/4 cup)
Eat this: Chicken (3 oz) and vegetable (1 cup) stir-fry with brown rice (3/4 cup)
Why: You can lower the number of calories in almost any dinner menu by increasing its vegetable content and shrinking its meat and starch content. This is due to the fact that veggies have a much lower caloric density. You can lighten your dinner further by swapping a refined grain for a whole grain. For example, brown rice, a whole grain, has 26 fewer calories per cup than white rice, a refined grain.
Other examples of ways to make this type of substitution are as follow: spaghetti and marina sauce with less pasta, less cheese and more sautéed veggies; a burrito with less meat, more beans, and grilled veggies added; kabobs with less meat and more veggies; and pizza with a thinner crust, less cheese, and vegetable toppings added (e.g. tomatoes and green peppers). Use whole-wheat spaghetti, tortillas, and pizza flour.
Calories Saved: 87
Dessert
Instead of: Fruit sorbet
Eat this: Dark chocolate (1 piece)
Eat this: Dark chocolate (1 piece)
Why: Some desserts have fewer calories than others, and sorbet is lighter than most. But dark chocolate is the world’s best dessert by far. Dark chocolate releases mood-boosting serotonin in the brain, so just a single 50-calorie piece can satisfy you better than a whole bowl of sorbet. And the antioxidants in dark chocolate are good for the heart.
Calories saved: 100
Part II: The 5 Best Abs Exercises for Runners
Strong abdominal muscles don’t just look good, but they also help you run better and prevent injuries. There are dozens of abdominal exercises you can use to strengthen your midsection; the best ones for runners are those that have the most functional carryover to the act of running.
These five exercises are the best of the best. Each will benefit your running in a slightly different way. Start by doing one set of each exercise 2 or 3 times per week and build up to 2 or 3 sets of each, 3 times per week.
STICK CRUNCH
Benefit: strengthens the abdominal wall and improves the stability of the pelvis and lower spine during running.
Lie on your back, bend your knees, and draw them as close to your chest as possible. Grasp any type of stick or rod (such as a broom handle) with both hands, positioned shoulder-width apart. Begin with your arms extended straight toward your toes. Now squeeze your abdominal muscles and reach forward with the stick until it passes beyond your toes. (This is a very small movement—just a few inches.) Pause for one second and relax. Do 15 to 30 repetitions.
LYING DRAW-IN WITH HIP FLEXION
Benefit: teaches your deep abs to stabilize the pelvis during alternating leg movements.
Lay face up with your head supported by a large pillow or foam roller. Begin with your legs bent 90 degrees and your thighs perpendicular to the floor, feet together. Engage your deep abs by drawing your navel toward your spine. While holding this contraction, slowly lower your right foot to the floor, return slowly to the starting position, and then lower the left foot. If you find this easy, you are failing to hold the contraction of your deep abs. Lower each foot to the floor 8 to 10 times. Progress by adding repetitions.
HIP TWIST
Benefit: strengthens the abdominal muscles that prevent excessive trunk rotation during running
Lay face up with your arms resting at your sides and your palms flat on the floor. Extend your legs directly toward the ceiling, keeping your feet together, and point your toes. Keeping your big toes side-by-side, tip your legs 12 to 18 inches to the right by twisting at the hip, so that your left buttock comes off the floor. Fight the pull of gravity by maintaining stability with your abs and obliques. Pause for a moment, then return slowly to the start position, again using your core muscles to control the movement. Repeat on the left side. Do 8-10 repetitions on each side.
OBLIQUE BRIDGE
Benefit: strengthens the muscles involved in maintaining lateral stability at the hips, pelvis, and spine
Lay on your side with your ankles together and your torso propped up by your upper arm. Lift your hips upward until your body forms a diagonal plank from ankles to neck. Hold this position for 20 seconds, concentrating on not allowing your hips to sag towards the floor. Reverse your position and repeat. Progress by increasing the duration you hold the bridge position. To increase the challenge further, perform several leg lifts from the bridge position.
SUPINE RUNNING
Benefit: strengthens the lower abs and hip flexors with a running-specific leg action
Lay face up with your arms resting at your sides. Begin with your legs extended and your feet raised two inches above the floor, heels together. Press the small of your back into the floor. Now draw your left knee toward your head while keeping your right leg extended and your lower spine in contact with the floor. Return to the starting position and then draw your left knee toward your head. Repeat 8-12 times with each leg.
Sidebar: Lean by the Numbers
There’s an expression that many coaches, trainers, and dietitians use: “What gets measured gets managed”. In other words, if you’re trying to control some factor in your life, you’ll get better results if you measure it frequently. This principle certainly applies to getting leaner.
Measuring your body fat allows you to pursue the goal of getting leaner objectively. The easiest way to measure your body fat is to purchase a body fat scale for home use. These devices use bioelectrical impedance (a small electrical impulse sent through your body) to estimate body fat percentage with excellent accuracy. Body fat scales made by companies such as Tanita and Taylor are widely available at department stores, pharmacies, and sporting goods stores for as little as $40. Use them the same way you do a regular bathroom scale (just step on and read the display).
The American Council on Exercise offers the following guidelines for body fat percentage in men and women:
Men
|
Women
| |
Essential Fat
|
2-4%
|
10-12%
|
Athletic Range
|
6-13%
|
14-20%
|
Fitness Range
|
14-17%
|
21-24%
|
Acceptable Range
|
18-25%
|
25-31%
|
Once you have determined your current body fat percentage, set incremental goals to improve it, checking your progress every two weeks or so. If you are currently above the acceptable range, set a modest initial goal of moving down into this range. If you’re currently in the middle of the acceptable range, set a goal of moving down into the fitness range.
Don’t automatically aim straight for the bottom of the athletic range. Not everyone can safely get there, and no one gets there overnight. There is no specific body fat percentage associated with great-looking abs, but one thing is certain: by actively reducing your measured body fat percentage through good nutrition and core conditioning you will develop great abs the whole world can see.
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