How to pump the abs to remove the belly – where are the cubes, Lebowski?

Subcutaneous fat at the waist is the protection of internal organs from the cold and a strategic reserve of energy in case of “hungry” times. That is why we are so reluctant to part with fat accumulations in the abdominal region. Let’s take a look at the effective exercises and helpful recommendations for “carving” the perfect abs.

To swing or not to swing?

Completely remove the stomach by swinging only the abdominal muscles, almost impossible. Exercises for the abdominal muscles are mostly isolated and low-amplitude. The effectiveness of such elements for weight loss is insignificant.

Performing standard twisting and lifting of the body on the press for an hour, you can spend from 5 to 7 kcal per kilogram of weight. This means that a girl weighing 70 kg will be able to burn from 350 to 490 kcal in a 60-minute lesson. But after all, no one pumps the abdominal muscles for a whole hour! Typically, 1–2 exercises are used to work out the abdominal area at the end of a regular fitness workout.

Since isolated press training is ineffective for weight loss, additional loads are needed. We recommend combining classic training on simulators and cardio. For example, 3 fitness workouts per week and 2–3 light runs (45–60 minutes) on rest days.

At the end of each strength session, do 1–2 abdominal exercises. If this principle of training does not suit you, pay attention to high-intensity disciplines: HIIT, CrossFit, Tabata protocol. These workouts combine a fast pace and work with extra weights.

Why doesn’t my stomach go away?

An increase in waist volume is associated with the accumulation of body fat. We are talking not only about subcutaneous fat, but also about visceral fat. The latter is formed on the surface of the internal organs. Let’s analyze the causes of overweight:

• Low physical activity . A sedentary lifestyle and avoiding moderate physical activity are the most common factors in the development of obesity.
• Excessive food intake . Overeating leads to the fact that the body does not have time to use up the incoming calories and stores them in reserve.
• Heredity . Genetics play an important role in shaping body type, so people who are prone to obesity need to strictly monitor their diet and exercise more.
• Bad habits . Alcohol and tobacco are human toxins. The body neutralizes small doses of these poisons, but in large quantities they are deposited in subcutaneous fat.
• Hormonal failure . An increase in waist volume is associated with a disease of the pancreas, which leads to a decrease in insulin secretion and a violation of sugar metabolism.

A small amount of visceral and subcutaneous fat is a natural phenomenon. Scientists have calculated the norms of adipose tissue that are safe for the body: for men – 11-22% of body weight, for women – 15-27%. If these values ​​are exceeded, we can talk about the presence of obesity.

Composing a diet

Many diligently pump the press, but the stomach does not go away. The fact is that for effective weight loss in the waist, it is necessary to combine regular physical activity with a low-calorie diet. We offer recommendations for building a menu for weight loss:

• • To get healthy dietary fiber, eat whole grain bread instead of white flour products.
  • “Complex” carbohydrates (cereals, cereals, pasta) eat in the morning.
  • Increase the content of vegetable fiber in the diet (vegetables, herbs, fruits).
  • In cooking, use only unrefined vegetable oils (sunflower, sesame, olive, etc.).
  • For to replenish protein in the body, eat natural meat products, fish, poultry, eggs, cottage cheese.
  • Adhere to the following ratio in the menu: proteins – 50%, fats – 20%, carbohydrates – 30%.

Eat small meals to keep your metabolism high 4-6 once a day.

In addition, to speed up fat burning, we recommend exercising on an empty stomach. Eat 2–2.5 hours before exercise, and refrain from snacking after exercise for the same amount of time.

Calorie Calories

Keeping a detailed record of calories consumed is extremely important when losing weight. All successes in the gym and on the treadmill are canceled out by simple overeating.

You can honestly believe that eating vegetable salads and chicken breast helps burn fat. However, healthy foods consumed in large quantities will keep excess weight unchanged. Therefore, you need to calculate the diet and correct it correctly.

Start by determining the individual body’s need for calories. Use any online calculator. Enter basic data in the cells, as a rule, it is gender / height / weight / age. The system will calculate the daily requirement of the body and tell you how much your weight exceeds normal values. Then, using the food calorie tables and kitchen electronic scales, calculate the energy value of the dishes that you cook daily.

Further, knowing the individual need and calorie content of the menu, make an approximate daily ration and divide it into 4-6 snacks.

It is better to prepare the required amount of food every morning and distribute it throughout the day using the same plastic boxes. So you will free up time and get rid of the need to calculate the energy value of a portion each time you cook it.

The last step in composing a diet: reducing the calorie content of the formed menu by 350-400 kcal.

In the process of losing weight, the quality of the products also matters. It is no secret that the daily requirement can be collected with the help of fast food. It would seem that here it is, the dream of millions – losing weight on hamburgers. In fact, apart from deterioration of health and the deposition of extra pounds, such food does nothing. Try to eat only natural foods rich in trace elements and vitamins. And we will explain in detail what is not recommended in the next section.

What not to eat?

List of foods that promote gaining excess weight and negatively affecting health and well-being:

• • • white flour bread;
    • sugar and confectionery;
    • alcoholic beverages;
    • canned food;
    • smoked meats;
    • sausages, sausages;
    • yoghurts with sugar and lots of additives;
    • snacks (chips, crackers, etc.);
    • refined vegetable oils;
    • low-grade flour pasta;
    • carbonated drinks.

In addition, you should limit salty foods in the diet, since such a diet leads to the formation of edema, increased pressure and the formation of deposits on joints. The recommended intake of salt is 10-15 g per day.

Which diet to choose?

This is just a part of a huge list of popular weight loss diets:

• • • • Hollywood ;
      • Brazilian ;
      • buckwheat ;
      • Japanese ;
      • protein;
      • the keto diet;
      • the Kremlin;
      • “shuffle”;
      • Ducan’s diet;
      • kefir.

We do not recommend using strict dietary restrictions in weight loss, as they can cause the development of chronic diseases. If you do decide to go on a diet, carefully monitor your health. In case of any deviations and ailments, give up such a diet.

If strict dietary restrictions do not suit you, we recommend trying the method of intermittent (intermittent) fasting. Do not be alarmed, you will not have to completely give up food. The system is based on the creation of short intervals in which any food is excluded.

The most common type of such “diet” is 16/8. This means that you are allowed to eat in an 8 hour interval, for example, from 10:00 to 18:00. The rest of the time – from 18.00 to 10.00 the next morning – you only drink water, tea or natural coffee, but without any additives (sugar, cream, milk, sweeteners). You can choose whatever interval you want. This mode allows you not to limit yourself in your favorite foods and at the same time get rid of extra pounds.

How much water should you drink a day?

Having started playing sports and following the correct diet, a losing weight person first of all loses moisture, not fat. And since the body is 70% water, its losses must be replenished. Otherwise, it can lead to dehydration and stop the process of losing weight. The recommended water intake during periods of weight loss is 2–2.5 liters per day (excluding other drinks).

In addition, fluid is essential for healthy digestion. The fact is that many diets involve the use of large amounts of plant fiber, which helps to remove toxins and fat breakdown products from cells. To prevent harmful substances from accumulating in the intestines and not poisoning the body, it is recommended to drink clean water. This will help stimulate intestinal motility.

We pump the press at the workplace

For office workers sitting in front of the computer all day, we offer simple exercises for the abdominal muscles. Of course, it will not work to remove a big belly by pumping the abs with the proposed exercises. But you can definitely tighten the waist area and improve the appearance. Gymnastics will not take long, it can be done instead of a short coffee break:

1. Hip Raises (20 times). Sit on the edge of a chair and grab the armrests. Keeping your back straight, exhale and lift your knees towards you. While inhaling, stretch your legs, but do not lower your heels to the floor.
2. Forward twisting (20 times). Sitting on a chair, straighten your spine and place your palms behind your head. Exhale, curl the shoulder girdle downward and squeeze the upper abdomen. Smoothly straighten your back while inhaling.
3. Lateral crunches (20 times in each direction). Sitting on a chair, clasp your hands in the lock at the back of your head. Exhale, twist sideways and down, until elbow and opposite knee touch. Straighten your back, inhale. Do the same on the other side.
4. Leg rotations (20 times). Sit on the edge of a chair. Lean back and lift your straight legs off the floor. Grasp the armrests for balance. Perform circular movements with the lower limbs, “drawing” small circles in the air.
5. Vacuum while sitting (7-10 reps). Sit in a chair and straighten your spine. Press your palms to your knees. Draw air into your lungs. Exhaling slowly, draw in your stomach. Hold the pose for 10-15 seconds. Then relax and breathe in.

To make it harder for the abs, do the exercises discussed in several approaches with minimal pauses .

When is the best time to pump the abs?

If your work is related to physical activity, then we do not recommend exercising your abdominal muscles in the morning. This is explained by the fact that the abdominal muscles are indirectly involved in all human movements. And, therefore, loading it in the morning, you reduce your productivity.

It is better to do sports in the interval from 18.00 to 20.00. Scientists have found that during this period the body is at its peak. Therefore, evening workouts are most effective for both muscle growth and weight loss.

We do not recommend doing abdominal exercises before bedtime, as any physical activity activates the body. As a result, you will be able to fall asleep only after a few hours. And you should also not exercise right after eating. Otherwise, it can lead to abdominal discomfort and upset digestion.

How long does it take to see the result?

In this matter, everything is individual. The effectiveness of training depends on many factors: regularity, intensity, initial physical fitness, dietary intake, the amount of subcutaneous fat. As a rule, the results in weight loss become noticeable by the end of 1 month. A beautiful contoured relief begins to form in another 6-8 weeks.

What about alternative methods?

Of course, you can also reduce your waist with liposuction. However, surgery has a temporary, local effect. If you avoid physical activity and do not adhere to a proper diet, the lost weight will return very quickly. Therefore, we still do not recommend this method of losing weight.

It is better to do moderate cardio workouts that will gradually burn subcutaneous fat throughout the body. If your goal is to get a flat press and form beautiful “cubes” on your stomach, then you cannot do without power loads. Cardio will help you lose weight, but you can only build muscle if you do twists, leg raises, statics and other elements for the abdominal muscles.

Classes with an experienced mentor will give the greatest effect. But if workouts in the gym are not available for you, use the tips and exercises from our article. Successful training!