Both Diet and Exercise Are Key To a Flat Stomach
By Rozanne M. Puleo
Americans are "ab-sessed" with the appearance of a
flat tummy.
Each day, thousands of sit-ups and crunches are done in gyms
across the country in the hopes of attaining this goal. Fitness instructors have
satisfied American's quest for the perfectly sculpted stomach by creating
hundreds of different ways to exercise this one area of the body.
And for those who are looking for an easy road to beach
beauty, numerous infomercials touting electrical stimulators and gut enhancing
workout machines tempt viewers with the prospect of seemingly effortless
approaches to a solid middle.
So will all these efforts really result in a firm stomach?
Not by themselves, experts say.
The Truth Behind a Tight Tummy
Strong abdominal muscles good to have for several reasons,
including protecting our internal organs, aiding the lungs in breathing, and
maintaining good posture, which can help reduce low back pain.
But the idea that exercising the stomach muscles will result
in an attractive, toned midsection is false.
"You can have very strong abdominal muscles, but never
see them because of a layer of fat covering them," explains Jeffrey
Potteiger, director of the health and human performance laboratory at Virginia
Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.
Without diet modification and cardiovascular exercise, you
simply won't lose the fat that will show off your midriff. "If you are not
burning as many calories as you are taking in, you will not change the
appearance of the fat tissue surrounding your abdominal muscles," says
Peter Francis, director of the biomechanics lab at San Diego State University.
And there is no such thing as spot reduction, adds Potteiger.
"When you lose body fat, you lose it from everywhere, and there is no way
to target one particular area."
No matter how convincing some infomercials may seem, the
truth is that there is no easy way to attain a toned midsection. Most of the
models depicted in those ads were selected because they already look that way.
"Most of those people have never even used those
machines," says Potteiger. They've either been blessed with great genetics
or they've been engaging in a strict diet and exercise regimen that allows them
to maintain a low level of body fat."
He concludes: "If you want your abdominal muscles to get
stronger, you have to work them harder. If you want to get a washboard
appearance, you have to rely on diet modification instead of working to make
them stronger."
Strengthening the Abdominal Muscles More Effectively
Just because strong abdominal muscles do not directly
translate into a toned, washboard-like midsection does not mean that you should
avoid exercising them.
But because gym-goers have hundreds of different options to
exercise their abdominal muscles, Francis set out to evaluate which ones were
truly most effective.
He and his colleagues studied 13 of the most popular
abdominal exercises, measuring the effectiveness of each by the level of
electrical activity in the abdominal muscle during the movements. Of the 13,
three exercises required the muscles to work significantly harder than the rest.
Two can be done without fancy equipment.
"The bicycle crunch exercise, the reverse curl and the
'Captain's Chair' proved to be the most effective exercises as far as muscle
recruitment goes," says Francis. "And what we found was that the
things you pay for are no more effective than the ones you don't, except for the
'Captain's Chair,' which is typically not a piece of equipment for the
home."
So, to start working on that "summer stomach," eat
a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and include cardiovascular
activity in your exercise program. Then, try these three proven ab-workers at
your home or gym:
Bicycle Crunch: Lie on the floor with your lower back pressed
into the floor. Bring the hands behind the head. Starting with the legs bent at
a 45-degree angle, bring the right knee into the chest while extending the left
leg out straight. At the same time, rotate the torso so that the left elbow goes
to the right knee, then switch so that the left elbow goes towards the right
knee.
Reverse Crunch: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back
pressed into the ground. Raise your legs into the air and bend your the knees to
a 90-degree angle. Keeping your legs still, lift your hips up off the ground,
and return to starting position.
Captain's Chair: This exercise requires a piece of gym
equipment, the Captain's Chair, which looks like a tall chair without a seat.
Stabilize your body on the chair by pressing your back against the back pad.
Place your elbows on the armrests and grip the handles. Step off the footrests
and let your legs hang while holding yourself up. Lift your knees towards your
chest and then return them to starting position.
Begin by performing 8-12 repetitions of each exercise, about
2-3 times per week. As the exercises become easier, begin increasing the number
of repetitions.
While these exercises are considered the most effective, they
are not necessarily the most appropriate for everyone. If you are just beginning
an exercise program, it is important to consult a qualified personal trainer who
can advise you where to start. If you've had any history of injuries, especially
to the low back area, you should consult a physical therapist or an exercise
physiologist before you begin.
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* These statements have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to
diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is nutritional in nature
and should not be construed as medical advice. This notice is required by the Federal
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Copyright © 2010 Mindbodyhealth All rights reserved
Last modified:
June 26, 2010
