Pace Paw Print

Media Credit: prevention.com

Media Credit: prevention.com

In a short week and a half, all Pace students will be on spring break. Whether vacationing on a hot sandy beach or trying to get into shape for the summer, here are some tips on acquiring those rock hard abs.

To obtain a flatter stomach or decrease overall weight, individuals must think beyond counting calories. Simple steps such as eating the correct foods may do the trick. For example, decreasing calories but still eating the wrong foods may not make a difference in reducing that heavy abdominal midsection. Here are five foods from WebMD that may help resolve this issue:

1.Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into daily meals. Orange fruits in particular seem to work the best at trimming the waistline. For example, students can replace carbohydrates found in white bread with fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies are high in fiber, which helps keep individuals full longer. In addition, it is believed that antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and beta-carotene, reduce belly fat. Therefore, eating veggies like carrots and fruits such as cantaloupes, peaches, oranges, and berries may help keep you stay full longer while reducing that waist line.

2.A survey conducted among 8,000 Americans showed that eating selenium reduces abdominal obesity. The survey showed that those with more selenium in their blood had smaller waist lines. Selenium is also associated as a cancer-fighting material and can be found in foods like broccoli, tuna fish, onions, and tomatoes.

3.Twenty-five percent of intake should be from protein. This means that if individuals are on a 1,500 calorie diet, 375 of those calories should be from protein. Protein provides individuals with energy and keeps them feeling full. It is important not to ingest too much protein however, because this causes the kidneys to work overtime in effort to rid the extra protein. Some foods that provide adequate amounts of protein include poultry, fish, low-fat yogurt, and fat-free milk.

4.While drinking is not advised, having a glass of wine is beneficial. This does not mean start drinking wine just to lose the belly fat. In order for the wine to successfully help lose the abdominal fat, only one four-ounce glass of wine for a maximum of twenty days is recommended by the National Center for Health Statistics. Any more than what it suggested may simply lead to a "beer belly."

5.Lastly, eliminating the bad fats and eating the right ones is also found to be crucial. Oils, like olive oil, and other foods such as fish and tofu that contain omega-3 were found to help keep individuals lean. The fat that should be avoided is trans-fat. Trans-fat has no nutritional value, and through research on monkeys, a six pound gain was evident when Trans-fat was incorporated into daily diets.

Besides food, exercises made especially for the abdominal area are extremely effective. Denise Austin,

the host of several workouts and author of many fitness books, says that completing these two simple exercises every other day in two sets of ten or twelve, may give you abs just in time for the summer season.

The hip lift presented by Austin requires individuals to lie on their back with arms at the side and palms facing up. Next, raise the legs straight in the air towards the ceiling and perpendicular to the torso. Following this position, raise the hips a few inches off the floor while raising the navel towards the spine. As this is being done, ensure that the legs remain straight.

The second exercise includes the torso twist. As seen in the picture, sit straight up with knees and feet flat, about hip-width apart. Next, tighten the abdomen and lean back 45 degrees toward the floor. While keeping the abs tight and firm rotate from the left side to the right side as the arms are kept straight. It is important that the entire upper body, such as the head, shoulders, arms, and chest move in unison. At all times, look at the same direction the hands are moving.

Both of these exercises provide individuals with much more than what a normal crunch could do. Crunches tend to workout only one section of the abdomen. When doing abdominal exercises, it is important to workout "four important belly areas." The hip lift and torso twist works out the obliques, the muscles at the side of the torso, and the rectus abdominus, the muscle that runs along the ribs to the hips. For other abdominal areas and different exercises, visit prevention.com.

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