Slammin 6 Pack

Everyone is looking to get a 6 pack right before summer or perfect the one they have (I am no different).  So below I have some of the tips I personally follow to get my 6 pack right before I hit the beach.  Below my tips I also have a great abs workout to do 2-3 times a week.

Tips for getting that flat stomach

1. Watch your sugar intake- Sugar tends to be as addictive as some drugs the new studies have been showing.  Sugar tends to make you crave more food which will add to your waist line.  Processed foods tend to be the worst culprits for finding hidden sugars. 
2. Watch sodium- Sodium makes people bloat which will expand your belly in which you are trying to slim down in time for swimsuit season.  
3. Perform planks right away in the morning- Get your planks in right away in the morning.  Your transverse abdomins will stay nice and tight all day long. 
4. Throw some intervals into your routine- Intervals help rid your belly of that excess fat.  Intervals can be done on the treadmill, elliptical, or bike.  Go at a fast pace for 1 minute, than a slower pace 1 minute.  If you want to mix it up even more try 30 or 15 second intervals.
5. Drink 3-6 cups of green tea a day- Green tea has been shown to help rid the body of excess fat, helps reduce stress, weight loss, decrease risk of multiple diseases.  Most of the studies done were with 3-6 cups a day.  Just make sure your near a bathroom.
6. Add an ab workout 1-2x a week- Your abdominal muscles are like any other muscle group and they do need to be trained.  They are worked when doing other exercises but throw in an ab routine or two a week to really get those muscles firing.  There is a great routine below to spice up your workouts. 
7. Get your sleep 8-9 hours- Make sure you get your sleep.  The less sleep you get the more your metabolism is affected.  When your metabolism is  not working as strong as it should be the fewer calories you are burning.  Which leads to weight gain.  
8. Try some yoga- Finally make sure you have something that you can relax doing.  Many people take up yoga, mediation, cooking, or just going for an afternoon walk.  Whatever you feel less stress doing make sure you add that into your calendar daily.  

Ab Workout

Amount:

• 2-3 sets
• 10 reps 
• Perform 1-2 times a week 

Equipment Needed:

• Medicine Ball Or Dumbbell- Exercise 1, 4
• Cables: Exercise 1 (optional) 
• Stability Ball: Exercise 4, 5 

1.  Woodchoppers (with cables if you have access)- Start at the right knee than move backwards up and over your left shoulder.  Repeat this for all reps than switch sides.   If you have access to cables in a gym you can try cables. 
2. Rotating plank- Resting in a plank position, elbows on ground knees can be either off or on the ground.  Rotate over to your right shoulder holding a side plank, than roll over to the other side to hold a side plank on the opposite side.  Keep rotating back & forth between right & left forearms. 
3. Inchworm to push-up- Start in a standing position, walk your hands down to a push-up position, perform a push-up than walk your hands back to your feet and roll back to a standing position. 
4. Sit up cross body punch w/DB- Either on the floor or on a stability ball roll up and punch with a DB across your body.  Than roll back down and crunch up and punch across the other side of the body.  
5. SB- Knee tucks w/twist- Your hands in a high plank, tops of feet resting on a stability ball, drive knees into chest than release the ball back out towards feet.  Next time you pull the ball in pull to the side of the body at an angle working the obliques.  Kick the ball back out and pull into the other side working the opposite oblique.  Repeat this pattern between the middle & oblique muscles. 
6. Double Crunches- Lying on your back.  Crunch up once at the bra line than as high as you can go than relax down to bra line, than down to ground.  Repeat that pattern when performing the double crunch. 
7. Plank w/glute lifts- In a forearm plank raise right leg up to the sky for 10 reps than switch to the left leg and pulse leg up to the sky. 
8. Side Plank- w/hip dip to crunch- Placing your forearm on the ground and either on your toes or knees, lift hip off the ground.  Once the hip is in the air dip your hip to the ground than place hand behind the head and crunch over towards the ground.  Repeat between a hip dip to a crunch.  Perform all 10 reps on one side than switch to opposite side. 

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