Last month we focused on #NoDaysOff and committing to exercising daily. What a challenge that was! Now we're ready to shape these abs and continue working to better ourselves. This month's challenge is to work on abs daily for at least 10 minutes.

Real Talk

I've struggled with having abs before my pregnancy. So afterwards I definitely have had the hardest time losing that last little gut on my stomach. Two things I've noticed that have been keeping me from obtaining abs are my diet and the type of exercises I choose.

Nutrition & Abs

I know you've heard many times that abs are made in the kitchen. Some even state that abs are 80% diet and 20% exercise. I believe this to be true. It's important to focus on what you're putting in so that you can maximize your results. Choosing healthy foods can help you with this, allowing you to boost your metabolism, enhance fat burning and keep you full of nutritious ingredients. If you continue to eat unhealthy foods they can contribute to an increase of calories and sugars which also increase weight gain and excess body fat.

It's important to choose nutritious, whole foods, such as whole grains, healthy fats, veggies, fruits and high-protein items. These foods are high in micronutrients and antioxidants and low in calories. They also supply the right amount of fiber and protein which can improve your overall body composition.

Stay Away

You should try your best to avoid the following foods.

  • Fried Foods
  • Sugary Drinks & Snacks
  • Refined Grains

These foods can be detrimental to your waistline and overall health, making it hard to obtain those abs!

Exercises for Abs

So what exercises should you do to obtain abs? I have listed some exercises that you can do to help build muscle and increase ab definition.

  • Cardio - swimming, jogging, biking, boxing
  • Resistance Training - weightlifting & bodyweight exercises
  • HIIT (High-intensity Interval Training)

Cardio in your workout routine can help increase your heart rate which further burns calories and increases weight loss. 

Resistance training focuses on building strength and endurance and can help increase lean body weight, reduce fat mass and boost metabolism.

Some of my favorite exercises to do are squats, lunges and push-ups. If you really want to tone your core muscles then add crunches, planks, mountain climbers and sit-ups to your routine. 

HIIT focuses on rotating between intense bursts of physical activity and brief recovery periods, which can help reduce belly fat and total body fat.

The Facts

You officially have the keys to the kingdom and all the information you need to start this month off right. Summer is right around the corner and there's no better time than to focus on defining your abs than now. Check out this video I found on YouTube for a 10 minute exercise you can do daily to train your abs and maximize your results!