Let’s be real: you don’t get ab definition by lifting upyour shirt in the mirror, closing your eyes, and wishing real hard. If thatwere the case, we’d all be walking around with eight packs, I’m sure!
Gettingmuscle definition in your stomach takes work, but there are so many benefits.Not only do you look great, but also you feel great. Your core is the center ofyou, literally. Having a strong core can help with your balance and strengthwith other exercises.
All it takes is some healthy habits to start getting the absyou’ve been dreaming of. Trust us, it’s worth it!
The truth is, it doesn’t. It’s actually much more efficient and healthy to eat 5 or 6 smaller meals – both for your body and your metabolism.
That’s because when you eat 2 or 3 meals, what you’re really doing is dumping a ton of nutrients into your body at the same time, causing your blood sugar to spike. Plus, you have to endure hours of hunger in-between meals that could lead to snacking.
Better to space out 5 or 6 smaller meals over the course of the day, so that you give your body a steady stream of nutrients it needs without the blood sugar spikes that will throw it off all day.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Don’t let your stomach get to the point where it’s growling and begging you for food – instead eat before you get hungry at specific times to ward off hunger.
The rule of thumb is that you need somewhere between 0.8 and 1.1 grams of protein per pound of body weight. When you’re figuring that out, use the body weight you want to be, rather than the body weight you are. For instance, if you want to weigh 130 pounds, you’d multiply that by 1g and get to 130 grams of protein per day.
You can get your body using its nutrients and calories most efficiently when you kick start them with protein.
Plus, you need the amino acids in protein for a host of body functions, including building muscle. By the way, the more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you’ll burn. Even while resting, muscles are burning calories – while the fat on your body just sits there being… fat.
Often, fitness plateaus can be due to over -training, where you don’t give your body enough time to rest between workout sessions. Make sure not to spend every day at the gym, and give your muscle groups time to rest.
However, when you feed your body the same carbs over and over again, it gets used to them – and doesn’t work as efficiently.
Try switching things up between foods that are high in carbs that are good for you, like pasta, vegetables, brown rice, and potatoes. Don’t eat more than 2 or 3 grams of carbs per pound of body weight in a day.
Your body will look for another source of energy, which will bring it out of the rut that it might be stuck in and reignite your metabolism. Then, when you do eat carbs again, the sugary carbs will be the first thing your body attaches to for energy.
Your body needs water to turn carbs into energy, and it also needs water to use the amino acids from protein and rebuild your muscles with them.
Getting thirsty is about the same as getting hungry – in that your body signals to you that you’re thirsty after you’ve been deprived of water and dehydration has already set in. Make it a habit to always be drinking water, even if you’re not especially thirsty.
Breakfast is when your body gets the vital nutrients it needs after a night without foot, and without those calories your body will be left sputtering, unable to function correctly or normally.
Make sure to eat a mix of complex carbs, simple carbs, and protein when you wake up – and also right after a workout to replenish your body’s fuel.
For protein, a great source for the last meal of the day is fish. Fish will give your body the amino acids it desperately needs, and it’s a lighter meal to help you fall asleep easier and get better sleep.