We’ve heard about all the really bad economic news… we are all trying to save a buck here and there. So, if you do not have a gym membership you may want to postpone such a commitment if you are willing to workout at home.
Last week we went over some exercises you could do at home, such as triceps dips, and push ups. It seems right that we focus on your core today.
4 Steps to a flat stomach
1) Step number one is to watch your diet. You should eliminate all foods that are high in calories and therefore contribute fat to your belly. Avoid fast foods, skip the fries and soft drinks, cut down on butter and sugars.
Consume more fruits and vegetables. Rice and oatmeal, whole wheat, and potatoes.
2) Burn fat through exercise. This does not mean you have to perform 1000 crunches. Cardio, and high intensity exercise, like jumping rope are specially effective. Walking and biking also work!
3) Don’t let this take over your workout. Actually working other parts of your body will help you get rid of any fat around your belly. Whatever it is you do, legs, arms, chest; at home or at the gym, your body is burning fat!
4) And on step number four, we will focus on our abs. You do not need to perform the steps in the order I am showing them here. I would suggest that you practice all of them simultaneously.
Some ab exercises you can do at home are:
Crunches:
Keep your feet on the floor. Lift your upper body. Be careful, do not tilt your head forward towards your feet as you perform this exercise.
Reverse Crunch:
The reverse crunch will target your lower abdominal muscles. Place your feet on the floor, as you would when performing a regular crunch. This time you will lift your feet off the floor, and your neck too. The motion of the exercise will get your knees closer to your face. Make sure your core stays firm. Lower your legs, but do not touch the floor.
Photo by: Jasoncscs. Creative Commons License.
The Biggest Loser this season really seems to be trying to show people that you really don’t need an expensive gym membership to get a good workout. More of their challenges this season have revolved around taking the gym away from the contestants.
I would really love to see more posts about this topic. What kind of inexpensive equipment would you recommend for people to use at home? Do the elastic straps really work? Maybe a post on using one of those big gym balls (if they are good to use of course).
Thanks
Eric, Thank you for the great ideas for future posts. I will definitely be posting more about exercises we all can do at home without any gym memberships.