Four Rules for a More Toned Stomach

Whether we like it or not, our stomachs are probably the biggest indicator of our lifestyle. You can’t hide it (all the time). It’s ok and totally normal to feel self conscious about your stomach and no one feels confident about it all the time. Life happens. But through thick and thin, there are a few key principles I stick to so I can try my best to maintain my abs.

1. Find Quality Workout. I couldn’t tell you how many times people have asked me for my core workout. I give them the same answer every time; P90X Ab Ripper X. Yeah, it sounds a little aggressive, but I can promise you it works wonders. It’s a 15-25 minute workout (depending on your speed) that includes over 300 reps. The magic in this routine is how many abdominal muscles you’re working with the various exercises. You’re utilizing virtually every inch of your stomach at some point in the routine.
2. Stick To Your Workout. I’ve been doing Ab Ripper X once a week for 4 years and I still struggle to finish some of the exercises! Just once a week, every week, is all it takes. I didn’t see any physical changes in my abs until probably 6 months into doing it so don’t give up. Even years later, I’m still seeing progress. Consistency is key.
3. Increase Your Fruit and Veggie Intake. You can work as hard as you want at the gym, but if you’re not eating well, you will never see results. P90X has treated me well, but I owe my real success to the foods I eat. Shifting my focus to plant based foods has been a long and difficult journey. One year into going vegetarian truly started to reveal my abs. Not saying anyone needs to go vegetarian to get abs, but the point is; start filling your plates with more fruits and veggies. Easier said than done, but the less body fat you have, the more your muscles will show.
4. Keep Bloating In Check. People get bloated—that’s life—but there are some instances that you should pay more attention to than others. For example, you eat a bag of salty chips and get bloated (fine), but blowing up like a balloon (or in my case, looking like I’m 8 months pregnant) is not fine. Take mental notes if this ever happens to identify what it is that bothered your stomach. It could be something more serious like an allergy or intolerance which may warrant a trip to see a specialist.

Again, these things take time, energy and consistency. If you keep your focus on nourishing your body instead of depriving it, you will see positive changes. “Abs are made in the kitchen” is in fact a true statement. So a moderate ab routine paired with improvement in diet will soon have you on the road to a more toned stomach.