If your six-pack looks more like a keg and your washboard like a wastebasket, take action now. Your health might depend on it.
The smaller your waistline, the less your risk of heart disease and other illnesses. Women with waistlines of less than 35 inches have a lower risk of heart disease than thicker-waisted women, according to a study published in the Journal of Women’s Health. Men should strive for waistlines of less than 40 inches, studies suggest.
Hence the big fuss over small midriffs.
“We’re obsessed with our abdominals and core, and we should be,” said Jessica Loncar, an Atlanta physical therapist and spine specialist.
The abdominals consist of a group of muscles (like the rectus abdominis, the internal and external obliques, and the transversus abdominis) that help to support and move the spine. The core consists of abdominal muscles plus other muscles (including the diaphragm, pelvic floor musculature and lower back) that help support the spine and improve physical movement without placing strain on the spine. So, a strong core provides a center of gravity for the body and helps prevent injury, especially as we age.
“People think they want a six-pack,” Loncar said. “[But] you don’t have to have a six-pack to have a good core.”
So, whether you want the chiseled, ripped abs of boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. or the sultry silhouette of actress Jessica Biel, building a strong core requires a combination of good foods, cardiovascular activity and strength and balance conditioning.
Previously, the road to rock-hard abs was paved with thousands of crunches and sit-ups, but now, exercise physiologists recommend strength and balance exercises such as Pilates and yoga that target the four areas of the core — upper, lower, sides and lower back.
Deep breathing and using the diaphragm while working lower back and abdominal muscles help compress the core and make it stronger, experts say. Resistance bands, weighted medicine balls, stability balls and the traditional bicycle floor exercise (back flat, elbows touching alternate knees) also are effective.
Begin your regimen with supervision so you learn the proper technique and form, Loncar said.
“If you’re doing it incorrectly, then you might as well not do it at all,” she said.
And don’t forget your diet.
David Zinczenko, author of “The Abs Diet for Women,” stresses the importance of protein (because it helps promote lean muscle building), fiber (because it helps keep you satisfied so you don’t overeat) and calcium (which has been linked to weight loss).
[SOURCE: “THE ABS DIET FOR WOMEN” BY DAVID ZINCZENKO AND TED SPIKER]
