Tummy Tuck

* Always consult your doctor first before you begin any exercise programme *

For those of you who are really into losing your tummy fat, you must always bear in mind that there are two major factors in achieving your ideal tummy.

Firstly, you must know your genetics which you cant change, basically if your parents gave you a fat gene, you will have to work extra harder than others.

Secondly, which is more important than the exercise you are going to do, is the food you eat.

It is important to get a regular cardiovascular exercise or also known as aerobic exercise. This does not mean taking casual walks or poco poco. Depending on a person's age, one should work out for at least 30 minutes, five days a week, at a targeted heart rate level. Aerobic dance, jogging, briskwalk/fast walking, swimming, step aerobics, bicycles or treadmill machines can help lose tummy fat because these exercises are cardiovascular exercise.

Remember to first warm up for at least 5 - 10 mins before doing your exercises. Based on my experience i personally feel aerobic dance/step aerobics and swimming is a more effective cardiovascular workout than most exercises because you tend to move your arms and legs simultaneously, thus, it is more effective in getting your targeted heart rate. ( refer to the Karvonen Formula)

Combine cardio vascular exercises with abdominal workouts. A combination of both is needed for best results. Building muscle mass in the body helps us to burn calories more efficiently and reduce fat storage. Always remember that more muscles you have the more effective it is. Lean stomach muscles can reduce the size of a larger stomach. Many people do abdominal crunches to lose tummy fat, but often do them incorrectly.There are so many abdominal exercises but most people do it with a speed. Working at a speed is less effective. You have to work slow in order for the muscle to grow. Start with a beginners abdominal exercise and gradually increase the repetitions as you progress. Abdominal workouts will strenghten your upper, lower and obliques abdominal muscles, hence the nice toned tummy.

Combine cardiovascular exercises with at least 15 minutes of abdomen-oriented exercises. A combination of both is needed in order to lose tummy fat.

In addition to exercise, pay serious attention to diet. I would suggest you to stick the Food Pyramid diet diagram at your refrigerator door. This will enable you to see and follow the diet before you cook/eat for the day. One of the best ways apart from exercising is to religously follow the food pyramid diet in order to lose tummy fat.

Lastly, stress does often cause fat to accumulate around the stomach. Fortunately, it is a plus point for someone who exercise regularly. Other than losing a tummy fat, exercise also helps to reduce everyday stress. You can also destress yourself by using a variety of relaxation techniques such as prayers, deep breathing, body massage or a spa treatment.

Ironically, if you suffer from panic attacks or great anxiety, you may notice more tummy fat and it may be harder to lose. This is probably because of chemical imbalances in your body. You should refer this to a doctor, as restoring an appropriate chemical balance can significantly reduce stress, and possibly help to lose tummy fat.

Note: You can also refer to my previous postings on cardiovascular exercises, core exercises and conditioning exercises.

Want to have a correct posture and avoid from back pain?

Core stabilization

The spine itself is just bones stacked on top of one another, and in between the bones—to cushion them—are small discs. The core of each disc has the texture of cheese, and it is surrounded by tough fibrous tissue. To make the spine more stable, the part are all connected with layers of soft tissues called cartilage and ligaments. They are also connected by muscles. If these muscles are strong and working in proper order, you will have a solid base for movement and for absorbing impact of the ground through your body.

The main muscles involved in the core stabilization are deep muscles namely, transverse abdominus, multifidus and the muscles of the pelvic floor. The transverse abdominus is like a corset around your abdomen. Its the muscle you work if you tug in your tummy, where as the multifidus is the muscle that lies along your spine from your neck to your pelvis, with short fibers connecting the vertebra of the spine to other vertebrae near it. The muscles of the pelvic floor are most noticeable when you squeeze to keep yourself from urinating.



Other than that, muscles like the ones at your back and butt and also the muscles around your pelvis and hips will also help with the core stabilization.

Core stabilization strengthens the muscles of the core and helps you learn to use the inner muscles before you start to move. The focus is on stability, breathing, and smooth, coordinated movement. I went for a core stabilization course many years ago organised by a sports attire company in Malaysia. Below is an example of the core board that i used during the course

How to increase core strength and stability?

Core stabilization exercises are easy to do. You can start with the simple exercises. For starters you don't need any equipment and you don't need much space. You can do them almost anywhere, several times each day, to start increasing your core stability. eg the exercise below is the beginner's plank or bridge

It's more important that you do core stabilization activities well than you do a lot of them, meaning quality is better than quantity. Focus and try to do the simple workouts before you proceed with the more difficult ones. I would recommend you to have a check with your doctors first before you start with serious core exercises. You must also get qualified trainers/intructors to assis with the exercises before you do a more challenging workout.

In any exercise, you should breathe mostly with your diaphragm, the large muscle that helps move air in and out of your lungs.

To learn to breathe with your diaphragm, lie down on your back and put your hand on your stomach. When you breathe in and out, your hand should move up and down. Notice how it feels to breathe this way. When you start to exercise, try to get the same feeling of your chest and abdomen moving in and out as you breathe, rather than your chest and shoulders moving up toward your neck and back down.

There are three neutral curves in your spine, one in your neck, one in your upper back, and one in your lower back. These three curves help absorb stress and impact on your body, both while you are sitting or standing still and when you move. It may seem more relaxing to let yourself slump down, but when you lose the normal curves of a neutral spine, you actually put more stress on your body. Your spine should be in the neutral position when you do core stabilization exercises.

How to find neutral spine:

1. Stand normally in front of a mirror with your hands on your hips, just below your waist.
2. Allow your low back to arch so your stomach juts forward, and your buttocks stick out. Notice how your hands rotate forward.
3. Tighten the muscles around your stomach and buttocks so your low back becomes very flat. Notice how your hands rotate backward.
4. Now go halfway between the forward and back positions.
5. Keeping your pelvis in this neutral position, stand tall with your ears and shoulders lined up over your hips.
6. Practice finding neutral spine in three positions: standing, sitting, and lying on your back with your knees bent. When you can find neutral spine in each position, you can maintain good posture for daily activities and for exercise.

1. 

Simple exercises for beginners

Transverse abdominus contraction. The key to core stabilization is learning to use the deep muscles of your trunk. There are several muscles involved, but the first one to work on is your transverse abdominus. The transverse abdominus wraps around the front of your body like a corset. It's the muscle you feel when you cough. To contract the transverse abdominus, pull in your belly and imagine pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Hold this contraction for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax. Remember to keep breathing normally as you hold the contraction. You can do this exercise anywhere, while you work at your office desk, drive, or washing the dishes and doing house chores.

Bridging. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your transverse abdominus, then push with your feet and raise your buttocks up a few inches. Hold this position 5 to 10 seconds as you continue to breathe normally, then lower yourself slowly to the floor. Repeat 10 times.

You can gradually start with more difficult exercises using equipments such as the Fitball or the Core Board. Remember before you start, get qualified instructor to teach you with the simple moves first and slowly increase to a more challenging ones. Always listen to your own body, do not rush and take your time. The equipments will make it harder for you to keep your balance as you do the activity.