The Secret to Flat Abs (Hint: Not Sit-Ups)
Seems counterintuitive, but working your upper body may be the quickest path to a really sculpted middle.
Above-the-Belt Action
In a study, women did isometric exercises for their stomach, back, shoulders, and arms while researchers measured muscle activity. The results? Shoulder extensions made middle-body muscles contract most — apparently they work extra hard to stabilize your trunk when your wings are flapping.
Full-Body Fitness
Some more ways to get your midsection — and whole body — into mint condition:
Roll out the ball. For strong core muscles and better balance, do tummy and back toners on an exercise ball.
Add resistance. Use weights or resistance bands for extra burn.
The benefits of sneaking in some extra calorie burning are enormous. In a recent study, seniors who exercised in their leisure time were 25% less likely to die of any cause during a 12-year period. With a little creativity, you can make exercise part of your routine no matter how long your to-do list is.
You can use this simple 2-step plan to sneak some calorie-burning intensity into most of the activities that dominate the typical list of household chores.
Step 1: Add intensity
The key to turning any household task into exercise is to pick up the pace or intensity and sustain it for as long as comfortably possible without resting.
Step 2: Get creative
Some activities already require a high level of energy, such as Top 10 household chores for burning calories*
Chore Calories
1. Moving furniture 225
2. Scrubbing floors 189
3. Raking leaves 171
4. Gardening 162
5. Mowing the lawn 162
6. Washing the car 153
7. Cleaning windows 153
8. Vacuuming 84
9. Washing dishes 76
10. Doing laundry 72
* Estimations based on a 150-pound person and 30 minutes of activity
weeding the garden or raking the lawn. Turning up the burn on some other, less intense activities, such as washing dishes or dusting, may require you to be a little more creative.
Find out how you can work for Diddy.
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