The six-pack mistakes everyone makes

WE ALL want a flat stomach. But we make a lot of common mistakes in our quest for abs. So how is it really done?

The gorgeous Natasha Oakley knows a thing or two about maintaining a flat stomach. Picture: Instagram

WE’RE obsessed with slimming down our midsections, and for good reason.

A flat belly not only looks great but middle management also means reduced risk of obesity-related diseases. Here are five ab-sculpting mistakes you’re probably making.

SKIP THE CRUNCHES — FOR NOW

While crunching to your heart’s content will strengthen and tone your midsection, unfortunately, you won’t lose the fat from your belly. Not a chance. The truth is, targeted fat loss — also known as spot reduction — is not possible, despite how many crunches you do or belly-busting contraptions you buy.

To showcase your six-pack, you’ll need to lose fat all over your body. This includes a balanced fitness regimen of cardio to burn the blubber and weight training (including core exercises) to strengthen and build muscles.

TOO MUCH ISOLATION

Doing crunches and sit-ups may activate the six-pack, but actually neglect the entire core and deeper abdominal muscles. Instead, focus on full-body (functional movements), where movements mimic how muscles work in everyday activities, such as reaching, bending over and picking up.

Functional movements also allow you to work multiple and larger muscle groups in multiple directions, while still challenging balance, posture and stability. Think pilates-based exercises, plank poses, or movements that work the entire body (squats with dumbbell curls), which still engage the midsection and have greater calorie and fat burning potential.

CRANK UP THE INTENSITY

Hours of boring, repetitive cardio are not an efficient way to torch belly fat. In fact, too much cardio can actually lower your body’s fat-burning ability since it can burn muscle along with fat.

Swap your steady-state cardio workouts for interval training and you’ll blast belly fat faster.

How? Regularly switch up the duration, speed, and frequency of your intervals followed by short rest periods. Alternating high intensity work with recovery stimulates the release of adrenaline, which mobilises stored (stubborn) body fat for fuel. Exactly what you want to show off your six-pack.

Marathon runners often suffer from lack of muscle tone, because their bodies burn muscle as well as fat for energy. Picture: Carolyn Docking

Sprinters (like Michelle Jenneke) have plenty of muscule tone. Picture: Jono Searle.

EAT FAT TO LOSE FAT

You can also tackle a softer belly with your diet. Step one is to toss the trans-fats — a type of man-made fat that has been shown to pack on deeper visceral fat (fat surrounding body organs). Think deep-fried foods, commercial cakes, chips and biscuits, pies and pastries. Replace them with mono-unsaturated fats (extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocados) and reduce your consumption of sugar and alcohol.

Other foods that fight belly fat include omega-3 fats found in oily fish and high-fibre foods such as wholegrains, legumes, fruit and vegetables.

DECOMPRESS

Stress is a fact of life but can also be a fact of fat, especially belly fat. When you stress, you secrete excess cortisol — a stress hormone linked to an increased appetite, partly by increasing the body’s cravings for sugary carbs and fatty foods.

The solution is simple: Reduce stress and eat more mindfully. Research shows that mindful eating and stress-reduction techniques (deep breathing, meditation) helped overweight and obese women from gaining weight, without dieting.

If only we could all look like this. Picture: Instagram

Kathleen Alleaume is a nutritionist and exercise scientist and founder of The Right Balance Follow her: @therightbalance