13 Great Ab Exercises

We often get questions about the best abs exercises—after all, who doesn't want to tone their tummy in the least amount of time? There are countless exercises that target the abs. A recent study conducted at San Diego State University's Biomechanics Lab (and published by ACE, the American Council on Exercise) revealed their 13 best exercises for your abs. 

In the study, researchers looked at the effectiveness of 13 common abdominal exercises—everything from crunches to the "Ab Roller"  machine. Using EMG (electromyography), researchers measured the muscle activity of the participants to determine which exercises best targeted the abs and the obliques, while also limiting the activity of the hips and thighs (when an abdominal exercise is executed poorly, the hips and thighs engage to "help out" the abs).

1. Bicycle Crunches	2. Knee Lifts on Captain's Chair	3. Crunches on Ball

4. Crunches with Vertical Legs: This exercise is just like a traditional crunch (see #11 below), but with your legs extended up into the air, in line with the hips.


5. Torso Track Machine


6. Crunches with Arms Extended: This exercise is just like a traditional crunch, but you extend your arms overhead, squeezing your upper arms by your ears as your crunch up and lower down.


7. Reverse Crunches


8. Crunches with Heel Push: This exercise is just like the Crunches with Vertical Legs except that as you  crunch up you also slightly lift your hips off the ground (feet towards the ceiling).


9. Ab Roller Machine


10. Plank


11. Traditional Crunches


12. Exercise Tubing Pull


13. Ab Rocker Machine

It's important to remember that every individual performs exercises differently. For people with back, spine or disc issues, it can be tricky to find exercises that don't aggravate your problems. So listen to your body and work at a level that is comfortable for you, and never perform an exercise that causes pain. 

Remember that your abs are just like any other muscles in your body, so train them accordingly. That means 1-3 sessions per week with 1-2 days of rest in between. 

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Great Ways To Stay Motivated To Lose Weight

Without a doubt, one of the most difficult prerequisites for losing weight is staying motivated over a long period of time. At the beginning it is always easy to keep enthusiasm high and lose a few extra pounds, but as time goes by and the initial weight loss begins to slow down, our motivation starts to wane as well. Read below to discover 7 amazing secrets to stay motivated to lose weight and not slip into dangerous temptations and discouragement.


1. Give Yourself a Good Reason

Once in a while, we all need a good reason to start something and to continue doing it for a longer period of time. The first step in getting and staying motivated to lose weight is to desire it strongly and determine valid reasons for doing it. Some of these reasons may be related to personal health, getting your body in shape for summer, achieving a slim physique to seduce someone you like, deciding that you want to look great on your next holiday trip, or that you definitely wish to change your entire outfit and look. However, always remember that these are only temporary reasons, which need to be refreshed and changed from time to time. And never forget that the first fundamental reason for losing weight is your physical and psychological health! 

2. Create Daily and Short-term Goals

Long-term goals are necessary to arrive to a final destination and reach your ultimate target, but short-term goals are those that keep you going every day. You should absolutely make short-term goals on a daily basis, which may include deciding to skip chocolate for that day, working out for 30 minutes or drinking 8 cups of a healthy herbal tea. These are only a few examples, but you should always establish daily tasks that suit your body’s physical and psychological condition, with respect to your weight loss program. Accomplishing small goals every day will keep your enthusiasm high, as well as help you stay motivated to lose weight and make effective progresses towards your final target.


3. Workout with Friends


A great secret to stay motivated to lose weight is to join a group exercise class or workout with your friends. No one will encourage you better in reaching your goals than your close friends, as they will always stop you from slipping back into bad eating habits and prevent you from skipping workouts and giving up everything. When you exercise with your friends, even the most boring workout may become fun, amusing and highly motivating. Going swimming, jogging or dancing together will inspire you to keep going and perhaps it will help you do even more!

4. Reduce, but Never Eliminate Your Favorite Foods 

It is definitely not good to deprive yourself from all the things you like and which make you happy. Allowing yourself small satisfactions once in a while will increase levels of serotonin in your brain, lift your mood and keep your energy levels constant. Deciding that every 4 or 5 days you will concede yourself a small portion of your favorite food will give you something to look forward to and help you stay motivated to lose weight and remain persistent. However, be careful not to exaggerate and always limit yourself to reasonable portions!

5. Celebrate Small Successes

Reward yourself for every short-term goal you have reached. Don’t go for food rewards, but treat yourself to a nice massage or a full-service day spa. Allow yourself moments of indulgence and escape from your daily routine by buying yourself something new and amusing or making a trip to another city. These little rewards that you have previously established will help you stay motivated to lose weight, as well as give you a good reason to keep going, without giving in to food temptations and discouragement.


6. Inform Yourself of New Weight Loss Tips and Facts
Keep your motivation and desire to lose weight alive by constantly informing yourself about new healthy diets, new triggering workouts and various motivational tips and strategies that will help you remainpersistent and enthusiastic. Keep your motivation high by introducing new exercises, foods, herbal teas, interesting workouts and other intriguing and dynamic changes in your daily weight loss program. Explore the internet, read different magazines, join weight loss support groups or subscribe to new sports. All these activities will give you new ideas and help you stay motivated to lose weight, while uplifting your spirit and keeping your mood high.

7. Have a Full Life and Learn to Be Self-confident

Having different personal satisfactions in your life will make you think less of food and concentrate more on other pleasures and goals to achieve. In that way you will avoid food craving caused by inner voids, dissatisfaction, depression or frustration. It is never too late to start improving your emotional, social and professional life and to begin working on yourself. In order to be satisfied with your own life, you need to have goals and activities that make you constantly happy in your everyday life. May these satisfactions be gardening, children, love, work, reading books or cooking, they will still fill your life with passion and enthusiasm.

Following and achieving goals that do not concern only your weight loss program will make you become more self-confident and help you believe that losing weight is not an impossible task at all. Leaving failures and half-hearted attempts behind your back and starting to believe in yourself will greatly help you stay motivated to lose weight, as well as become stronger and more determined.

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Healthy Eating Tips For Your 4th Of July BBQ

1. Use small plates

Research clearly shows that people who choose smaller plates and utensils eat less without even noticing it. The difference can be as substantial as 50% fewer calories consumed, yet everyone reports the same level of fullness and satisfaction. Try borrowing a plate from the kids table or the dessert tray.

2. Eat slowly and mindfully

People who eat more slowly eat fewer calories over the course of a meal. BBQs are a perfect opportunity to pace yourself as you mix and mingle with friends and family. The more you’re chatting, the less you’re eating.

3. Eat healthiest foods first

If you are eating slowly and off small plates, you may as well fill up on the healthiest stuff first. Salads are a great place to start because watery vegetables slow digestion and have very few calories. Try to choose something with oil and protein as well, because these will help you feel full sooner.

4. Skip the chips, crackers and bread

Refined carbohydrates are the worst things you can eat because they offer little satisfaction, loads of calories and dangerous insulin spikes. BBQs are filled with wonderful food, so do yourself a favor and save your calories for the really good stuff.

You don’t have to eat your burger without a bun, but pass on the pointless chips and other snacks that lure you when you’re not thinking. If you’re feeling bored, grab a Frisbee instead.

5. Keep dessert small

The difference between a large slice of cake and a smaller slice of cake can literally be hundreds of calories. And to reiterate, sugar and refined carbohydrates are the most dangerous foods. You don’t have to pass on dessert completely, but keep your portion sizes in check for this course.

6. Think before you drink

There is a place for alcohol in a healthy lifestyle, but making smart choices can be the difference between losing or gaining weight (not to mention your self-control). One sugary margarita can have 600-800 calories. That means 3 margaritas is more food than you should be consuming in an entire day. Is that really worth it? Stick with wine or beer, drink plenty of water and remember to pace yourself.

Small tricks can save you hundreds and potentially thousands of wasted calories that you will never notice or miss. Why sacrifice a good time when you can just upgrade your health style?

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