Does Ab Exercise Give You Abs?

One of the biggest concerns of women who are new to working out is : can I get abs by doing more ab workouts? The answer is straight and easy: NO! But before you give up on your transformation journey,  read on to find out how to keep lean, strong and increase quality of your life. 

Because you already have abdominal muscles. You also have 2 types of fat, one is under the abs – visceral fat- and one is fat under the skin – subcutaneous fat. These 2 types of fat needs to be reduced in order for you to tone your entire body. Visceral fat is causing your abdominal muscles to bulge out and contributes to the flabby shape of our tummy. Fat under the skin is covering your abdominal muscles and further causes the bulging shape of your mid section. 

Visceral fat is stored in a person’s abdominal cavity around the organs and is also known as ‘active fat’ because it influences how hormones function in the body. An excess of visceral fat can, therefore, have potentially dangerous consequences.

Carrying around excess visceral fat is linked with an increased risk for:

• Coronary heart disease
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Arthritis
• Obesity
• Sexual dysfunction
• Sleep disorders

Visceral fat is also insulin responsive fat and stores the access calories in your blood. What this means is, when you over consume calories (carbs mostly) this goes right into your visceral fat cells. Visceral fat is very carb sensitive. This is why in terms of body fat loss, you need to follow a proper individualised plan of low carb lifestyle to really get rid of those fat cells. 

HOW VISCERAL FAT DEVELOPS

When there’s too much glucose in our bloodstream and our cells already have filled glycogen stores, glucose is stored as fat. This happens a lot more quickly and easily when consuming refined processed carbohydrates and sugary foods. Processed starches, like white bread or white rice, along with high-sugar foods, are rapidly converted into simple sugars that enter the bloodstream and trigger a larger release of insulin from the pancreas. The result is usually weight gain, plus even more hunger, which leads to continued overeating and a vicious cycle that makes it hard to stop eating sweets.

The more often and longer that blood insulin levels remain high, the more likely a person is to accumulate excess body fat and to battle weight problems. Insulin also communicates with many other hormones needed for various functions, including those made in the adrenal glands, such as the stress hormone cortisol, so abnormally high levels and hormonal imbalances result in powerful urges to eat, mood changes, lack of energy and various other factors that contribute to disease formation.

WHAT REDUCES FAT ON THE ABDOMEN?
1. A PROPER nutrition plan where your metabolism is boosted throughout the day, hormones are balanced. This is where individualised nutrition comes to play. Important steps include reduces inflammation causing carbs and only having carbs based on your body, metabolism, hormones and lifestyle needs. 
2. Proper exercise that involves muscle engagement
3. Supplements and correct sleep cycle
4. Consistency