Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Open Question: Female six pack question?

Hi, I'm a super active female (will detail exercise and diet below) and am after tips on how to improve my abdominal muscles. I currently exercise for a few hours each day, doing between 45 mins and 2 hours cardio (sometimes in two separate sessions), with a load of walking (either brisk walking, walking the dog or incidental walking) and strength training daily (changes daily and never do same muscles on consecutive days) - I do a range of floor exercises, core stability exercises and balancing ones using a bosu and a fitball, I also use a lot of weights and do pilates and boxing classes. My daily diet is as follows (varies a bit but this is the average - and the amount is usually around the same): - 1 sachet porridge/oats with 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and 1/2 chopped banana with some berries (all up around 1100kj) - An apple (or if post work out a protein drink or bar - usually around 600kj) - A salad with salmon and a few nuts with an apple (or a salmon and salad sandwich on really dark grainy bread) - A protein bar or mix of protein powder with 1/2milk 1/2water or an apple - Salad with chicken or salmon or occassionally red meat, sometimes a good carb like a few squares of sweet potato or 1/2cup brown rice. - An apple Drink - water all day 164cm tall, 58kg, 21 years old. Thanks in advance! Thanks so much for the answers so far!!!!! Keep 'em coming guys! All helping - additional details - i'm actually a distance runner - used to do marathons, but now triathlon or half marathon, and some shorter distances like 10km. Body fat% is around 16%. The motivation thing...I am naturally an incredibly motivated and active person - I love to keep busy and really have a passion for being active and running...but when I have those hard days I remind myself that feeling healthy and fit is incredibly worth it! Also - if you struggle with exercise, pick activities you enjoy - do a few classes, reaward yourself for reaching goals by buying a good health magazine or a massage or a nice fitness accessory. Also - write a bunch of 'exercise cards' with sample daily workouts on them (and a reward at the bottom, eg. 'read a book for half an hour' or 'grab a movie' or 'call a friend') and pick one out each day and do it! Good luck losing the weight you put back on. If you did it once you can do it again. As you lose the weight, make healthy and permanent lifestyle changes that make sure you can maintain your new body! Also don't deprive yourself of anything or you'll go backwards later - eat healthy but enjoyable food!

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