Janie from Coram asks: I do 100 crunches a day and I still don’t have an hour glass waist line. How do I get rid of the fat around my middle?
Answer:
I’m glad that you are working on your core where your strength emanates. However, you cannot spot reduce. Here are some concrete things to do to look and feel better. Be the best that you can be!
• Incorporate a structured diet where you are burning more calories than you are ingesting. Fat will burn throughout the body. Be patient and consistent.
• Execute your crunches properly. Lie supine, chest up, on the floor. Flex the knee to form a 90 degree angle and keep a neutral lumber posture. Slowly flex the spine and exhale. Pull the bottom of your rib cage down toward the top of your hip bone. Press your lower back into the mat or floor.
• Do a self check. Place your thumb on the base of the ribs (point A) and your little finger on the top side of side of your hip bone (point B). Shorten the distance between these two points.
• Maintain proper head/neck alignment throughout the exercise. Don’t tug your head forward with your hands. This will cause a lot of stress on the upper spine at the base of the neck. Small precise movements will get the job done.
• Try varying your abdominal exercises, for example, bicycles, planks, reverse crunches, etc.
• Remember that it is quality, not quantity. Execute your movements slowly and with control. Make each one count as though it is the only one you are doing.
