How To Tone Your Stomach in 30 Days
Summer will be here once again in no time. A lot of people want to achieve a great ‘summer body’ by having a nice toned stomach. But where do you start? Here are some tips to help tone your stomach in 30 days.
Jumping Jacks/star jumps
As a child we might have found jumping jacks/star jumps tedious in PE, but they are a great way to help work your core abdominal area to help tone your stomach. Stand with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Then jump and kick your legs out (about shoulder width a part) and bring your hands over your head. Then jump back into the starting position. Do 15-20 reps of jumping jacks.
Planking
Planking can be very challenging, but it is a great exercise that helps burn fat off your stomach quickly. To do a plank you lay on your stomach and push yourself off the ground, using your arms. Rest your weight on your forearms and try to keep your body straight, without touching the ground. Hold this position for 30 seconds. You can make this harder and easier by moving your forearms into different positions.
Bicycle kick
For bicycle kicks, lie on your back and place your hands flat on the floor next to you. Then bend your knees to 90 degrees and alternate straightening your legs and bringing them back to 90 degrees. Do 15-20 reps.
Vertical leg crunch
Lie down on the floor and extend your legs straight up, towards the ceiling. Place your hands behind your head and contract your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Try to avoid pilling your head with your hands. Do 15-20 reps.
Abdominal crunch
Similar to the vertical leg crunch you lie face up on the floor with your knees bent. You place your hands behind your ears and raise your body off the floor. Hold this position for 1 second then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this 15-20 times.
V-sit
V-sit is definitely a quick exercise that will help to tone your stomach quickly. First you sit on the floor and put your palms on the ground next to your hips, facing forward. Then you lift your legs off the floor and straighten them as far as you can without touching the floor while leaning back. Pull your knees back towards your chest and repeat. Do this exercise 15-20 times.
Plank with leg lift
Start in a plank position and brace your core and lift one foot off the floor. Then hold for 2 seconds, then lower your foot. Repeat with your other foot and keep alternating. Do this exercise for 30 seconds. If this is too difficult you can substitute this exercise for an additional normal plank for 30 seconds.
Your diet
Another way to tone your stomach is by adjusting your diet. Try not to consume too many fatty foods and foods that make you easily bloated. Instead of getting lunch at McDonald’s eat a homemade chicken salad or something healthier. You should try to eat a lot of protein as it is good for the growth and repair of muscles. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water (2 litres) everyday as you will be exercising a lot. However, do not overdo it. You should only work out 3-4 times a week to allow your muscles to recover.
