15 Ways to Get Toned Abs That'll Make You Feel Super Sexy ...

As a personal trainer for ten years, I have helped countless clients by showing them the ways to get toned abs. With time the skin on our stomach loses resilience and it makes it more difficult to have tight and toned abs, but you need not worry because it is possible. Stop doing the same repetitive abdominal exercises that are not producing results that you want and follow my tips so you can start seeing results. Here are the best ways to get toned abs.

1. Your Eating is Your Answer

If you look at people that are lean, you may notice most have tight and toned abs. Some of these same individuals do not even do any ab exercises. How is this possible? It all lies in healthy eating. If you focus on eating mini healthy and lean meals throughout the day, you will notice the number on the scale drop and your abs will lean down. Eating healthy tops the ways to get toned abs.

2. Cardio is Essential

To lean down and lose body fat, you need to burn mega calories! Cardio exercises like swimming, running, biking, hiking (or whatever else revs your heart rate) will help you to burn a substantial amount of calories and decrease your body fat, which will help you to tone your abs!

3. Put down That Soda

To eliminate bloating and better your health, you should avoid soda or any other carbonated drink, as this will produce bloating. Soda will also cause you to have unhealthy cravings.

4. H20 is the Way to Go

You should aim to drink 8-10 glasses of water to decrease bloating, suppress your appetite and help flush the toxins out of your body. Water should be your main, if not your only, drink. Studies show that drinking water aids in weight loss. Drink a glass of water before every meal and you will find yourself less hungry and eating smaller portion sizes. Did you know that being thirsty is often mistaken for being hungry? So hydrate yourself to a thinner, healthier you!

5. Cut out Refined Sugar

You may simply love a daily dish of ice cream and you just can’t seem to imagine a day without this, but ice cream is sugar laden. Refined sugar is nothing but empty calories that will produce bloating. Sugar also provides no nutritional value to your body. When you eat food containing refined sugar, this increases your blood sugar and insulin levels, which can cause your body to begin storing and stop burning fat. So to tone your abs you need to eliminate refined sugar, and if you are craving something sweet, avoid your ice cream and have a sweet peach!

6. Tighten Your Core

Tighten your core when you are at home or at work and feel the muscles getting stronger. By just adding small sessions throughout the day of tightening your abs, this will help you to strengthen those muscles!

7. Do the Most Important Ab Exercise

Thousands of crunches are a thing of the past because this does not produce results and it takes too much time. To strengthen your total core circumference and tone your abs, focus on doing the most important abdominal exercise, the plank. To perform the plank, get on the ground, leaning on your forearms with your body in a straight line from head to toe. Aim for 30 seconds to begin and work your way up to 2 minutes. If you have extra time, go for 15 regular crunches and side obliques. And remember to tighten your stomach as you work the muscles!

8. Eat More Fish

Fish's omega 3 fatty acid content contains special components that burn belly fat- fast! Fish is one of the top go-to foods for celebs, and myself, if I want a flat belly stat. Fish is also excellent for reducing stress, and excess stress releases cortisol, which stores fat in your abdomen. So, the key to preventing cortisol in excess, is to eat more stress-lowering foods. Fish is one of the best as it contains omega 3 fats, protein, magnesium and B vitamins that all assists with your nervous system. Fish contains more DHA than plant-based fatty acids, which is the best type of fat linked to preventing heart disease and fat loss. Try wild caught sources to avoid contaminants and pollutants.

9. Keep It Lean and Green

If you want to great abs for life without having to exercise yourself to death, eat clean, lean and green. This means lean protein, tons of greens and green veggies and clean, whole foods over processed ones. Any excess belly fat will melt away in no time.

10. Don't Fear Fat

Fat actually ups your metabolism in small amounts. Don't get rid of fat, or you'll crave more carbs, be hungrier sooner than later, and your metabolism will slow. To keep it running high, be sure to eat a little belly-friendly fat at each meal. This should be about 1-2 tbsp. from foods like raw nuts and seeds, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, hemp oil, fish, and coconut meat, milk or shreds.

11. 45 Minutes Daily

Make 45 minutes of cardio your daily goal to get tight abs fast. The recommended heart healthy amount is 30 minutes, which most doctors recommend, but that extra 15 a day is the edge you need to enter fat burning zone, which your body naturally enters anywhere around 25-30 minutes after you begin cardio. Keep it to 45 minutes and then stop. That way, you're not overdoing it, but you're getting it just right. Overdoing it won't make you lose fat that much faster and isn't that much better for you on a day to day basis unless you're training for an event.

12. Go Veggie Galore

If you think veggies are boring, you're just not trying them in new tasty ways. My suggestion? Visit health blogs like you never have before! Some of my favorite blogs that cook tons of tasty veggie recipes are the following: undressedskeleton.tumblr.com, ashleyharperevans.com, theleangreenbean.com, kblog.lunchboxbunch.com, soulfulspoon.com. Veggies really can be delicious and they are great for getting toned abs fast. They fill you up with little calories, give your body antioxidants it needs to fight fat storage and even enhance your brain and heart health as a bonus.

13. Watch Those Add Ins

Many of us think we eat and drink healthy, but what about the little things? All those add-ins to your coffee like cream, sugar, or even agave or honey, contain calories that add up fast. While you shouldn't fear calories, they also shouldn't come from high sugar sources, natural or not. Excess sugar causes fat storage in the abs- plain and simple. Those syrups in your Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks, that delicious sauce you love over your veggies or that dressing that's your favorite at a restaurant all add up fast. Choose wisely and be aware.

14. You're Eating Bloat-causing Foods

Yes, beans, broccoli, and fruit are healthy, but they can all cause bloating if you have a sensitive tummy. They contain certain forms of starches and sugars that are hard for the body to break down for some people. Stick to veggies like sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, celery, zucchini, squash and all leafy greens, which are much more tummy friendly.

15. Fake Sugars

Sugar alcohols like xylitol, erythritol, or artificial sweeteners can also cause a problem. Gum, sugar-free drinks, or fruit drinks are also hidden sources. Be sure you stick with simple beverages and foods and sweeten them with stevia, which is calorie-free and completely natural instead of artificial.

Now that you know the best way to get toned and tight abs, what are you waiting for? Follow my tips so that you can achieve the long, lean core of your dreams. Are you ready for results?