HOW DO I GET RID OF THAT BLOATED ABDOMINAL APPEARANCE?
Hi Gennaro,
I recently competed in a figure show for first time in Melbourne and loved it. I am hooked and after I have had a break I want to do it again later in the year. I have had 3 kids and my problem is with my stomach. I had a bloated appearance, although I did everything to treat it, it didn’t go away. So I don’t think that was the cause. I don’t know if my stomach has changed from 3 pregnancies but I cant seem to work out the cause. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Jocelyn
Jocelyn,
I took a look at your NABBA photos and must say you have great shape and symmetry. Excellent calves leading all the way up to lean shapely legs and a ripped back! By bloated do you mean that your stomach is extended but lean or you simply need to lose more fat? On viewing your pics my take is that after having your children (which are beautiful by the way) your body structure changed slightly, which may have caused stomach extension. But personally I don’t think its that noticeable at all. Here are some strategies you can work on in order to ‘flatten out your mid-section’:
1. Adopt a wheat and gluten free nutrition plan.
2. Limit and or eliminate all dairy (ie foods containing lactose) from your diet.
3. Pose often in front of a mirror and work on drawing your stomach in by inhaling through your nose and filling your chest with air thereby lifting your chest and drawing your navel back towards your spine (creating a vacuum with your stomach but only within your limits!).
4. Conversely practice your ab and thigh compulsory poses by extending one leg out, placing hands behind head and expelling all the air out of your body through your mouth whilst leaning back and pressing/contracting down on you abdominal muscles. Aim to flatten out your abs as much as possible by exhaling fully and aiming for maximum waistline definition.
5. Cut back on foods containing added sodium.
6. Practice perfect posture throughout the day while walking and sitting by keeping your back straight and long, shoulders back, and being conscious of tightening your abdominal muscles.
7. Most importantly know that you will overcome this challenge by working on the above daily until your next competition.
Work on these strategies consistently and I’m sure they will help you.
Have a great day and keep me posted on your progress!
Gennaro
Turkey Bean Bolognese
This meal will take you about 10 minutes to cook unless you have ground turkey leftovers in the fridge in which case it will take 3-5 minutes.
Heat a wok or fry pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Add 8 ounces of ground turkey and stir to break down the meat. Once the turkey is fully cooked, pour in 1/2 a jar of precooked Wholefoods (fat free) organic marinara pasta sauce (25 oz jar). Then add a 1/2 can or jar of organic cannellini beans (which should be rinsed and drained). Stir for an additional 3 minutes.
Plate and enjoy this high protein and low glycemic carb packed delicious meal.
Optional: Is great with a slice of slightly toasted 100% organic rye bread to soak up the sauce!
Don’t stop at the Top
For maximum feel and effect when performing an exercise like push-ups, dumbell curls or squats, try not fully resting (and in the case of squats locking out ) at the top of each movement.
This will place the muscles being worked under greater tension, thereby increasing your training effect and enable you to further connect with that particular body-part. In this case less is more because you don’t need to perform as many repetitions and workout for as long. Short, sharp and intense workouts are the key to productive sessions when adopting this training strategy. These are also known as partial repetitions but remember, you don’t want to limit your range too much to the point where you aren’t establishing a ‘muscle pump’ ie., that great localized burning feeling in the muscle.
Examples of exercises you can perform my ’Don’t stop at the Top’ techniques include:
1. The leg press machine and the freestanding squat - not fully extending the legs, thereby keeping the thigh/quad muscles contracted at all times.
2. Dumbell flat bench fly’s - By not touching the dumbells at the top of the movement you keep your pecks constantly flexed! When flying the weights inwards keep the dumbells a good 3 inches apart before flying the dumbells back out again.
3. Lat pulldowns - Extending the arms fully at the top of this exercise can not only cause serious rotater cuff injuries, but will diminish the objective of attempting to feel and sculpt your ‘lats’. These are the muscles that give you that elegant V-taper.
4. There are numerous exercises and routines you can use my D.S.A.T.T. technique including calisthenics, power plyometric drills and Powerpose. Drop me your list of exercises!
Enjoy these workout tips and let me know how you go with it!
Gennaro
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