25 woman this month | December 2011 | Flab Be Gone! INTERCONTINENTAL REGENCY Are you about to install magic mirrors in your bedroom for the illusion of a flawless figure? We say don’t bother! You can have the real thing. Three words — power abs sessions! If there’s something that convinces you that your body is imperfect, it has got to be those nasty love handles, which is really just a cute name for stubborn fat or blubber located in your mid-section. Ryan Gelderbloem, personal trainer at the Regency Health Club, opens the secret doorway to the world of surfboard abs. “You need to have a strong core to establish control over your upper and lower parts. Everything you do on a normal day incorporates the abdominal muscles. Thus, it is important to focus on this section,” Ryan explains. The power abs sessions are safe for anyone above the age of 16. To begin with, you are using your own body weight to tackle the most problematic region. It also includes cardiovascular exercises, which increase your heart rate helping you strip layers of fat before you actually start toning that tummy. Also, focusing on your oblique muscles is significant to keeping it flat. “Its best feature is that it is advised for both first-timers and professional gym-goers alike as it offers various levels,” he says. Couple these sessions with toning exercises for the perfect workout. It helps keep other muscle groups like the chest, back, arms and legs strong as well. Another benefit of this programme is that it does not burn a hole in your pocket with a list of expensive gear. Walk right in wearing comfortable workout clothes, a good pair of cross-trainer shoes and a gym mat if you’d like to bring your own. Remember to show up on time for the warm-ups and to stay at the end to cool down. This promises to be 60 minutes well spent. Try out a free session at our Fitness Day Out on December 10. Ryan’s fitness tips l A moderate to high-intensity workout for half an hour three or four times a week is sufficient to maintain your body. For weight loss, double up the time and exercise at least five to six times a week. l With our current lifestyle, it’s important to move more often. Walk or take the stairs. If you don’t like to hit the gym, take up a sport or swim. l Remember fitness goes with nutrition. Ideally, you should lose 700 calories per workout to burn fat. Eating healthily makes sure it isn’t for nothing. l Don’t diet, eat right. When you diet, you lose body fat and muscle mass. Once you’ve stopped, you develop twice the fat you had in the first place. Fat-burning pills dehydrate your body and increase the heart rate unnaturally. l Muscles have memory. Change your routine on a weekly basis. Keep it interesting. l People ignore cardiovascular exercises when it is the most important part of working out. It helps regulate respiration and blood circulation. l Standing in the office helps you burn more calories than while you’re sitting. Every half hour, move around and drink water. l Stretch when you get up from your sleep. Squeeze in half an hour for push-ups or squats while you are at home. l Most importantly, get a health check-up before you get started. Call 17 208-355. Ryan Gelderbloem
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