Sculpting The Perfect Abs

Questions from R.F. – “So is working out your abs a good idea to do everyday or every other day and how long is good for a work out?  Just wondering if they need time to rest like arms and legs do with weights.”             When it comes to abs, there’s no right or wrong way to work out.  It all depends on your goal.  Whether your goal is to have a runner’s lean abs or a muscular bodybuilder’s abs, it requires doing a lot of cardio exercises and a healthy diet.  Doing ab exercises alone may not be enough to give you the sexy abs you desire.  It requires work and consistency. I enjoy running and I used to jog 4 miles daily for my choice of cardio exercise but I had to find a balance because I was losing too much weight.  Now, I jog 4 miles every other day to maintain my weight.  I eat fairly healthy and I don’t feel the need to eat more just so I can jog daily. If you want a lean runner’s abs, you can do a shorter weightless ab workout everyday or every other day.  If you’re just starting out, start slowly and work your way up. My suggestion to start is 3 sets of 12 sit-ups (5 minutes). But if you want a muscular abs like the bodybuilders, then it requires an intense 1 hour of ab workout with heavy weights once or twice a week.  Ab muscles are like any other muscles in your body, it needs time to rest. I personally do 500 (5 different ab exercises @ 100 reps) weightless ab exercises daily at least 5 days a week.  My ab workout takes me about 45 minutes and is not for everybody.  When it comes to abs, as a woman, I think it’s more complicated than a man.  I like my abs to be somewhere in between a runner’s and a bodybuilder’s abs with some definitions, just enough ab muscles to find it sexy but not too much to considered masculine. There’s no right or wrong way to sculpt your perfect abs.  The choice is yours.  Whatever time and effort you put in will be the result.

Burn Off The Calories By Swimming

One of my favorite overall cardio workout is swimming, it’s low impact but it works your whole body.  And if you like the water, then it’s just considered a fun activity that’s beneficial to your body.  Swimming is one of the most important cardio exercises for losing weight, building muscles as well as having an aerobic affect that improves the body’s use of oxygen and increases lung function.  When you swim, all your major muscles are working at once.  Swimming is good for building muscles because water resistance is greater than air resistance therefore your muscles have to work harder.

If you don’t know how to swim, anytime is a good time to learn.  It’s never too late.  I taught myself to swim at 9 yrs. old.  I had no fear and it didn’t take me a long before I could swim like fish.  Up to this day, I still love the water and swim on a regular basis.  If you don’t have a pool, look for a gym, the YMCA or a community pool for a fun place to practice or learn as most places even have swimming lessons. 

Swimming burns about 3 calories a mile per pound of your bodyweight and improves your ability to maintain a healthy weight.  For example, if you weigh 150 lbs and swim 1 mile, you would burn 450 calories (3 calories x150 lbs = 450 calories burn).  If it takes you 30 minutes to swim 1 mile and 1 hour to swim 2 miles, you would burn 900 calories in 1 hour!  Swimming will burn up a lot of calories but be careful not to eat a big meal after you swim.  If you do then you’re just simply replacing all the calories you just burnt up.

Swimming also promotes proper breathing, stimulates your circulation and easy on the joints.  I swim on a regular basis because it’s fun as well as it builds up my muscle strength, endurance and cardio fitness.  

Appreciation, Focus & Perspective

In this economy, many people are frustrated.  This is the time that you should take a moment to appreciate the things you have and the people in your life.  There’s always something to appreciate.  Getting frustrated will get you nowhere.  Take a moment to focus on yourself and find a solution.  If you find that you’re going through a difficult situation, remember that there is always someone worse off than you.

In Vietnam, my family was very well off but that was all taken away during the Fall of Saigon (Vietnam War) and we lost everything we have.  It wasn’t easy but my mom worked and mange to pay my uncle $18,000 US dollar for the 6 of us including myself to flee the country by boat.  My uncle took the money and left us behind.  Full of determination, my mom later managed to pay a complete stranger the same and got us out of Vietnam.  We lived in a refugee camp in Singapore for 2 years until we were able to come to the US.  Life wasn’t easy but when you have nothing, there’s only one way to go…up! 

The fist time I remember seeing my mom was when I was 12 yrs old when she came over to the US and joined the rest of the family.  I remembered her still wanting to see my uncle even though he stole from her.  She told us all that we must forgive him for what he’s done.  Although I’ve learned to forgive, it doesn’t mean I’ll allow bad people into my life.

I learned a lot from my mom.  She was a beautiful, strong yet simple woman.  She didn’t know how to hate and didn’t hold any resentment with my uncle.  We didn’t have a lot for having to start our lives over but my mom always managed to send money back to Vietnam to help people that were worse off than we were.  Even at church, she would give a nickel even if that was all she could afford to give. 

My family couldn’t afford to send their kids to college but paid for one of my cousins’ education and I remembered asking her once, “Why do you give money to strangers and not your own family?”  She said, “You’ll do just fine, other people need it more”.  What my mom meant was that in America, we have the opportunity to achieve anything we desire.  You just have to work for it and sometimes you have to work really hard.

By American standards, we had nothing but compared to others we had an opportunity to make our lives better.  I basically had two choices:  I could be resentful or I could be independent on my own.  I chose to be independent and for years, I struggled with no help but it made me the strong person I am today. I learned early on that I can’t focus on the obstacles.  I forgive people who did me wrong and not live with any resentment.  I focus on my goals and I refuse to let the negativity get the best of me.

You can’t always control the situation like the economy, but you can control your response and action towards it.  If you think you’re having a bad day, think about the wounded Veterans coming back from the war.  When you feel badly about yourself, go help someone worse off than you. Times are tough right now, you may not able to change your immediate situation, but you can make a big difference in somebody else’s life and you’ll feel better about yourself.  A small gesture goes a long way.  Go visit the wounded soldiers, help the disabled or volunteer your time.  It’ll help you to put things in perspective. 

When life gets rough, buckle down.  Appreciate the little things you have.  Don’t feel sorry for yourself, don’t blame anyone for your misfortune.  Don’t focus on the things you can’t control.  Focus on yourself and find a solution.  Think, get organized and be responsible for yourself.  Fight for what you want.  Dream, believe and achieve!

Lose Weight with Cardio Exercises

I can’t emphasis how great cardio is for your body and truly the best overall workout. Whether you choose to walk, jog, swim, cycle, aerobic, elliptical or participate in an active sport, all of these are great choices.  Cardio is truly the best especially if you’re trying to loose weight.  The more you do it, the better your results will be.  When you exercise your cardiovascular system not only will you burn off calories, your heart and lungs will get stronger.  This will improve the quality of your breathing because oxygen will be circulating better. 

A protein shake is an excellent pre-workout supplement if you are doing cardio exercise.  My choice of protein is soymilk.  Your muscle strives on protein so it’s good to consume protein approximately 30-60 minutes before doing cardio exercise. This will help increase your metabolism so that you loose more weights from fats.

My favorite cardio exercise is jogging.  As a warm up, I jog 4 miles before doing any exercises.  I used to do this daily but I had to cut down to every other day because I was burning too many calories and losing too much weight, which I know for most of you that is a good problem to have.  If you’re just starting out, I suggest you start slowly and work your way up.  Begin with a simple one-mile walk.  As long as you take that first step, you’re off to a great start! 

The best thing about jogging for me is the runner’s high that I get when I’m done and nothing gets my heart pumping more.  I feel alive and have the energy do anything. I’m often asked, “How can you stay on the treadmill for so long?”  For me, it helps to put on my ipod.  When doing cardio, I choose techno music because the fast beat really gets my body moving.  It’s during this time that I feel like I have no care in the world.

My advice is choose the music that you enjoy or have a TV in front of you to catch up on the news or your favorite program.  Some people may do better with a workout partner or being outdoors.  My technique is not for everyone, you’ll have to find what works best for you.  I enjoy jogging because that is when I’m truly alone and free of any thoughts or stress.   You need to make your exercises a priority, fun, and exciting.  That way it’s not a task but something to look forward to.  It’s this mentality that makes the difference between being fit or unhealthy.

If you are trying to loose weight, I recommend doing cardio exercises at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes to an hour.  If you need to, take a day to give your muscles a chance to recover by stretching, taking a nice bath, or getting a massage.  Cardio exercise is truly the best overall workout to maintain a healthy weight.

Trim the fat to get sexy abs!

How many of you out there exercise and can’t seem to get those sexy abs that you’ve always wanted?  Don’t use that as an excuse to stop what you’re doing, lets analyze and find a solution to the problem.  If you to want have sexy abs you have to lose the fat around your waist.  The only way to that is by eating healthy, exercising, doing cardio along with abdominal exercises.

If you are exercising and not getting the result, you obviously have to do something different either with your diet or exercise or maybe both.  What you’re doing may seem like a lot of effort but if you’re not getting the result, then it’s just simply not enough.  You can’t expect a different result if you continue to do the same thing.

First thing you have to look at is your food intake.  To gain great abs, you’ve got to be lean.  What do I mean by lean?  Having no “extra” fat in your body. Try cutting your food portions or eating a lighter meal, even if that means eating one spoonful less at each meal.  You may not think that it would make that big of a difference but every calorie counts.  Your liquid intake also has a big impact.  That means no alcohol, sodas or anything with a lot of calories.  Replace your liquid intake with 8 glasses of water a day and you’ll see the changes.

The second part is exercising.  You’re probably not doing enough exercises to see the result you want.  The best exercises to trim down and get sexy abs involve cardio.  Most likely you’re not doing enough cardio exercises to burn the fat.  Some people think that if they walk or jog 30 minutes a day that it will be enough.  What is enough?  Everyone is different and depending on your body and goals, I recommend doing an hour or more of cardio per day if you’re serious about trimming the fat to get those sexy abs.  Cardio is the fastest way to burn the fat.  Without it, no matter how many ab exercises you do, your abs will always be hidden under a layer of blubber.

According to the Health Check System, your body fat percentage categories for women and men are as follows:

Women           Men

Essential Fat    10-12%           2-4%

Athletes           14-20%           6-13%

Fitness             21-24%           14-17%

Acceptable      25-31%           18-25%

Obese              32%+              25%+

Although there are several formulas, using the U.S Navy body fat formula, my current body fat is 12.35%.  Does that make me unhealthy?  No.  Charts are only guidelines and this is only of them.  Don’t be afraid to trim down your fat!  I’m very healthy and my endurance is extremely high.

Three years ago, I was 88 lbs. and by most standards, I was in great shape!  For my height, I was already considered underweight.  My abs were toned but I wanted a more defining set of abs.  In order to do that, I had to do something different.  I was doing 200 ab exercises daily and decide to increase it to 500 ab exercises.  As healthy as I was, I still had to trim down my fat to reach my goal.

Now I weigh 85 lbs and my abs are still toned but just more defined and that was exactly my goal.  To have my abs, I do 45 minutes of ab training daily, a 4 mile jog every other day and 30 minutes of swimming along with a variety of other exercises.  Of course I continue to eat healthy. 

Keep it simple!  If you are at a plateau and are not getting the result, you may need to change your diet or your exercise routine.  Maybe even both.

Protect Your Skin & Look Younger Naturally

A common question I get asked is, “What is your secret to looking so young?”  The most important factor in keeping a youthful appearance is staying active both physically and mentally.  However, what you put in your body has a huge impact.  I don’t spend my time worrying about the aging process, although I do take precautions by making healthy choices in the foods that I eat. 

People are always amazed and surprised when I tell them my age.  They usually think I’m about 10 years younger than I am and when I go out, I still get carded 95% of the time. I’m 100% natural and I don’t believe in any plastic surgeries or injections like botox to look young.  As a woman, you can freak out a young man by telling him you’re pregnant.  As for me, I just tell him my age.  Genetics are only one factor but the rest is up to you.  I personally limit my alcohol consumption, I don’t smoke and I’m careful about how much sugar I eat.  All of the above directly affects the appearance of your skin.

I wear make-up when I’m out in public because it makes me look more mature as I like to being taken seriously.  Without make-up, sometimes I get mistaken for a teenager or they think my husband is my dad.  Although it’s humorous, it’s still a good problem to have.  Looking youthful truly begins with your skin.  If you don’t take care of your skin, you can age pre-maturely.  Besides exercising and being physically active, it’s important to choose healthy foods that are good for your body. 

One wrinkle-fighting super food that I enjoy eating is the pomegranate fruit.  This is one of several options that I personally use to have beautiful skin.  Pomegranates contain Vitamin C that helps fight wrinkle damage caused by excessive sun exposure.  Research indicates that the pomegranate contains ellagic acids and punicalagin.  Ellagic acid is a polyphenol compound that fights damage from free radicals and punicalagin is a super-nutrient that may increase the body’s capacity to preserve collagen that helps your skin look smooth.  It is recommended that you consume a cup of pomegranate per week.  Although it’s not as easy as pealing an orange and can be messy, I enjoy eating fresh pomegranates.  However, you can pick up the juice at any grocery store, drink it straight or mix it in your smoothies.  Pick up yourself some pomegranates and start looking naturally younger!

Intellectual Beauty

What is intellectual beauty and do you have it?  You don’t need to be a scientist, doctor or even have a degree to be considered intelligent.  It’s as simple as your ability to hold a conversation without coming off or sounding like a moron.  Nothing turns me off more than an attractive person who is dumb.

There’s a certain charm and charisma that comes with intellectual beauty.  In my profession, I meet a lot of attractive people.  Unfortunately, their beauty begins to fade as soon as they open their mouth.  Lets face it, doors do open and opportunities present themselves much more rapidly to an attractive person.  This is why I set the watermark so high for them as well as for myself.  To rely on just your physical attributes is to short change yourself.

I’ve always been drawn to intelligent people and those who have a passion for learning.  People limit themselves when they think they already know everything.  They close themselves off to learning something new or better.  Life is a constant evolution and you can never know too much.  There’s always something new to learn, experience or improve upon.  You’ll never live long enough to know or do it all.  The greatest minds of all time are constantly open to new development, research and data to expand and improve upon their work and contribution to society.  These people are truly beautiful.

There’s nothing wrong with people who like to pamper themselves like going for a facial, manicure or a makeover.  It’s important to take care of yourself, just don’t skimp on the internal.  Be sure to pamper your mind as well as your body.  Fill it with knowledge and ideas.  Most successful people have biographies; you can spend an hour or an evening with some of the greatest intellectual and fascinating minds of all times. 

Physical beauty can only take you so far, and sadly for some, it just may be enough.  Your exterior beauty is temporary and will fade in time.  Intellectual beauty is eternal and gets better as we age and become wiser.  Keeping up with your workout is great but be sure to take time to exercise your mind!

My Power Abs DVD Is Now Available!

The Power Abs workout is the ultimate ab workout designed for every fitness level. This dvd is based on my proven technique and routine which will trim, tone and sculpt those abs. My no nonsense, no gimmick approach will get you the sexy abs you’ve always wanted. This “No Excuse” program is designed to maximize your ab work out whether you’re on the road, at the gym or in the privacy of your own home.