Abs of Steel

You asked for it, you got it. One of the #1 muscles guys want to focus on when they come to the gym is their abs. Most women don't mind them either. Men store fat differently than women, leaving a nice spare tire around their mid-section if they don't have the right eating habits or neglect to engage the abs correctly.

Building a strong core starts outside the gym. The mid-section is the most difficult place on a man's body to lose weight. Any excess fat knows right where to go. For women, fat stores on their hips because their bodies are preparing itself for reproduction. Fat storages are essential and healthy to protect organs and nourish the body. Healthy fat percentage for active men range from 8-19%, for women its 21-33% for people 20-40 yrs. of age. After age 40, it increases by 2% every 20 years according to the National Institute of Health and World Health Organization.

Add these healthy habits to your daily life for a stronger core:

1. Good posture. Whether you're a desk jockey or an everyday lifter, check your posture. Keep your shoulders pulled back and in line with your back at all times. To check yourself, roll your shoulders back and pull your shoulder blades together, this will naturally align your body. However, if you're sitting, slightly lean back against the back of the chair, keeping your shoulders pulled back to keep from knotting the back or causing injuries in the gym.

2. Water, water, water. Do you see a pattern here? Water helps keep you active in many different areas. With abs its no different. Drink water at least 15 minutes after rising from bed and you will jumpstart your metabolism and fill the stomach. Keep hydrated all day to keep your fat burners charged.

3. Eat up. Start with breakfast everyday to replenish your energy stores that emptied during the night's sleep. You'll ignite your metabolism and keep yourself from splurging during the day. Pack your lunch. Bringing lunch to work or wherever you're going will not only save you money, but also keep you from over-eating at restaurants.

4. Weights and then cardio. Always start with weights if you're lifting on the same day as your cardio. Lifiting requires more energy and you don't want to be dripping all over the weights and machines after an intense cardio session. A study at the University of Southern Maine showed that 30 minutes of lifting burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute-per-mile pace at the same duration. Another reason why building more muscle starts with weights that require more energy.

5. Get some shut-eye. Aim for at least 7 hours each night. Try not to go over 10 hours, over-sleeping can also lead to weight gain. Lack of sleep disrupts hormones that enable your ability to burn fat and slows your metabolism.