Want a Flat Belly? Top 3 Tips plus at-home Texas Fit Chicks Belly Blast Workout

If you visit Colorado in the Summertime, you see the rocky mountains with all of their jagged edges clearly. Go again in the winter, and you no longer see the rocky edges...but you know they're still there. They are just covered with snow. We've got the muscles under there, but have to get rid of the snow to see them :)In order to get rid of our "snow" means upping cardio and adding lean muscle mass which will burn calories faster than fat. At Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp we do high intensity interval training plus strength training. When coupled with solid nutrition, results are incredible, and you can get those defined abs you want. Here are 3 tips when training to get a flat belly to remember:

• Change it up. Like anything else we do, your body adapts very quickly. Mix it up with reverse crunches, bicycle crunches, weighted crunches, etc. You've got to continue challenging your abs with different exercises
• Include a Stability Ball for added difficulty. The stability ball is a great tool in core work, and challenges you much more than being on a mat. We always include stability ball day once a week at Texas Fit Chicks...clients love it!
• EAT WELL....you've heard the saying...a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips...if you don't practice "Clean Eating" 90% of the time, you will never see definition in your abs. This is the most critical piece when it comes to a flat stomach. Avoid temptation, and visualize yourself at your goal. It's a powerful tool that works.

Try this at-home workout to strengthen and tone your core...Ready...Set...GO!

3 Minutes of Cardio - High Knee Run/Jumping Jacks/Run the Stairs/Run around the block..just get your heart rate up for 3 minutes

Up & Open Abs- Lie face up on the floor, legs extended straight six inches off the floor, hands by your sides, palms facing down. This is the starting position. Keeping your core engaged, bend your knees into your chest, return to start, then raise your legs straight towards the ceiling so they’re perpendicular to the floor, then return to start; slowly open your legs so they form a wide V, keeping them six inches off the ground. Return to start - do 20 reps

In & Out crunch - Lie face up on the floor, legs extended straight six inches off the floor and hands behind your head, elbows out. Bracing your core, simultaneously lift your shoulder blades off the floor as you tuck your knees toward your chest Reverse the movement to return to start, keeping your feet off the ground. That’s one rep. Do 20 reps

Double Banana Crunch - Lie faceup on the floor, with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees, fingertips behind your ears, elbows out. Brace your core and lift your shoulders off the ground. In one motion, extend your legs about a foot off the floor and reach your arms directly overhead, elbows near your ears. Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep. Do 20

4 Minutes of Cardio - 1 Minute each of the following moves:
1 Minute Booty Kickers

1 Minute Mountain Climbers

1 Minute Jumping Jacks

1 Minute Burpees

RECOVER - 60 seconds

Cross Legged Lift - On mat, hands out to sides, Legs straight up. Cross left ankle over rt knee. Keeping rt leg straight, use abs to lift hips off mat. Lower then take legs down to 45 degrees off mat. Repeat - 15 on ea side. Press belly button into mat as you lower legs.

Compound Crunch - Fingertips behind ears. Lift head and shoulder blades as you pull knees toward chest. Lower head and shoulder blades and slowly extend legs 45 degrees off mat keeping abs tight. Repeat for 15

One Legged Bridge - Rt knee bent, foot on mat - left leg extended straight up. Arms out to each side, palms on mat. Push through rt heel as you lift hips till body is aligned from shoulders to rt knee. Lower hips till they almost touch mat, then lift again. 15 reps on ea side.

Reverse Crunches - Both legs straight up in the air, feet together. Lift hips off mat, then return to start. Slowly do 20 reps

Horizontal Scissors - fingertips behind ears, chin lifted off chest - raise legs up a few inches off mat - then scissor in and out, with one leg going over the other then alternating. 30 seconds

Alternating Heel Touch - Knees bent heels on mat - lifting head off mat arms down to sides - reach with rt arm down to touch heel - working obliques then do other side. 20 reps each side

Lying Leg Raise - legs straight out and down on mat. Lift both legs up in the air at same time, then release back down keeping control and cue to not let lower back arch off mat...so only bring legs down as far as you can w/out that occurring. 15 reps

Finish it off with 5 Minutes of Cardio - Repeat the series of exercises above and add in 1 minute of Bunny Hops

Repeat series 2-3 times for an awesome calorie burn!

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