If you’re looking to get a six-pack by July Fourth, you’ll need to start now. It takes six weeks with the right exercise — and food.
“The key to getting a shredded midsection is your diet,” says Adam Rosante, a Greenpoint-based trainer and wellness coach for celebrities such as Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts. “You can workout all you want but you cannot out-train a diet. It’s probably 70 or 80 percent of it.”
For women, each of your three meals should have a palm-sized amount of lean protein, such as chicken or salmon. The rest of your plate should be vegetables. A couple of snacks during the day are OK, as long as they’re also only protein and vegetables.
For men, the same rules apply but with two palm-sized portions of protein for every meal. Hydrate with a lot of water. And, he adds, lay off the carbs, sugar and booze.
Then, comes the workout: Rosante recommends a simple strength training circuit three to four days a week, in combination with a cardio warm-up before and stretching on the days in between. Do all the moves below, back-to-back, for 30 seconds each, resting only when necessary.
All six moves equal one round. Rest 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat for up to eight rounds. If you’d like to make it more of a challenge, keep a pen and paper next to you and quickly jot down how many reps you’re doing of each move during Round 1. The next time you do the workout, try to beat those numbers.
1. Body weight squat
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands behind your head. Keeping the weight in your heels, press your hips back to lower as far as you can without losing the natural curve in your lower back. Press through your heels to stand up, flexing your glutes at the top. Do this for 30 seconds.
2. Reverse lunge
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. Take a big step behind you with your left foot, then bend both your knees into a lunge until your left knee lightly touches the ground. Step back into your starting position and repeat with your right side. Continue switching for 30 seconds.
3. Burpee
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your side. Bend your knees into a squat, then place your hands on the ground between your feet. Jump your feet back to land in the top of a push-up position. Then, jump your feet back up to where your hands are, moving from a frog-like squat into an energetic jump in the air. Land softly. Repeat for 30 seconds.
4. Mountain climber
Get into the top of a push-up position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Squeeze your stomach muscles and keep your butt and back in a straight line. Pull your left knee in toward your left elbow. Switch sides. Do this for 30 seconds.
5. V-ups
Lay down on your back with your arms extended over your head. Lift up through your torso as you simultaneously lift your legs so that your whole body forms a “V.” Hold for a beat, then return to the laying down position. Repeat for 30 seconds.
6. Plank
Come to the floor on your hands and knees. Lower your forearms to the floor with elbows positioned directly under your shoulders. Then, step your feet back one at a time to form a straight line from head to heels. Brace your core and tighten every muscle in your body. Hold for 30 seconds.