#1 Reason Why You Can’t See Your Abs

“I don’t understand what’s going on. I train my abs EVERY DAY but I still can’t see them!”

You’d be surprised how many people fail at getting a six-pack by doing hundreds of crunches. Those poor, misguided souls think that by doing fancy abdominal exercises, they’ll be able to have Zac Efron’s Baywatch torso. Unfortunately, it turns out that training isn’t the only factor that’s required to getting visible abs.

Before we dive deeper into that statement, let me ask you something…

Have you ever seen a man or a woman that doesn’t do any targeted abdominal workouts but has a six-pack?

I know you have, so how do you explain that?

Well, there might be a couple of reasons why…

1. They have a low body-fat percentage
2. They’re involved in a sport that works their core
3. They have a clean diet
4. They consistently burn more calories than what they consume

That being said, what do you think is the #1 reason why you’re not seeing your abs?

Your diet isn’t as clean as it should be

I know what you’re thinking.

I, too, have seen people who are shredded that eat like crap. In fact, those people are all over social media preaching the ‘if it fits your macros’ (IIFYM) philosophy. It’s easy to be tricked into thinking that your eating habits don’t have to change for your body to change.

So, to clear some things up, the first thing that I want you to understand is that the IIFYM philosophy is based on a 90/10 or an 80/20 diet.

What that means is that those people that take a picture of their pizza on Instagram and title it ‘if it fits your macros’ are only showing you 10 or 20% of their diet. Truth is, the majority of their meals are extremely healthy, so don’t be fooled into thinking that’s all they eat. Also, keep in mind that most people who are involved in bodybuilding competitions drink multiple supplements to speed up their metabolism.

Bottom line is, you can’t base your diet and lifestyle on people that you see only on social media. You need to clean up your diet to get the abs you want.

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Now that I’ve cleaned up my diet, what do I do to get well-defined abs?

Once your diet is on point, it’s time to start training your abs to get the definition you seek. The best ab routine you can do is one that incorporates both low weight, high reps and high weight, low reps exercises. Also, you need to find a routine that targets each section of your abdomen.

Ladies, keep in mind that by using weight when performing ab exercises, you’ll develop a thicker waist. Your body will probably end up looking a bit square because your obliques will stick out and your abs will expand. Now, don’t take this as a sign to eliminate weight-training from your ab workouts. Simply be on the lookout for how your body reacts to them.

Regarding exercises, the ones I highly recommend are planks and stomach vacuum!

 

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Do you have an ab routine you’d like to share?

How did you get your abs?

Feel free to comment below!

XOXO,

Manuela

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If you enjoyed this article, you might like The Truth About Abs, How to Nail Your Diet & The Reason Why You Should Do HIIT

Summer: Bikini Prep Quick Tips

Shorts, tank tops, bikini bottoms… mhmmm sounds like summer is in the air!

It’s exciting to witness the change of the seasons and knowing that it won’t be long until we can enjoy our time in the sun. After all, we’ve been preparing for the countless beach trips, tanning sessions and random road trips all year long. In fact, I bet most of you already have a swimsuit picked out for your first dip in the pool.

As one would expect, summer tends to bring out a handful of visitors to our nearby gym. Suddenly, everybody and their grandmother is on a health kick as if only six weeks was enough time to lose the weight that they’ve gained throughout the year.

Don’t get me wrong, I like to see people motivated as much as the next guy. The problem that I have is when people stop exercising after summer has begun. You see, being fit shouldn’t have an expiration date. Fitness is a lifestyle, not a finish line that you need to cross and be done with. It’s a process that requires time and patience to see your body transform before your eyes.

My point is that if you choose to start exercising, don’t do it because you have to look better than Suzy in that polka-dot bikini that Bryan likes. Do it because you want to better the rest of your life. News flash, summer is only three months out of the year. Why would you want to be healthy and look good for one-fourth of the year when you could feel and look just as good all the time?

Nevertheless, if you choose to start your bikini prep, here are some suggestions.

1. Diet is everything – don’t expect to lose the weight just by lifting weights
2. Ladies, upper body is a must! – That butt may look nice, but so do those toned arms
3. Change up your workouts
4. Add HIIT training once or twice a week
5. Don’t eat less, just better
6. Make it a group activity
7. Hydrate!
8. Don’t do anything drastic – results take time
9. Vegetables and protein are a major key *DJ Khaled voice*
10. YOU GOT THIS

I will be posting summer workouts soon. I apologize for being a bit MIA. When you work as much as I do, breathing is a luxury!

Leave me comments about the type of workouts and training tips you’d like to see. I love to give you whatever advice you might need!

Always,

Manuela

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If you liked this article, you might enjoy: Women Shouldn’t Neglect Their Upper Body, Full Upper Back Workout & My Everlasting Relationship With Gym

The Truth About Product Labels

Three hours… that’s how long it takes to grocery shop nowadays.

As the health movement has gathered momentum, skepticism surrounding the food that we buy has increased. Customer loyalty is being tested as people are starting to evaluate product alternatives according to factors such as calories, ingredients and quality. Never before have companies been pressured to change their product formula like they are now.

As a paying-customer, we have the ability to demand change. Unknowingly, most of us have been pressing for companies to change their ways as we continue to buy products labeled as natural, organic and sugar-free. Our actions have created an incentive for companies to reevaluate their product features and make use of certain labels that appeal to customer demands.

Now, labels are a tricky and misleading.  There’s no such thing as transparency between a company and its customer when it comes to making a profit. At the end of the day, business will choose to do whatever increases their bottom-line.

Consequently, we all need to be aware of the truth hidden behind product labels.

Some of the product labels that companies are using to maintain sales and capitalize on the health movement are:

• Natural
• Organic
• Sugar-free

‘Natural food’

I’ve noticed that people tend to purchase food labeled as ‘natural’ with the belief that it’s free of GMOs and artificial ingredients. That, however, is not the case.

When it comes to processed foods, the word ‘natural’ doesn’t hold a specific meaning. In fact, the use of the word isn’t regulated by any agency, which means that companies can use it on their products without adhering to a specific set of standards.

Organic food

It’s clear that there’s a trend among customers for buying organic instead of conventional food. I’m not going to argue against some of the benefits of organic food, however, I do believe there are some facts that need to be cleared.

Despite popular belief, organic food does require the use of pesticide. The difference between organic and conventional food is that organic standards have a set of pesticides they deem acceptable with some exceptions depending on the situation.

“Organic pesticides pose the same health risk as non-organic ones. No matter what anyone tells you, organic pesticides don’t just disappear.” – Christie Wilcox via 2012 Scientific American article

Also, there’s no concrete evidence that shows that organic food is ‘healthier’ than conventional food in regards to nutritional value.

To be clear, I’m not saying that organic food isn’t healthy. What I am saying is that the science that has been conducted to prove that fact is inconclusive, with some studies claiming that organic food is healthier and others disclaiming that very fact. It’s important to consider both sides of the argument instead of taking the word ‘organic’ at face value.

For example, a study published in the Annals of Medicine by researchers of Stanford University’s Center for Health Policy concluded that certain fruits and vegetables considered as ‘organic’ were on average, no more nutritious than non-organic foods.

My point is, spend some time researching the topic. Whether you’re pro-organic or not, make sure you’ve looked at the evidence necessary to support your point of view.

Sugar-free

To keep it short and sweet (no pun intended), sugar-free foods are made of artificial sweeteners and other chemicals instead of ‘real’ sugar. Even though ‘sugar-free’ sounds nicer to say, your body still processes those foods the same way. It sucks, I know.

Image by Danielle Daem via LinkedIn

Beware of product labels! Do not be deceived. 

Needless to say, finding food that’s 100% natural is like finding a needle in a hay stack. You might never find food that’s been manipulated solely by mother-nature, but you can make a wiser decision on which foods to purchase. Pick the less of two evils and do not be fooled by product labels.

Love always,

Manuela

Resources:

“Peeling Back the ‘Natural’ Label. Companies can slap that magic word on processed food packages even if what’s inside contains artificial ingredients. If you find that outrageous, now’s the time to join us in letting the FDA know how you feel.” Consumer Reports 81, no. 3 (March 1, 2016): 10-11. Scopus®, EBSCOhost (accessed March 28, 2017)

Quinn, Ian. 2016. “Artificial sweeteners overtake sugar as soft drink ingredient.” Grocer 4. Small Business Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed March 28, 2017)

Miller, Henry I. “The Dirty Truth About “Organic”. Hoover Institution. September 23, 2015. Accessed March 28, 2017. http://www.hoover.org/research/dirty-truth-about-organic.

 

Skin Care and Nutrition Go Hand-in-Hand

Ugh.

That’s the sound of frustration coming out of your mouth after you’ve woken up with a brand new pimple. After giving it some thought, you can’t seem to figure out why you’re breaking out. Is it stress? Are you in that time of the month? Or…. is it because of what you’ve been eating?

Over the years, I’ve read several articles that claim that there’s no direct correlation between acne and a person’s diet. Do you believe that’s true? I certainly don’t.

As a person who struggled with acne throughout my teenage years, I can tell you that my body reacted quite rapidly to the garbage that I was feeding it. At first, I didn’t understand why I was breaking out. After all, I had spent a fortune on skincare products, followed a strict skincare routine and went to see my dermatologist a couple of times a month.

In other words, I was doing everything I was supposed to… or so I thought.

You see, the only thing that I wasn’t doing at the time had to do with my diet. I spent my teenage years eating out, drinking and smoking quite often. I didn’t think my lifestyle had anything to do with my acne back then since my friends were doing the same things I was but they had perfectly clear skin. I mean, how could that be?

Well, after a couple of years of taking medication and trying every type of skincare cream, I found out that none of that was helping. My acne wasn’t going away any time soon.

It wasn’t until I threw myself into the gym and the diet that came along with it that I started seeing some changes. Suddenly, my skin was bright and clear without a pimple in sight.

At first, I thought that my skin had changed because I had gotten older and my hormones had finally settled down. However, that wasn’t completely true. I started noticing that every time I fell off my diet or ate some sugar-filled food, I would get a breakout 100% of the time. Even if I made some small changes, like drinking soda instead of water, my body would react in the form of a pimple.

I’m not a dermatologist, so what I’m telling you is based off my personal experience.

When I gave up chips for vegetables, soda for water, cake for oatmeal and fried food for raw/lean protein, my body thanked me. My skin has never looked so damn good. I dare you to make a change in your diet and watch how your body reacts. It’s truly amazing.

Now, do I still get a pimple here and there? Of course! There are other factors that contribute to acne, such as stress and hormonal balance, so you can’t quite get away from it. However, the very few pimples that I get are manageable.

If you’re having problems with your acne, I highly encourage you to make a change in your diet. Take a chance and see how it works. In case you need any suggestions on food, tea or skincare products that may help, let me know. I would love to share them with you!

XOXO,

Manuela

The Problem With Overeating

It’s no secret that my blogs revolve around the subjects of health and fitness, however, it’s important for you guys to know that my diet isn’t always perfect.

I’m very good at staying away from junk food and sugars, but my problem is that I tend to eat more than I should of foods that are classified as ‘healthy’ but have a good amount of calories.

As you all know, eating more calories than what you burn causes you to gain weight. In terms of calories, it doesn’t matter if you’re eating your calories on donuts or almonds, if you eat more than you should, you’re bound to gain some weight. In a sense, it’s absolutely healthier to eat a pack of almonds instead of a couple of donuts, but my point is that either way, those calories are going to add up.

I am a human being just like any of you, so I do get cravings sometimes. Since I’ve trained myself to reject junk food, I don’t go anywhere near it when I want to indulge. I know it’s not good for my body. For some reason, however, I think it’s okay to eat three or four servings of almonds or oatmeal. If you’re familiar with oatmeal, you probably know that three or four servings amounts to approximately 450-600 calories. Yikes.

In all honesty, I need to clean up my diet.

I’ve gotten through the hard part of turning away from junk food and artificial sugars, but I definitely need to control my caloric intake.

How am I going to do that?

Well, it’s definitely going to be a process. I need to structure my meals in a way that I’m not restricting my cravings (so that I don’t binge later on) while maintaining a low-calorie diet. When I grocery shop, I need to calculate exactly what I’m going to eat throughout the week, so that I don’t buy additional food that tempts me whenever I look in the pantry. I need to plan my meals and stick to them like clockwork. Last but not least, I need to wrap my head around the idea that healthy food isn’t meant to be eaten in surplus. It’s all about balance.

I’m sure there are some of you out there that struggle with the same thing, so I felt like it was something that needed to be addressed. Whether you’re eating healthy or not, overeating is not something you want to be doing, especially if you’re looking to lose weight.

Manuela

How to Get Rid of Under-Butt Cellulite

One thing that I used to struggle with when I was younger was that horrible under-butt cellulite. I used to think that the amount of cellulite in my body was directly correlated with my weight, but then I started noticing that women who were much smaller than me were suffering from it too. So, what exactly is cellulite?

In its most basic definition, cellulite stands for those fat deposits that tend to cause dimpling in your skin by pushing through connective tissue. Unfortunately, women are more prone to have cellulite than men. Furthermore, the appearance of cellulite has to do with a number of factors that go beyond your weight, such as genetics, hormones and so on.

Let me just say that cellulite has to be one of the most annoying things ever, because we all want to have smooth skin throughout. Personally, I can’t afford cellulite treatments and I don’t believe in pills that claim to get rid of it. The only way I know how to battle cellulite is through exercise that targets those areas that I’m struggling with.

Let’s talk about under-butt cellulite.

As you all know, I’m quad-dominant. Every time I had leg day, I would spend most of my time working my quads rather than spending an equal amount of effort on my hamstrings. By neglecting my hamstrings, I failed to target my under-butt cellulite. After a couple of weeks of trying the same routine and not seeing any changes, I decided to split my leg workouts into 1) quad day and 2) hamstring day, which would allow me to focus more on my troubled areas.

I highly encourage all of you that suffer from under-butt cellulite to try devoting an entire workout session to your hamstrings. You have no idea how much of a difference it makes for your body. Although exercise won’t get rid of your cellulite overnight, it will certainly make a difference.

Here are some of my favorite exercises on hamstring day to target your under-butt cellulite.

1. Stiff-legged dead lifts (absolute favorite)
2. Single-leg dead lift
3. Lying leg-curl
4. Cable kick-backs
5. Laying leg-press
6. Lunge kick-back
7. Lying dumbbell hamstring-curl
8. Kneeling hamstring leg-curl (if you happen to have one in your gym, USE IT!)

Next time you have leg day, spend some time emphasizing your hamstrings. I know we’re all guilty of devoting most of our leg day to squats, but let’s try to balance our workout between quads and hammies. It will make a difference, trust me.

XOXO,

Manuela

Get to Know Yourself

One of the most puzzling questions I’ve been asked is whether or not I know myself.

I remember a few years ago I was complaining to a friend about some issues I was having in my personal life. After a couple of minutes of listening, my friend simply asked whether I knew who I was and what I wanted. Even though I said ‘yes’ in that moment, it has taken me a while to realize that I don’t.

I’m not trying to make this post too deep or anything, but I’ve come to realize that many of us don’t know ourselves as much as we should.

You see, we tend to walk through life trying to find who we are in others. We try to imitate what our friends do, even if we don’t admit it. We try to find love and feel loved by our significant other, instead of finding it within ourselves. Most of all, we seek validation everywhere we can… whether it is through a ‘like’ on a selfie or a hug from our parents.

The point is, we’re comfortable with letting others decide who we are and what we like just so we don’t have to worry too much about it. The thing is… not knowing ourselves has huge consequences in our life.

The epitome of what I’m talking about is showcased by college students on a daily basis. Let me ask you, how many of your friends have started their college career thinking that they were going to be a doctor just to find out that they hate biology and anatomy? After finding that out, they end up switching to accounting out of the bloom just because most of their friends are in that major. Then, they switch again because they’re no good at math, and so on.

Or, what about your that one couple that’s dating even though they’re complete opposites? Yes, opposites do attract but they usually don’t last when they differ on values, morals and religion. If they truly knew themselves, they wouldn’t be with someone that isn’t what they’re looking for.

I’m not trying to tell you that you don’t know who you are or what you like.

All that I’m trying to say is that we tend to rush into relationships and make certain life decisions that we’re unsure of.

One day, you may think you want a dog, but in reality… you hate taking dog-walks or feeding animals. You know what I’m saying?

I’m a big proponent of taking some time off relationships and distancing yourself from certain friendships for a period of self-discovery. After all, you can’t possibly commit to someone without knowing what you’re looking for. In fact, one of the reasons why I see many of my friends get hurt is because they get involved with a person that’s their complete opposite. They try to make things work, which is very optimistic given that their religion, values and goals are not in-sync.

My advice to you is to take some time to discover yourself – what drives you, what moves you, what makes you want to be a better person… Get to know yourself so well that you won’t need someone else to see your worth. Learn to accept your flaws and applaud your strengths.

Once you’ve gotten to the point where you completely accept yourself, you’ll be ready to love someone else. Until then, devote your energy and your time to yourself. Your happiness depends on self-love, not on someone else’s opinion of you.

XOXO,

Manuela

Get Over Your Laziness & Go To The Gym!

As much as I love the gym, I’m not always motivated to go.

Some days, I get home from work exhausted. All that I want at the moment is my bed, some food and Netflix. Other days, I’m out simply enjoying life with my family and friends, but I don’t have a gym nearby. Basically, life tends to get in the way of my workouts. It happens.

Ideally, I would love to be well-rested, in a good mood and have a decent amount of energy to get the most out of my workout. As we all know, that’s hardly ever the case. Our mood and energy level fluctuates depending on several factors that are most likely out of our control. Still… we have to get our workouts in, one way or another.

Being tired is not an excuse to miss your workout. If I can drag my butt to the gym after pulling an all-nighter, working two shifts in a row and driving back-and-forth between Austin and San Antonio, you can get your butt to the gym after school.

Now, that’s not to say that if you feel ill or extremely exhausted you should go to the gym. There are limits. Obviously, you have to listen to your body… but being ‘tired’ doesn’t cut it for me.

I get that we all need a little motivation sometimes, so here’s what I usually do to get myself off the couch and into the gym.

Instagram Fit-Inspiration

Most of the people I follow on Instagram are fitness-oriented, so I get a decent amount of workout videos and ab selfies throughout my timeline. To be quite honest, I don’t usually check Instagram because I always end up comparing my body to others, thereby discouraging my personal progress. However, whenever I need an additional push to get myself to the gym, I’ll go look at it.

Killer Playlist

As an all-natural athlete, I don’t take supplements. I avoid things that people use as pre-workout or anything else that’s not actual food. As a result, I had to find a way to get ‘pumped’ to crush my workout somehow.

Typically, I’ll listen to a killer playlist to get my mood right. You all know that I’m a huge fan of reggeaton, EDM and rap. I don’t know whether it’s my Latina blood or just who I am, but music just does the trick for me. It gets me in my zone.

Remind yourself of your goals

There’s nothing that’s going to motivate you more than your actual goals. Sometimes we forget what we’re working towards, so make sure that you remind yourself why you’re doing this. Think about where you want to be and how you’ll get there. Remind yourself that a workout that lasts only an hour can get you way closer to your goal.

For example, here are some GOALS.

It’s all about mind over matter.

Well, that’s usually what gets me going. Hopefully, it’ll help you out.

Once I’m in the gym and I start my workout, I just get in my zone and get it done. I have yet to regret a single workout.

XOXO,

Manuela

 

 

Lets Talk About Carbs Baby

Whenever we hear the word ‘carbs,’ we feel a slight chill run down our spine.

We panic a bit.

It’s as if we’re violating some kind of code we vowed to uphold.

More often than not, if you were to ask someone what kind of changes you need to implement to lose weight, one of the first things they’ll mention is to reduce your carbs intake. Even though that’s a good way to cut some calories, it’s important to note that a low-carb diet isn’t always the way to go. You don’t have to completely eliminate carbs off your diet. They’re actually quite important for your well-being.

First of all, carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. Your body turns carbs into glucose, which it uses to perform daily functions. In fact, the majority of fitness professionals recommend eating complex carbs before or after your workout to replenish and fuel your body.

Did you happen to notice how the word ‘complex’ is emphasized?

Well, the reason for that is that whenever you catch yourself thinking about how carbs are bad for you, do me the favor of knowing the difference between simple and complex carbs. Simple carbs are things like white bread, donuts, cake and basically everything that has a ton of sugar. Such carbs are broken down quite easily, and they’re absorbed directly into your bloodstream.

Complex carbs, on the other hand, are foods like oatmeal, sweet potatoes and whole grain bread, which take a while to break down. Unlike simple carbs, they provide a steady increase of sugar for long-lasting energy, instead of an immediate sugar-spike. Furthermore, such carbs are actually more filling, thereby reducing your appetite and caloric intake.

Obviously, eating too much of anything will cause you to consume more calories than your body needs. Don’t assume that just because you’re eating complex carbs instead of simple carbs, you’re allowed to go all out. Feel free to enjoy a serving of plain oatmeal, not a whole container. It’s all in moderation my friends.

To address the elephant in the room, as you all know, my diet tends to be more fat-based. All that means is that I tend to eat more natural fats throughout my day instead of carbohydrates. For example, instead of having oatmeal in the mornings, I choose to have a serving of almonds or some avocado. Understand?

Honestly, I found that my body works best in a high-fat, low-carb diet. Now, that doesn’t mean that I don’t eat carbs. All that means is that I eat a smaller percentage of them. They still play an important role in my muscle recovery. Carbs are my go-to after hard workouts. To each its own.

Point is, don’t be afraid to eat carbs.

Be afraid of sugar-filled, simple carbs that do nothing for you… but feel free to enjoy complex carbs in MODERATION.

XOXO,

Manuela

Complete Back Workout

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love back days.

I’m not sure as to whether it’s the stress that I’ve accumulated during the week or the fact that I’m just sore from my previous workouts, but working my back is like a breath of fresh air. For me, back days are like popping your back after a long work day. We all can agree on how amazing that feels.

Aside from the fact that exercising your back feels great, we can’t argue about the necessity of doing so. It’s important to strengthen our back muscles because they’re responsible for the protection of our spine and several functions we perform on a daily basis.

A sexy back is a great thing to have, which is why I’ve taken the time to write down my back workout routine for you guys. Even though I usually work two muscles each workout, I tend to devote a whole workout solely to my back.

As soon as you get to the gym, don’t forget to warm up. Some people like to foam roll before their workout in case they’re still sore on that area, so you might want to do that as well.

To begin…

1. Wide grip seated cable row & wide grip pull-up (12 x 4)

1. Close grip pull down & single arm dumbbell row (15 x 4)

1. Bent over deadlift (20 x 4)

1. Standing t-bar row & single arm smith machine row (12 x 4)

1. Reverse grip pull-down & close grip seated cable row (12 x 4)

1. Stiff-legged deadlift (15 x 4 – OR or until you can’t do anymore)

1. Back extensions (12 x 6)

1. Stairmaster x ABS ABS ABS (20 minutes)

 

Try it and let me know what you think!

XOXO,

Manuela

 

Travel Must-Haves for a Health-Nut

I love to go out with my family and friends to explore new places. In my opinion, nothing can compare to having some quality time with the people that you love in a new environment.

Even though I love to travel, I hate the hassle that comes with packing, figuring out where to eat and not knowing whether or not they’ll be a gym I can go to. Honestly, there’s always the issue of wanting to see the world, yet doing my every-day routine like I’ve never left home. I get that the point of traveling is to try new things, but we all like to stick to the patterns we’ve developed over time.

As a health-nut, our nature is to be picky.

We’re picky about where we eat, what we do, what time we go to the gym and so on.

So, instead of being a pain in the ass to the group of people that I’m traveling with, I’ve taken it upon myself to create a traveling three-item check list of the things that I need to enjoy my time while taming my OCD.

First and foremost on the list is meal prepping. Yes, you do need to pack your meals, because you don’t want to be that person that is whining about being hungry or not liking the restaurant everyone else wants to go to. Do your friends a favor and pack your stuff ahead of time. I’m pretty sure your friends don’t want to eat vegetables during a camping trip, so save yourself a headache and take your food with you.

Moving on to the next item on the list, let’s talk about your workout. Now, depending on where you are, you’ll have to either 1) be prepared to do some type of outdoor workout or 2) look up a gym nearby ahead of time. If you’re going to be outdoors most of the time, bring some bands with you for an outdoor HIIT session. If you’re going to be near a gym, schedule your time so that you get your workout in when your group doesn’t have any plans or whenever they’re asleep.

Lastly, create a killer playlist. Your friends might be amazing, but trust me… some of their music choices are going to annoy you. Traveling without good music is just boring. Don’t give your friends an excuse to plug in their phone filled with 90’s music.

I know this all sounds pretty simple, but you’d be surprised how many of us complain about traveling due to the hassles that come with it. I hope you take these tips with you and enjoy your time. Don’t let simple things like your schedule get in the way of spending quality time with the people that you love.

XOXO,

Manuela

The Truth About Abs

Everywhere you turn, there’s always that one one person trying to sell you on the secret to get abs. They tell you to do a countless number of crunches and ab exercises instead of emphasizing the importance of your diet. As a result, you kill yourself doing planks and other nonsense without seeing any results.

Let me start off by saying that working your core is extremely important. Just like everything else, you need to set some time aside to strengthen your abdominal muscles to avoid injury during heavy lifting sessions. Having a strong core can only help you in the long run, so working your abs isn’t useless.

That being said, just because you exercise your abs on a daily basis, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get the six-pack you’re craving.

As you know, your abs are located underneath the layer of fat you hold in your belly. It’s common sense that in order to see those wonderful abs, you need to lose the fat covering them. Why do you think that trainers usually start off by having their clients do cardio and lose the weight they need to before trying to tone their muscles? Simply put, unless you lose the fat, you won’t see the definition you seek.

I know you’ve probably heard this before but let me reiterate…

Abs are made in kitchen!

No amount of cardio is going to make up the fact that you eat two donuts for breakfast. It just doesn’t work that way. In fact, I’ve met several people who don’t even do cardio but have the most perfect abs I’ve ever seen. Before you get too excited, please know that their diet is on point. They don’t need cardio to get that kind of definition because their diet has taken care of their fat percentage.

However, I’ll have you know that some people are just genetically gifted. Either their metabolism is extremely effective or their genes are just too good. Even though most of us are not that way, there are some people that are blessed in that respect. I, too, hate those people.

Any who, now that we’ve established that abs are mostly diet-based, it’s still important to train them. Instead of spending two hours on a treadmill, eat well, do some effective fifteen-minute HIIT workouts & a ten-minute non-stop abs burnout at the end of your workout.

Guys, there’s no secret formula to getting abs. Just eat well, work hard and perform effective workouts. That’s it. Literally.

XOXO,

Manuela