If there is one thing that most of my clients have in common it is that they all want a flat, defined stomach. Here is my guide to achieving amazing, bikini-ready abs.

Nutrition

First things first. You can do as many sit ups, twists and planks as you like but until you cut out the bad stuff you won’t see the results you are after. Cut out all processed, packaged foods, bin the sugary drinks and feed the starchy carbs to the birds! For real results try to eat only ‘clean foods’. That means those that don’t have lists of ingredients on the packet. Fill up on fruits, veggies and protein packed foods such as organic meat and fish, nuts and eggs. Not only will you see a difference reasonably quickly, you will also feel amazing and full of energy.

Cardio

You have to burn the fat covering your abdominal muscles to achieve definition. High intensity interval sessions will get you results and burn shed loads (or rather belly loads) of fat with the least amount of time spend. Whether you go for the treadmill, bike or cross-trainer all you need is 4 minutes. Sprint or cycle as fast and as hard as you can for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds rest – repeat 8 times. It might sound easy enough but trust me, if you’re working hard enough you will feel the burn at the end of the 4 minutes!

Work from the core

Strong core muscles, the underlying muscles around your trunk and pelvis, are essential for building defined abdominals.

Summer is fast approaching now so it’s the perfect time to update your workout wardrobe with some of my fabulous racer back vests. They come in a variety of vibrant colours and are available in sizes 8-16 for a cost of £17 each.

Just a polite reminder that if you do need to cancel a small group or personal training session please give me 24 hours notice so that I have time to fill your space, otherwise unfortunately you will be charged for the session. Also, in the interests of hygiene, please bring a sweat towel to each session – I plan on making you sweat A LOT so a towel will be needed! Indoor training shoes are also requires in the studio.

Research has proven that the process of digesting protein requires about 30% more calories than digesting carbohydrates? That’s right, just eating a high protein diet will ensure that you burn more calories per meal. In some cases, a high protein diet is the “missing link” in a fat loss or lean muscle building nutrition plan.  Protein is the building block of muscle tissue, and the more lean muscle we have, the stronger our metabolism.

 6 High Protein Diet tip’s

1. Eat last night’s dinner for breakfast or lunch – most of us usually have a high protein dinner (and high in vegetables, which is a bonus). Making extra for tomorrow will save cooking time and provide you with a high protein meal(s) that can be packed for later.

2. Try eating meat, poultry, and fish for breakfast, or oatbran with a scoop of whey protein. I actually really like oatbran but if you find it too bland you could add in some chopped nuts, seeds, nut butter or some fruit puree.

3. Bring hard-boiled eggs for lunch, or even slice the eggs over a lunch salad.

4. Add beef, chicken, turkey, mackeral or salmon to a lunch salad.

5. When you cannot eat enough protein, use a supplement. Protein powders and bars are great places to start, but remember that whole foods are the goal!

6. Add protein powder to smoothies and shakes,  you can have these as a breakfast on the run or as a snack in between meals. There really quick and easy to whiz up in a blender. Here’s a couple of my favourite recipe’s:

Basic Berry

8oz water

1 scoop of whey protein

Cup of frozen berries

Chocolate – peanut butter

8oz water

1 scoop of whey protein

½ cup ice

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

1 tablespoon of 100% cocoa powder

Avocado-cucumber

8oz water

1 scoop of whey protein

½ cup ice

1 large or 2 small avocado’s

½ cucumber peeled and seeded

Fresh parsley optional

Apple-carrot-cucumber(sometimes I add spinach to this one too)

8oz water

1 scoop of whey protein

½ cup ice

1 carrot peeled and cut up

1 apple peeled & seeded

½ cucumber

Dash of cinnamon or nutmeg

We now have 4 weeks to go until the WNAA Heroes Run at Holdenby I have 50 recruit’s so far thanks to all that have signed up, if you haven’t and fancy joining my team please let me know by Easter Monday.

Most brides will have one area that they hope to tone up or lose weight from. Firstly I think it is my duty to be the bearer of bad news and tell you that you can’t target one area to lose weight from. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decides where we carry our fat. Too much food and not enough exercise leads us to pile on the pounds, but where that weight is carried is all down to genetics. The only way to reduce this is by shedding weight from your whole body. Obviously we can build muscle and tone areas with specific exercises, however if the muscle has a layer of fat over the top of it this is not going to achieve the silhouette you are after. The best way to achieve your ideal shape for your wedding dress is through sensible eating and a varied exercise regime which includes resistance training.    Resistance training  and high intensity cardio is what is going to send that fat packing so that you can work on achieving the muscle tone you desire.  Resistance training can be performed using dumbells, machines, barbells, tubes or your own body weight.

 For your cardio there is no point in walking on the treadmill or chatting to your mate on the crosstrainer for ten minutes and expecting miracles. You need to be working up a sweat and feeling breathless. On a scale of 1 to ten, 1 being barely moving and 10 being the maximum intensity that you can work at, you should be warming up at about level 5 or 6 followed by a real cardio blast ranging between 7 and 9 if it’s fat loss your wanting to achieve.

Interval training is the key, try doing 20 seconds at high intensity, for example sprinting or fast cycling followed by 10 seconds rest. Repeat this 8 times. As the level you are working at becomes easier over the weeks increase your speed or the incline on the treadmill to make sure you still benefit from your intervals.

 Posture is key

The most important thing to remember when performing exercises that target your upper body (arms, neckline and waist and stomach) is your posture. Not only is it important when training, but it is worth remembering that standing with the correct posture on your big day will make such a difference to both your appearance and your overall confidence.

Stand with your heels positioned directly under your hips with your toes turned slightly out. Gently draw the belly button in, brace the abs and lift the chest. Lift the shoulders up, roll them back and down, pushing your shoulder blades in towards the spine. Your head should be looking forward in line with the body. And, most important of all to your appearance on the big day, smile!