Flat Abs Without Crunches

So you know I'm a big fan of the Crunchless Abs program. It's the smartest workout series I've ever tried. Crunchless Abs demonstrates workouts for real people - starting from the ground up and getting more advanced as you get stronger. It really pushes you toward flat abs in a supportive way and without crunches. But I just ran across this new product, also from Linda LaRue: Core Transformer. Do you know what it is? I haven't clicked around yet. It looks like a fancy resistance band type of tool - have you tried it?

10 Minutes a Day to Sexy Abs

A 10-minute workout. That's it! Just 10 minutes a day is all that the Crunchless Abs program asks of us. Devoting 10 minutes a day to working your abdominal core - with NO crunches - will yield the sexiest abs you've ever had. What else do you spend 10 minutes a day doing? Washing dishes? Taking a shower? Standing in line for a latte? Playing around on Facebook? What a solid investment of time. There's really no excuse not to invest that 10 minutes in your health, your fitness, your core strength, your gorgeous abs.

Count Calories to Lose Weight

Success! I lost 1 pound this week! I can't even believe it. I started a food journal, writing down everything I ate. I haven't gotten into a good rhythm yet of calculating the calories - this part still feels like a chore. I think it'll get easier as I learn what caloric values are in foods I eat regularly. Just the fact that I'm documenting what I eat is a huge step in the right direction toward being very aware of what I'm putting in my mouth. I highly recommend it. And if you're willing to show your food journal to someone else, so much the better - you'll feel even more dedicated to eating right. Because who wants to admit that they ate that whole bag of cheese puffs?
Here are some websites you can use to help you calculate your calories:
http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/
http://www.calorieking.com/
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
I'm eating a bit more protein than I usually do, because i'm trying to drop some fat and add some muscle. I'm building up those abdominal muscles, and melting off the fat layer that hides my ever-strengthening ab muscles. And, I'm trying to get into a more regular rhythm of eating. I've always been a bit of a grazer and also kind of an over-eater. So, while those are difficult habits to break, I'm at least aware of it now and trying to make the changes necessary to unveil beautiful abs. My diet has always been a little out of whack - eating too many starchy carbs and not enough fruits and vegetables. So, I'm trying to work that out. And adding in the protein that I was really missing. It's all delicious. The thing I'm missing the most is the baked treats made with refined sugar. That was my main staple that I'm trying to do without entirely. Whew! Difficult! But it will be absolutely worth it. The Crunchless Abs program is so do-able... I don't want to be putting in the energy and time on the workouts and messing up on the diet part of it. The exercise is only part of the equation! We've got to eat right, too!

"Wishing" Is Not an Effective Fitness Plan

It seems that merely recognizing I have some extra fat lying around is not enough to make it go away. If wishes were horses we’d all take a ride. That’s right, it turns out wishing is not an effective fitness plan. So, the time has come for me to start counting calories. I know, I know, calorie counting seems so 1980s, but hey, the ‘80s are back, haven’t you heard? So, my goal is to lose one pound in the next 7 days. I know some people have much loftier goals, but I want to start small, realistic. I want to start this little program with a success. As far as I’m concerned, success is the right foot to put forward! OK, so the crunchless abs Cardio Core Sculpting video is going to play a part in my one-pound-reduction goal. And, yes, I’ll be counting calories. This means keeping a food journal. Some of you have smart phones (you lucky dogs!) and can download calorie-counting apps. More power to you! I think this is one of those great apps that can really make a different in your health, therefore in your life. The thing is that I’m not accustomed to paying a lot of attention to the calories in the foods I eat. The food journal will make me aware and probably influence what I’m putting in my mouth – there’s nothing like a visual record to keep me on my toes! Wish me luck.

Unveil Your Beautiful Abs - Burn That Fat

I've just had to come to terms with the fact that I'm carrying around some extra weight around my midsection. I believe they call it a spare tire. And as soon as I realized that indeed I have extra weight that didn't used to be there and really shouldn't be there now, I started to feel it all the time. When I'm walking, I feel it move. When I'm sitting, I feel it wrapped around my core like insulation. It's a terrible feeling! I really was pretty oblivious to it before. I guess it sort of comes and goes, but I'm suddenly hyper-aware of it and need it to go away. I need to melt it off. The best way I know of is the Cardio Core Sculpting video that is part of the Crunchless Abs series of workout videos. This fat blasting routine is serious business. And the thing is, it doesn't really matter how much I do the wonderful Crunchless Abs toning exercises if I'm not willing to sweat and dance away the fat that is covering those ever-stronger abdominals. So, look in the mirror. Give yourself an honest evaluation. See if you've got some extra padding that is hiding your beautiful abs that are just waiting to be unveiled! And then grab your video and get to it!

Strip Down to Strong Abs

Summer is officially here in every way. It’s hot. Really hot. And people are shedding their clothing - stripping down to as little as possible. I’m struck by how many shirtless men look GOOD in nothing but shorts and sneaks, and I wonder how many have tried the Crunchless Abs program. I’ll bet most of these guys are laboring away in gyms and at home on their pull-up bars and overpriced exercise machines in order to sculpt their six-pack abs. Do they know that there is an easier way? The Crunchless Abs exercise videos are pretty darn revolutionary, if you ask me. Linda LaRue has eliminated the traditional floor crunch in favor of a multitude of much more interesting exercises that work out every segment of your abdominal core. The ingenious combination of moves eliminates unnecessary stress and strain on your neck and back and tailbone. The Crunchless Abs moves are the most efficient method of obtaining rock hard abs that I’ve ever seen.

10 Easy Minutes to Flat Abs

My new favorite workout is the Crunchless Abs Workout #3. Whew! It feels so great. It's an interesting combination of modified yoga poses and other motions that really give your abs a fantastic workout. What I love about this abs exercise video is that it's gentle enough to do in the morning, but is seriously challenging at the same time. It gets my whole body warmed up. You must use your arms in a dedicated way, and your ham strings get this great stretch throughout. So often, abdominal workouts ignore the rest of the body, and even stress out other parts of the body, for example the neck, shoulders and upper back. And I just hate that. But this workout invites you to use your entire arms in downward dog and plank and scissor arms. And your shoulders will feel appreciated when moving quickly between a crouch and plank, shooting your legs straight out behind you. I can see that this is also a great practice move for working my way up to how they do this on the Rodney Yee yoga video I have. I never could do it on there, but this is a fantastic intermediate step to accomplishing that feat of strength: the seamless move from standing to plank. Your legs will feel stretched, lean, long, strong, when you do one of my favorite moves in this video - I'm not sure what it's called. But you do this nice fluid motion that enlists the aid of your pelvic muscles and your glutes to accomplish an exercise that doesn't feel too strenuous, but is clearly working loads of muscles. It also helps to get you to pay attention to isolating certain muscles to maintain a really still basic position while you're letting your legs glide up into the air and back down. It's a good one. You're going to feel sexier after you've done this workout. It feels so good, you might even want to try doing it twice in a row!

Many Benefits from Crunchless Abs Workouts

When I began the Crunchless Abs program, I thought that flat abs were definitely the most important goal. But it turns out that there are other benefits to these exercise videos. Because they strengthen your abdominal core, you’ll notice that you take new strength into everything you do. Your posture improves. And it brings you into your body. You become aware of your muscles and how you’re using them when you go about your regular activities. Gardening, house work, sports and other forms of exercise, and the like. You will get a new sense of how you use your body and more control over every move you make.

You can feel your core abdominals activate and help with upper-body work you do around the house and yard. You’ll even feel your abs kick into gear when you’re climbing a hill. You’ll get straighter, taller, and it will be easier to trudge upward.

One of the ways that the workouts give you this well-rounded core improvement is that there are a big variety of moves featured. Incorporating various poses from the traditions of yoga and pilates keeps it interesting and gives your body a great workout. Hopefully you too will notice this variety of benefits from this program that also happens to give you sexy abs without crunches.

Crunchless Abs vs. Mini Ab Circle

So, I'm at a friend's house and she has a device called the Mini Ab Circle. Seems like a cool little gizmo that allows you to do various simple movements for working out your abs. But, here's the downside: it's hard on your knees. Well, it's hard on my knees, and I don't have particularly troublesome knees. I probably tried it out for about 4 minutes, doing maybe 6 different moves. And when I stopped, owie. My right knee really was sore. The reason for this is that all of the exercises have you down in a kneeling position. So while I love the idea that you can just do these repetitive motions while you're watching TV, I'm not so sure I could stand to do it regularly if it was hurting my knees like that. FYI, the mini machine is $99 and the larger version is $199. Not too bad, but WAY more expensive than the Crunchless Abs program.

So there are two upsides of the Crunchless Abs program: very inexpensive, and really low-impact on your body. You get great results on your abdominal core without stressing other joints and muscles in the process.

Grab Your Towel and Sculpt Your Abs

I have to say, my favorite workouts require little to no equipment. This is one of the things I absolutely love about the Crunchless Abs program. In the Crunchless Abs 2 workout, all you need is a towel. That’s it. And in just 10 minutes a day, I’m working my way toward firmer, stronger, sexier abs. It’s all about making them work – repeatedly. And not just some of the abs, but all of your abs. Side obliques, lower abs, upper abs – all of your core gets activated and put to work. These are really simple exercises! It’s not rocket science. Getting taut, sculpted abs isn’t a big mystery and won’t require a ton of time, but it does take consistency – you’ve got to commit to working on them just about every day if you want to see results.

Now, the killer move in this program is the pushup. Whoa. As I’ve gotten older, my upper body strength has really diminished. This would explain why I’m starting to get those flabby upper arms I never thought would happen to me. Must resist!! Tracy Mallet leads us through really clever exercises that trick your abdominals into working hard – you just won’t believe it till you try it. The most amazing little move to me is when you drag a towel across the floor with your arm – it’s crazy how it taps directly into your abs and makes them work hard.

Use Your Crunchless Abs As You Hike

I went for a hike this morning – it was gorgeous! The air was crisp and the sun was nice and warm. Everything is greening up and the mud has finally dried out. I’ve found a loop at a nearby trail system that I really like. It starts with a nice gentle warmup, and gradually builds intensity, until the peak; then there’s a great section of camelbacks and slopes that are fun to try a slow jog on. The whole loop takes me about 40 minutes. When I first started, it took me 45, so I’ve cut 5 minutes off of my exercise time, but increased the workout and am feeling the benefits of doing it regularly.

Right at the end of the hike, there’s a steep incline. This morning, as I completed that last leg of the trail, I felt the benefits of the Crunchless Abs workout. As I climbed up that hill, I consciously zipped up my abs and felt my whole core strengthening. From the bottom of my lower abs, right up through my torso in a straight line to the top of my head, it felt like my core was pulling me up the hill. I can't tell you how different this was than relying 100% on leg power. Much better! I thought of yoga classes, where the instructor tells you to lift your spine, and to continue lifting right up through the top of your head. It worked. My whole body was involved in moving me up that hill and it made the whole experience feel so much better. I love feeling progress!

A Good Foundation for Your Workout

I have to admit that I never knew the value of proper running shoes for exercising in until I bought a pair - my first pair - this weekend. Don't cheat yourself out of proper footing. I've become an overnight convert to outfitting yourself well - giving yourself every opportunity to protect your body from injuries and unnecessary wear-and-tear while you're working out. The running shoes fit PERFECTLY - the high tech materials they're made of, and the lace-up style fully hugs my foot, and even my heel, which always slips in every other pair of shoe. If you've never invested in a pair, go to a sports store with sales people who really know their stuff and can help you make an educated choice about what's best for your needs. It'll be great for the aerobics portion of the Crunchless Abs program! And try on lots of pairs so you really feel the difference - you'll know when you're in a pair that works for you.

Mambo Your Way to a Hot Body

The Crunchless Abs Cardio Core Sculpting disc is really challenging. The idea is that you've been working hard on building your abs with the previous workouts... but if you've got a layer of fat veiling all that hard work, you've got to bust it off. So, the Cardio Core Sculpting disc instructs with some killer cardio activity. The format is very dance-like, requiring some coordination and stamina. If you have weak knees, exercise caution. There's a lot of twisting motions that are so great for your abs, but you know your own limits. Challenge yourself and have fun!

Get Ready to Bare Your Tight Abs

Spring is in the air and that warm sun is bringing on thoughts of sunbathing and swimming. Thank goodness for Crunchless Abs, right? We'll all be ready for swimsuit season after doing these challenging abs workouts that give us a tight abdominal core - zipping up all of our ab muscle groups into one tight, sexy package.

2 Steps to Flat Abs

If you aren't familiar with Linda LaRue's Crunchless Abs program, you can check her out on Intent.com. This one post called Gymless Flat Belly Fix will give you an idea of how smart her program is. She really pays attention to the details and expects us to, too! It's all about ... 1. Learning correct alignment and maintaining it throughout your workout for both effectiveness and safety. And... 2. Flexing your pelvic floor muscles - which you can do whether or not you're working it out. Check it.

Smart Exercise Program

Crunchless Abs is a really smart program. I've tried many exercise programs, and this one takes the cake in so many ways. It's great for a wide range of fitness levels. It brilliantly targets your entire complex of core muscles, zipping up your abdominal muscles like a tummy girdle. I'm really impressed by how safe and effective it is - not too simple; sufficiently challenging; not so over-the-top expert that it's inaccessible. You can truly succeed at it and see wonderful results - flat abs and gaining great control over your core muscles.

Crunchless Abs: Perfect Winter Workout

Can you believe that February is already well under way? What a relief to have a great program like Crunchless Abs to keep the body toned and looking great despite the winter slump. Staying active - even if you're working out indoors - is such a great way to beat the winter doldrums that are can be in full effect this time of year. Keep on flattening and toning with no crunches!

Sunday is Soup Day

Sunday is soup day. Have you taken a look at the Souper Slim booklet that came with your crunchless abs video? The weekend is a great time to make a nice big batch of soup to last much of the week. I've found that it's fantastic to have it waiting in my fridge, so that when I've had a long day at work, I can come home and nuke some soup - it helps to keep me from those ill-advised runs to the market at dinner time, where my handcart usually winds up with things like frozen tacquitos. Which are kind of disgusting and full of fat! A friend of mine has been making this heavenly asparagus soup that is completely vegan. So delicious. And here's my extra special tip to making soup feel a little more special than just a ladle full of healthy... prepare something to sprinkle on top that suits the soup - it may be toasted pine nuts, a tiny bit of goat cheese, lemon zest... and top your reheated soup with that little something special that adds a nice accent. Haven't decided which recipe I'll use tomorrow, but I'm definitely souping it!

10 Minutes a Day to Sexy Abs

A 10-minute workout. That's it! Just 10 minutes a day is all that the Crunchless Abs program asks of us. Devoting 10 minutes a day to working your abdominal core - with NO crunches - will yield the sexiest abs you've ever had. What else do you spend 10 minutes a day doing? Washing dishes? Taking a shower? Standing in line for a latte? Playing around on Facebook? What a solid investment of time. There's really no excuse not to invest that 10 minutes in your health, your fitness, your core strength, your gorgeous abs.

No Crunches - Flat Abs

It's still amazing to me how for generations, it seems, people have thought that the best way to get flat abs was to lay on the floor and do torturous sit ups and stomach crunches that strain the neck and back. Thank goodness for the Crunchless Abs workout system for the intelligent way it incorporates various moves that target all of your abdominal muscles, giving you sculpted abs without a lot of unnecessary pain.

New Year's Resolution

My overriding thought of the day is THANK GOODNESS the holiday eating season is over. Too many temptations on an almost daily basis for too long!! I'm determined to hit the crunchless abs program hard this month to get the firmest core and flattest abs possible before the end of January.