Health+Beauty...
Thursday, 21 August, 2008
Fitness & Health Print this | Email this |

How To Get The Spice Girl's Super-Sculpted stomach

by Louise Pyne
picture: WENN

The Spice Girls tour may be well and truly over but there's no stopping Mel B from flaunting her super-toned abs. From the singer landing a deal with lingerie label Ultimo to plans to release her very own fitness DVD, Star Style reveals the secrets behind the Spice Girl's fabulous abs.

Getting Physical

Working out three times a week for 90 minutes at a time with her trainer Joey Kormier, Mel advises, "My workout is so intense, you only need to do it two to three times a week." But thankfully you don't need a personal trainer to get Mel's enviable abs.

Incorporating strength training with high-impact cardio like Mel does will whittle down your waistline and boost your metabolism in just a few weeks. Aside from calorie-burning capoiera, the Spice Girl is also a fan of swimming, which is fantastic for an all-over body workout, and when she's not taking a dip, she's walking off any belly bulge - pounding the park pavements with her trainer or working the most complex of yoga positions to further sculpt those stomach muscles.

Mael's Healthy Meals
Mel makes sure she eats three small meals plus two snacks a day. Eating little and often keeps hunger pangs at bay and also helps boost her metabolism and energy levels, thus helping to burn calories even when she's not exercising.

According to her trainer, Mel follows strict portion rules, making sure that 30 per cent of her plate is made up of lean protein (such as chicken or fish), 40 per cent is wholewheat carbs or vegetables and the last 30 per cent consists of monosaturated fat. Protein-rich foods make your metabolism go into overdrive, making it become extra efficient in burning calories, whilst monosaturated fats, like those contained in olive oil, nuts and avocados help provide energy and burn carbs quickly - thus helping beat the battle against those unwanted inches.

Easy Exercises To Tighten Your Tum...
Crunch Time
Forget traditional sit-ups, the easy way to flatter abs is to lie on a fitness ball and do a set of stomach crunches placing your hands on your chest. The fitness ball forces your core back and stomach muscles to contract and also ensures you are doing the exercise correctly.

The Plank
Lie face down then lift yourself up on your toes and forearms, with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Hold for 10 seconds and build up to 40 seconds. Repeat three times a day.

Toe Touch
Lie on the floor with arms and legs straight upwards, perpendicular to your body. Slowly curl your torso up and forward, raising your hands as close to your toes as possible, contract your abs and then reverse the direction, returning to the starting position.

Reverse Curl
Begin by lying back on the floor. With your hands at your sides, raise your butt as high as possible while keeping your upper back pressed to the floor. Contract your abs and then reverse the direction, returning to the starting position.

Want Washboard Abs Like Mel's? Follow These Top Diet Tips

1. Reduce your salt intake. Instead of adding salt to food for added flavour, which instantly causes water retention, season your meal with herbs.

2. To help zap stomach fat, eat protein-rich oily fish like salmon and mackerel at least three times per week like Mel, and make sure to include flaxseed oil in your diet.

3. Swap fizzy drinks for mineral water, making sure to drink at least two litres per day to keep the belly bloat at bay.

4. Ditch refined foods like white bread and regular pasta as these can make you store fat. Instead, opt for low GI wholemeal varieties, making sure portion size is no bigger than your fist.

5. Make sure your main evening meal is packed with lean protein rather than heavy carbs, and try to eat before 8pm to avoid going to bed on a full stomach.


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