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on Feb 28th, 2014 and filed under Get a flat stomach with Lucy Mecklenburgh’s fitness tips – handbag.com
TOWIE’s Lucy Mecklenburgh has been working hard on her fitness videos, Results With Lucy. Here’s what we’ve learnt.
If you’re feeling inspired, take a look at this toned tummy advice…
Lucy Mecklenburgh’s fitness tips
© Lucy Mecklenburgh Instagram
1. Watch what you eat
Make like Lucy and work on cutting your body fat levels with a diet of veggies, fruit, wholegrains and‘good fats’ like avocados and nuts. If you’re an adventurous cook, you could try making your own sushi like Lucy, which is low in fat and high in protein.
Remember it’s not about starving yourself. You need to feed your muscles and stay strong because this is what maintains a fast metabolism. Eat healthy, low calorie meals regularly for the best results.
2. Don’t try and ‘spot reduce’ stomach fat
It’s not physically possible to burn fat in your desired area. No matter how much you hate your stomach, fat won’t necessarily drop off there first.
The trick is to focus on an all-over body workout, including cardiovascular exercises like running, skipping and rowing.
3. Start with a simple circuit
Start with squat jumps: Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart, then slowly bend your legs and arms to about 90 degrees at the same time. Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, explode into the air as high as you can go. Land softly and repeat the motion again.
Follow squats with some skipping rope action and then burpees. These two exercises work your whole body and will improve your coordination, footwork and balance.
Add lunges and push-ups to tone your thighs, bum and upper chest.
© Lucy Mecklenburgh Instagram
4. Don’t worry about getting bulky
Lucy was initially worried about becoming too bulky, but its a training myth. Building lots of muscle that alters your body shape takes years, expert nutrition and complete dedication.
Unlike men, women don’t produces masses of testosterone which is key in building big bulky muscles. Instead weight training will make you shapelier, thinner and more toned.
5. Tackle those hips and upper thighs
Start with a series of side planks to tone hips and whittle waists.
Next try leg extensions.
Make sure that your legs are fully extended behind you. Rest your arms by your sides, or extended out and away from your body. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, use the muscles in your thighs to extend your legs up towards the sky. Inhale your breath, and slowly lower your legs back to the floor. Perform two sets of ten repetitions of the exercise in order to ensure optimal results.
6. Stay motivated
Lucy’s fellow TOWIE star Lydia Bright believes the best way to stay motivated is to put the best picture of yourself on the fridge, and keep at it.
VARIATIONS ON A PLANK EXERCISE YOU NEED TO TRY
