It's hard enough to get 6-pack abs, let alone after you've had six children.
But Francisca Dennis, a 37-year old mother of six isn't letting that stop
her.
grrlAthlete's Training Director, Craig Ballantyne, recently spoke with
fitness competitor Fran Dennis for her tips and secrets on how to help you
lose fat and define your abs.
"It wasn't until I committed myself to weight training that I began to see
changes in my physique," she explains. Francisca evolved from simple
workouts into fitness and figure competitions, constantly honing her
physique. And she's been quite successful, even though she didn't start
competing until her mid-thirties.
Clearly, Francisca has a strong competitive spirit and powerful inner drive
for success. "I guess what motivates me most is my desire and drive to
attain my goals. I am motivated when I see others overcome obstacles and
fight through their own challenges too. When I hear from people, telling me
that I have inspired, motivated or touched them with my story, that also
motivates me," Francisca says.
Most women would expect that with six kids to take care of, Francisca would
have no time to train. But she makes time through careful scheduling -
splitting her lifting and cardio between morning and evening if she has to.
Francisca also works hard on her diet, of course. Even with all the kids in
the house, she sticks to a fat-burning, muscle-building diet all year round.
That helps her out in the training department as well, because it doesn't
require her to make drastic increases in the amount of training to help her
get competition fit. Francisca believes her diet is the key to her success.
"I follow a great diet all year round, so when competition time comes
around, I only have to make slight modifications. Lean meats, complex
carbohydrates and lots of green veggies and water," she says.
And Fran's final words for you...
"Just training abs won't give you the very sought after "six pack". It's a
lifestyle change that involves training your whole body, being consistent
and clean with your diet, as well as driven and motivated to be your best.
Work hard, and be happy with what you see in the mirror. Don't cut yourself
down. Revel in your accomplishments and believe in yourself."
Here's Fran's list of 5 common myths about abs.
Myth 1) You don't need to watch what you eat
Diet is first and foremost the key factor when trying to get 6-pack abs. "No
matter how much you exercise, you can't just eat what you want and expect to
get optimal results," Fran says. So be like Fran and plan your nutrition in
advance, to avoid dietary downfalls.
Myth 2) As long as you do a lot of ab exercises and repetitions, it doesn't
matter how well you do them
Fran says, "It is important to do all repetitions with good form. Focus on
quality, not quantity. Bad form will give you less results, and you could
hurt your back if you are not careful."
Myth 3) You can "Spot reduce" the fat on your abs with crunches
No matter how many crunches you do, you won't be able to get rid of your ab
fat with crunches alone. You need a good diet and an increase in your
calorie burning from total body exercises.
Myth 4) Infomercial products work!
Belt-saunas, and electrical stimulators are not magic bullets. You can't
expect anything you order from TV to help you get a 6-pack.
Myth 5) You must do abs every day
"You don't need to do abs every day. Instead, train them hard three times
per week like I do," says Fran
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