From the Timid Tone to the Willpower Washboard, the celeb tribes flaunting their incredible washboard stomachs
FORGET the Kardashian curves of 2019, when it comes to body goals a seriously sculpted stomach is what these stars are aiming for.
From Maura Higgins’ subtle sculpt to Davina McCall’s six pack these celebs are keen to flaunt their seriously toned tummies.
And if these are giving you some workout inspiration David Weiner, training specialist at AI-based fitness and lifestyle coaching app , has revealed exactly what you need to do to be the envy of Instagram.
However, gym bunnies be warned, these exercises are not for the faint hearted and require some strong willpower.
Here we take a look at the celebrity ab army - and reveal exactly how they did it.
THE GENTLE TONE
Favoured by the likes of Maura Higgins and Maya Jama, the gentle tone gives you a sculpted look without leaving you looking too muscley.
To achieve the look David says you need to ensure that the exercises you are doing focus on your core to tone your abs (obviously!), as well as strengthening your back muscles and improving your overall upper body fitness.
People of all ages and fitness levels can achieve this look.
Consistently doing a couple of ab-toning workouts, for example each morning, will help define your abs. You need to make sure you are concentrating on utilising your core muscles and not straining the muscles in your neck and shoulders.
You can build up your ab strength by gradually adding more reps to your routine or holding the exercises for a longer period of time, which is guaranteed to get your abs working hard.
Quick ab-toning exercises
Climbers
Start by getting into the high plank position with your hands below your shoulders and feet on the ground.
Make sure that your feet and hands are in line with your knees, hips and shoulders.
Bring one foot up towards your hand and count one climber from when your foot lands on the floor at hand level. Land with your hips lower than your shoulders and bring the other foot forward as the other foot jumps back.
Planks
Place your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders. Your legs should be fully extended behind you with your knees off the floor.
Keep your body in a straight line and hold this position for a set time. Aim to increase the time you can hold a plank.
Bicycle Crunches
To do these, lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground (pull your belly button in to target your deep abs).
Keep your feet and shoulders off the ground at all times. Put your hands next to your head with you elbows pointing outwards, then bring your left knee up towards your chest and rotate your upper body to the right, so that your right elbow touches your left knee above the hip.
At the same time, stretch out your right leg, keeping your heel off the ground.
Ground Twists
Start seated with your knees bent and feet lifted off the floor, then lean back slightly, extending your arms in front of your, then slowly rotate your upper body to one side, approximately 90°, then return to centre and continue on the other side. Repeat.
Side Plank Crunches
Begin by getting into a side plank position with your right foot on top of your left foot and your left elbow on the floor.
Proceed by lifting your left arm in an arc above your head as far as you can reach, then slowly lower it back down with your body until your hip is touching the ground again. Do the same number of reps for each side.
You can also add in weights to make these exercises a bit more challenging.
Diet is an incredibly important element in trying to gain those gentle tone abs. A nutritious snack around every three hours will help keep your blood sugar levels steady and feed your body a steady stream of essential nutrients.
It also helps to manage hunger-induced cravings for less than slimming snacks like sweets and crisps. Having protein in your diet is essential to build muscle, so include foods such as chicken, turkey, beef and egg whites as well as adding in a variety of complex carbohydrates.
THE FITNESS FIRM UP
Molly-Mae Hague and Maisie Smith have achieved the Fitness Firm-up which results in more definition, with the linea alba (that line down the middle of your stomach) becoming visible.
David says the best way to achieve the ‘fitness firm up’ abs is to reduce belly fat and strengthen your abdominal muscles, combined with eating healthy foods and a balanced diet.
Reducing your visceral fat, which is the hidden fat that surrounds your organs will enable your six-pack to show. In straightforward terms, reducing your belly fat will cause your abs to be more visible. To lose the belly fat, there are several simple aerobic exercises you can do.
By completing a short, intense HIIT workout session 3-5 times a week as well as walking, running or dancing and having a low-carb diet, you will be able to achieve your ab goals.
Exercises to help tone those abs
Planking for 30 to 60 seconds as this will strengthen all your core muscles.
Side Planks as these will strengthen your lateral abs.
Squats and Lunges to tone your abs and even your legs.
Burpees which are a tough but effective full body exercise that will help shed additional fat.
Having a low carb diet and eating plenty of protein promotes fat loss and muscle gain, which are the two most important factors for developing great abs.
Having a protein-rich breakfast boosts your blood sugar levels, preventing those dips that can lead to snack indulgences later in the day.
Well-balanced meal combinations can also help with cravings for unhealthy foods. Follow the 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fats rule and you’ll have those abs showing on no time!
THE WILLPOWER WASHBOARD
There is no mistaking Davina McCall’s six pack while Laura Hamilton has packed away some serious muscle.
Willpower Washboard abs are not something that you can accomplish by just working out daily explains David, you need to completely change your diet and lifestyle.
To gain washboard abs, you will need to have a healthy diet, constant cardiovascular training and regularly include abdominal exercises in your workout.
Having a healthy diet is one of the main components to having washboard abs. You know what they say…abs are made in the kitchen!
You need to drink at least three litres of water and eat five portions of vegetables and fruits per day. Avoid fried foods, cheese, processed sugars, fatty red meat – only lean red meats.
High protein diets will benefit at the beginning but, to shed off that last 10-15 pounds it is suggested to reduce your calories to a range of 1500-2000 calories a day, but you must exercise rigorously, with both abdominal exercises and cardio.
Consistent cardiovascular workouts are required to obtain washboard abs, doing at least 30- 40 minutes of exercises like walking, running, cycling or swimming every day. Plus ten-second crunches, as these firm up the belly.
Your core is made up of a number of muscles, the major abdominal muscles include the pelvic floor muscles, transverse abdominis, pectoralis major, external oblique, internal oblique, multifidus, rectus abdominus, erector spinae and diaphragm.
Each core exercise targets a different variation of these muscles, so in order to gain that desired six-pack, you need to incorporate a number of core exercises into your workout. Sticking to the same two or three ab exercises will not strengthen your whole core or build muscle.
A variety of abdominal exercises will help develop the muscles under the fat, for example hanging knee raises, sit ups, side plank crunches, arm and leg lifts. If you are more advanced then harder abdominal exercises will benefit you.
However, anytime you exercise your abs, you should also work on your lower back as this creates balance in your torso and will prevent unnecessary strain.
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