Your Diet & Workout Guide to Getting the Deep "V" Abs

Who doesn't love a sexy stomach? One of the sexiest things that I love on a person-women or man-is the deep "v" shape muscles.

What the heck are those?

A combination of strong oblique and transverse abdominal muscles and a low percentage of body fat is the perfect formula to acheiving the  deep "V" shaped abdominal muscles.

These muscles, shaped like a "V" (hence, the name), primarily consists of the:

• external obliques
• internal obliques
• transverse abdonimals
• rectus abdominis

The most important aspects of reaching this goal will be in your food and water intake, what that food consists of, cardiovascular exercise and resistance training if needed.

Your main goal is to get lean. For most men, you will have to be below 10 percent body fat to see your "V" muscles. Women can be at a slightly higher percentage and still get the look.

The lower part of your abs, as a woman, tends to be one of the hardest areas to shape up because we store more fat around that region as opposed to men, but with a great bit of effort and a good diet, it can happen!

Here are 3 of my favorite ab workouts to get the "V":

1. Russian Twist: 

• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot from your butt.
• Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight, but don’t let it curve.
• Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level with the bottom of your ribcage.
• Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center and rotate to the right.
• This completes one rep.

2. Reverse Crunches: 

• Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
• Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
• Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
• Lower and repeat.
• It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

3. Lying Leg Raises: 

• Lie flat on your back with your legs stretched out in front of you. If you feel uncomfortable, try lying on carpet or on a yoga mat. If you have back problems, fold a towel and put it under the curve of your back, just above your hips. Keep your hands flat down on the ground.
• Bend your legs and raise them, keeping your toes pointed. Your thighs should be perpendicular to your body, while your shins are parallel.
• Straighten your legs so that they’re pointed at the ceiling. Keep your toes pointed. For a harder workout, skip Step 2 and slowly raise your legs to the ceiling without bending them.
• Slowly lower your legs to about an inch off the floor. Don’t just let gravity work for your – make sure you’re in control. If the exercise feels too easy, try to lower more slowly.
• Slowly raise your legs back up to the ceiling.

Here is a sample daily diet plan to help you get lean to acheive the "V" look:

Breakfast

• 1/2 cup plain oats
• 4 egg whites
• 1 glass almond milk

Snack

• Protein shake
• 1 apple

Lunch

• 6 oz grilled chicken breast or 6oz grilled pork tenderloin
• 1 sweet potato
• 4 oz steamed asparagus

 Snack

• 2 tbsp hummus with veggies
• 1/4 cup raw almonds

 Dinner

• 1 filet baked salmon or 6oz grilled steak
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup steamed broccoli

 Snack

• Protein shake

General rules:

*NO CARBS AFTER 7PM*

*DRINK AT LEAST 100oz WATER DAILY*