Keen to sculpt your strongest core ever? This holistic plan can help make it happen. From simple food and fitness tweaks to the power of sleep, we asked doctors, dietitians and trainers for their best science-backed hacks.
There were many secrets we would like to have known about Kate Hudson’s look at the Vanity Fair Oscar’s party. How did the 47-year-old look so flawless? Where is her dress from? And how did she get those abs? According to Megan Roup, founder of The Sculpt Society, double pulse scissors, alternating toe taps and cross-body crunches were just some of the moves used to get the star ready for the glamorous A-list event. Working up a sweat just thinking about it? Same.
Well, you can breathe easy. As experts tell Body+Soul, building strong abdominals needn’t require hours spent working out in the gym or forking out for an expensive regime. Because, at its core, the steeliest results when it comes to your midsection are achieved out of the gym as much as in it. The even better news? There are many holistic tweaks you can make, which, when done consistently, can nudge your middle closer to your goals.
While most of us don’t have the desire, time or money to try and achieve a Hollywood-standard physique, honing a strong core – whatever that looks like for you – can be valuable for long-term health. Dylan Rivier, a personal trainer who has himself trained a number of famous faces (and abs), explains, “This can aid functional stability, which in turn helps with your balance and posture, and ultimately keeps you injury-free and moving well.” Now you’re talking.
So, for the steps to nurture a stronger core, here are nine expert-approved ways to help bring those abs into the spotlight (with endless sets of crunches well and truly out of the picture).
#1. Pack in protein
There is a key ingredient when it comes to setting the scene for abs in the kitchen. “Protein intake is especially important, as it supports muscle maintenance and satiety, which helps with fat loss,” notes Veronika Larisova, a nutritionist, exercise physiologist and co-founder of Chief Nutrition. She emphasises the need for enough daily protein – a minimum of 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight to maintain muscle as you train. While that might sound daunting, you can load up on 31 grams alone via a single chicken breast, and up to 20 grams can be found in a serving of Greek yoghurt.
However, there are a variety of ways to top up on the increasingly popular macro – all without supplementing with a shake. “Protein can be obtained from both animal sources such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy, but also plant sources like legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds and wholegrains,” says Dr Jessica Fitzpatrick, a dietitian specialising in gastrointestinal diseases at The Melbourne Gut Clinic. Further still, recent research has shown that protein consumption at breakfast is even better for building muscle mass. We’ll take two poached eggs with our avocado toast, then.
#2. Hero your gut health
Bloating will do your ab goals no favours. “Bloating or abdominal distension, whether related to gut issues or fluid retention, may also make the midsection look less defined even when body fat is relatively low,” explains Laith Cunneen, an exercise physiologist and physiotherapist at Peak Physio.
“It’s often related to how food is being digested, how much gas is being produced, whether there is constipation, food intolerance or an underlying condition such as IBS,” continues Dr Fatima Khan, who specialises in hormonal health and teaches at the University of Melbourne. “The gut microbiome may also play a role.” Indeed, persistent bloating can be a sign that this area of your health needs some TLC.
There are some key ways to ease bloating while supporting your overall gut health, which is also linked to everything from boosted immunity to better mood. “Eat regularly and avoid long periods of grazing – allowing time between meals helps support normal gut motility patterns,” suggests Dr Fitzpatrick. “Taking time to eat, chewing thoroughly and tuning into hunger and fullness cues can also support better digestion.”
#3. Swap ‘ab challenges’ for yoga poses
While loading the supermarket trolley with legumes, yoghurt, meat and eggs, don’t forget that exercise remains an important component for a stronger core. It may be tempting to zone in on your midsection during workouts if that’s your goal, but it’s actually a combination of full-body strength work done simultaneously with core exercises that will ultimately deliver the results you’re after. “A common mistake is believing stomach fat can be spot-reduced by doing lots of ab exercises,” notes Cunneen. Indeed, those ‘30-day ab challenges’ you hear about or see online are unlikely to yield the desired effect.
The good news is that the simple act of lacing up your trainers could be a win for both daily exercise and an active gut (which is good for that bloating we’re trying to avoid). “Regular daily movement helps the bowel contract and move contents forward,” explains Kate Sindrey, a pelvic floor physiotherapist at The Melbourne Gut Clinic. “This doesn’t need to be intense exercise – walking is one of the most effective options. A short 10 to 20-minute walk after meals can help reduce bloating.” Give yoga a try, too. “Simple poses such as knees-to-chest stretches, gentle spinal twists, pelvic tilts and cat-cow movements can help stimulate bowel activity and reduce abdominal tension,” she adds.
#4. Mind your hips
Back in the gym (or the park, or your living room floor), Rivier points to a frequent mistake he sees when it comes to people training their abs: “Using your hip flexors instead of your abs to complete an exercise,” he shares. “Whether it’s a crunch, sit-up, weighted pull-down or hanging leg raise, the opportunity is always there to let your hip flexors dominate the movement – it’s important to understand the difference because one will help you sculpt your six-pack, while the other will give you sore hips and no results.”
If in doubt about your form, ask a PT, physiotherapist or other qualified expert for guidance. “It’s not hard, but people often need coaching through it at least once to discover the difference,” continues Rivier. “The easiest way is to imagine shortening the distance from your shoulders to your hips, curling into a ball – whether you’re lifting yourself up from the ground in a crunch or lifting your legs from floor to ceiling. If you keep the spine straight in any of the classic ab exercises, you’re just hitting your hips.”
#5. Champion wholefoods
Loading your plate with nourishing foods is vital for overall health as well as ab goals – and so is keeping grocery buys that will hinder your good work to a minimum. “Prioritising whole, minimally processed foods is a strong foundation,” says Larisova. “The biggest culprits for bloating and water retention are refined carbs, ultra-processed foods and sugar alcohols, such as erythritol and maltitol.” The latter are reduced-calorie sweeteners that may be found in foods marketed as ‘healthy’.
What should your fuel look like instead? “Focus on nutrient-dense meals that include quality protein as well as fruit and vegetables,” continues Larisova. This is an approach to nutrition that isn’t only conducive to ab definition, but also overall health and energy levels. However, Larisova also emphasises the importance of balance. “Consistency matters more than extremes, so it’s about sustainable habits rather than short-term restriction,” she adds.
#6. Avoid pop to help performance
Sipping on enough H2O is likewise crucial. “Adequate fluid intake supports bowel function, particularly for people prone to constipation,” says Dr Fitzpatrick, nodding to how hydration can ease bloating and gas. Larisova adds: “It also reduces water retention and helps regulate appetite and energy levels – plus, even mild dehydration can affect physical and mental performance.” Neither of which will make you feel especially inclined to smash your workout or want to cook up a nutritious meal.
While probiotic pop and alt-milks may be popular drinks in the wellness space, they are likely doing you no favours in the ab department. Valentina Duong, a dietitian, nutritionist and specialist in performance nutrition, highlights that carbonated drinks of any kind can increase bloating and gas, while Larisova points out that options like almond milk may contain emulsifiers, sweeteners and gums, with evidence of a disruption to appetite regulation. In short, not ideal.
#7. Prioritise sleep to support training
It may sound too good to be true, but your snooze time can also aid your ab agenda. “A lower body fat percentage, within a healthy range, is key – and therefore so is sleep,” explains Olivia Arezzolo, sleep expert and author of Bear, Lion or Wolf. She points out that in a study which changed nothing else except shut-eye – including eating and moving the same amount – participants lost 55 per cent more body fat by sleeping 8.5 hours rather than 5.5 hours.
In fact, not getting enough Zs can have a nightmarish effect, it seems. “With a lack of sleep, we experience a 28 per cent increase in the hunger hormone called ghrelin, and an 18 per cent decrease in the satiety hormone called leptin,” warns Arezzolo. “In the long-term, metabolism is driven down and there is increasing difficulty seeing muscle definition – meaning that even if we train for abs, the body isn’t provided the biological support to preserve it.” Makes sense.
#8. Try different moves to improve definition
Seeing good progress when it comes to a stronger core? Then it’s time to switch up your moves to help push those abs. “Once someone has a solid training base and relatively low body fat, then direct abdominal training can improve definition,” says Cunneen. “That includes exercises that target the rectus abdominis, such as crunches, hanging leg raises and rollouts.” It’s also crucial to train the core in different ways “such as through side planks, cable woodchops and anti-rotation exercises that can help develop the obliques and broader trunk musculature”, he adds.
“Dumbbell pullovers and scapula push-ups are also worth including,” continues Cunneen. “These engage the serratus anterior, which runs along the side of the rib cage and contributes to the layered, defined look of the midsection beyond just the abs themselves.” On that note, don’t forget to increase the intensity. “Body weight is great, but you need to progressively overload your abs just like you would with every other activity in the gym,” adds Rivier. Unsure where to begin? A PT can help get you on the right track.
#9. Personalise your approach
While we’d all like to have abs like Hudson, or another chiselled star like Chris Hemsworth (whose younger brother Liam was only half joking when he told him, “I hope I have abs like you when I grow up,” in a tongue-in-cheek snap to mark his 42nd birthday), it turns out that there’s more than Hollywood stardom making a difference in the stakes for a stronger core.
Yes, it’s true: a one-size approach definitely doesn’t fit all and some people will find building ab definition more of a breeze than others. “Genetics play a significant role in how we store fat, how easily we build muscle and even determine the shape of the abdominal wall itself,” points out Dr Khan. “Body fat percentage also influences how visible the underlying muscles are – so two people may have similarly healthy lifestyles, but very different levels of abdominal definition.” You heard that right: someone can be eating well, exercising regularly and still not see a six-pack.
“That desired ‘six-pack’ is simply the rectus abdominis muscle showing beneath the skin,” explains Larisova. “Ab definition ultimately comes down to body fat levels, and if it’s too high they simply won’t be visible.” But while being leaner may help if you’re shooting for a super-toned midriff, it’s vital that your body fat stays within a healthy range – typically considered to be around 25 per cent to 31 per cent for women and around 18 per cent to 24 per cent for men.
What’s more, ab definition is reliant on remaining well-fuelled. “Great nutrition supports training and recovery, which affects performance and long-term body composition,” explains Duong. So if you’re unsure how to get the balance right, or want a plan that’s personalised to you and your goals, seek qualified help to optimise your fitness while ensuring you’re nourishing your body properly. Because at its core, building abs is about a healthy middle ground.
