Fitness Expert Shares Secrets For Sculpted Abs

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If your workout program doesn't seem to scoring results, you may have bought into some exercise myths. A common goal is to get sculpted abs, but do you sometimes feel like crunches are getting you no where?

Health and fitness expert Ali Holman appeared on WCCO This Morning with her secrets for sculpted abs. First and foremost, she said abs are indeed made in the kitchen. If your diet and nutrition aren't somewhat on point, all the exercises in the world won't give you the rippled look.

Even if your meals have the right ingredients, you might want to switch up your menu. For instance, have your bigger meal earlier in the day and keep your dinner relatively pared down.

In brief, follow these tips to tune up your diet:

1. Eat more real food, less processed
2. Eat 5-6 mini meals per day, heartiest meal in the A.M., leanest meal in the evening
3. Eat .5 oz water per lb of body weight
4. Eat .5 oz protein per lb of body weight

But you didn't come here for that. You want to know the exercises you can add to your circuit. Regular crunches only work about 25 percent of your abdominal muscles. Holman recommended cycling these items (which you can see examples of in the video above):

1. Crab Single Leg Pike
2. Ninja Knees
3. Back to 2 seated single leg killer ab
4. Side Plank "Runs"