Dr Yusof Mutahar is a medical doctor, fitness model and athlete. He has special interest in sports medicine and fitness. He has become an instragram influencer through his application of the social media platform to promote health, well being and fitness. He is also known for his defined abs and physique which he maintains throughout the year despite his busy schedule as a doctor. S how does Dr. Yusof Mutahar manage to maintain his physique alongside hus busy schedule. We ask him for 5 tips.
- Don’t forget cardio
Too many people will focus on weights at the gym and at times neglect cardio. A better option would be to ensure you conduct both in your routine. Cardio doesn’t have to be boring nor does it have to be running on the treadmill. For me it was playing squash and going for a swim. Find something you like and incorporate it into your cardio regime.
- Nutirion, nutrition, nutirion.
Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym. It is important you keep an eye on your calories and have a healthy diet. I don’t usually recommend any specific diet, however having a mixed of all essential food groups is a safe option. Be mindful of your portion sizes and avoid added sugars, salts that lead to weight gain or water retention.
- Set small goals.
Some people have unrealistic expectations and tend to give up if they are not achieved. It is often more benefit to set small goals that are more practical to achieve. Furthermore sometimes goals aren’t achieved and in these cases it is important to reflect and make changes to our routine or diet in order to continue to develop and grow.
- Focus more on core strength than abs.
Remember that core strength is much more important than having abs alone. Core strength includes abs, obliques, hip flexors and some of your back muscles amongst others. A strong core will give you a more defined look but also prevent against injury. Exercises that will aid in core strength are, crunches, squats, planks and chin ups amongst others.
- Monitor Progress
Finally it is important to monitor your progress and reevaluate. Monitoring progress can be done in many ways. These include monitoring weight, using body scans to measure percentage fats, fitness test, skin measurements etc. As long as you have your own system to track how you are performing, than the chances of success and achieving your fitness goals will be greater.