How I Got Rock-hard Abs In Midlife ROSIE GREEN Reveals Her Top Ten Waist-whittling Tips – And Insists Age Is No Barrier To You Getting A Six-pack

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Coca-Cola, jokes and mood; some things you really don’t want going flat. But tummies? Arguably always better on the level. I’m lucky in that my genetic make-up means my belly has largely been a bulge-free zone.

Even at my heaviest – when my staple diet was toast, pizza and chips on repeat at university – I was still flaunting my stomach in crop tops and low-slung combats. But throughout all of this, I didn’t have abs. Well, not unless I’d had a sick bug or food poisoning.

Then, after two pregnancies, while my tummy did revert to being flattish, it had zero tone and, if I’m honest, a bit of wobble. I thought this was how it would be for life, but in my late 40s I got divorced, lost half a stone (stress-induced) and discovered, yes, the start of some abs. Turns out they’d been there all along – hidden by a duvet of subcutaneous fat.

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Having seen the beginnings of definition, I upped my exercise and worked in earnest to trim and tone. My goal was to be mentally and physically stronger and improve my core to help my bad back. The washboard abs were a very pleasing side-effect.

Before I reveal how I did it, first the science. It’s harder for women than men to have visible abs as we have a higher percentage of body fat. It’s also harder as we hit the menopausewhich changes our distribution of body fat – it now prefers lingering around the belly.

Also, it’s worth knowing that the ability to get a six-pack is partly genetic – determined by the number of connective bands in our rectus abdominis muscle. But don’t let this put you off, most people can get one if they are dedicated enough. I’m proof age is no barrier to a toned tummy, but it takes effort. Here’s what I do.

I aim to exercise every single day

I remember Madonna saying she only took off Christmas Day from working out and thinking she was bonkers. That’s because I saw exercise as something to be endured. Now I actively enjoy going to yoga, running with the dog and seeing my PT. How did I make that change? I’ve found exercises I like, and I do them with people I want to be with. And I plan it in (working out with someone else means I stick to it).

I don’t slack off on holiday, either

I often choose a hotel for its gym or an Airbnb that is located somewhere I can go for a run. David Gandy told me he does this, too (and I think we can all agree he’s got excellent abs).

Every week, I do two to three cardio workouts and two weights sessions

One of the latter is with a PT, the other is in my friend’s very unglamorous garage. The cardio quotient is generally running with the dog. I confess to being a bit of a plodder. The other days I might do yoga or walk. I’ll always take the stairs.

I focused on cutting my body fat percentage

Because the brutal fact is abs won’t show if there’s a layer of fat covering them. My PT says abs start in the kitchen, so I avoid ultra-processed foods and fast for 12 hours overnight. Also, post-divorce, I’m no longer serving up man-sized meals and lots of carbs daily. Now I follow author Michael Pollan’s advice: ‘Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.’

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I don’t drink on my own

Upsides of my divorce include having the thermostat at the temperature I want and drinking less – I now only have booze when I’m out-out.

I work out like a man

By this I mean I keep it simple. You don’t need a good outfit, access to machines or a fancy gym membership. Nope, my friend and I have lots of A4 sheets of paper with different exercises written down. We’ll do six sets of three of our chosen exercises. An example of one set would be 12 kettle-bell swings, 20 press-ups and 15 tricep dips off a bench.

I exercise with intention

Sounds woo-woo, right? But what I mean is I think about the exercise I’m doing and don’t try to cheat. The old me would go to a class and find the shortcut. I’ve now learnt this is defeating the purpose. You need to lean into it: squat deeper, lift higher, hold longer.

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I do ab-specific exercises two to three times a week

Planks, dead bugs and bicycle crunches are great (you can find videos demonstrating these on YouTube). My PT isn’t a fan of sit-ups (she thinks they’re bad for your back) but I sneak some in. Side planks are very good for waist definition.

I use social media to find new exercises

I like Instagram’s @tulumtrainer, @fitwithcocomethod and @kayla_itsines and YouTube’s Boho Beautiful Yoga and Yoga With Adriene.

I keep upping my game

It’s human nature to stay in your comfort zone, but to keep ‘making the gains’, as men’s fitness mags would say, you need to constantly change your routine – do reps, lift heavier weights or introduce new techniques.

BARE NECESSITIES

As you get older, your body becomes less efficient at shedding dead skin cells and maintaining hydration levels. Below are my favourite products to get limbs smooth and glowing (whatever your age).

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Brand-new Jones Road Beauty body scrub(£36, jonesroadbeauty.com) satisfyingly sloughs off dead skin cells, deploying bamboo powder to smooth and brighten.

I also swipe chemical exfoliatorFirst Aid Beauty facial radiance pads(£18, boots.com) over my limbs once a week. Glycolic and lactic acids dispatch dullness and flakiness and help moisturiser and self-tan to absorb better.

I’ve been usingGatineau Golden Glow gradual tan(£55 for 400ml, gatineau.com) for years because it delivers a streak-free bronze that always looks believable (even in winter).

The relative affordability ofQ+A AHA Exfoliator body lotion(now £7.50, boots.com)
means you can slather it on to banish scaly patches and give skin a pleasing plumpness.

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Make-up: Aimee Adams