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Have you seen your abs lately? We
all have abdominal muscles, but when we gain weight, it tends to
accumulate in the stomach area. Not only does this hide those abs and
increase our pant size, it's also bad for our health. Excess belly fat
has been linked to disease of the heart, liver and other organs.
David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men's Health magazine, recognized
this problem and designed the Abs Diet. Geared toward men, the diet
incorporated a list of healthy foods, small, frequent meals and an
exercise regimen into a plan to flatten the stomach. The diet became so
popular that Zinczenko adapted it for women. Released in 2007, The Abs
Diet for Women: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Belly and Firm Up Your
Body for Life was a great success.
Eating on the Abs Diet
One of the keys to success with the Abs Diet is the incorporation of
twelve “powerfoods” into the diet. These foods all have great
nutritional value, and it's easy to remember them using the acronym “Abs
Diet Power.” They are:
Almonds and other nuts
Beans and legumes
Spinach and other green veggies
Dairy (low fat or fat free)
Instant oatmeal
Eggs
Turkey and other lean meats
Peanut butter
Olive oil
Whole-grain bread and cereal
Extra-protein powder
Raspberries and other berries
Another important part of the diet is eating not three, but six meals
each day. Eating frequent small meals can help satisfy hunger with fewer
calories. It also boosts the metabolism and helps avoid cheating.
But perhaps the most popular aspect of the Abs Diet is the freedom to
eat whatever you want for one meal each week. Dieters are not required
to follow any of the diet's guidelines for this one meal. It's sort of a
built-in splurge, allowing you to enjoy your favorite foods on occasion
without breaking the diet.
The Importance of Exercise
When it comes to having great abs, exercise is an absolute must.
Surprisingly, exercise is optional during the first 2 weeks of the Abs
Diet plan. This is intended to help dieters ease into the transition,
making them more likely to stick with it. But on the third week and
beyond, regular exercise is required.
The Abs Diet exercise program focuses more on muscles than on a
cardiovascular workout. It is built around circuit training, which
consists of a series of strength-building exercises done at a fast pace.
This keeps the heart rate up, burns fat and keeps the workout as short
as possible. The program also promotes the use of compound exercises,
which are simply exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same
time.
While there is some debate about whether you can really flatten your
stomach in just 6 weeks, the testimonials for the Abs Diet have been
quite favorable. It combines good nutrition with an intense yet short
workout routine to promote overall health, weight loss and leaner
abdominal muscles. The ability to eat six times a day and work out for
just 20 minutes three times a week has made the Abs Diet a favorite of
many.
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