NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR SIX PACK ABS
As important as training is, when it comes to abs, diet is more important.
No other muscle group is as dependent on diet as the abs, because abs take a certain body fat percentage to appear. While it is true that you can build the abs to be more visible, you still are going to have to drop body fat to have a six pack.
In this part we are going to look at 5 nutrition tips for six pack axbs
Eliminate Sugar
Increase Protein Consumption
Eat Healthy Fats
Eat Whole Unprocessed Foods
Drinks Lots of Water
Eliminate Sugar – Pretty much every piece of diet advice will tell you to reduce or eliminate sugar intake. This list is obviously no exception. The main problem with sugar is that it causes an insulin spike.
Once insulin is present all fat burning comes to a halt. If you want your body to be a fat burning machine then you have to keep blood sugar levels steady and reduce the effects of insulin. That is not to say that you have to avoid carbs altogether. A quality post workout shake with carbs in it is a good way to replenish glycogen in the muscle and help you recover.
Increase Protein Consumption – While you do need a caloric deficit to lose weight you don’t want to lose the muscle you have built.
If you are lowering carb intake then you have to get those calories from somewhere else. Consuming protein in the form of lean cuts of meat is optimal. Protein shakes are convenient, but it is better to get most of your calories from whole foods.
Drinking your calories does not give you the same level of satisfaction, and being in a caloric deficit is hard enough. Also there is a thermogenic effect of digesting foods that you do not get when you drink your calories.
Eat Healthy Fats – No matter what you may hear, low fat diets are ineffective. Your body needs good healthy fats.
You also have to consider that the more fat that you consume the more efficient you become at processing it. If you reduce your fat intake then your body does not produce as many fat burning enzymes. So you should include healthy fats in your meal plans. Just pay attention to your calories as fats are very calorie dense.
Eat Whole Unprocessed Foods – This is good advice whether you want abs or not. Both from a health standpoint and from a dieting standpoint it is best to consume unprocessed foods. These foods have more nutritional value, and when you are reducing calories you need the most nutrient dense foods you can find.
Drinks Lots of Water – Hydration is important whether you are dieting or not. However, when you are dieting it can help for numerous reasons. Drinking lots of water helps you to feel full and reduces hunger cravings.
It is a fact that the more water that you drink, the more water that you excrete. You can reduce your water retention by drinking more water, and the less water you retain the more visible your abs are.
None of these suggestions are particularly exciting. In fact you will probably find these on every diet tips list you ever read. There is a reason for that; they work. People are always looking for short cuts to dieting and getting abs, but short cuts are worthless if you don’t cover the basics first. If you cover the basics on this list first you will make your ab training that much more effective, and you’ll see your abs sooner.
FOODS TO HELP GET SIX PACK ABS
There are a lot of factors when it comes to building six pack abs. Some of them, like genetics, are beyond your control. However, training and diet are two things you can control.
Make no mistake about it ab training is very important. However, your dream of abs lives and dies with your diet.
You can do all the work you want in the gym, and completely sabotage your results in the kitchen. Since abs are the last to appear and the first to disappear diet will always play a huge part in how your six pack looks.
How restrictive you have to be with in regards to diet depends on many things. However, just when you might start to think it is impossible to get your six pack there is good news. There are actually super foods that can help speed up the fat loss process and bring your abs out for the entire world to see.
5 Foods For Six Pack Abs
Whole Eggs
Grass Fed Butter
Grass Fed Beef
Wild Fish
Dark Leafy Greens
Whole Eggs – You might not expect eggs to be on this list but they are an excellent source of protein. They have a very impressive amino acid profile, and they offer good fats. Eggs will not only help with fat loss, but they will help you build muscle. This is a one-two punch when it comes to building a six pack. It is important to note that when it comes to eggs you should be eating free range organic.
Grass Fed Butter – I am sure you think that butter will make you fat. The truth it is depends on the type of butter. Grass fed butter is one of the best sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA has been shown to not only help with weight loss, but increase your resistance to carcinogens. Not only that, but it has a great ration of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids.
Grass Fed Beef – Much like butter, grass fed beef has many more health benefits than your average ground beef. It has been shown to have 10 times the betacarotene, three times the Vitamin E and 3 times the Omega 3 fatty acids.
Wild Fish – We all know that fish oil is a powerful supplement, and that we eat far too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3. Wild caught fish are full of healthy Omega-3’s as well as being high in protein.
Dark Leafy Greens – We all know we need to eat more vegetables, but when it comes to six pack abs Popeye was right. Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and bok choy are perfect super foods for your six pack plans.
They help you reach your nutritional requirements, and a great source of vitamins and minerals, and have very few calories. They are nutrient dense foods and when you are dieting that is a necessity.
I hope this list of superfoods helps in your awareness of super foods that can have a big impact on your diet and in revealing those six pack abs
TOP SUPPLEMENTS TO GET SIX PACK ABS
We cannot get away from the fact that diet has a huge impact on our quest for six pack abs. What you eat has a huge impact on your results.
The supplement industry knows this, and makes billions of dollars each year selling you quick fix solutions to your problems. Unfortunately most of the supplements out there are nothing more than snake oil. They are here today, gone tomorrow, and when they leave, they take your hard earned money with them.
The best supplements are the ones that have stood the test of time. People spend too much time looking for the latest and greatest shortcut. The truth is if you want six pack abs you are going to have to work for it, and it is going to take longer than you want. To help speed up the process though here are some solid supplement choices.
5 Best Supplements for Six Pack Abs
Caffeine
CLA
Yohimbe
Synephrine
Green Tea
Caffeine – Not only does your morning coffee help you wake up in the morning; it aids in fat loss. Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that binds to fat and enhances fat burning. Unfortunately your body can become immune to your normal caffeine dose so it may be necessary to cycle on and off from time to time to get the same effect.
CLA – Conjugated linoleic acid is a healthy fat that is a true powerhouse when it comes to six pack abs. It has been shown to boost strength, shred body fat and build muscle. CLA actually blocks certain fat storing enzymes, thus preventing the storage of fat.
Yohimbe – You will find Yohimbe in most fat burning stacks. Its effects are well documented. It works in a different method from other fat burnings in that it blacks the alpha receptors on fat cells. Yohimbe can be taken orally, or if you find it in a cream form you can apply it directly to the ab area.
Synephrine – We all know the caffeine, ephedrine and aspirin stack worked well for fat loss. Unfortunately ephedrine is no longer available. Synephrine has a similar chemical structure to ephedrine, but it increases fat burning without increasing your heart rate or raising your blood pressure.
Green Tea – Green tea contains catechins. EGCG is the main catechin, and it is responsible for the thermogenic effects of green tea. EGCG works to inhibit norepinephrine break down, which allows you to maintain a high level of calorie burning.
This might not be an exciting list, but the truth is these supplements work.
You can waste your time with the latest and greatest, or you can stick to the basics. There is a reason these supplements have been around forever. Add them to your mix and you will see an increase in your results