Diet for Six Pack Abs
From LoveToKnow Diet
If you're looking for a diet for six pack abs, it's important to know that it to get that defined midsection it will take a combination of good nutrition and exercise.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Along with a healthy diet, your routine will have to include cardiovascular conditioning to help slim and sculpt your abs. Cardiovascular conditioning is exercise that conditions your heart and makes it work more efficiently. Benefits of cardiovascular conditioning include:
- Improves circulation
- Strengthens the heart
- Strengthens the lungs
- Strengthens blood vessels
Cardiovascular conditioning includes aerobic exercise which works large muscle groups and gets your heart beating faster. On average, everyone should try to get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise everyday. This is an important component when trying to get that defined six pack look because cardiovascular exercise impacts quick fat loss. These fat burning exercises don't just eliminate belly fat, but help to burn fat from your whole body.
Cardiovascular Exercises Include
- Bicycling
- Jogging
- Running
- Swimming
Indoor Options
If you live in a climate that doesn't allow for year-round outdoor exercise you may want to invest in exercise cardio exercise equipment such as:
- Elliptical trainer
- Ladder climber
- Rowing machine
- Stairclimber
- Stationary bicycle
- Treadmill
Ab Training
Along with burning body fat through cardiovascular training, you'll also need to target your stomach muscles through ab training. To get those six pack abs, you don't have to do a gazillion sit ups. Instead, exercise all of the stomach muscle groups in slow, deliberate movements. to isolate the muscles you're working.
You'll want to include exercises that target all three layers of stomach muscles.
- Transversus Abdominis: As the deepest stomach muscle layer, the transversus abdominis works like your body's girdle and supports and stabilizes the body.
- Rectus Abdominis: This muscular layer flexes the spine.
- Obliques: This is the muscular layer closest to the surface. These are the muscles that turn the trunk of the body
Diet for Six Pack Abs
While the above types of exercise help burn body fat and tone your stomach, you'll also need to consistently eat a diet that consists of good nutrition if you want to develop that chiseled six pack. Good nutrition means you'll eat very little processed or fast foods. Your diet needs to include nutrients that helps build a healthy, leaner body. Food choices should include whole foods. The following table includes many of these foods to help you draw up a menu and grocery list to stock your kitchen with foods friendly to a diet for six pack abs.
| Vegetables | Fruits | Legumes | Grains |
| Asparagus | Apples | Black beans | Barley |
| Avocados | Apricots | Dried beans | Brown rice |
| Beets | Bananas | Garbanzo beans | Buckwheat |
| Bell peppers | Blueberries | Kidney beans | Bulgar |
| Broccoli | Cantaloupe | Lentils | Millet |
| Brussels sprouts | Cherries | Lima beans | Oats |
| Cabbage | Cranberries | Miso | Quinoa |
| Carrots | Figs | Navy beans | Rye |
| Cauliflower | Grapefruit | Pinto beans | Spelt |
| Celery | Grapes | Soy beans | Whole wheat |
| Collard greens | Kiwi | Tempeh | |
| Cucumbers | Lemons | Tofu | Nuts and Seeds |
| Eggplant | Limes | White kidney beans | Almonds |
| Garlic | Oranges | Cashews | |
| Green beans | Papaya | Spices & Herbs | Flaxseeds |
| Kale | Pears | Basil | Olive oil |
| Leeks | Pineapple | Black pepper | Peanuts |
| Mushrooms | Plums | Cayenne pepper | Pumpkin seeds |
| Mustard greens | Prunes | Chili pepper | Sesame seeds |
| Olives | Raisins | Cilantro | Sunflower seeds |
| Onions | Raspberries | Cinnamon | Walnuts |
| Peas | Strawberries | Cloves | |
| Romaine lettuce | Watermelon | Coriander | Natural Sweeteners |
| Spinach | Cumin | Blackstrap molasses | |
| Squash | Seafood | Dill | Cane juice |
| Sweet potatoes | Cod | Ginger | Honey |
| Swiss chard | Halibut | Mustard seeds | Maple syrup |
| Tomatoes | Salmon | Oregano | Sorgum |
| Turnip greens | Scallops | Parsley | |
| Yams | Shrimp | Peppermint | |
| Tuna | Rosemary | ||
| Poultry & Lean Meats | Sage | ||
| Beef | Thyme | ||
| Chicken | Tumeric | ||
| Lamb | |||
| Turkey |
The fact is that you can lose all your excess weight, but without exercise you won't get that defined six pack. The same holds true on the other side. You can exercise and exercise, but if you don't follow a healthy diet to lose body fat you won't get the results you want either. Don't fall for the infomercials that promise quick results without following a diet for six pack abs. It takes time and commitment to both exercise and diet to get that lean chiseled look.
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This page has been accessed 572 times. This page was last modified 19:03, 25 July 2009.
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