7 Diet Secrets for Great Abs or Just Lose Weight

I have always heard that "abdominals are made in the kitchen, not in the gym," and there's a lot of truth to that. You can do as many reps of sit ups you want, but you can forget about set of 6-pack abs, or even looking like you are in shape, if you do not watch the food you eat.

1. Drink plenty of water - you need to get 8 to 12 eight ounce glasses of water (plain water).

    

2. Avoid white sugar and flour. They are highly refined and go into your blood stream quickly. This will cause your blood sugar to spike and fall, which will increase your cravings.

    

3. Find your calorie maintenance level and stay 15 to 20 percent below that. If you want to use a more aggressive approach be careful. You do not want to keep the calories low for too long. If you take the aggressive approach you will want to increase calorie intake a couple of days a week to keep your metabolism from shifting into starvation mode.

    

4. Eat 5-6 small meals instead of 2-3 big ones. Also spread the calories out over the whole day. Don't starve yourself all day and ping out in the evening. Too much of even good foods will cause the fat to stay on.

    

5. Eat high quality lean protein with each meal.

    

6. Get the majority of your carbs from a natural plant source.

    

7. Keep fats to less than 30 percent of your calories. Remember you want as much of that 30% as possible to be from good oil sources (I.E. flax oil, fish and nuts). Some studies have indicated that these oils may actually help you loose the fat.

You can do crunches and other ab workouts until the cows come home. But if you don't watch what you eat, those strong muscles will always look like fat. That applies to all exercise. It is quiet possible to be fit and look obese. It is also possible to look thin and be fat.

Alton Morris has struggled with weight problems his whole life. I have been actively researching an answer for several years now. Follow what I am learning at Weightloss Central

Starting Your Own Abs Workout

There are a lot of different exercises to get a tight stomach; their difference is both in the form and in the equipment. Some need you to use a specific machine; others are very simple and just require you to use natural resistance. There are some exercises that works the whole body too, such as Pilates or Yoga exercises. However there are also some exercises that are very basic yet bring results to millions of people.

One of these is the traditional crunch. These are great exercises to work the rectus abdominus with less train than in the sit-ups. In the traditional crunch you just lie on your back and raise only the upper portion of your body (head, shoulders and upper back) to about 30 degrees. The key is let your stomach take control and avoid grabbing your head. Also the three parts must be aligned, you should not arch you upper portion of the body. For proper form you can browse the Internet and check Youtube, there are literally thousands of pics and videos available.

Besides the traditional crunch, you should also perform the side crunch to work on your transverse abdominal muscles and your obliques. This is the zone where the infamous "love handles" are located. The technique is the same a sin the crunch, only that your body is twisted to one side. Again, do it slowly and with total control to get the most out of this stomach exercise.

Along with these two basic exercises you should include other movements. The stomach has different muscles and working them as a whole will give you a much better definition and midsection toning. Also, if you feel that an exercise isn't working for you, don't worry. Try another, not all bodies respond the same way to the same set of exercises. Remember that there is a whole variety f abs exercises to try out there.

While you can get a flat stomach with these exercises, nothing will happen if you don't commit to a workout and stick to it on a daily basis. For this purpose you should include exercise that re both fun to do and at a normal difficulty level for you. Some people get engaged in difficult workouts and end up quitting after a few days of trying.

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Abs Exercise Machines - Do You Really Need One?

Many people say that abs exercise machines are the quickest, easiest and best way to get six pack abs. In one sense they're right, but in another totally different sense they're wrong. Keep reading and I'll explain why, and also why you don't need abs exercise machines to get the flat abs you want.

First, let's have a look at the different types of abs exercise machines that are available to buy.

1. Crunchers. These are the big odd looking cage type contraptions which you use to help guide you when you're doing crunches. You lie on your back with your head on a small pillow, and rest on your arms on the cruncher's side bars. As your contract your abs, the cage rolls up with your shoulder blades offering them extra support.

These machines (while although they're not technically "machines" in the sense that they have moving parts) are a waste of time. They offer no real benefit other than making you look like you're in an exercise DVD. You can easily perform exactly the same motion without the machine, and it's a lot cheaper!

2. Complicated gym machines. By this I mean the great big chairs, tables and who knows what else that make you feel like you're either going to the dentist, or being abducted by aliens! If you have to strap yourself in, hold on for fear of falling off or contort yourself and spend ages fiddling with various settings, it's not worth it.

There is one decent abs exercise machine in your local gym though, and that's the "Captain's Chair". This is basically a chair without a seat raised into the air. You stand up and grip the "arms" of the chair, brace your back against the chairs back, and then lift your knees to your chest. This exercise can be performed similarly by lying on the floor and raising your knees to your chest, but the Captain's Chair forces you to exert more effort and control over your entire core.

3. Electric ab belts. Have you ever used one of these? I'm talking about the ab belts which you strap around your waist, then plug into the wall. They zap you with small electrical charges for a few seconds, every few seconds. This forces your abdominal muscles to contract and tense. If you leave it on for a week, you should come out with six pack abs.. at least that's the theory.

Some people do have good results with electric ab belts, especially if they have a very busy lifestyle and can't afford 30 minutes a day for a little exercise. But generally the results you'll get from electric ab belts will be cosmetic - you won't see drastic improvements in your overall core strength, and it can be a pain to have to keep moving the electric pads around so you hit all the muscles you should.

4. Fitness wheels. These devices are a little hard to imagine if you haven't seen one already. Basically, it's a wheel with a handle sticking out of the center on either side. This means you can hold both handles and run the wheel along the floor. To use the machine, you lie on your front, putting your body weight on your toes and on your hands (holding onto the wheel). Now by contracting your abs you will pull the wheel towards you, and essentially do an upside down situp. When you release your abs, the wheel rolls away from you and you flatten out.

These machines can be tough to use - it takes a lot of balance and there is a distinct possibility of the wheel running away from you and you injuring yourself.

All in all, while ab exercise machines can be a bit of fun, they shouldn't replace a proper manual ab workout. All you need is a training mat, some floor space, some music if you want it, 30 minutes a day and a bit of elbow grease.

David Spencer is a fitness nutcase. He has spent years learning about exercise and just as long working on his own six pack abs. Getting your own flat abs is not as hard as everyone makes out - visit The Truth About Six Pack Abs to find out exactly how David and hundreds of others got theirs, and how you can get yours.

How To Get Abs And Flatten That Belly

Hear are some great tips how to get abs so you won’t fall flat while losing that fat!

Although they are an excellent start, crunches and sit-ups alone will not fetch your desired results. Here are a few more tips to get you started:

Tip #1: Eat smart,eat healthy

One key is reducing calories low enough to lose the fat, while keeping calories high enough to sustain your energy. It's a balancing act.

Your diet and food intake, when used optimally, can actually stimulate the metabolism to lose unwanted body fat. This is best accomplished by having four to six smaller proportioned meals per day. As opposed to three larger meals.

That is one key here, smaller proportioned meals, not seven-course feasts. A meal could include an egg white omelet with low-fat cheese and yogurt with blueberries in it; a protein shake with peanut butter; some cottage cheese with fruit or maybe a veggie burger and spinach salad with light dressing.

Tip #2: Working out with weights

Lifting weights will force the abs to work harder and feel tighter. Lat pull-downs, free weight squats, dumbbell rows, the chest press etc will all help with your ab work, as it will stabilize core muscles to perform each of these movements properly.

Tip #3: Cardio is a must

Cardiovascular exercise will help you get those abs. But, keep in mind that as you burn calories, use exercising as a tool. Quantity does not equal quality when it comes to your workout.

Following these tips on how to get abs will surely help you on your way to achieving that six-pack.

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There you will find a wealth of awesome tips and techniques to help you get the body you want.