Abs By Summer

So if you're like most of us you have been longing for a visible set of abs for as long as you can remember. I know for a fact I was after that elusive ripped mid-section for years. With all the information that is out there it seems like an overwhelming task that will never happen. Between the media, all the fitness magazines highlighting models with perfect genetics and the constant onslaught of ab gizmos guaranteed to bring results in minutes a day, its enough to make you want to throw in the towel and run for the nearest fast food joint.

There is a lot of good news and some bad news.

Bad news first: A really nice defined midsection is the result of hard work and commitment to a fairly strict diet plan.

Now for the good news: It is not impossible and probably easier than you might think to bring out your much-anticipated "Six Pack".

This two-step process is guaranteed to bring results; the only variable as to your outcome will be how much you work versus how much you cheat.

First things first............. Your diet will need to be as close to perfect as you can stand. Best results will be had by those who can eliminate sugars and processed foods and replace them with high quality proteins (chicken, fish, turkey and protein powders) and plenty of whole grains and fibrous carbs.

· Get rid of all soda and alcohol in your diet, these are empty calories and actually work against your fitness goals.
· Add more protein to your diet. This one is too easy.
· Try to stick to whole grains (whole wheat breads and pitas for sandwiches).
· Fibrous carbs (with regards to vegetables - the greener the better).
· Water - 8 glasses a day is the minimum. More if you exercise.

Second, Ab exercises: You may not believe this, although this is the least of your worries. Diet is much more important when it come to a lean midsection than what or how many ab crunches you do.

Most of the people I know with really defined abs tell me that they never even do a single crunch or leg lift. I am not sure I believe them when they tell me this although I am sure it is not too far from the truth.

You can get away with doing a couple of exercises three times a week and see very nice results.

I would suggest doing an exercise for your Rectus Abdominis (middle and upper abs), another for your lower abs and at least one stretching movement.

There are tons of exercises I could name, although the ones that work best seem to also be the easiest to perform. The standard Crunch for upper abs will always get the trick done and can be done anywhere, so there is never any excuse not to do them.

· Try to perform three sets to failure.

Leg raises for your lower abs not only hit the abs well, they will also force you to keep your lower back tight, thus killing two birds with one stone.

· Also three sets to failure.

I would suggest to stretch the entire abdominal wall after each workout. This will keep your midsection tight and limber for years to come.

So to wrap things up, getting the abs of your dreams is not nearly as impossible as you might think and can become a reality if you are willing to put in some work on the diet and complete a few exercises per week.

Please remember to keep it simple and always stay positive in reaching your goals.

Make sure to always consult a licensed physician before taking on any new fitness endeavor.

Lets Stay Fit Forever...

Jeff Olah - # 1 Online Fitness Professional from Southern California

Fit Dealz

Firmer Abs

Any woman who has ever despaired of firming up her flopping abdominal skin after the birth of a baby or any person discouraged by the appearance of his or her stomach following a large loss of weight should know that there is hope. An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is a cosmetic surgical procedure designed to trim the abdominal area. It involves removing fat and skin from the area and tightening the abdominal muscles. This eliminates sagging and wrinkles and leaves the abdomen looking firmer.

This can be partial or complete. With a partial tuck, only a small incision is made, and the process usually takes one to two hours. In a complete abdominoplasty, the incision stretches from hip to hip. Much trimming and reconstruction is involved. With either a partial or complete tummy tuck, liposuction may be required for fine sculpting.

Just because this is cosmetic, however, do not be fooled into thinking it is not a real surgery without risks. In fact, hospitalization is often required. It carries a significant recovery time, with initial recovery taking one to four weeks and a full recovery between three to six months. Even after that, scarring will be evident. A tummy tuck is definitely not to be taken lightly.

Not to be taken lightly, either, is your choice of surgeon. Choosing an unqualified surgeon can result in a nightmare. Everyone has heard horror stories of botched cosmetic surgeries. Take the time to do your research. Make sure you entrust your body to the best doctor available. It is also important to know the risks and side effects going in. A good surgeon will honestly discuss your expectations with you so you can be entirely comfortable with your choice to have a major cosmetic procedure such as a tummy tuck.

If you have worked to lose the weight, and you know it is what you want, go for it! But do not go into it blind. Know what you are in for before you go under the knife.

F. Toulouse

http://www.mycosmeticsurgeryadvisor.org/abdominoplasty.html

Peyton Manning - 3 Tips to Rock Hard Abs

I'm sure you've seen the commercial by now with Peyton manning giving a "HeartFelt" pep talk on the virtues of shirt shopping and abdominal training. Peyton goes on to say "If you're over 23 and not in the N.F.L buy bigger shirts and forget about rock hard abs".

Peyton Manning is probably right most people in America will need bigger shirts especially after the Holidays. The average weight gain for most Americans is about 7 to 10 pounds, that's enough to soften up even the best of abs. The weight gain starts with Halloween. and continues straight through to the New Year

Well, we're going to try and save you some money on shirt shopping and get you a pair of abs even if you're over 23 years old and not in the N.F.L

Here's 3 tips to Rock Hard Abs and Smaller Shirts

1. Eat Better- Plain and simple if you are eating "Super Sized" portions of fast food throughout the day culminating with a giant meal before you go to bed you are in for a bigger shirt size guaranteed. You must eat five to six small nutritious meals throughout the day spaced out every three to four hours consisting of a lean protein (chicken breast ,turkey breast, lean red meat, egg whites e.t.c.) Complex Carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, yams, e.t.c.) and a healthy fat (almonds, walnuts, ½ avocado, flax seed oil e.t.c.) Give this tip a try- You'll feel and look better.

2. Exercise- Yes you must move your body if you want abs and smaller shirts.

Exercise isn't just for those under 23. The most efficient way to train is performing full body workouts using muti- joint movements. This will ensure you are burning maximum amounts of calories as opposed to Bodybuilding workouts where muscles are isolated and calorie expenditure is minimal. Use Multi - joint movements and full body workouts and you can't go wrong.

3. Consistency- Last but not least is consistency. Eating well and exercising some of the time, while an improvement, won't bring rock hard abs and smaller shirts. You must stick to your diet and exercise program. There are many temptations to take you away from your goals but with hard work, and persistence, rock hard abs and smaller shirts can be yours - Guaranteed.

There you have it. "3 tips to Rock Hard Abs and Smaller Shirts". Let's Prove Peyton Manning wrong but remember small meals throughout the day, exercise using full body movements, and be consistent. Follow these tips to abs and smaller shirts and you're on your way. Good Luck!

Eric Bonilla has been a Fitness Professional for the last fifteen years. Eric owns and operates Premier Sport & Fitness, located in walnut, C.A. Eric works with athletes, seniors, and soccer moms, but specializes in helping kids stay fit and learn healthy lifestyles. His programs have helped literally hundreds of people lose body fat, achieve their goals on the sports field and learn strategies that will help them lead longer healthier lives.

Eric Bonilla
 

909 595 2670
 

www.Premier-Sport-Fitness.com

Six Pack Abs - How to Get Firm, Flat, Sexy Six-Pack Abs

If you ask anyone what part of the body he or she would most like to develop, they will probably say 6-pack abs. People in general will also complain that these are the most difficult muscles to develop.

This is not true. The only reason why people have such a hard time is that they forget about the layer of fat that covers their abdominal muscles. No matter how many stomach crunches you do, six-pack abs will not show unless you get rid of that fat layer.

Let us look at how to get sexy six-pack abs;

Change your eating habits and start interval training.

Eating Plan

Instead of eating three meals a day, eat six smaller meals every day. The portions of each meal should be no larger than your fist. This will increase the metabolism rate, which allows your body to burn fat and fuel more efficiently.

It is also a mistake to stay away from carbohydrates. Carbs are essential to eat before a strenuous work out. This is because Carbs provides energy to the muscles in order to increase the workload.

It is after the work out that Carbs should be avoided and loads of protein should be consumed. Protein allows the muscles to repair themselves and build up to larger sizes.

Interval exercises

This routine combines short bursts of intense action, and longer periods of less strenuous movements.

Run as fast as you possibly can for 20 to 30 seconds, then walk briskly for 3 minutes. Repeat this three times a session. Do these sessions three times a week.

This routine will definitely help you get rid of the fat layer covering your abs. The reason for this is that your metabolism will be dramatically increased, which in turn allows the body to burn fat at an accelerated rate.

This routine should be done in addition to your normal abdominal exercises.

Please understand that a well designed exercise program is the best way to develop six pack abs without the risk of injury. This also ensures that you get maximum results in the shortest time frame possible.

If you would like to know which abs exercise program we highly recommend, click here

It's All About the Abs - Abdominal Exercise Equipment That Really Works

Abdominal Exercise Equipment That Really Works

There have been many studies and reports about how our society as a whole has grown heavier and chubbier. The stomach, in particular, has become a trouble spot for many people. This is due in part to the fact that many of us have desk jobs where we rarely use our stomach and abdomen muscles. For others, this is where the excess fat, brought on by the fast food and extra beers, settles in our bodies. Whatever the reason for our big bellies, there has been a host of abdominal exercise equipment and gadgets to help do away with stomach flab. Some of these techniques and equipment work better than others. This article will help you sort through the hype.

Before beginning a discussion of abdominal exercises and equipment, it is important to point out that even the best ab machine will not help you loose fat in your stomach area. Abdominal exercise equipment can tone and shape your muscles, but the only way to loose the fat is to consume more calories than you take in. Exercise will help you do this, but it is a total body process, not targeted to certain areas.

It is also important to note, that for many people, a flat stomach is not in their genetics, even if they are in good physical shape. Some stomachs have a small curve, and all the crunches in the world won’t change that. However, the exercises and equipment discussed below will help tone, strengthen and define your abdominal muscles.

Abdominal Exercises & Equipment

There are many different types of ab exercisers and equipment. One of the most effective of these, the Roman Chair, is not strictly an ab machine. It is a common piece of equipment found at the gym but it can be used to perform a very effective ab exercise. The Roman Chair is a somewhat taller machine with two stationary, parallel arms and a straight, padded back. There is nothing to sit on.

When working on abs, the best way to use this piece of equipment is to place your forearms flat on each armrest, with your back firmly against the padding. You should have the Roman Chair set high enough that your legs dangle straight down when you are in position. Then slowly bring your knees toward your chest as far as you can go and hold for a few seconds before extending them to the beginning position. This exercise was number two in a San Diego State University survey that ranked the top abdominal exercises and equipment.

According to the survey, the best ab exercise is the Bicycle maneuver. Many of you are probably familiar with this fun exercise. We’ve been doing it since we were kids in gym class, and it turns out, the bicycle is one of the most effective exercises for working those abdominal muscles. To do the exercise correctly, lie on a mat and press your lower back flat. Put your hands beside your head. Tighten your abdominal muscles and bend your knees toward your chest until they are at about a 45-degree angle. Bring your right elbow in contact with your left knee. Then alternate with the opposite knee and elbow and repeat. You should feel it in your sides and abs.

Leg Crunches are similar to the Bicycle, but with crunches, your torso does most of the movement. Lie on the mat again with your lower back pressed flat. Place your hands at your sides or by your head, whichever is more comfortable. Be sure not to put any pressure on your arms or you will take away from the effectiveness of the exercise.

Lift your legs straight up above your head and bend your knees slightly. Squeeze your abdominal muscles and then lift your torso up off the mat toward your knees. Return to the original position with your back flat on the mat. Relax your abdominal muscles and then repeat. Remember to breathe during the exercise.

Crunches can also be done on an exercise ball and many feel it is more effective than standard crunches. You sit on the ball and place your feet on the floor about a foot apart. Roll back carefully on the ball until you are lying with your back fully extended on the ball. Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your trunk off the ball to about a 30-degree angle. Return to the extended position and repeat.

Exercise balls are one of the most versatile and effective pieces of fitness equipment relative to their cost. Another low cost equipment alternative is a stretch band. These are just what they sound like, a stretchy band made of lycra, nylon or sometimes rubber. Sometimes called resistance bands, they allow you to work one muscle group while the resistance of the band stabilizes the opposing muscles. It is good for stretching and strengthening muscles and is often used with beginners and those who have experienced an injury.

If you are looking for something a bit more high-tech, there are several pieces of equipment made especially to work the abs. There are the Ab Crunch Machine and the Back and Ab Machine. Both of these pieces of abdominal exercise equipment have been designed to support the lower back and the neck. They also come with adjustable resistance settings.

The Ab Slider, Ab Wheel, and Ab Trainer are other examples of equipment designed to target abdominal muscles. As with most types of fitness equipment, their effectiveness often is dependant upon correct usage and, in some cases, combining them with other abdominal exercises. It is important to fully research the equipment and read instructions before using.

The quest for six-pack abs and flat stomachs has intensified over the past few years. In response, the fitness industry has resurrected some old, faithful exercises, developed new and improved versions, and even created equipment specifically to target abdominal muscles. Combine these top abdominal exercises with an overall exercise routine and a healthy diet, and chances are you will loose the flab and have a stronger, more shapely mid section in a matter of months.

C.J. Gustafson is a successful freelance fitness writer for Fitness-N-Exercise-Equipment.com, your complete guide to the best home fitness equipment. Find out where to shop for the best recumbent exercise bikes, ab machines and weight training equipment for your home gym.

Beach Body Abs

With the return of warm weather in the spring, thoughts can never be too far behind of the approaching summer and the many wonderful outdoor activities that we’ll often associate with it and among our top favorite summertime activities will always be the trip to the beach. Warm blue skies, refreshing ocean breezes, hot sand, cool waves and the many attempts at constructing the perfect sand castle; you can swear you’re almost there just thinking of it. But that mental image just wouldn’t be complete without also including images of hard, bronze bodies in attractive swimsuits soaking up the sun. Let’s face it, attractive physiques will always be a top draw at the beach and the abs, or midsection, is the first thing that everyone notices.

But showing off beach body caliber abs certainly don’t come easy. Successful ab training is a combination of a healthy, lean diet, consistent cardio work, and a comprehensive abdominal training plan. While all of that may sound daunting, it is certainly within your ability to attain a chiseled midsection that other beach goers will positively ogle at, and you certainly still have enough time to do so. This article will provide you with the steps you’ll need to take to help you look your beach-body best.

Diet

The first thing you’re going to have to change will be your diet. It goes without saying that even if you had the best abs in the world, it will still look pretty ordinary if a layer of bodyfat covers it. Diet plays a crucial role in defining your midsection so some modifications will be required in order for your body to look it’s best. To begin with, get into the habit of using a diet log to keep track of your meals. Everyone is less likely to cheat when they know they have to write down everything they’ve eaten each day. An elaborate journal isn’t necessary either; a simple notepad can work just fine. Also, begin switching to six small meals a day now instead of three larger ones to help rev up your metabolism as well as prevent the stretching of the stomach and the abdominal walls which occurs when one gorges themselves in food.

Next, you’ll want to start creating a slight caloric deficit each day to help burn away the bodyfat. It is recommended that you work on losing only a pound or two, a week, of bodyfat. The weekly loss of any more weight than this, for the typical person, probably includes substantial amounts of water weight and muscle tissue and can wreck havoc on your metabolism. Remember, it’s the bodyfat that’s covering your abs that you’ll want to lose so a good rule of thumb is to cut back your daily energy requirements by only around 500 calories a day.

Now if you’re not sure what your daily energy requirements are for your current bodyweight (or the amount of calories you will have to consume each day to stay at your current weight), you can use this easy-to-remember formula as a guide. To estimate your daily total caloric needs, multiply 24 times 1.0 (if you’re a man) or 0.9 (if you’re a woman) by each kilogram of bodyweight you weigh. Then multiply that result by 1.7 (for a moderately active man) or 1.6 (for a moderately active woman).

(Men) 1.7 x 24 x 1.0 x bodyweight (in kg)

(Women) 1.6 x 24 x 0.9 x bodyweight (in kg)

To determine how many kilograms you weigh, divide your bodyweight in pounds by 2.2. Remember though that this formula is only a guide. It is highly recommended that you use the formula as a starting point, and then pay close attention to your body in order to fine-tune your calories according to how your body responds to your efforts. Look at your body in a mirror, if it doesn’t appear (or feel) as if your body is losing any weight after a week or two, then reduce the amount of calories you ingest even more.

Cardio

You’ll next want to start including cardio (aerobic exercises) into your weekly routine. There are few short-term options that can burn calories and strip away the bodyfat better than sessions of aerobic activities. It is no coincidence that even top-level bodybuilders will steadily increase their cardio workouts as a contest approaches to help really bring out their muscle definition. Begin by working out 3-4 times per week for 20 to 30 minutes at a time on a treadmill or a stationary exercise bike. Then work your way up to more intense sessions of at least moderate intensity for 45 minutes or longer by weeks 3 and 4. The last few weeks before you hit the beach, you’ll want to include interval training into your routine to really help blast away the last few pounds of bodyfat.

Exercise

Spot-reducing your way to abdominal definition is a myth. It is impossible to localize fat loss over any one specific area of your body and is the reason why it is important for you to also watch your diet and include aerobic training if you truly wish to showcase some beach-body abs. But the inclusion of some solid abdominal training is still important for great abs. Strengthening the abdominal wall will tone and help reduce, if not prevent, any unnecessary sagging of the belly. Also, abdominal workouts will certainly develop the muscles of the ab (particularly the rectus abdominus and the external obliques) and enable them to easily become more visible, sharper and tight.

While there are literally hundreds of abdominal exercises to choose from, it is important that several considerations are first kept in mind before performing any of them. First, it is strongly recommended that you learn how to focus on feeling the contraction of your abs when exercising and really squeeze the muscle at the top of any rep. There are many individuals out there who lay claim to performing several hundred sit-ups per day, but it is the quality that counts here and not necessarily the quantity. Become more efficient when performing your abdominal exercises and allow the muscle do the work and do not use the mechanical involvement of other bodyparts or even momentum to help swing the body in order to complete any reps. Additionally, make sure that you maintain continuous tension while performing your reps and never allow your body to rest at the bottom of a movement. Finally, be sure to breathe in during the relaxation phase of your movements and exhale during the contraction phase of the reps.

Having now prepared yourself, choose three exercises to perform for your abs and complete 2 sets, of 15 – 20 reps on each exercise, three times a week. Once again, focus on squeezing the muscle at the top of the movement and go in a slow, deliberate manner during each repetition. Recommended abdominal exercises for beginners during their first week would be crunches (with legs supported on a bench), seated twists, and knee-ups or lying leg raises. As the next few weeks progresses and your conditioning improves, you will need to increase the intensity factor for the abs to really shine. Begin by increasing the number of sets of each exercise from two to three and then add additional, more advanced, movements to allow for up to five exercises for your abs. Recommended abdominal exercises during this stage could include reverse crunches, crunches on an incline board, vertical leg raises, medicine-ball twists and decline-bench twisting crunches. You literally have from hundreds of movements to choose from. During the last two weeks before you hit the beach, begin cutting back on the rest time between your sets and also start to include supersets of your exercises in which you complete one set of each exercise without stop.

While there are still other factors that could be included for consideration of your ab training, consistently eating a lean diet, performing cardio work and exercising your abs with sufficient intensity will always remain at its core. Put in the work on those three tenets of abdominal development and you’ll be sure to possess a beach-body that will look great in a bathing suit and absolutely turn heads this summer!

Nathan Boyd is author of the highly rated ebook, "The Fitness Lifestyle" and the current Director of Pro Fitness of Texas. Nathan encourages everyone in their pursuit of becoming physically fit and maintaining it for a lifetime. All questions and comments are always welcomed!

http://www.weightloss-cookies.com/

weightloss@weightloss-cookies.com

Burning Fat with the Abs Diet

If you're one of those people who try diet after diet you'll eventually get to thinking you know all there is to know about healthy eating. It doesn't take much to get first hand knowledge of all the main diet concepts and discover the benefits of each one and how it is meant to improve the body. Once you know all the ins and outs of healthy eating I'm sure you presume nothing will take you by surprise anymore. So let me introduce the Abs Diet which is an unusual variation on weight loss through exercise.

The basic concept is this: the body must burn energy to keep the major organs and muscles functioning and healthy. Any muscle mass gain will force the body into using up more energy. So instead of eating less food to reduce weight, the abs diet concentrates on burning up additional energy, much more than would normally be expended. The excess muscle mass absorbs what would have been stored as fat from the food calories eaten and forces the body to burn off any existing fat expending energy.

For every pound of muscle you add to your body it will burn up fifty calories per day. So an extra ten pounds of muscle will burn off five hundred calories a day without even trying. This works out at one pound per week. The diet is based on a snowball effect, the more exercise you take, the more muscle you add therefore you lose weight faster which in turn will allow you to exercise harder and even more weight will be lost. It's easy to see how once the snowball starts rolling, how quickly it will turn into an avalanche all by itself.

During the abs diet users are allowed only to eat twelve power foods which are rich in nutrients. These provide all the fibre, vitamins and minerals needed for the body to remain fit and healthy over the six week diet period. The twelve foods are hot oat cereal, peas and beans, almonds, spinach and a few other green vegetables, berries, eggs, wholegrain bread and cereals, lean meat such as turkey, low fat dairy produce, olive oil, peanut butter and protein powder. These and only these should be eaten during the course of the diet.

It may seem a little difficult to stick with this diet for six weeks but the compulsory exercising should make it easier and it won't be long before you notice a big difference. Not only will you lose weight but you will develop a great set of abs and a toned body to show off. You will be shifting some of the fat on your body to muscle, so although it may look like you're not losing weight, the fat will be replacing itself with muscle. However it is likely you will shed up to twelve pounds during the first fortnight on this diet.

FREE weight loss articles, exercise tips and weight loss tools to help you lose weight.

Fightfat.info offers you the latest information on weight loss, articles, and reviews about the numerous weight loss products that are on the market.