Abs Are Made In The Kitchen

Abs Are Made In The Kitchen:
Slicing Off The Belly Fat


Most aspiring bodybuilders envy those they see in the gym having that chiseled 6-pack abdominals. And when they see these seasoned bodybuilders going at it and hitting their abs with crunches, sit-ups, leg lifts, hanging abdominal exercises and using those abdominal boards and equipment - they almost think that these abs of steel were plainly a result of the countless sessions in the gym. Well, they are partly right. But when you really come to think of it - abs are made in the kitchen - first & foremost.


What's cooking? 6-pack abs anyone?

If you really want to attain that well-sculpted abs - similar to that of Arnold Schwarzenegger's - it all starts in the kitchen. That savored abs will not have that effect, if not for the preparation & cooking - so to speak, being done in the kitchen.

One must not be misled into thinking that a nice-looking abs is purely a result of sweat & going to the gym everyday of the week. If you subscribe to this thinking, you may just end up disappointed - only seeing others showing off their killer abs, with you only on the sidelines holding on to the last remaining layers of fat on your tummy.

If you have been in a plateau for some time now, even with all the time & effort you put in - you must take this as a sign that perhaps you need a change of approach. Your approach did not work for a reason. You must recognize that there must be something wrong about how you are moving towards your 6-pack abs - the principles you might be taking as bible-truth may need some revisiting.


Stop Fooling Yourself!

If you still believe that the number of hours you put in the gym, the intensity of your cardio exercises and the amount of weight you lift are key to achieving the abs of your dreams - you have to wake up and stop believing in this nonsense. Sure, all these will indeed help towards that goal, but forgetting the more important factor would be detrimental.

Believe first that your diet is the most important element - playing that crucial role towards well-defined abs. You should recognize that it would always start with what you put in into your body - it is what you eat that makes a whole lot of difference. Simply, you should start cooking your 6-pack abs in the kitchen.


Cooking 6-pack abs in your kitchen - Care to try?

Try it out. Take it as a challenge.

What worst thing could happen if you just make the move towards the right diet for that wonderful abs?


Recipe for a delicious 6-pack abs

1. The Right Diet

* What To Eat

The first step to achieve that 6-pack abs you have always wanted is to eat right and eat less. You have to eat quality foods like protein to build your muscles. Salmon, lean red meat, egg whites, tuna, white fish and chicken breast are example of good sources of protein. It is also necessary that you take good carbohydrates such as potatoes, oatmeal, and brown rice to be used by your body for energy. Foods rich in fiber - fruits and vegetables - are also important as they cleanses and blocks the absorption of cholesterol and fats in your body.

You should avoid processed foods like snack bars, biscuits, white bread, pasta and refined sugar in carbonated drinks.

* Size & Frequency of Meals

Eating in small quantities for 4-6 meals a day is advisable to make your metabolism high. This will help you effectively burn more fat. And when you eat small quantities of healthy foods, you will lessen the accumulation of fat in your body.

A good example of complete meal plan is the following:

* Breakfast - 1 serving of oatmeal, Protein Drink, egg whites and 1 banana.

* Snacks - 2 tbsps. of peanut butter and raw vegetables

* Lunch - Roast beef sandwich on whole-grain bread
1 apple
1 cup of fat-free milk

* Snacks - 1½ cups berries
1 ounce almonds

* Dinner - Mas Macho Meatballs
Per Serving: 38g protein, 19g fat, 569 calories, 10g fiber, 1,341mg sodium, 65g carbohydrates

* Snacks - Whey Protein Drink

Fruits and vegetables, which you may include in your meal for a healthy diet:

Fruits:
* Apple - is a very nutritious fruit that contains vitamins and minerals. This can be good in your quest for a leaner body as this is cholesterol, fat and sodium free.
* Strawberry - this can also be recommended in your diet as strawberries are sodium, fat, cholesterol free - and low in calories.
* Banana - can help for weight reduction especially when combined with skimmed milk.

Vegetables:
* Cabbage - is a good source of vitamin C. It contains a good amount of fiber.
* Tomato - is rich in lycopene. It helps prevent heart attacks and wrinkles. It has also a small amount of iron, which is well absorbed by the body when combined with vitamin c and prevents fatigue and anemia.


2. Drink Plenty of Water

As we all know, water is important in our body to function well. It hydrates and releases any harmful toxins that are present in our body.

More so, when you are under a fitness program, it is necessary that you drink plenty of water - 8 glasses per day - to replenish the liquid that you lost while exercising. It has also been believed that water can improve the process of fat burning.


3. Taking the Right Supplementation

There are several supplements that are sold in the market, which you can choose from. You have to be careful and it is advisable that you consult with your dietician before taking any of these supplements.

Note: A supplement that has an ephedra must be avoided as this causes palpitation and other side effects.

Some of the commonly used supplementations are as follows:
1. Chromium
2. Antioxidants C & E
3. EFA (Essential Fatty Acids)
4. Multivitamins
5. Minerals


Exercise Tips To Go With Your Diet

Now that you have followed the right diet to get that lean abs you have always aimed for, you should then plan to maximize your results.

Tip # 1: Burn fat by cardio exercises.

Having your cardio exercises in the morning is recommended. It is at this time that you will be burning the most fat. With the stomach empty, you will be tapping on the fats around your belly for energy. A 15 minutes cardio as a start would do - done three times a week. You can then proceed to 20 to 30 minutes per session at three times a week still.

Jogging, running, skipping rope or even a stationary bike will do. Whatever fits your lifestyle and whatever is comfortable for you, as long as you follow your weekly cardio schedule - would be fine.

Cardio Exercises, together with a healthy diet, will be a deadly one-two punch towards taking the fat off. One should find time in his schedule for aerobic exercises for faster fat loss results. The more you engage in such training will hasten your fat shedding process.

Tip # 2: Engage in weight training.

Weight training develops your body into a calorie and fat-burning machine. With muscles all over your body developed thru a sensible weight training program, you will be able to burn more calories even after an exercise session.

Your weight training program should be comprehensive enough to be able to hit all the muscles in the body - especially the major ones. Concentrating on your major muscle groups will also hit the smaller ones or the auxiliary muscles around. Since muscles require more calories for maintenance, correspondingly, your body burns more calories.

Tip # 3: Do not over train.

One should not overdo anything. One should not think that doing more of cardio or weight training than necessary would be best - it never is. It will only result to unwanted injuries. Moderation has always been the by-word.

Stick only to what is appropriate. Never hurry towards achieving your 6-pack abs more than what your body can take. Like cooking, this should go through the normal process and time to get the desired & tasteful outcome.


Enjoying that mouth-watering 6-pack abs

Sticking it out with your diet and having the discipline to keep at it regardless of the situation and circumstance - will all have its rewards in the end. Getting what you want - the 6-pack abs for this case - will not be that easy. Anything valuable aspired for will not come free and without sacrifices.

Be consistent with your plan of action. There will be times that you may not be able to strictly follow it, but you should make the efforts to be in line again. Human as we are, this is natural - but what separates winners from losers, is being able to quickly get back on track after a swerve from the path to the goal.

The time will come when you will be able to show off your killer 6-pack abs, and you will then be a believer that great abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym. When this time comes, it will then be your mission to make a believer of those who have yet a long way to go towards cooking their own mouth-watering 6-pack abs.