As you know, starting May 2, we are launching our Sizzling Summer Slim Down. It is a six-week program to help you firm up the tummy as well as the rest of your body as we get ready for summer. We will be using the Abs Diet from Men’s Health Editor-In-Chief David ZincZenko as our model.
In his book the Abs Diet, ZincZenko describes the following six guidelines as important to following the diet and fitness plan lifestyle. While some are common sense, the others help maintain the fitness lifestyle necessary to not only generate weight loss, but better overall fitness. Here is a general overview of the six guidelines:
Guideline 1: Eat Six Meals A Day
This weight loss doctrine encourages you to keep your calorie surplus to only within 300 to 500 calories. This means balancing how many calories you take in with how many you put out. Eating 3 meals a day means you are taking in more energy at meal times than you are producing. So you should follow an eating schedule that looks something like this:
- 8 a.m. breakfast
- 11 a.m. snack
- 1 p.m. lunch
- 4 p.m. snack
- 6 p.m. dinner
- 8 p.m. snack
Guideline 2: Make the 12 Power Foods Staples of Your Diet
In this case the 12 power foods are:
- Almonds and other nuts
- Beans and legumes
- Spinach and other green vegetables
- Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
- Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
- Eggs
- Turkey and other leans meats
- Peanut butter
- Olive Oil
- Whole-grain Breads and cereals
- Extra-protein (whey) powder
- Raspberries and other berries
Guideline 3: Drink Smoothies Regularly
Smoothies are a great way to overcome our schedule restrictions. You need a 400 watt blender so it can chop up ice and fruit. There are a number of recipes in the book for protein smoothies that use a mixture of fruit, yogurt, skim milk, ice and protein powder. These smoothies are really filling, taste great and make excellent snacks.
Guideline 4: Stop Counting
While we all know we need to burn calories to lose fat, counting calories constantly will cost you focus and motivation. This diet instructs you to incorporate the 12 power foods into your meals, 2 or 3 of each in every meal you eat. You are also eating regularly six times a day, and it keeps you healthy, feeling full and provides the most efficient energy.
Guideline 5: Know What To Drink and What Not To
Eliminating soda and alcohol or at least drastically reducing them can help because they provide you with empty calories that neither help you to feel full nor help you to watch what you eat. Alcohol also helps your body to store fat. You need to drink 8 glasses of water per day. The best drinks to have are the fat-free, 1% or 2% milk, water and green tea. If you have to have your soda – limit it to one or two glasses and no more.
Guideline 6: For One Meal a Week: Cheat
Cheating on one meal per week will let you savor the foods and drinks you have eliminated from the rest of the week. By knowing you can cheat, you will be more likely to stick to your planned meals the rest of the week as well as your exercise. This is also an excellent way to control cravings, you don’t have to give up the foods you love – you just plan them for that one night a week that you get to cheat whether it’s your weekly barbecue or a big family event.
And that’s it. Those are the six guidelines that will help you stick the Abs Diet. I’ve been following all six for the last week as I prep to get ready for the Sizzling Summer Slim Down. It becomes reflexive and for a change, I do not feel like I’m on a diet. The fitness portions are recommended for you to start a week or two after you begin this regimen. But for our purposes, I’ll be starting on those in the second week in order to give us all a better idea of what we’re going to be doing!