Firmer Abs In Just 8 Steps

From eDiets.com:

(by Raphael Calzadilla)

I’ve never seen anyone not give a double take to a female or male who has the ever-elusive washboard abs. The awe inspiring rippled abs that signify an extreme level of conditioning -- umm, plus a pretty good-looking bod.

Everyone always talks about getting six-pack abs, but in reality it’s an eight-pack.

Internationally acclaimed research scientist Michael Colgan provides the following description of the eight-pack from his book, The New Power Program:

“The eight-pack is a long thin muscle whose fibers run vertically down the body from the breastbone and fifth, sixth and seventh ribs to the top of the pubic bone. The eight sought after bumps poke out through a grid of flat tendons that run down the center and across the muscle at intervals.”

You don’t really care, do you? C’mon be honest. You just want to know how to get them, don’t you?

You’ve come to the right place, but you might not love the answer.

If you think 100 or 1,000 abdominal crunches per day will give you an eight-pack, then you really need to read this.

Here’s how it’s done:

1. NUTRITION: This is the most important component to achieving great abs. Nothing is more important than food. First, you’ll need to control blood sugar levels in order to lose body fat. This is best accomplished by consuming five to six meals per day. Don’t mistake the definition of a meal for a six-course extravaganza. A meal might be an egg white omelet (with vegetables) and oatmeal with some blueberries in it, chicken with one-half cup of rice and a large salad with some oil and vinegar, an apple with a scoop of protein powder or cottage cheese with some fruit.

Get the picture? I’m referring to them as meals, but they’re actually feedings. Each of the meals is comprised of protein, a little carbohydrate and a little fat. In some cases, the fat is built into the protein. In other cases, it’s added to the meal. For eDiets members, this is already accomplished in your meal plan.

2. RATIOS: It’s unlikely that you’ll get tight abs and a flat stomach by consuming 80 percent of your calories from carbohydrates. Ratios can vary quite a bit, but consuming more than 55 percent of your calories from carbohydrates is not optimal for fat loss. Many people do quite well on extremely low carbohydrate plans, while others succeed on more moderate plans. As long as you follow the no more than 55 percent of calories from carbohydrate rule, you’ll be at a good starting point.

3. TIMING: I realize four to six meals sounds like a lot, but you must keep in mind that the body is always seeking to store body fat. It (the body) doesn’t care if you want to lose fat. In fact, your body would prefer to keep fat in order to accomplish its number one goal of keeping you alive in case of a future famine or drought.

Always consider the body from the inside out and not the other way around. In order to control blood sugar, eat every two to three hours throughout the day. When using the most effective nutrient ratios, this helps to control blood sugar -- which, in turn, assists in body fat loss.

4. CALORIES: I've received emails from people telling me that they‘re perfect with their nutrition, ratios and timing, but they still can’t lose body fat. In every case, they’re still consuming too many calories. It doesn’t matter how healthy your nutrition program is if you’re eating too much.

It’s important that you determine maintenance calories first. Maintenance represents the amount of food you consume without any change in your weight. This will take some experimentation and some effort. You’ll also need to document your foods: total calories as well as grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

5. SLIGHT CALORIC DEFICIT: After you’ve determined maintenance, simply reduce your calories by 200. Our goal is to have you eating as much as possible and still losing fat and retaining muscle. I don’t want you eating as little as possible (thereby slowing the metabolism and losing valuable muscle tissue). The first week, you may lose four to six pounds of water. After the first week, you should only lose about one and a half pounds per week. The goal is to preserve muscle and make your body a metabolic inferno. If you’re not losing up to one and a half pounds per week (it will fluctuate week to week), then reduce calories by another 100. Then, monitor your progress after one week. You’ll probably be right on track.

6. CONSISTENCY: You’ll need to be on this nutrition program six days a week with one day being somewhat of a time to cheat. Unlike many, I’m not a big fan of the "cheat" day. I find that people tend to use it as an excuse to gorge themselves. So, on Sunday for example, you’re allowed to have some pizza, a bit of ice cream, etc. But nothing extreme! When you pig out, blood sugar levels can be elevated for seven hours or more. This will absolutely halt your body fat loss and actually backfire.

7. WEIGHT TRAIN: At this point, you should be aware of the importance of resistance training. Just three to four workout sessions lasting no more than 35 minutes to an hour will do the trick. For every pound of muscle on your body, you’ll burn 30-50 additional calories per day.

Part of your program should include abdominal exercises to strengthen and build the upper and lower abdominal region. This way, when you achieve your low body fat level, your abs will be tight and visible.

8. CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE: Perform moderate cardio exercise three to five days per week for approximately 30-40 minutes. During two of the days, you can exercise at a higher intensity level to accelerate fat loss -- but, only if you reach a sticking point. If you’re a beginner, then remember to increase exercise gradually.

Do this consistently; keep adjusting calories slightly (with the help of our nutrition support staff and the specific nutrition program you selected from the site), and change your routine every three to four weeks.

Want to bypass this formula and start losing fat sooner than later? Join eDiets and let us do all the work for you. We’ll structure a comprehensive diet and fitness solution that has you on your way to eight-pack abs.

As always, check with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program.

Learn more at eDiets.com...

----------------
About the Author

Raphael Calzadilla is a competitive bodybuilder and 2004 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Masters Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health and fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in Communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.