Posts Tagged ‘Cottage Cheese’

In Part 1 of Tips for Getting Ripped Six Pack Abs! I gave the 10 overall keys to getting ripped six pack abs which focused mainly on the exercises and mental game. In part 2 of Tips for Getting Six Pack Abs we will focus on the other half of the ripped abs success equation -Proper Nutrition.

Learning how, what and when to eat is crucial if you want to sculpt a ripped physique with striated six pack abs! You can strengthen your midsection with constant exercising, but if you consume the wrong foods, in the wrong amounts and at the wrong times, you will never see results. A smart nutrition strategy is essential!

Here are some key eating strategies to get and keep you eating right in your quest for six pack abs:

1. Calories Count

Keep your calorie intake below your calorie expenditure. As a general rule of thumb, keep caloric intake around 2000 calories per day or about 10 calories for every pound of body weight you carry, but never less than 1200 calories a day, for optimal fat loss.

2. Cycle Your Total Calories Daily

Each day do your best to vary your caloric intake from 1200 on one day to 1800 the next, then back down to 1400 the third day and then you can jump back to 2000 on day four, for best fat loss results.

You get the picture! This will keep you body guessing, never feeling deprived into thinking it is in a starvation state, where it is programmed to hoard body fat instead of releasing body fat more efficiently.

This will help get you into a fat burning mode instead of a fat storing mode, which in turn will help get your body fat down and moving towards 10% so you can begin seeing your chiseled six pack!

3. Think Protein First

When planning each meal always make sure that the majority of the calories in your meal, around 40-5o percent, come from lean protein. Good sources of quality protein include: chicken, turkey, beef, fish, eggs, low fat cottage cheese and milk.

Scientific studies show that protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels when it’s consumed with carbs which contributes to a sort of ‘time-released’ energy as opposed to spikes up and down. Whey protein in particular has been shown to help stimulate the release of appetite-suppressant hormones, causing you to eat less!

Studies have demonstrated that adding whey protein to a midday snack or beverage provides stable energy and can help control food intake at the next meal. Protein also has the highest ‘thermogenic effect’ of any food. This means our metabolism gets a boost when we eat protein and as a result we burn more calories.

In summary, protein helps build muscle, requires more energy to digest-increasing calorie burn, and gives you a harder more defined look to you physique. It keeps you feeling full longer as well as keeping your insulin levels in check, which will keep fat burning enzymes turned on!

Wow! What a power food PROTEIN is for helping you get your body fat down in preparation for the unveiling of those six pack abs!

In part 3 of Tips for Getting Six Pack Abs, I will give you a few more key nutrition tips for getting ripped six pack abs! We will cover the importance of fiber, eating the right amount of food in each meal, eating at the right times and a few other Nutrition pearls of wisdom.

So check in next week for part 3 and for the complete program order now….
Rapidly Ripped, The Ultimate Fat Burning System for Life!

By Charles Damiano
Nutrition and Fitness Expert
Bestselling author of “Rapidly Ripped”
The Ultimate Fat Burning System for Life!
Body-for-Life 2004 Grand Master Champion Winner

The world’s most effective dieters are competitive bodybuilders.  Here are few proven bodybuilding methods to burn fat while retaining lean muscle!

1.  CUT CALORIES

Keep daily calories right at your caloric break even point or daily calorie burn.  Your caloric break even point is the number of calories needed to maintain your current body weight.  Competitive bodybuilders stay right at their caloric break-even point and then engage in high-intensity weight training and cardio to create a slight energy deficit.

BONUS TIP:  Keep a food Journal
For a week, record every bit of food you eat and include the type of food, how it was cooked, what was added, and exact amounts.  Keep track of your calories per meal and total calories for the day.  Write a sentence or two about how you feel after every meal in terms of energy, alertness, hunger etc.  Once you’ve established how many calories you’re eating each day, slash this amount by 10-15% to accelerate fat loss.

2.  ALTER FOOD SELECTION

It matters very much which foods you select to fill your calorie allotment.  Certain foods -those loaded with sugar- have a terrible effect on insulin.  However, eating protein has a positive effect on insulin while refined carbohydrates have  a detrimental effect. Sugar is the number one enemy of insulin control.  Be aware of insulin and choose you foods wisely.

BONUS TIP:  More Protein, Less “Bad” Cards
Try to eat about 1 gram of protein daily per pound of body weight.  So if you are a 180 male  and are eating six small meals a day,  each meal should contain around 30 grams of protein.  Also make sure you eat nutrient dense carbohydrates, brown rice, oatmeal, yams, vegetable etc., and limit the nutrient sparse carbs, orange juice, white bread, sugar, all processed foods etc., to avoid disrupting your insulin stores.  And be sure to include a protein source (chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef, eggs, cottage cheese etc.) and complex carb source in each meal, as suggested in the Rapidly Ripped Program.

3.  EAT OFTEN

Eat small portions often.  This multi-meal eating strategy is an irreplaceable cornerstone component of a bodybuilder’s fat slashing strategy, as explained in the Rapidly Ripped Program. For best results, spread out the consumption of your daily caloric allotment.  If your daily allotment is 2700 calories, it is better to ingest six small 450 calorie meals instead of the traditional three big 900 calorie meals.  Small frequent meals consumed every 3 hours are less daunting on your digestive system, are digested more efficiently, more nutrients get absorbed more efficiently by your body, and keeps you in a positive nitrogen balance, the ultimate anabolic state, for maintaining lean ripped muscle.

BONUS TIP:  Fit in 5-6 small meals per day

Eating frequently keeps your insulin levels consistent, thereby giving you better energy and helps you with your appetite control and fat loss. Plan for a pre- and post-workout snacks-like Myoplex Shakes, Bars or other balanced protein /carb, healthy snacks- to give you energy to work out and replenish your glycogen stores.

4.  WEIGHT TRAINING AND HIIT CARDIO ARE NOT OPTIONAL

A competitive bodybuilder runs, jogs, does elliptical work or does other types of cardio workouts.  They also lift weights, eat light, and eat often,eliminate alcohol, sugar and refined carbs and generally avoid foods that spike insulin levels.  As a result of this ultra-active lifestyle and the consistent repeated exercise combined with small, precise frequent eating, the bodybuilder develops a lightning fast metabolism and becomes a fat-burning machine!

BONUS TIP:  Fat-Burning Workouts and Eating Strategies

Order the Rapidly Ripped Program for the ultimate fat burning workout and eating strategies.

By Charles Damiano
Nutrition and Fitness Expert
Bestselling author of “Rapidly Ripped” –
The Ultimate Fat Burning System for Life!
Body-for-Life 2004 Grand Master Champion Winner