Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Six Pack Ab Models Have A Recipe For Success

By Gerard Lanzona

You've seen them, they're everywhere these days. Demonstrating the latest fitness gadget on TV, on fashion spreads showing-off the new line of swimsuits, even on advertisements for the latest designer scent. Those six pack ab models. And the question on the minds of the countless masses with the soft tummies is: "How do they do it?"

Getting Achilles-style abs or a tummy like Tyson Beckford's and 50 cent's has long been a fantasy for many- an unreachable dream that a lot of frustrated gym goers have given-up on. Most people pass it off to good genes or a grueling workout regimen. Fact is, anybody can get ripped abs. It just takes a basic knowledge of physiology, a proper exercise regimen and eating smart. Equal parts of these three comprise the recipe for ripped abs.

The fitness ab models with those glorious six-packs didn't get them by slacking-off and logging-extended hours on the boob tube of course, but their workouts aren't as grueling as most folks yearning for a shredded midsection think. A combination of cardio and muscle building exercises that target and keep-off body fat as source for energy will do the trick.

Total body exercises that keep the heart rate at 60-70% of the maximum are the most effective for burning belly fat- experts have discovered. These burn the most calories from body fat rather than from carbs and glycogen (needed for muscle building).

Building muscle also increases a person's metabolism, meaning more calories burned even while inactive. The more muscles we pack on, the less calories we have to burn through exercise. Having a body like King Diomedes then, will let us expend calories even while off in dreamland fighting epic battles.

Diet of course, plays a big part in our fight against The Flab. It's not as simple as just cutting back on food intake however. It's even possible to eat 3 meals a day with snacks in between and still get a tummy like a six pack ab models'. The technique is choosing what you stuff in your mouth and when to stuff it in. Eating foods rich in carbs an hour or two before a workout for example can provide you with the ample energy for a workout session.

Skipping meals actually induce us to gorge on the next meal and naturally, this stretches the abdominal muscles and over time will protrude and become unsightly. Also, our bodies have a tendency to slow down metabolism when we're hungry, resulting in less calories burned from body fat and extending the time it would take to get that coveted six pack.

It's ultimately better to eat 3 times a day with snacks in between to prevent ourselves from feeling deprived and simply pigging-out on the next meal. Overeating expands our stomach muscles to accommodate all the food we eat and this leads to a pot belly after a while. - 16083

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