OK folks here it is – the information you’ve all been waiting for. Finally – a no holding back – fully informative article on how to acquire that bikini body – that movie star look – those washboard abs.

During the last two weeks I received a total of13 e-mails trying to sell me herbs, pills, liquids, machines and even surgery to create the look that everyone “seems” to want. Personally I like a little extra meat to keep me warm in the cold Canadian winters!!

However, I am here to give you the real secret. No special herb harvested under a full moon in some distant desert…no medical breakthrough magic pill to take to decrease your appetite (do you really want that anyway?) …no fancy machine that will carve and sculpt your body in just a few minutes…and certainly no medical procedure.

So, what is this amazing information I’m going to reveal? First you have to ask yourself (and answer) this question; “How badly do I want that washboard look?” If it’s a lifelong goal and you are will to do what it takes, then read on. But if you’re looking for a quick-fix, then grab a bag of Doritos and tune into your favorite reality show on TV. This information is only for those that are serious and ready to make a commitment.

Still here?  Good.

OK – enough beating around the bush. Here’s the answer you’ve been looking for…the secret to a sexy, toned, midsection.

Ready?

Proper diet and exercise.

Yep – that’s it – that’s all.

We all have abs and obliques. It’s just that they are hidden under layers of fat. Quite often, this fat is the most stubborn to lose.

Come on now! You really think a pill or powder potion is going to somehow magically make your abs appear without losing the fat? Wrap a scarf around your face you can’t see your face – but it’s still there. You have to remove the scarf.

The specialists say for a decent looking core to appear, women need a body fat composition of about 13 % and men around 10%. Now that gets a little trickier than it sounds. Why? Because the body is an amazing organism and it actually won’t let the body get to those proportions unless it’s healthy enough to support it. The body stores fat as an energy reserve, uses it as a site for storing toxins it can’t eliminate right away and many other reasons.

Women in particular have tougher issues to deal with because their bodies are designed to have enough energy to feed a developing fetus and have enough energy to support their hormone imbalances. Going below 13% sends danger signals to the body for these issues.

So you see – a washboard belly is a total sign of health, strength and durability. Getting there requires work, dedication and following a few guidelines.

So to go from this         to this

Here’s the plan Stan…

Without going into too much technical jargon – here’s how to get a six pack without stimulants, drugs or fad machines.
Food – it should be Organic…  or as close to natural as you can find. So much of the commercially farmed foods are laced with pesticides and grown with high levels of toxic fertilizers. These toxins are stored in your liver when you can’t effectively process and eliminate them. The fat around your midsection will be reduced in direct proportion to how toxic your body is. Hydration, proper nutrition, exercise, proper oxygen intake through deep breathing and the necessary and ‘oh so wonderful’ bowel movements is required for toxin removal…and this assists in getting rid of that “spare tire” look.

Keeping properly hydrated. The only way to do this is to drink water. All the other fluids, sports drinks, tea, coffees or whatever doesn’t count. You need water – good pH balanced water. Filtered not tap water.Take your body weight – multiply it by .033 and that’s how many liters you should be drinking each day. Again, if you don’t have enough, your amazing body will start storing it and you’ll look puffy.

Eating right for your Metabolic type. This gets a little tricky and may take some researching on your part. ( I’ll do up a report on how you can check your own metabolic type.) Basically you don’t feed Lions leaves and you don’t feed Giraffes meat. So you have to learn what your body requires. Once you get this figured out, it becomes much easier to shed away unwanted and unnecessary fat.

Exercises. Many people still believe in such a thing as ‘spot reducing’. Sorry – doesn’t exist in the real world. All the ab isolated exercises you can possibly do won’t improve your chances of seeing those washboard abs. Go big or go home. Squats. lunges, cables pushes or rows – all the big high energy movements is where you should focus your energy. They will burn fat – done deal.

Go hard on the abs at the end. Since your abs are the stabilizers, you don’t want to exhaust them early in your workout. Keep the direct ab workouts high intensity. Also it’s a good idea to work the lower abs first.

Now you have the ‘Secret’…

Basically that’s it! The cat’s out of the bag – you now have the real secret to obtaining that beautiful set of abs you been looking for.

Work with Mother Nature – do Her justice and stay fit and healthy…and yes you can feel proud when you lose the washtub – and have a washboard instead!

Stay well

Doug

The benefits of weight training have been greatly underestimated until now. The results of overall health improvement, metabolism and body toning are tremendous. You will always hear that cardio is the way to lose weight and yes it has tremendous benefits however good workout programs can incorporate strength and cardio fitness. More and more people are becoming aware of the benefits and finding their way into fitness centers lining up waiting for exercise machines. Lifting weights is no longer a bodybuilder’s hobby. Men, women and young adults alike lift weights and realize the advantages.

The major benefits of a strength program include looking trimmer and more youthful as one ages; increased metabolism and weight management; reduced stress and depression; prevention of the onset of diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. A good weight training program can have your body burning up calories many hours later as it repairs muscle tissue from muscle building workouts. We say muscle building as a phrase but many just want to be better shape so fitness workouts with weights is a fantastic way to accomplish both objectives.

Many people have the notion that lifting weight is only for athletes or people who want to look good at the beach. But, what about the person who would like to pick up a 25 pound bag of dog food or the grandparent who would like to be able to carry his or her grandchild? With our sedentary lifestyle and especially as we become older it’s important to look for way to be active because muscles need to be used on a regular basis to work properly. When we are not active then carrying a bag of dog food can be an obstacle or challenge depending on your fitness level.

One of the greatest myths of weight training is the fear of bulking up or developing large, masculine-looking muscles. Muscles don’t just happen. It’s incredibly difficult for men who want to develop large muscles to do so, let alone for women who have 1/10th the testosterone of a man. If, by exercising hard, a woman develops some muscle size, it will be minimal and will improve her figure. To clarify this further a competitive athlete has a workout routine vastly different than a bodybuilder so someone who joins a fitness club to get into shape will have a something different again and more suited to their ability. Your level of testosterone, body/muscle type and hard work at the gym is the only way muscle can be increased.

Weight training isn’t only about the results that you can see in the mirror. Muscles support the skeleton, protect internal organs, move the body, help to maintain balance and help control metabolism. The stronger the muscles the better the body performs. Strength is important for the body from aesthetics to function. Resistance training is really about training hard, building strength and enhancing the body’s structural integrity.

The key to getting stronger is intensity and quality, not quantity. This is where a new person joining a health club needs to spend time with a personal training either one on one or in a group class learning the fundamentals of how to perform each exercise properly. They have basic workout programs to start with so your next step is to learn these exercises in order to prevent injury. If you have any discomfort from some of the exercise movements then ask your trainer for advice. They may see something your not doing right or introduce some other fitness movement into the program. The idea is to break down the muscle fibers so they can rebuild. When muscle rebuilds, it becomes stronger and firmer. Rest the muscles for 24 – 48 hours after a workout is important for the rebuilding process. Eating protein within one hour after working out is the building block to muscle repair.

Too many people stay stuck at a lower resistance when they could be lifting heavier weight and enjoying more benefits. Being new to weight and strength training you maybe be unwilling to push yourself by increasing the amount of resistance but the only way to increase your strength is by lifter heavier weights. On an intensity scale of one to ten, a beginner should be at a five. A seasoned weight trainer should be able to reach an eight and sometimes a ten. A ten is to failure. You won’t reach failure on every workout, but you should try to be comfortable to eventually get to a level ten. Don’t compromise form.