They're the envy of pot-bellied sofa surfers across the country. They even serve as inspiration for those of us with enough drive and conviction to hit the gym and take-up workout programs. They're on the pages of GQ, Men's Health and late night fitness infomercials happily pumping-away on the latest exercise gadget- those super-fit ab models with seemingly impossible six packs.
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.
Experts have determined that exercises that keeps the heart pumping for extended periods at medium intensity are optimal for burning body fat. At 60-70% of your MHR (maximum heart rate), the body expends the most calories from stored fat rather than carbohydrates and glycogen. The latter is needed for muscle-development and no one wants to lose-out on building muscle.
Another useful not-so-well-known fitness fact: the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn even while watching Letterman (without the bucket of chicken, of course). It's called metabolism and muscle tissue increases it by burning calories even with no movement.
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. - 15995
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.
Experts have determined that exercises that keeps the heart pumping for extended periods at medium intensity are optimal for burning body fat. At 60-70% of your MHR (maximum heart rate), the body expends the most calories from stored fat rather than carbohydrates and glycogen. The latter is needed for muscle-development and no one wants to lose-out on building muscle.
Another useful not-so-well-known fitness fact: the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn even while watching Letterman (without the bucket of chicken, of course). It's called metabolism and muscle tissue increases it by burning calories even with no movement.
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. - 15995
