Due to the popularity of part 1 and part 2 of my guide on how to get a six pack, as well as a couple of requests for extra info, I thought I’d put together a part 3 with a few extra pointers as well as an example of what I might eat in a week.
Cardio
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| Blackmores Sydney Half Marathon 2013 |
I deliberately left out cardio in the exercises post, this is because I believe that diet is much more important in losing fat – it’s often stated that fat loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Having said that I’m not against cardio, if you’re a regular reader of my blog you’ll know that I do quite a lot of running. I could go a lot into the science of which is the best cardio for weight-loss, but to to be honest I’m a firm believer that the best cardio is the exercise that you enjoy and will stick to in the long term. For me, that’s calisthenics and running, but for you it may be something different.
(For a detailed comparison of the best cycling machines, click here.)
Get Plenty of Sleep
I can’t emphasise this one enough, in the modern era of technology and our busy lifestyles so many people do not get enough sleep. This is the time when you’re body is recovering, and if you’re trying to build muscle for your six pack or elsewhere, this is also the time when the body refuels its testosterone levels. In fact this is so important I should probably write a full post on it and how to improve your sleep.
Update: Nathan has written a whole post on its epic! You can read it here.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Easier said than done I know, but stress contributes in several ways to fat storage. When our stress hormones are in overdrive, we’re much more likely to eat comfort food. This may make us feel a little better, but is usually only temporary.
Quick Tip: Mindfulness, exercise and deep breathing can all lead to a reduction in stress levels.
Further Reading:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/can-stress-cause-weight-gain
Example Food Plan
I don’t claim to have the healthiest diet in the world (nor would I want to), but I have made changes over the last few years that have really improved my diet. I have a quite strict food regime at work, I find that mixing my work routine with an eating routine really helps for motivation.
- Breakfast: 4 Oatabix with unhomogenized organic milk and a teaspoon of raw organic honey.
- Morning Snacks: Fruit and boiled organic eggs.
- Lunch: A large piece of organic meat and usually a boxed salad; I have boxed as I know from experience I won’t make a salad myself everyday. I typically throw out the ready made dressing and replace it with avocado oil, which is both very good for you and delicious.
- Afternoon Snack: Fruit and Yoghurt.
