Best Diet For Abs - Follow These 6 Rules For Nutrition

Whether you want to change your body to improve your health, looks, fitness, sex appeal — or just feel better about yourself all over — this plan offers you a simple promise: It can transform your body so you can accomplish all of those goals. And still have the energy you need to make each day a good one.

 
Principles of the abs diet

Most people who are embarking on a new mission begin with one fundamental question: When do we eat? Good question. Most diets are all about what foods you'll cut out. This one is all about what you'll include. And that's good news, because if you want to emerge on the other side of this plan with a new body, you must have the flexibility and freedom to keep yourself from getting hungry, and the knowledge that you can eat well no matter what.

So let's see what's on the menu.

Guideline 1

Eat Six Meals a Day

Didn't I tell you that this is not about deprivation?

We're so used to hearing people talk about eating less food that it's become weight-loss doctrine. The new philosophy that I want you to keep in mind is "energy balance."

Researchers at Georgia State University developed a technique to measure hourly energy balance — that is, how many calories you're burning versus how many calories you're taking in. The researchers found that if you keep your hourly surplus or deficit within 300 to 500 calories at all times, you'll best be able to change your body composition by losing fat and adding lean muscle mass. People with the largest energy imbalances (those whose calorie surpluses or shortfalls topped 500 calories from hour to hour) were the fattest, while those with the most balanced energy levels were the leanest. So if you eat only your three squares a day, your energy levels are all over the place. That kind of eating plan is great — if your dream is to consistently gain weight. But if you want to look slimmer, feel fitter, and live longer, then eat more often. Simply alternate your meals with snacks and you'll keep your stomach full, which will reduce the likelihood of a diet-destroying binge.

1. Eat Plenty of Protein

Eating enough lean protein promotes fat loss and muscle gain, the two most important elements for developing great abs. It also helps keep you from getting hungry while you’re eating right. You don’t have to gobble down 12-ounce steaks—just eat a normal portion of lean meat, fish, low-fat dairy, or vegetarian protein with every meal, and make sure your snacks contain some protein, too. If you still have a hard time getting enough in your diet, a daily Shakeology shake can be a perfect addition.

2. Reconsider Carbs

Despite the popularity of low-car diets, the average American meal is still too high in sugar and fast-burning starches to bring body fat down to ab-baring levels. It’s time to say goodbye to sweetened soda, ditch the Doritos, and save the cake for your birthday.

3. Get Your Fiber

Something about the word “fiber” just doesn’t sound appetizing. But high-fiber foods can actually be quite delicious: fresh berries and other fruits, salads loaded with colorful produce, your favorite steamed vegetables or vegetable soup, stews or chili made with beans, chewy whole-grain breads and cereals… you get the picture. (These foods just happen to be loaded with nutrients as well.)

4. Don’t Forget to Eat

Tempted to lower your daily calorie count by skipping meals? Don’t. Going hungry can raise your levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol, which research has found can increase belly fat even in otherwise thin women.

Eating too infrequently can lower your metabolism and energy levels, while increasing the chance that you’ll get too hungry and decide to chuck your meal plan entirely. If you’re eating the right foods, regular meals and snacks will keep your body fueled while you’re working toward that strong core.

5. Enjoy More Yogurt

Packed with protein, crammed with calcium, popping with probiotics, yogurt has all the makings of the best weight loss foods. How would you like to take all the great weight-loss results you’ve just read about—and double them? That’s what happens when you supplement your diet with a combination of vitamin D and calcium, according to a Nutrition Journal study. Just four weeks into the 12-week experiment, subjects who had taken these two nutrients—found in abundance in some yogurts—lost two times more fat than the other group! To get similar results at home, start your day with one of these 25 Best Yogurts for Weight Loss!

6. Drink More Fluids

Hydration is important when you’re on a fitness plan, but drinking plenty of water has particular benefits for your midsection. It helps keep your stomach full, so you don’t overeat, and it helps flush out excess sodium to prevent belly bloating. (Eating more potassium-rich foods, such as tomatoes and bananas, will also help in this area.)

Plain ol’ water can’t be beat, but you can also switch it up with flavored waters, iced tea (unsweetened), and anything else you like to drink that isn’t full of sugar. How much do you need? The old rule of eight glasses a day is a good start, but everyone is different: Drink more if you’re exercising or it’s hot out, and drink less if you’re running to the bathroom every five minutes.

BEST FOODS FOR 6-PACK ABS

EGGS
BANANAS
FORTIFIED MILK
GREEN
TEA
LEANPOULTRY
LEGUMES
BLACK BEANS
OATMEAL
CHERRIES
SWEET POTATOES
GREEK YOGURT
SPINACH
BROCCOLI
NUT