Last week, I started the Abs Diet. The Abs Diet is marketed as a six-week program for losing weight and getting a flat stomach. Despite its marketing, its not a gimmick diet or a lose weight fast plan but a lifestyle change.
A few years ago, I first started the Abs Diet and I successfully kept my weight around 160 pounds for a long time. I felt great and was much faster at this weight. Then I started running extensively and had to adjust my eating plan to compensate for all of the calories I was burning while running up to 30+ miles/week. Over the last year or so, I have been running much less and still eating the same. So my weight has ballooned up to 180 pounds. Though I am still in decent shape – exercising about 3 times a week with soccer, running and the gym – I have decided to start eating much better and exercise with a plan. So last week, I started the Abs Diet.
Basically, the principles of the Abs Diet are as follows:
- Eat 3 small meals and 3 snacks evenly spaced out through each day
- Balance your eating around 12 power foods (see below)
- Eating “clean”: avoid processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, salty food, food with empty calories, etc.
- 3 days a week of weight training (circuit training) plus other cardio or interval workouts if possible
The Abs Diet 12 power foods include:
The Abs Diet book(s) teach you everything you need to know to get on the Abs Diet and start living healthy. I would 100% recommend the Abs Diet for any guy looking to get into better shape. Though the Abs Diet is specifically for Men, they also have an Abs Diet for Women that is (most likely) geared around the same principles.
I guess the hardest parts of the Abs Diet are shopping, preparing and scheduling the meals. Luckily, the books have tons of easy-to-make recipes, many of which can be cooked and saved in the fridge or freezer for later meals. Plus most of the meals actually taste good… really good! And the smoothies, which are a big part of most day’s meal plans, are also easy to prepare and delicious.
So, its a week into this program and I feel great. I have been eating healthier than I ever have and have even been looking forward to going to the gym. I hope I can maintain my enthusiasm over the next year and beyond. I hope to get my weight down to about 165 and keep it there. Only time will tell…
