INTRO

Working as a personal trainer/fitness counselor and reading volumes of fitness publications over the years, I’ve noticed that the majority of fitness related questions that I see and hear most frequently revolve around the abdominals. As the centerpiece of the human physique, the aesthetically pleasing abdominals have become the obsession of most people that are concerned about their physical appearance. However, with modern day culture giving us more opportunities to do less physical work and eat more highly processed super-sized meals with increasing convenience, it has become progressively more difficult and frustrating for the majority of people to obtain anything even closely resembling a six-pack.
To make things worse, we are bombarded by so many “magic pills”, ab gadgets, and diets claiming to give you a ripped set of abs that the average consumer can’t make heads or tails over what works and what doesn’t. Just look at all of the conflicting popular diets on the market today. One claims that a low carb diet is the only way to lose weight, another says low fat is the best, and yet another claims that a vegetarian diet is the only way to go. And as for all of the ab gadgets that unscrupulous marketers are trying to say are the secret to a six pack; well, most of them are flat out worthless junk!
The fact is that most people are looking for that quick fix for which they are not going to have to change anything else in their lives; yet remarkably, that quick fix is going to give them six pack abs overnight. Well, the bad news is that no such thing exists on the market today. The good news is that a tight ripped set of abs is definitely attainable to most people (regardless of genetics) if you follow some sound training advice and follow a healthy diet that promotes body fat loss. I have even seen people who have turned some pretty large beer guts into six packs with some hard work and discipline. It just takes time.
The good news is that healthy eating can actually be enjoyable and doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It just takes a little knowledge on choosing the right foods, eating at the right times, and eating the right quantities and proportions. You will actually feel more energized and more productive each and every day by following a balanced diet as I will present 4

within this book. In addition, your training program doesn’t have to feel like a chore. It should be fun and challenge you to improve over time.
I have written this all-encompassing guide to bringing out your hidden set of six-pack abs to once and for all clear up all of the confusion and give every reader a step-by-step guide to follow and a clear understanding of the truth about six-pack abs.
Besides the head turning appeal of a great set of abs, a well developed midsection has many other benefits such as supporting a healthy back and improving athletic performance. Body fat reduction has many benefits as well, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, and many types of cancer. Since the likely reason you picked up this manual has to do with concern over physical appearance, I’ll spare you the talk about all of the other health benefits of body fat reduction and abdominal development. All of the health benefits could encompass another entire book.
Before getting into the all the details of this manual, I will say that the most important aspect of life regarding the benefits of fitness, where good health, physical appearance, and the ability to perform physical tasks all come together, is in “quality of life”. That’s what fitness is really all about. Bear in mind, the reason so few people have a nice set of abs is that it doesn’t happen overnight and it’s not easy to stay lean in today’s culture.
However, with some dietary discipline and an effective training program, it actually becomes quite easy to attain those coveted six-pack abs. So read on, and I guarantee that if you implement the strategic tips I’m going to give you about body fat reduction and abdominal development, you’ll be on your way to showing off a ripped set of abs!

Equipment or no equipment:

One more thing to straighten out before we get started… You don’t need lots of equipment to do most of the exercises in this manual. You will get the best results if you have access to a gym or have a fairly well equipped home gym so that you have as much variety as possible available to you. However, you DON’T need any machines!
I’d recommend at the very least, you have access to a stability ball (can get them at any sporting goods store for $20-$30 or at the amazon link I’ll give below) and a set of dumbbells. These two things alone will allow you to do almost every single exercise presented in the manual. Don’t worry if there are a couple exercises throughout the 2

manual that you can’t do due to lack of a certain piece of equipment… there are dozens of alternatives for everything.
In addition, keep in mind that almost every single barbell exercise presented can be substituted with dumbbells instead, in case dumbbells are all you have available.
If you would rather workout at home instead of joining a gym, I’d recommend you make a small investment in 2 pieces of equipment below. All total, you can get these for only a couple hundred dollars and they will last you for life, so it’s a worthy investment.
1.
a stability ball
2.
a set of adjustable powerblock dumbbells

In addition to everything I’ve mentioned above, make sure you also pay close attention to the nutrition section of this manual. The nutrition section of this book is vitally important to your success. Let me state this loud and clear… if all you focus on is your training, and your diet is full of junk, you WILL NOT see results! You need to apply BOTH the training strategies as well as the nutrition strategies if you want to make this work. The beautiful thing is that once you get this stuff down pat, it actually is quite easy to get as lean as you want and get those abs to show nicely! 3

Alright, time to get started, and get you on your way to your own set of six pack abs!

Man or Woman, Young or Old

It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, old or young… The CONCEPTS I teach in this manual work for anyone and everyone if you apply them. You simply need to adjust things to your level and capabilities. I’ll give example routines for all exercise levels from beginner to advanced, and from zero equipment all the way to fully gym equipped.

As a preface for female readers, I’d like to make sure you understand right now that although many of the exercises, training routines, and discussion within this manual may come off in a masculine tone sometimes, it is all equally as effective for body fat reduction and muscle toning for women as it is for men.
Regardless of gender, the best exercises are the best exercises – period! For example, although the barbell deadlift with all of those huge weights on the bar may look intimidating to some beginner male and female trainees, the movement is one of the most functional result producing, body changing movements you will ever learn, regardless of how much weight you can handle currently.
Also, please keep in mind that the abs-specific exercises in this manual are NOT the most important aspect of this program. In reality, the full body workout programs in section 9 of this book are vastly more important to your overall success than just the abs exercises.
In addition, the dietary strategies within this manual work equally well for both genders, as long as total caloric intake is adjusted appropriately. The example meal ideas and portion sizes are just that… examples! You obviously need to adjust portion sizes to your own body weight, age, activity level, etc.

Guideline 3: Drink Smoothies Regularly

With schedules the way they are today, it’s no wonder that your
definition of a kitchen gadget is the one with a team logo that can
open bottles. You need to make one exception for the kitchen
gadget that won’t fit on a key chain: the blender. I don’t care how
many speeds it has or how it looks, and I couldn’t tell you the difference
between a mince and a frappe. All I care about is how
much stuff I can put in it and how good the stuff tastes when it
comes out. (One thing I do recommend: Get a blender with at least
400 watts, which will give it the power to handle chopping ice and
shredding fruit and to outlast any Jimmy Buffett fans who might
drop by unexpectedly.)
When you consider that changing your body takes time, motivation,
and knowledge, consider your blender to be one of your
most powerful tools in this plan. Smoothies made with a mixture
of the Abs Diet Powerfoods can act as meal substitutions and as
potent snacks, and they work for a few reasons.
They require little time.
Adding berries, flavored whey powder, or peanut butter
will make them taste like dessert, which will satisfy your
sweet cravings.
Their thickness takes up a lot of space in your stomach.
I don’t cook much. When I want a quick, healthy meal, I dump
milk, low-fat vanilla yogurt, ice, uncooked instant oatmeal, peanut
butter, and a couple of teaspoons of chocolate whey powder into my
blender and press a button. You can mix and match ingredients, depending
on your tastes (see the recipes in chapter 9), but use the
milk, yogurt, whey powder, and ice as the base. Here’s the evidence
showing these blended power drinks will help you control your
weight.
98 T H E A B S D I E T
T H E A B S D I E T N U T R I T I O N P L A N 99
Researchers at Purdue University found that people
stayed fuller longer when they drank thick drinks than
when they drank thin ones—even when calories, temperatures,
and amounts were equal.
A Penn State study found that men who drink yogurt
shakes that had been blended until they doubled in
volume ate 96 fewer calories a day than men who drank
shakes of normal thickness.
In a study presented at the North American Association
of the Study of Obesity, researchers found that regularly
drinking meal replacements increased a man’s chance of
losing weight and keeping it off for longer than a year.
A University of Tennessee study found that men who
added three servings of yogurt a day to their diets lost
61 percent more body fat and 81 percent more stomach
fat over 12 weeks than men who didn’t eat yogurt.
Wow! Researchers speculated that the calcium helps
the body burn fat and limit the amount of new fat your
body can make.
How it works: Drink an 8-ounce smoothie for breakfast, as a
meal substitute, or as a snack before or after your workout.
Guideline 4: Stop Counting
Though calorie burning is paramount to losing fat, calorie
counting will make you lose focus and motivation. By eating these
12 Abs Diet Powerfoods and their many relatives, the foods themselves
will, in a way, count your calories for you. They’ll keep you
healthy and feeling full and satisfied. Plus, the most energy-efficient
foods are almost like doormen at a nightclub: They’re not
going to let any of the riffraff in without your approval.
Of course, that doesn’t give you license to speed down the
road of monstrous portions. Most of us claim that we watch
what we eat, but most of us don’t have a clue. A U.S. Department
of Agriculture study asked men what they ate, then
checked it against reality. The truth: Men ages 25 to 50 were
eating twice the grains, fats, and sweets that they estimated. If
you eat six well-balanced meals, your body will regulate portions
through things like fiber, protein, and the sheer volume of the
smoothies. That said, it’s always wise—especially in the beginning
of the plan, when you’re most vulnerable and adjusting to
a new way of eating—to focus on portion control by limiting the
servings of some foods, especially the ones with fat (like peanut
butter) and carbohydrates (like rice or bread). A good rule: Stick
to one to two servings per food group, and keep the total contents

Guideline 2: Make These 12 Abs Diet Powerfoods the Staples of Your Diet

The Abs Diet will teach you to focus on (not restrict yourself to) a
handful of food types—the Abs Diet Power 12—to fulfill your core
nutritional needs. These foods are all good for you. They’re so good,
in fact, that they’ll just about single-handedly exchange your fat
for muscle (provided you’ve kept your receipt). Just as important,
I’ve designed the Power 12 to include literally thousands of food
combinations. There are hundreds of dairy products, fruits and
vegetables, lean meats, and other choices to satisfy your tastes. Incorporating
these Powerfoods into your six meals a day will satiate
your tastes and cravings and keep you from feasting on the dangerous
fat promoters in your diet.
You’ll read more about these Powerfoods in chapter 8. For now,
I just want you to remember:
Almonds and other nuts
Beans and legumes
Spinach and other green vegetables
Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
Eggs
Turkey and other lean meats
Peanut butter
Olive oil
Whole-grain breads and cereals
Extra-protein (whey) powder
Raspberries and other berries