Get lean for fabulous abs

So you guys know I have been obessing over my abs for the past few weeks now, because I seem to be losing fat all over except the tummy. So I found this really cool article along with workouts online. I want you guys to be on the road with me to having a lean tummy so I'm posting it. :)

Getting a lean and defined bikini body doesn?t have to be mission impossible. Did you know that most experts say that a lean physique, the kind with six pack abs, defined arms, and shapely legs is 80% diet and 20% workout? Many of us have no problem pushing ourselves to extremes to build a great body but when it comes to diet most people continually drop the ball or resort to extreme measures to get lean. It doesn?t help that most fitness books and magazine out there make lowering your bodyfat sound like an elusive proposition that requires entirely too much work. Well guess what? You don?t have to deprive yourself of every single food you love, spend hours and hours doing cardio, or go on some crazy diet to lower your bodyfat. The key to getting a lean physique that will show off those ripped abs and tight muscles requires sticking to the following 3 guidelines.

Cutting Calories & Carbs
The first step to lower body fat is eating clean. Start by cutting out all processed foods including white bread, white rice, granola bars, crackers, cookies, muffins, bagels, potato chips, fruit juice drinks, and even low-fat foods (yogurt too) which are packed with sugar. Stick to two servings of starchy carbs and eat them earlier in the day.
1 serving = ½ c brown rice or couscous
½ cup spinach or buckwheat pasta
1 slice whole grain bread
1 small baked potato
1 whole wheat tortilla
½ whole wheat pita
The rest of the day rely on meal replacement shakes with fruit or lean protein like chicken or fish with vegetables. This way you?re still able to eat all your favorite foods but your body is more likely to use the starchy carbs as fuel earlier in the day instead of storing them as fat if eaten later in the day. Your total carb intake should be around 1g per pound of body weight. If you weight 120lb then you should eat no more than 120g of carbs per day. It?s also important to cut your calorie intake by at least 150 calories a day. Monitor what you?ve been eating for a week then slash 150 calories from that to create a deficit that will allow your body to burn off excess fat. These minor changes should make enough of a difference within two weeks. If you don?t see any progress slash another 100 calories (for a total of 250) and see what happens.

High Intensity Interval Training (Cardio)
In one research study participants who engaged in 90 sessions of traditional cardio over a 20 week period lost 1% bodyfat, while participants who engaged in 25 sessions of moderate intensity cardio then 35 sessions of high intensity cardio over a 15 week period lost 3% bodyfat. Additional studies have shown that participants who engaged in short high intensity training lost 9 times more fat than those who performed long low intensity training. Cardio is similar to strength training in that quality counts more than quantity. It?s that simple. Don?t become another casualty of the 45 minutes on the treadmill at a leisurely pace club. People who do this type of cardio, especially women, constantly complain that they?ve been exercising for months and can?t lose weight. Longer low intensity cardio is actually counterproductive for more fit individuals because it burns up hard earned muscle, which is very important for fat burning. If you?ve been doing this type of cardio without result for some time you have nothing to lose by trying HIIT.

Now here is the workout to go along with this.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art6530.a sp

Hope this is of some help to you  guys. :)

jawild, here's the deal on the magic "fat burning" zones on those cardio charts.  You burn a higher PERCENTAGE of fat at lower intensity, but you burn more CALORIES and more FAT CALORES at higher intensities.  

this page has a chart showing the math: http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l /aa022601a.htm

finewine wait until you get the ball. that one is the toughest, no doubt. I am telling you, you havent done the workout if you haven ot used the ball. you'll be screaming in pain. :)

glad it's working out for some people.

*feels proud* I actually did that workout yesterday! ^^

bump up

has anyone been following this workout?

No, but I'll give it a good look when I can. *bookmarks*

Thanks Howard. It's a REALLY good ab workout. A must.

Six pack abs are obtained in two parts.  First part is diet and it?s best to eat low sugars and many small meals. Rather than 3 big meals a day, you want to eat 6-8 small meals. It keep s your metabolism up and burns food more efficiently.
You obviously want proper exercises as well, that?s the second part. Give these exercises a try they're complete with free videos that shows proper technique.

bumping this up. Read some friend's journal and saw they were going to try it out.

It's a really good and effective workout. :)

hope it helps with the abs. :)

I once met a physical therapist who said that flutter kicks were what kept him employed.  In the Army they are frequently used, but if you don't perform them properly (especially for women) it can cause tremendous lower back and hip strain.   Really concentrate on form.

Having fabulous abs is a dream for both men and women. They are also the most difficult to achieve, in part, because of how people are exercising them. Working only part of the abdominal section, poor breathing and improper form, lack of aerobics, and poor dieting are the leading road blocks to attaining fabulous abs. The abdominals are made of more than just the "belly" region. The middle muscle, rectus abdominis, can be divided into upper and lower regions. Although there is only one muscle, it is important to do exercises that target both the upper and lower regions individually, as it is too large to work thoroughly all at once. There are also the internal and external obliques, which are the side "love handle" areas. These too must be targeted and toned. The abdominal region is made up of a team of muscles which all must be exercised. Although abdominal work is strenuous, it is imperative that you breathe. Exhale during the contraction of the muscle. Every time you tighten up, breathe out. Release all your air, even when working the obliques. If you hold your breath, your muscle will take on a rounded shape, as it tones and tightens around the air in which you are holding. You will not achieve a washboard look. Breathing will also help to ease the pain of the exercise. Proper form is crucial to exercising, especially when working the abs. Poor form is not only inefficient, but can lead to injuries, especially in the back. Be sure to focus on the muscle you are working. Visualize it tightening and releasing. Quality and not quantity is the key. It is better to do 12 properly formed crunches than 20 improperly formed crunches. Stop immediately if you feel pain or discomfort in your back. It may be necessary to consult a trainer or your doctor to help you find a workout program that is right for you. In addition to targeted strength exercises, you must also do some form of aerobic exercise for 20-30 minutes at least three times per week. There is no such thing as spot reducing. If you want to see the results of all that muscle work, you must remove the fat on top. Muscle work alone will not achieve this. Finally, all is thwarted without a balanced diet. A diet high in fat will negate all your efforts. Similarly, a starvation diet will also keep you from your goal, as your body will feed on your muscles to sustain itself. Further, instead of burning fat, your body will fight to store it. A diet balanced with protein, carbohydrates, and fat is necessary to promote muscle gain and weight loss. Fabulous abs are within your reach. All it takes is desire and the right kind of hard work, which includes: * exercising all areas of your abs, * breathing through the exercise while executing it properly, * adding aerobics to your workout program, * and implementing a properly balanced diet program. Although you may never have a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger, you can attain hard muscular abs that look attractive and support your body well. Check with your doctor before you start an exercise program.

For more great info:

http://www.essortment.com/in/Health.Fitness/i ndex.htm

to be honest this all seems very complicated....i just made sure i ate less carbs, ate more protein, and did 100 sit-ups daily... and after 1 week i'm already starting to see a more defined stomach...it's great