Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Six Pack Ab Models - How Do They Do It?

By Gerard Lanzona

We've seen them gracing the covers of countless fitness and lifestyle mags. They're also on the daytime infomercials oh so familiar with couch potatoes everywhere. Some have even made it to the silver screen, playing unstoppable Greek warriors fighting ancient Persian armies against all odds. I'm talking about those super-fit models with lean, shredded abs- the lucky few envied by scores of frustrated gym goers and wannabe Spartans everywhere.

These days, getting six pack abs tops the list of priorities for fitness buffs everywhere. It's not just with gym aficionados either. Flaunting a shredded midsection on the beach is an all-too-common fantasy for a majority of men (and a significant number of women)- single or married, straight or gay, prince or pauper. Countless people have tried and because of frustration, gave-up getting a six-pack abs thinking it's hopeless. If you're one of those poor souls, break out the gym bag and water bottle again- getting washboard abs worthy of shirtless strolls on the beach (or the boulevard) is really quite simple.

Anybody with basic knowledge of the human body's metabolic processes and the right exercise techniques can get washboard abs that rivals those of fitness ad models'. Knowing which food and exercises are the most effective in losing belly fat will enable just about anyone to get a shredded gut. In light of this, secrets of six pack ab models will not be so secret anymore.

Experts have determined that exercises that keeps the heart pumping for extended periods at medium intensity are optimal for burning body fat. At 60-70% of your MHR (maximum heart rate), the body expends the most calories from stored fat rather than carbohydrates and glycogen. The latter is needed for muscle-development and no one wants to lose-out on building muscle.

Building muscle also increases a person's metabolism, meaning more calories burned even while inactive. The more muscles we pack on, the less calories we have to burn through exercise. Having a body like King Diomedes then, will let us expend calories even while off in dreamland fighting epic battles.

Ab models, as you already know, didn't get their physique from gorging on fatty snacks and gulping down soda. Their diet is not as strict and oppressive as one might think however. Simply substituting chips and chocolate bars for omega-3 rich nuts and fat-burning citrus fruits will help a lot in getting you closer to your goal.

Skipping meals actually induce us to gorge on the next meal and naturally, this stretches the abdominal muscles and over time will protrude and become unsightly. Also, our bodies have a tendency to slow down metabolism when we're hungry, resulting in less calories burned from body fat and extending the time it would take to get that coveted six pack.

It's ultimately better to eat 3 times a day with snacks in between to prevent ourselves from feeling deprived and simply pigging-out on the next meal. Overeating expands our stomach muscles to accommodate all the food we eat and this leads to a pot belly after a while. - 15485

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