Who wouldn’t love a toned and well-defined midsection, am I right? Since the beginning of time, models, actors, and professional athletes have flaunted their hard-earned bodies on the big screen, during sporting events, and on magazine covers, for everyone to be in awe over. It’s time that someone created a diet to help you get similar results. This article is going to cover “The Abs Diet”, a lifestyle change that might just get you the toned and well-defined midsection you’re after.
The Abs Diet created by David Zinczenko in 2008, is a 6-week lifestyle routine that changes the way you think about eating and the way you go about exercising, to help you get, as the title suggests, abs! I know, the last thing anyone needs is another fad diet, but I wanted to dig deep into the Abs Diet to give you my opinion on whether or not it’s worth not only your financial investment but also your time. Let’s dig in!
What and When Do You Get to Eat?
As with any diet and lifestyle routine, there are rules to follow. For “The Abs Diet”, you are allowed to eat six times per day and have one cheat meal per week. Perhaps the best part, you don’t have to count calories for the entire duration!
The guidelines also say that you must have a small snack a couple of hours before lunch, before dinner, and then again after dinner. Your main meals, lunch, and dinner must also include at least two options from the 12 Abs Diet power foods. Embarking on this diet will provide you with plenty of meal options that are all high in calcium, protein, fiber, and healthy fats which Zinczenko says are the building blocks to the Abs Diet.
What You Can’t Eat
This all sounds good so far, doesn’t it? Let’s get to the comfort foods you’ll need to cut out when following this plan. The Abs Diet rules will ask you to stop eating sugary carbohydrates, ready-made meals, and all your favorite sugar-rich junk food. A bummer, yes but you can’t expect a diet plan to allow you to eat everything you want.
Lastly, you’ll be able to drink berry-rich protein smoothies to help you kick that sugar craving before or after your major meals.
What About Exercise?
As anyone could guess, you’re not simply going to get a rock-hard 6-pack without having to do any exercise. The Abs Diet states that exercise plays a critical role in your success while following this routine. Zinczenko suggests scheduling three strength training sessions and two abs sessions every week. This goes hand in hand with your new healthy diet plan.
The good news is that Zinczenko states cardio exercise is optional (hooray!), however, states that you can mix in an interval training session once per week to get your cardio fix. The workouts outlined in this lifestyle plan are designed to help you achieve that rock-hard midsection you’re after, leaving you with one rest day each week free from any form of exercise.
Is It Worth Trying?
This is the million-dollar question, isn’t it? The answer to this question will likely influence your decision on whether or not to start the Abs Diet. Although I haven’t tried this diet out for myself, I must say that I really enjoy the principles of this program.
As a physiotherapist, I am constantly coaching patients to take better control over their diet and exercise. With that said, I feel that the principles surrounding the six meals per day and the outlined five workout sessions per week can help anyone get the results they desire.
Will the Abs Diet Get Me Results?
The next question is, will this diet plan help you get defined abs in 6-weeks? No, that’s unlikely and largely depends on your starting body weight and body fat percentage. However, I believe that if you start this diet plan, adhere to its rules, and truly change your lifestyle habits, you’re likely to see incredible results and maybe even a 6-pack if you were to complete this for a total of 12-weeks.
Yes, this is double the amount of time as advertised in the Abs Diet but I feel this time frame sets you up better for success as big transformations of the body take a lot of time and consistency.
Give Me the Bottom Line
The bottom line is yes, I absolutely think you should give this lifestyle plan a try. This routine will help you sort out your diet so that you start eating healthier. It will also help you get into a better exercise routine and those steps alone will surely get you results.
That said, it’s best to always consult with your doctor before starting any new diet routine, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions. If you’re given the all-clear, go and give the Abs Diet a try!
