fitness and health

First off
I want to mention that
for most people
getting six pack abs is not an easy task. It requires dedication
but it is possible! Below is a general 2-step guide that
if followed religiously for 3 months
will produce results.


Step 1: Nutrition

This is the single most important part of the puzzle
hands down. You can have the most impressive set of abs
but if they're covered with a layer of fat
you won't see them! Break up your day with 5 or 6 mini-meals because this jump starts your metabolism. And stop eating the food that is preventing results: white bread
loads of pasta
soda
candy
fast food
hydrogenated oils
sugars and fructose corn syrup.

Instead
replace them with foods that will help you reach your goal: oatmeal
olive oil
whole grain breads
fruits
vegetables
nuts
eggs
natural peanut butter
chicken
fish
protein and water. Be realistic- you'll slip here and there
but make a conscious effort to radically improve your eating habits because getting a six pack will be impossible if you don't.


Step 2: Exercise

You need to concern yourself with 3 different exercises: cardio
weightlifting and ab exercises. And aim to workout 3- 4 times a week.

The cardio you do can be anything: walking
running
biking
swimming....whichever cardio you don't mind doing so that you'll stick with it. Aim for 30-45 minutes
a minimum of 2 times a week.

Weightlifting is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog...and this is while you're just sitting around! Aim for 30-45 minutes
a minimum of 2 times a week. If you're confused as to what exercises to do for each body part
check out out the following website. It features professional bodybuilders
but the information is great and can be used by anyone.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

The last exercise you need to incorporate into your workout is ab exercises. Aim to work your abs a minimum of 3 times a week. There are a ton of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing so you can mix it up. A good database of different ab exercises is:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exername.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals


Tip: mix up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and changing. Add or take away different weight or ab exercises
or at the very least
vary the weight
reps or form of cardio you do.

Well
there you have it. Follow the above for 3 months religiously
and while results will vary from person to person
you will experience improvement.

It will take dedication on your part
but imagine the feeling you'll get when you look in the mirror and like what you see.