Abs Diet.

So, about a week ago, I learned about something that got me really excited: The Abs Diet. I'm sure I had heard of it before, I just didn't know anything about it. But I had been searching for some new excercises, and in the process, I stumbles across the greatness that is the Abs Diet.

The thing is, it really isn't a diet. A diet is something that involves counting calories, forcing yourself not to eat the things you like, but binging on them anyway after you break down, and it's something that's not designed to last. The Abs Diet isn't like this. Abs Diet Power 12 stands for the twelve foods and types of food you should be eating to keep your body functioning as it should. But, at the same time, the creator of the Abs Diet, David Zinczenko (of Men's Health Magazine) wants you to cheat every week. He flat-out tells you to eat one meal every week that you want to eat. Go out and eat a burger, or get some pizza, or have a banana split! That keeps you from binging during the week. If you plan when you're going to have your cheat meal, it gives you something to look forward to. "I really want a candy bar right now, but if I have one, it means I won't be able to have a slice of pizza on Thursday!" No, you don't have to cheat every week. And, after a while of following the Abs Diet, you probably won't want to cheat as often.

Another great thing about it is that you aren't starving all day. Diets tell you to eat smaller portions and restrict calories. Yes, you should eat smaller portions, but the Abs Diet has you eating three average-sized meals a day, plus three snacks a day. That's SIX times you're eating a day! The books give great examples of what you should eat in a typical day. Maybe you'll have a bowl of oatmeal, some fruit, and an egg for breakfast, yogurt with almonds for a snack, a turkey sandwich with vegetables for lunch, a smoothie for a snack (smoothies are very important with the Abs Diet because they're an excellent provider of protein and various nutrients), a chicken dish for dinner, and some fruit for a snack. How great is that?

The book also has a workout plan basically laid out for you. You don't have to start the workout routine until the third week, but you can start before if you want. But when you start, you'll alternate weight-training and cardio workouts, along with ab exercises mixed in. You'll also have a free day a week. The book (especially the workout planning book) has a ton of exercises split up into their different categories, so you can just pick three or four of them to do.

I highly recommend the Abs Diet to anyone! If you want to lose some weight, tone up, or just start treating your body better, this is the lifestyle for you! The books tell you what to do, but they also tell you why you should be doing it, and what it does for your body. I haven't been doing this for very long, but it's definitely something I'm going to stick to. =D

Kelsey