The Truth About 6 Pack Abs - Your Diet

Is it really true that you need a "perfect diet" to get 6 pack abs? You often hear people say that 80% of getting a lean body and a ripped midsection is your diet and mindset.

Health and fitness experts say this all the time and sometimes it gets a bit tiresome. It's a fact. If you don't eat properly and follow a controlled plan, it is highly unlikely that you'll ever achieve the coveted 6 pack.

People react differently to hearing this. Some people totally freak out. I can hear you now: "I don't want to give up beer...". Conversely you'll have guys that strip away all fat and go on an ultra low-carb diet (like Atkins). Carb cutting and reducing your fat intake isn't the answer since it can hinder your progress.

The truth about abs is that you need to be concentrating on a lifestyle change (and not a diet), where you eat a balanced diet with both carbs, fat and lean proteins - several times per day, and also consume enough water four to eight 8oz glasses per day. There's a lot of confusion as to what to consume to get a lean muscular body.

The question now is what do you consume to get started with your new lean lifestyle?

Lean Proteins - This will aid in building and repairing muscle. And the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (more fat gets burned). Lean Proteins would be things like chicken, fish and turkey. Other sources would be beans and lentils, eggs, tofu and cottage cheese.

Complex Carbohydrates - whole wheat bread, beans (not refried beans), oatmeal (which also contains protein), whole wheat pasta, wild and brown rice... in other words, anything whole wheat.

Fats - this is complicated since a lot of food already contain fats. You would want to focus on eating foods with natural fats (both Omega 3 and Omega 6). It can actually be a bit tricky to get enough "good fat" into your system. Here are some healthy option: natural oils (from olives and flax seed); avocado (very high in good fat); different types of nuts (preferably the "raw" variety) and even olives.

Fruits - Since fruits are high in carbohydrates we want to limit the consumption a bit (even though it's good for you). Now everybody have their favorites, but some great fruits to consume are: citrus, like grapefruit and oranges in particular, grapes, apples, pears, bananas (limit this to a small banana), strawberries and the list goes on.

Finally, before I wrap this up, here's a piece of friendly advice: TOSS THE JUNK FOOD!

Make yourself the promise to not eat junk food until you've gotten your desired result. Once you've gotten a lean muscular physique you'll be making the right food choices and never eat that stuff anyways.Here's a tip: If you think it's junk food, then it most likely is.

So you now know the truth about abs and getting a ripped body.

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