I had the pleasure of being interviewed recently by a fitness professional from NYC, Certified Personal Trainer, Geovanni Derice. The interview is below and I think you're going to like it... I reveal some of the hardest hitting strategies for getting rid of that stubborn stomach fat to uncover those flat six pack abs that everyone wants.
"GD: Welcome Mike to our 4-ever-Toned Fitness Journal. For those who do not know you, please tell us a few things about yourself and how you can help our readers with their fitness and health.
MG: Thanks for having me, Geo. Well, to go back a little, I have been heavily involved in fitness and sports for about 17 years now, ever since I was a teenager. Being involved in sports in high school got me interested in strength training and conditioning.
At that point, once I started feeling more energetic, getting stronger, and looking better, I was instantly hooked for life. I'm 33 now and still addicted to the way living a healthy and fit lifestyle makes me feel energetic, confident, strong, and youthful on a daily basis.
I decided earlier in my 20's that I wanted to make the commitment to help other people experience the excitement of being fit and getting in the best shape of their lives, especially since we've reached an epidemic of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, etc. That's why I became a fitness professional. It just gives me so much satisfaction to help others, who have struggled for years to get in good shape, and show them that it can be done, and it can be fun in the process.
Go here to see the results many of my readers are getting in losing stomach fat and getting lean abs.
I've expanded over the years from just reaching local individuals with personal training, into being able to help people all over the globe achieve their fitness goals with the reach of the internet. I only hope that my passion for fitness inspires people to take action and improve how they look and feel for life.
GD: Now Mike, there's so many things out there as to what works and what does not work... if you had to pick 3 things that work time and time again to get flat lean abs, what would they be?
MG: The first and most important thing to get control of in order to lose your belly fat and get flat abs is cleaning up your diet. Exercise is important, but your diet is king when it comes to losing body fat so that you can see your abs.
There's so much confusion these days about what a healthy diet that promotes fat loss really is... after all, we are bombarded by conflicting messages in the media about what is healthy and what is not, and you have all of these gimmicky diet books about low carb, low fat, high protein, vegetarian, fasting, atkins, south beach, liquid diets, and hundreds more. There's so much conflicting info, that the average consumer doesn't even know where to start when it comes to eating for fat loss.
The second thing that works time and time again, is to focus on the intensity of your workouts and focus on working the body as a whole in order to get the best metabolic response to lose that stubborn stomach fat.
In order to really get lean, the workouts should have a high intensity, with short rest periods, working the largest muscle groups of the body, instead of trying to isolate specific small muscles like the biceps, triceps, or calves.
For the third thing, let's talk about actually training the abs specifically. When it comes to training the abs, if you want real results, I always recommend forgetting about the crunches and situps for the most part. They are ok for someone that is really deconditioned, but most people that already have some training under their belt need a much better stimulus for their abs than crunches. Crunches are one of the abs exercises that actually provide the least amount of resistance, and remember that resistance is what develops and tones the muscles.
I provide a ton of great abs exercises in my book, but one of THE highest resistance exercises for the abs, is hanging leg raises (but NOT the way you see most people at the gym doing them). The key to doing these and actually working the hell out of your abs is to curl your pelvis up as you raise your legs. Almost nobody ever does this right. To be honest, the majority of people cannot do this at first, but I provide some strategies in my book as to how to progress to doing these correctly.
GD: What are people doing wrong when it comes to developing the coveted "6 pack abs"?
MG: Well Geo, I know this sounds funny to most people, but the MAIN thing that people are doing wrong to get those flat 6-pack abs is... are you ready for this?
They spend entirely too much time focusing on training their abs! WAY too much time spent on abs exercises. Sounds crazy, but it's true.
Remember, having a flat and visible six pack of abs is all about getting down to a low body fat percentage. In order to do that, your workouts must focus on stimulating a fat burning hormonal environment in your body, and increasing your metabolic rate. That just does not happen when you focus too much time training a small muscle group like the abs.
Instead, you must use the majority of your time focusing on training the largest muscle groups of the body like the legs, back, and chest. That's what stimulates your metabolism and the fat burning hormones that will get you truly lean and sporting a flat sixxer!
GD: Which exercises are the top exercises that people need to do if they are to get maximum defintion with their midsection?
MG: When it comes to developing the abs themselves, I again refer to any kinds of hanging abs exercises, as well as some good floor abs exercises like lying leg thrusts (all described and illustrated in my book).
However, maximum definition in the abs and midsection comes from losing bodyfat, and the most effective exercises featured in my program for that goal are various forms of swings and snatches (unique dumbbell or kettlebell exercises that almost nobody ever does in normal gyms), squats, deadlifts, lunges, step-ups, clean & presses, mountain climbers, sprinting, and other full body exercises and calisthenics. If you want great looking flat abs, focus on those instead of focusing so much on training the abs directly!
GD: When it comes to diet Mike, people really have tried millions of ways to get one thing... and that is fat loss. What recommendations have you used to successfully help your clients lose body fat and keep it off?
MG: I have included a fully comprehensive discussion of this topic in my book, which accounts for almost half of the book, but I'll try to make some nice simple generalizations to get people started on the right path immediately. The most important thing is that your diet is as natural and unprocessed as possible. It almost always comes back to the overprocessing of food that makes it unhealthy, and makes it totally wreck your metabolism and hormone balance in your body.
For example, why eat refined grains, when you can eat whole grains (even better are sprouted grains, as I usually recommend limiting grain foods overall for best results).
Why eat refined sugar, when you can get natural sources of sugar from a high nutrient whole food like fruit. Why eat highly processed, refined, and hydrogenated vegetable oils (these are THE worst thing in the modern diet), when you can eat natural sources of healthy fats like nuts, avocados, fish, eggs, coconut milk, organically raised meat, and so forth.
The point is to not fall for some gimmick like extremely low carbs (although I do believe in a fairly reduced carb intake as that is a big problem for most people), low fat, super high protein, or any other combination that has you focusing on one macronutrient vs. another.
Your body needs all macronutrients to thrive and obtain a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc. Trying to cut an entire food group out just works against what your body needs. I get into much more detail on this vitally important topic towards losing body fat (especially that stubborn stomach fat) for life in my book.
GD: Thank you very much Mike for sharing with us all of this great information.
program for lean flat absWell, I hope you enjoyed this interview and plucked several nuggets of info to get you motivated and started on showing off your flat abs shortly. If you don't already own a copy, be sure to pick up a copy of my Truth about Six Pack Abs book and discover the entire system I've developed for ridding yourself of that extra ab fat for good!
Go here to see the results many of my readers are getting in losing stomach fat and getting lean abs.
Showing posts with label abs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abs. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
How to Stop Cravings for Junk Food and Sugar
Hey there! Mike Geary here from TruthAboutAbs.com & BusyManFitness.com with another Lean-Body Secrets Ezine.
My good friend Virgil Aponte (the Stairs Exercises Guru) sent me this article that he wrote and I wanted to pass it on to you because I thought he made some excellent points, and some important things to keep in mind regarding your food choices.
One of the things I want to stress that Virgil mentions is the relationship with feeding your body nutritious foods vs. junk food devoid of nutrition and how this affects your cravings. I've said this before, and many people don't believe me, but the truth is that since I've adopted the balanced high density nutrition diet that I've eaten for the last several years, any cravings for junk food or sweets have virtually disappeared.
Here's Virgil's article below. Enjoy!
Is sugar as addictive as cocaine?
by Virgil Aponte, the Stairs Exercises Guru
Over dinner one day a friend of one my clients asked me a very interesting question:
Why is it that people crave things like doughnuts and sweets and not life giving, cancer fighting foods like spinach and broccoli?
I simply said that's an awesome question and that I've asked myself that questions many times. In fact I also went on to say that although I'm a trainer I have many of the same struggles with food that most people have. It has always perplexed me why I crave sweets and not a bowl of spinach and broccoli. I mean how can this be that foods like broccoli, spinach, carrots etc? which provide nutrients that are vital to our well being don't addict us like junk food does. I just have to walk by Crispy Creme doughnuts and I start fantasizing how delicious those little suckers will be.
In recent months I've come across some insights as to why many are addicted to or crave junk foods. Hopefully this information will at least motivate you to keep these foods out of your house. Outside of your house you will be tempted with many opportunities to eat these lifeless and addicting foods.
World famous health & nutrition expert, Paul Chek calls this the "you can't eat just one syndrome". First he explains in his "You Are What You Eat" audio series that junk foods or non-foods are foods that:
1. Offer very little or no nutrition at all.
2. Force the body to the use its own nutritional stores to assimilate and digest the food.
It's amazing that you are eating to nourish yourself with food but with non-foods you are actually depleting yourself of more nutrients thus creating a need for more nutrition.
These same non-foods also cause you to overeat and possibly become addicted to these foods.
The reason is as the foods enter your mouth your brain can sense if there is actually any nutrition (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.) present in these foods. If there isn't then the brain simply signals you to keep eating until it finds nutrition. The problem with doughnuts, cookies and that soda pop is that there will never be any nutrition in that food.
So what happens is you simply eat the whole box of cookies, or slurp down 20 oz of that soda. This then creates a big problem with your blood sugar because you've just taken in a great amount of worthless sugar which skyrockets your blood sugar level and forces your pancreas to secret an enormous amount of insulin to bring your blood sugar back down.
Your blood sugar then plummets to very low levels and you feel horrible and guess what? Hungry again! And what better way to bring your blood sugar level back up than with good old worthless sugar laden nutrient-devoid junk food!
Can you see what I'm getting at here:
These non-foods actually cause an addictive cycle similar to hard drugs and alcohol! In fact Paul Chek even talked about how scientists found that the addictive mechanisms of sugar and hard drugs are actually very similar.
You get high and feel great and then you crash and feel worse than ever and crave the same substances that got you high in the first place. This to me is amazing and very scary. Eventually what also happens as with hard drugs and alcohol is that you need more to get the same high.
Now look at what's happening to you... You're eating a food that gets you high, robs you of valuable nutrition, makes you sick, gets you fat and on top of that makes you crave more of it.
The same reason you crave non-foods is the same reason you don't crave spinach and broccoli. One could easily slug down 20 oz of soda, but try doing that with spinach juice and you are likely to throw up. The reason for this is because with the brain will sense the enormous amount of nutrition coming in with the veggie juice and say it's enough. We naturally eat until we are satiated and it doesn't happen with non-foods but happens easily with real foods.
With real foods you eat, feel good, don't get bloated, don't get high, don't crash, don't overeat, and just plain nourish yourself.
So how do you protect yourself?
First let me say that we start off at a very big disadvantage. The very clever and powerful food companies find many places to put their non-foods in products and the labels will even say that these foods are healthy, low fat, "good for weight loss" etc? They are also very good at marketing to children. Remember, children will become the adults that eat these foods so what better time to reach them than when they're young.
I myself grew up on powdered ice tea, soda, crackers, pasteurized milk (which is also a non-food), and many other sweets. I also ate some real food like rice, vegetables, avocados and meat, but I've always had way too much access to non-foods.
The first thing is to not keep any non-foods at home. This is especially important for your kids because I believe it is easier for them to become addicted. Trust me and we all know this, but once you step outside, you will be bombarded with temptations to feast on non-foods.
I've looked at many of my client's kitchens and not one of them has passed my inspection. Many don't even pass a second time (that's how powerful these non-foods are). I mean if scientists can compare sugar to hard drugs shouldn't that open our eyes.
Make use of a juicer and juice a few days week. Most people don't get enough vegetables in their diet and juicing is one of the easier ways to do so. My favorite juice drink is spinach, kale, cucumber, and green apples (I wished I craved it though).
Keep healthy snacks in the house like quality fruits, cheese and yogurt. It is more expensive but isn't your health worth it. I mean it really saddens me when someone can drive to up to McDonalds in a 50,000 dollar car. They could easily have a 20,000 dollar car and just eat better quality food.
Get tested to find out what types of foods you are suited to... We are all unique in that we require different amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats and getting tested can help us figure out which type we are suited to.
Eat real food... Take the time to make yourself quality meals at dinner time. Beef, chicken, turkey and eggs make great protein sources. Brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans, salads and vegetables are good sources of carbohydrates. Don't forget to include high quality fats and oils in your diet as well like butter, coconut oil, nuts, avocados, cod liver oil, and extra virgin olive oil.
If possible try to buy organic meat and vegetables. They are more expensive but offer more nutrition then commercial foods.
Empower yourself: You've just read this journal because it can possibly help you. Keep doing so! You have the power to be better. Don't ever forget that!
-Virgil Aponte, the Stairs Exercises Guru
I hope you enjoyed Virgils article. I couldn't have said it all better myself and that's why I wanted to pass it on to you to keep these things in mind when choosing what foods you eat daily. Go and check out Virgil's website as he has tons of useful information and products.
If you enjoyed this article today, please feel free to email this link on to any friends or family that you think will benefit from it.
My good friend Virgil Aponte (the Stairs Exercises Guru) sent me this article that he wrote and I wanted to pass it on to you because I thought he made some excellent points, and some important things to keep in mind regarding your food choices.
One of the things I want to stress that Virgil mentions is the relationship with feeding your body nutritious foods vs. junk food devoid of nutrition and how this affects your cravings. I've said this before, and many people don't believe me, but the truth is that since I've adopted the balanced high density nutrition diet that I've eaten for the last several years, any cravings for junk food or sweets have virtually disappeared.
Here's Virgil's article below. Enjoy!
Is sugar as addictive as cocaine?
by Virgil Aponte, the Stairs Exercises Guru
Over dinner one day a friend of one my clients asked me a very interesting question:
Why is it that people crave things like doughnuts and sweets and not life giving, cancer fighting foods like spinach and broccoli?
I simply said that's an awesome question and that I've asked myself that questions many times. In fact I also went on to say that although I'm a trainer I have many of the same struggles with food that most people have. It has always perplexed me why I crave sweets and not a bowl of spinach and broccoli. I mean how can this be that foods like broccoli, spinach, carrots etc? which provide nutrients that are vital to our well being don't addict us like junk food does. I just have to walk by Crispy Creme doughnuts and I start fantasizing how delicious those little suckers will be.
In recent months I've come across some insights as to why many are addicted to or crave junk foods. Hopefully this information will at least motivate you to keep these foods out of your house. Outside of your house you will be tempted with many opportunities to eat these lifeless and addicting foods.
World famous health & nutrition expert, Paul Chek calls this the "you can't eat just one syndrome". First he explains in his "You Are What You Eat" audio series that junk foods or non-foods are foods that:
1. Offer very little or no nutrition at all.
2. Force the body to the use its own nutritional stores to assimilate and digest the food.
It's amazing that you are eating to nourish yourself with food but with non-foods you are actually depleting yourself of more nutrients thus creating a need for more nutrition.
These same non-foods also cause you to overeat and possibly become addicted to these foods.
The reason is as the foods enter your mouth your brain can sense if there is actually any nutrition (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.) present in these foods. If there isn't then the brain simply signals you to keep eating until it finds nutrition. The problem with doughnuts, cookies and that soda pop is that there will never be any nutrition in that food.
So what happens is you simply eat the whole box of cookies, or slurp down 20 oz of that soda. This then creates a big problem with your blood sugar because you've just taken in a great amount of worthless sugar which skyrockets your blood sugar level and forces your pancreas to secret an enormous amount of insulin to bring your blood sugar back down.
Your blood sugar then plummets to very low levels and you feel horrible and guess what? Hungry again! And what better way to bring your blood sugar level back up than with good old worthless sugar laden nutrient-devoid junk food!
Can you see what I'm getting at here:
These non-foods actually cause an addictive cycle similar to hard drugs and alcohol! In fact Paul Chek even talked about how scientists found that the addictive mechanisms of sugar and hard drugs are actually very similar.
You get high and feel great and then you crash and feel worse than ever and crave the same substances that got you high in the first place. This to me is amazing and very scary. Eventually what also happens as with hard drugs and alcohol is that you need more to get the same high.
Now look at what's happening to you... You're eating a food that gets you high, robs you of valuable nutrition, makes you sick, gets you fat and on top of that makes you crave more of it.
The same reason you crave non-foods is the same reason you don't crave spinach and broccoli. One could easily slug down 20 oz of soda, but try doing that with spinach juice and you are likely to throw up. The reason for this is because with the brain will sense the enormous amount of nutrition coming in with the veggie juice and say it's enough. We naturally eat until we are satiated and it doesn't happen with non-foods but happens easily with real foods.
With real foods you eat, feel good, don't get bloated, don't get high, don't crash, don't overeat, and just plain nourish yourself.
So how do you protect yourself?
First let me say that we start off at a very big disadvantage. The very clever and powerful food companies find many places to put their non-foods in products and the labels will even say that these foods are healthy, low fat, "good for weight loss" etc? They are also very good at marketing to children. Remember, children will become the adults that eat these foods so what better time to reach them than when they're young.
I myself grew up on powdered ice tea, soda, crackers, pasteurized milk (which is also a non-food), and many other sweets. I also ate some real food like rice, vegetables, avocados and meat, but I've always had way too much access to non-foods.
The first thing is to not keep any non-foods at home. This is especially important for your kids because I believe it is easier for them to become addicted. Trust me and we all know this, but once you step outside, you will be bombarded with temptations to feast on non-foods.
I've looked at many of my client's kitchens and not one of them has passed my inspection. Many don't even pass a second time (that's how powerful these non-foods are). I mean if scientists can compare sugar to hard drugs shouldn't that open our eyes.
Make use of a juicer and juice a few days week. Most people don't get enough vegetables in their diet and juicing is one of the easier ways to do so. My favorite juice drink is spinach, kale, cucumber, and green apples (I wished I craved it though).
Keep healthy snacks in the house like quality fruits, cheese and yogurt. It is more expensive but isn't your health worth it. I mean it really saddens me when someone can drive to up to McDonalds in a 50,000 dollar car. They could easily have a 20,000 dollar car and just eat better quality food.
Get tested to find out what types of foods you are suited to... We are all unique in that we require different amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats and getting tested can help us figure out which type we are suited to.
Eat real food... Take the time to make yourself quality meals at dinner time. Beef, chicken, turkey and eggs make great protein sources. Brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans, salads and vegetables are good sources of carbohydrates. Don't forget to include high quality fats and oils in your diet as well like butter, coconut oil, nuts, avocados, cod liver oil, and extra virgin olive oil.
If possible try to buy organic meat and vegetables. They are more expensive but offer more nutrition then commercial foods.
Empower yourself: You've just read this journal because it can possibly help you. Keep doing so! You have the power to be better. Don't ever forget that!
-Virgil Aponte, the Stairs Exercises Guru
I hope you enjoyed Virgils article. I couldn't have said it all better myself and that's why I wanted to pass it on to you to keep these things in mind when choosing what foods you eat daily. Go and check out Virgil's website as he has tons of useful information and products.
If you enjoyed this article today, please feel free to email this link on to any friends or family that you think will benefit from it.
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