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Abs Diet
The Abs Diet is a three-pronged attack on the abs for a flat stomach. It shows you how to lose weight through diet and exercise and how then to tone your muscles with specific abdominal exercises. The diet is straightforward and flexible, based on 12 'super-foods' that help promote weight loss, and on eating frequent small meals. The exercise plan is a whole-body strength-training programme combined with some interval training and, finally, there are 60 abdominal exercises to choose from so you can tailor the whole regime to meet your personal requirements.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
September 7, 2021
This a good book for men who want to lose weight There is also a women's edition. The author includes menu ideas for different days of the week along with workout regimes which revolve around his 6 meal-a-day eating plan. All dishes and snacks revolve around 12 'super foods' and the weight comes off while you build as much muscle as you can. It works and it's cheap. You just have to throw dumbbells around.
February 7, 2008
I bought this book expecting a murder mystery involving a symbologist, aerobics, and the Japanese legislature. This continued to be my expectation even after reading the first few chapters on the Power 12 foods and how to lose weight by building muscle (I thought the author was just building up context). I later learned after finishing the book that the entire book was about losing weight.
Really though, what I liked about this book was that it sells itself after it has already been purchased. The chapters are interspersed with vignettes about regular people that used the abs diet to improve their lives by improving their health. I like this sort of post-purchase salesmanship. It shows that the writer's got guts. What was also nice was that the methods detailed by the book were pretty effective for me. If you liked The Da Vinci Code, I strongly recommend The Abs Diet.
Really though, what I liked about this book was that it sells itself after it has already been purchased. The chapters are interspersed with vignettes about regular people that used the abs diet to improve their lives by improving their health. I like this sort of post-purchase salesmanship. It shows that the writer's got guts. What was also nice was that the methods detailed by the book were pretty effective for me. If you liked The Da Vinci Code, I strongly recommend The Abs Diet.
November 9, 2009
I would go as far as to say that this book is life changing for me. I bought it a couple years ago but never read it because I was doing well with weight loss on my own. After falling off the wagon for a while then deciding to get back on again, I picked it up and started reading. I'm glad I did! I can't attest for the end results that this book promises, because I'm only 1 week into it, but I have lost 7 pounds in just the 10 days that I've been following Zinczenko's plan. This book is full of information on how your body and metabolism work, and how you can change it to burn more calories even when you are resting. Zinczenko quotes a bunch of studies to back up what he is teaching, plus he has filled the book with success stories that are very helpful in motivating you and convincing you that it can be done.
I would say the work outs are moderate, but can be made harder depending on how much you want to put into it. I realized that I was working way too hard, which was in turn hurting my motiviation. By keeping the workouts short and simple, Zinczenko has helped to keep me motivated.
His food plan is not difficult at all. You eat all the time, and his suggestions include really good food to keep you satisfied and your sweet tooth at bay. Everything on his menu is so balanced that I don't find myself craving anything really, except my next abs diet meal.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to shed some pounds and hasn't because they either think it's too hard for them, or they are stuck at their current weight even after trying to exercise on their own. Definitely glad I finally read this book!
I would say the work outs are moderate, but can be made harder depending on how much you want to put into it. I realized that I was working way too hard, which was in turn hurting my motiviation. By keeping the workouts short and simple, Zinczenko has helped to keep me motivated.
His food plan is not difficult at all. You eat all the time, and his suggestions include really good food to keep you satisfied and your sweet tooth at bay. Everything on his menu is so balanced that I don't find myself craving anything really, except my next abs diet meal.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to shed some pounds and hasn't because they either think it's too hard for them, or they are stuck at their current weight even after trying to exercise on their own. Definitely glad I finally read this book!
March 16, 2012
Follow the guidelines set forth in this book and you will undoubtedly see results. I noticed major results within the first couple/few weeks without even taking on the workout regime. I lost ~17 lbs using Abs and dropped my body fat down several percentage points.
Points:
1). The workout's are really good.
2). The tactical approach offered makes total sense and works.
3). The meal plans are pretty good and it let's you cheat. I didn't follow the meal plan 100% because I am a horrible cook and don't really like doing it. However, there are plently of easy recipes. I basically ate lean chicken and turkey as much as possible.
Do this and then follow up with some P-90 and you will be a MACHINE!
Points:
1). The workout's are really good.
2). The tactical approach offered makes total sense and works.
3). The meal plans are pretty good and it let's you cheat. I didn't follow the meal plan 100% because I am a horrible cook and don't really like doing it. However, there are plently of easy recipes. I basically ate lean chicken and turkey as much as possible.
Do this and then follow up with some P-90 and you will be a MACHINE!
June 13, 2011
An interesting book recommended to me by my brother-in-law who has lost some tremendous weight on this non-diet diet. The principles are what I've found to be typical of non-fad diets: eat non-processed foods, eat six small meals a day rather than 3 big ones, modify your eating habits for life, exercise with big-muscle movements.
The two main differences: Zinczenko says not to count calories, just make sure that you include at least 2 of his 12 power foods in each meal. His 12 power foods are good ones:
almonds and other nuts,
beans and legumes
spinach and other greens
diary, especially low-fat yogurt (he makes a LOT of smoothies)
instant oatmeal
eggs
turkey and other lean meats (he does NOT include pork, but includes lean beef?)
peanut butter
olive oil
whole grains
extra protein whey (he recommends 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight/day)
raspberries and other fruits
The second difference is that it includes a lot of recipes to go with his 12 power foods as well as plenty of stomach exercises. I was surprised that he recommends crunches which, from many things I've read lately, are no longer recommended because of the pressure they place on the spinal disks especially in the lumbar region.
So, the benefit of reading the book is to emphasize what you may already know, to memorize the 12 power foods, and to find some recipes. There are also numerous scientific accounts of different things relating to health, like what is a cancer cell, and what causes fat.
It was easy to read -- I read it in one day. If you need a refresher or want to read something interesting on diet that is pretty good, I recommend this.
The two main differences: Zinczenko says not to count calories, just make sure that you include at least 2 of his 12 power foods in each meal. His 12 power foods are good ones:
almonds and other nuts,
beans and legumes
spinach and other greens
diary, especially low-fat yogurt (he makes a LOT of smoothies)
instant oatmeal
eggs
turkey and other lean meats (he does NOT include pork, but includes lean beef?)
peanut butter
olive oil
whole grains
extra protein whey (he recommends 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight/day)
raspberries and other fruits
The second difference is that it includes a lot of recipes to go with his 12 power foods as well as plenty of stomach exercises. I was surprised that he recommends crunches which, from many things I've read lately, are no longer recommended because of the pressure they place on the spinal disks especially in the lumbar region.
So, the benefit of reading the book is to emphasize what you may already know, to memorize the 12 power foods, and to find some recipes. There are also numerous scientific accounts of different things relating to health, like what is a cancer cell, and what causes fat.
It was easy to read -- I read it in one day. If you need a refresher or want to read something interesting on diet that is pretty good, I recommend this.
September 16, 2013
I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the laid-back, reasonable approach. They don't tell you to cut out all dairy and wheat, and they don't force you to search for hard-to-find exotic ingredients for every recipe, which would be my top two complaints about most diet books/articles. The list of twelve versatile staple foods made it easy to figure into my daily schedule. The workouts were the usual, and I might go for them if I wasn't already on the Insanity fitness program. For what it's worth, it's been a week and I went from only being able to see the top two abs to catching a glimpse of (never before seen) two more abs! Four-pack, bam. And it's already gotten too cold in Germany for me to show them off. C'est la vie.
June 15, 2010
I love this book. Do I have flat abs? No, but I did go from a size 18 to a size 10 following it's advice. Different diets work for different people and this one really seemed to make sense to me as a healthy way to manage my health and weight, no crazy extremes, well written descriptions about why some foods work one way and others work another etc. The guy did write the original book for men, so half the "good results" are a better sex drive (guess you need to know your audience) but I also own his book for women and I like the original the best.
August 6, 2007
This book changed the way I live my life. I feel great, I have a flatter tummy, I am more knowledgable about health, and I eat a lot of great food. I love the flexibility and knowledge this book provides. I am sure I will eat differently from now on and I feel great about it. It's not really a diet, it's more just informing you on how to eat healthy and live better. I would recommend the book to anyone, especially those who don't like diets but want to be healthier.
October 22, 2017
Great read even just for general advice on eating healthy and exercising—so much so that I’d recommend it for that alone. It’s no magic bullet like Atkins, in fact it explains what’s wrong with Atkins and its counterparts. Instead, The Abs Diet is a rundown of how to eat healthy and effectively lose body fat.
A few takeaways to give you an idea:
- Protein keeps you full. Smaller meals and snacking on nuts can keep you from binging later on.
- Avoid salted nuts and other salty snacks. They cause you to retain water, which puts more water in your bloodstream, which causes high blood pressure.
- You burn calories by building and maintaining muscle, even when you’re not actually working out—even while you’re sitting still and sleeping.
- Cardio works better in short, intense bursts rather than sustained, consistent sessions. The latter uses up energy that could go toward muscle-building workouts, which can burn calories long after you leave the gym. The author includes studies to support his claim that short, intense intervals ultimately burn more fat.
- There’s a good rundown of good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, and what foods are good sources of each.
There’s much more—full workout and diet plans, and lots of great general healthy eating and exercising advice. And it’s easy to read, written in a conversational style. Health nuts and experts probably won’t gain any new insight (my wife, a nurse, wondered my I didn’t know a lot of this already), but for the rest of us, this is an excellent resource.
A few takeaways to give you an idea:
- Protein keeps you full. Smaller meals and snacking on nuts can keep you from binging later on.
- Avoid salted nuts and other salty snacks. They cause you to retain water, which puts more water in your bloodstream, which causes high blood pressure.
- You burn calories by building and maintaining muscle, even when you’re not actually working out—even while you’re sitting still and sleeping.
- Cardio works better in short, intense bursts rather than sustained, consistent sessions. The latter uses up energy that could go toward muscle-building workouts, which can burn calories long after you leave the gym. The author includes studies to support his claim that short, intense intervals ultimately burn more fat.
- There’s a good rundown of good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, and what foods are good sources of each.
There’s much more—full workout and diet plans, and lots of great general healthy eating and exercising advice. And it’s easy to read, written in a conversational style. Health nuts and experts probably won’t gain any new insight (my wife, a nurse, wondered my I didn’t know a lot of this already), but for the rest of us, this is an excellent resource.
February 10, 2011
To open, I found this book at a local thrift store for the bargain price of $2.50. I found it somewhat ironic that I had recently seen it at a local Barnes & Noble for 24.99. What a killing! Anyhow, I didn't purchase the book to pursue any "6 week plan" or "6-pack abs" even though the latter would be nice. I am a former division one athlete so any subject that has to do with health, fitness, eating habits, or anything else of the like certainly garners my full attention.
This book provides a great overview to anyone who might be a beginner or novice when it comes to wanting to transform themselves by their eating habits and incorporating light exercise. I think that would be my biggest banter when it comes to 'The Abs Diet', it targets people that are relatively new to a lifestyle of eating clean and working out a few times a week.
Not to say there is not some great information that Zinczenko provides throughout the book. For example, a lot of people know the benefits of eating blueberries on a consistent basis. They are very high in antioxidants, among other things. The author will provide studies about certain things, in this case blueberries, on exactly how and why they are beneficial. He goes into great detail and provides substantial evidence in a lot of his statements.
A very good, albeit short, read (about 200-225 pages) for anyone interested in some basic knowledge on eating habits and exercise routines. One last thing, in the book he mentions NOT counting calories and NOT worrying about how many calories you burn in the gym. If you're serious about losing weight, it all comes down to Calories In VS Calories Out, so I absolutely disagree with him about those two statements. All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone trying to improve their well being & lifestyle.
Huzzah
This book provides a great overview to anyone who might be a beginner or novice when it comes to wanting to transform themselves by their eating habits and incorporating light exercise. I think that would be my biggest banter when it comes to 'The Abs Diet', it targets people that are relatively new to a lifestyle of eating clean and working out a few times a week.
Not to say there is not some great information that Zinczenko provides throughout the book. For example, a lot of people know the benefits of eating blueberries on a consistent basis. They are very high in antioxidants, among other things. The author will provide studies about certain things, in this case blueberries, on exactly how and why they are beneficial. He goes into great detail and provides substantial evidence in a lot of his statements.
A very good, albeit short, read (about 200-225 pages) for anyone interested in some basic knowledge on eating habits and exercise routines. One last thing, in the book he mentions NOT counting calories and NOT worrying about how many calories you burn in the gym. If you're serious about losing weight, it all comes down to Calories In VS Calories Out, so I absolutely disagree with him about those two statements. All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone trying to improve their well being & lifestyle.
Huzzah
October 20, 2011
The Abs Diet is most suitable for people who have not yet begun any sort of dieting and workout regimen. Most of the testimonies from people losing significant weight in six weeks are plausible, and I have only my own experience to serve as a gauge.
Thing is, I did not read The Abs Diet when I set out to lose weight. Instead, I read The Hacker's Diet by Autocad creator John Walker, who approached his weight loss regimen as an engineering problem, not a health problem.
(Side note: The Hacker's Diet offers a really inventive way to track your weight loss, using moving averages. It does not offer good advice on nutrition, however.)
I also consulted my doctor, whose advice is mirrored by The Abs Diet author David Zinczenko. As a result, I lost 45 pounds over the course of a year.
Then I hit a plateau and decided to try The Abs Diet to see if it would shake up my workout routine enough to get past the plateau. It did not. I ended up gaining weight instead, which I suspected I would given the advice in the book.
In essence, I had already done what the book would have told me to do, if I read it at the start of my weight loss efforts. In that sense, it is a good book.
I'm rating it low because Zinczenko's motivational writing style can get tiresome. Walker's The Hacker's Diet can be pretty dry reading -- especially when he explains the minute details of the measuring methodology -- but he uses much more science to explain his ideas.
Personal preference to be sure, but I'd be more swayed if Zinczenko spent less time pumping me up.
Thing is, I did not read The Abs Diet when I set out to lose weight. Instead, I read The Hacker's Diet by Autocad creator John Walker, who approached his weight loss regimen as an engineering problem, not a health problem.
(Side note: The Hacker's Diet offers a really inventive way to track your weight loss, using moving averages. It does not offer good advice on nutrition, however.)
I also consulted my doctor, whose advice is mirrored by The Abs Diet author David Zinczenko. As a result, I lost 45 pounds over the course of a year.
Then I hit a plateau and decided to try The Abs Diet to see if it would shake up my workout routine enough to get past the plateau. It did not. I ended up gaining weight instead, which I suspected I would given the advice in the book.
In essence, I had already done what the book would have told me to do, if I read it at the start of my weight loss efforts. In that sense, it is a good book.
I'm rating it low because Zinczenko's motivational writing style can get tiresome. Walker's The Hacker's Diet can be pretty dry reading -- especially when he explains the minute details of the measuring methodology -- but he uses much more science to explain his ideas.
Personal preference to be sure, but I'd be more swayed if Zinczenko spent less time pumping me up.
May 31, 2013
I'm critically analyzing examples of masculinity and dieting and The Abs Diet is often heralded as the first of its kind - a diet book written for men, by the editor-in-chief of Men's Health no less. From a nutrition perspective: unlike so many fad diets, this diet is reasonably evidence-based, well-balanced, and easy to follow, though it only provides a handful of recipes. From a cultural studies perspective: this puppy is a gold mine and I'm excited to start writing!
June 27, 2021
Without justification, I always thought I'd unlocked the secret holy trinity of popping those abs. It went:
1. Cardio work (burning stupid fat).
2. Sensible eating (not adding stupid fat).
3. Core/ab exercises (encouraging those bad boys to step forward).
However, the fruit of my theory was less promising. Sure, the beginner level upper abs joined the party many moons ago, but the lower I went, the less visibility I achieved. It's a familiar story, yet I was confident that some minimal error in my method could be rectified and then I'd take over the world. But who do I ask for such information?
Enter David Zinczenko. His fitness instructor CV reads "15 years as Men's Health's editor-in-chief", meaning his technique knows the scientific research (it's the majority of the book), and he has the skills to articulate it (using a light sense of humour which lands most punchlines). Almost immediately, he passed over two new weapons: lifting weights and smashing protein. Why? Because building muscle increases your metabolism, evaporating blubber even when you're doing nothing. Forget calorie counting and limiting carbs; those practices are unsustainable. In that regard, this diet book is not traditionally a "diet" book because diets drop muscle before fat. We want to turn fat into muscle! So eat tons of highly nutritious protein-rich meals (six a day!!!) while avoiding the obviously hazardous shit (sugars and trans fats are Satan), then perform basic exercises to kick up that bodily processing. Never let yourself get hungry again! Ok, I'm on board!
Weight training was something I've always avoided because it went against my heroin chic goals, but I purchased a set along with other food-related products and got to work. Thankfully, David makes the process easy by providing ample recipes featuring the most delicious ingredients ever, followed by a 20-30 minutes weight-orientated workout plan. "Home variations" of the routine were kindly included too, perfect for people like me who hate leaving the house.
Be that as it may, I do have one unforgivably negative issue with David's directions: he does not even register a plant-based lifestyle. Typical protein chaser, most meals centre around something meaty, which does not suit my principles. However, with some research, I believe I have come close to what he's asking, but I still shake my head, muttering, "shame on you".
Regardless, I finished this book some time ago and have already completed the initial six-week plan. So do I have a six-pack now? Not really. There's a marginal improvement but not nearly enough. I feel slightly short-changed because I was militant about the dietary and exercise program, plus I ran over 100km this last month which was above the call of duty. Then again, the recent loosening of UK lockdown laws just in time for summer resulted in enough alcohol to kill a weaker human, so maybe it's me. I'll keep trying. I'm happy to do so. Because there's no doubt that the semi-painless dedication that David advises comes with a significant payoff, and if nothing else, it's extra tools at my disposal as my quest to find the flat beneath the flab continues. I will get there!
1. Cardio work (burning stupid fat).
2. Sensible eating (not adding stupid fat).
3. Core/ab exercises (encouraging those bad boys to step forward).
However, the fruit of my theory was less promising. Sure, the beginner level upper abs joined the party many moons ago, but the lower I went, the less visibility I achieved. It's a familiar story, yet I was confident that some minimal error in my method could be rectified and then I'd take over the world. But who do I ask for such information?
Enter David Zinczenko. His fitness instructor CV reads "15 years as Men's Health's editor-in-chief", meaning his technique knows the scientific research (it's the majority of the book), and he has the skills to articulate it (using a light sense of humour which lands most punchlines). Almost immediately, he passed over two new weapons: lifting weights and smashing protein. Why? Because building muscle increases your metabolism, evaporating blubber even when you're doing nothing. Forget calorie counting and limiting carbs; those practices are unsustainable. In that regard, this diet book is not traditionally a "diet" book because diets drop muscle before fat. We want to turn fat into muscle! So eat tons of highly nutritious protein-rich meals (six a day!!!) while avoiding the obviously hazardous shit (sugars and trans fats are Satan), then perform basic exercises to kick up that bodily processing. Never let yourself get hungry again! Ok, I'm on board!
Weight training was something I've always avoided because it went against my heroin chic goals, but I purchased a set along with other food-related products and got to work. Thankfully, David makes the process easy by providing ample recipes featuring the most delicious ingredients ever, followed by a 20-30 minutes weight-orientated workout plan. "Home variations" of the routine were kindly included too, perfect for people like me who hate leaving the house.
Be that as it may, I do have one unforgivably negative issue with David's directions: he does not even register a plant-based lifestyle. Typical protein chaser, most meals centre around something meaty, which does not suit my principles. However, with some research, I believe I have come close to what he's asking, but I still shake my head, muttering, "shame on you".
Regardless, I finished this book some time ago and have already completed the initial six-week plan. So do I have a six-pack now? Not really. There's a marginal improvement but not nearly enough. I feel slightly short-changed because I was militant about the dietary and exercise program, plus I ran over 100km this last month which was above the call of duty. Then again, the recent loosening of UK lockdown laws just in time for summer resulted in enough alcohol to kill a weaker human, so maybe it's me. I'll keep trying. I'm happy to do so. Because there's no doubt that the semi-painless dedication that David advises comes with a significant payoff, and if nothing else, it's extra tools at my disposal as my quest to find the flat beneath the flab continues. I will get there!
May 29, 2021
Starting my next 1000 books with this fitness book, 1001.
-
I included the NEW! Cookbook companion of this book and decided I would give this guide a read to see if I could garner any useful or helpful information. It is a lot of what I already know, yet never seem to fully implement in my life.
My Goodreads picture is 11 years old and I've unfortunately in that time grown larger than I want to be. I've squandered my physical activity during the course of my twenties and made poor food choices.
The results have presented themselves and I have been living with regret and a larger waist size for many years. It would be a dream to shed the pounds and regain the slimness of my youth.
I've made some decent progress, only to relapse and had to start over. My hope is before I am in my mid-thirties I can get to a healthier place and prolong my mortality.
-
I included the NEW! Cookbook companion of this book and decided I would give this guide a read to see if I could garner any useful or helpful information. It is a lot of what I already know, yet never seem to fully implement in my life.
My Goodreads picture is 11 years old and I've unfortunately in that time grown larger than I want to be. I've squandered my physical activity during the course of my twenties and made poor food choices.
The results have presented themselves and I have been living with regret and a larger waist size for many years. It would be a dream to shed the pounds and regain the slimness of my youth.
I've made some decent progress, only to relapse and had to start over. My hope is before I am in my mid-thirties I can get to a healthier place and prolong my mortality.
October 16, 2017
Good stuff here. The key is to increase metabolism through eating 3 meals and 3 snacks, ensuring breakfast is eaten and anaerobic exercise (over aerobic exercise). That's it. The higher your metabolism the more calories you burn, and eating (modetately) and increasing muscle mass is what boosts metabolism.
April 30, 2024
It's been way over six weeks since I finished reading the book, and my abs is still not as flat as I want it to be. In fairness to the author, I did not follow everything he suggested. But I found some nuggets of information that I found helpful overall.
September 4, 2024
É um livro bem básico, voltado a leigos. E, por isso, é fácil de entender e de aplicar.
Carece de mais informações e por ser antigo, também não conta com informações atualizadas, mas é válido para um início de programa de emagrecimento.
Carece de mais informações e por ser antigo, também não conta com informações atualizadas, mas é válido para um início de programa de emagrecimento.
June 20, 2017
It is defiantly my favorite diet book with mouth watering recipes and useful workouts!
June 1, 2018
This book is a great kick starter to get in shape, it offers enough knowledge for you to be able to follow a healthy and manageable diet alongside a simple workout plan that gives results.
June 17, 2018
Not sure about this diet, Currently I am following keto diet. I decided to follow exercises but still in confusing stage about which diet to go with.
I’ll update one I’ll follow
I’ll update one I’ll follow
December 21, 2018
Sound advice but reads too much like a sales pitch
November 14, 2011
I really liked the nutritional info in this practical guide for busy people. Despite the title, it’s not just about superficial six pack abs; it’s a holistic approach to diet and exercise. The author, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health, provides nutritional research and studies, recipes, a meal plan, and an exercise regimen. The book’s basic equation: more food + more muscle = less flab.
I read this for its nutrition guidelines, not its exercise advice, but I picked up a few tips in the exercise chapters. The diet is practical and realistic; it explains the role of the right fats and carbs in a healthy diet. The Abs Diet is structured around 12 power foods (and close substitutes) represented by the acronym ABS DIET POWER. My diet already includes most of these foods, excluding protein powder; I'm not trying to increase muscle mass or lose fat. Below is a cheat sheet including these foods and other tips from the diet. I agreed with most of the book's nutritional guidelines, but I’m sticking to my 3 meals a day and no snacking, not adopting the book's 6 meals/snacks a day.
Why focus on the abs? As Zinczenko says, a flat stomach is the hallmark of people in control of their bodies and health. The benefits of a flat belly: reduced risk of life-threatening disease, better sexual performance, protection from injury, a stronger back, reduced joint pain, and better sleeping.
I’m a fan of Zinczenko's work in Men’s Health and the Eat This, Not That! books, so I wasn’t surprised that I liked this one too.
The New Abs Diet Cheat Sheet
Eat six meals (including snacks) spaced evenly throughout the day.
Plan most meals around the ABS DIET POWER 12 food groups. Each meal should contain at least two of the following:
• Almonds and other nuts
• Beans and legumes
• Spinach and other green vegetables
• Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
• Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
• Eggs
• Turkey and other lean meats (lean steak, chicken, fish)
• Peanut butter (all-natural, sugar-free)
• Olive oil [or canola, peanut, sesame; not vegetable oil or margarine]
• Whole-grain breads and cereals
• Extra-protein (whey) powder [or ricotta cheese]
• Raspberries and other berries
Emphasize protein, fiber, calcium, and healthy fats (mono- and polyunsaturated).
Limit refined carbohydrates like baked goods, sugar, white bread, rice and pasta, saturated fats, trans fats, and high-fructose corn syrup.
Drink mostly water. Limit yourself to two or three alcoholic beverages per week..
Cheat once a week by eating anything.
Exercise for 20 minutes 3 days a week. Total-body strength workouts can be done at the gym or home. Add interval training programs. Two of the strength-training workouts should contain abs exercises.
Nutrition
Restricting carbs forces the body to burn fat, not sugar.
High carb foods that flood the body with sugar calories, not just sugary foods, lead to diabetes.
Don’t eliminate carbs, just aim for low- to moderate glycemic load. Choose foods with high fiber, especially whole grains.
The body needs carbs and fats; low carb and low-fat diets aren’t healthy, and don’t work long-term.
Fats are filling and add flavor. Shoot for 0.5 g of fat per pound of desired body weight.
Protein fills you up, digests more slowly than carbs, spurs lean muscle growth, and elevates fat burn.
Refried beans are often high in saturated fat. Look for fat-free versions.
Broccoli florets have 3 times more beta-carotene than the stems.
Take an Omega 3 supplement even if you eat fish.
HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is dangerous because it shuts off natural appetite control, and it’s in so many foods.
Exercise
Exercise to alter your basal metabolism. The calories burned during exercise aren’t important.
Strength training is better than aerobics for long-term weight management. Aerobic exercise only burns calories during the workout; strength training causes the body to burn long after.
Aerobic exercise burns calories, controls stress, improves cardiovascular fitness, lowers blood pressure, and improves cholesterol profile.
Keep abs firm throughout the day to develop muscle memory. Flex your abs for 1 minute per hour when sitting. Walk tall.
A short, fast, high-intensity workout is better than a longer, steady workout for weight loss.
The New Abs Diet Workout
Strength training: 3 times a week. Total-body workouts with 1 workout emphasizing legs.
Additional cardio: optional, on non-strength training days. Do an interval workout 1 day a week and light cardio like walking on 2 of the 3 off days.
Abs exercises: twice a week, before strength training or interval workouts.
I read this for its nutrition guidelines, not its exercise advice, but I picked up a few tips in the exercise chapters. The diet is practical and realistic; it explains the role of the right fats and carbs in a healthy diet. The Abs Diet is structured around 12 power foods (and close substitutes) represented by the acronym ABS DIET POWER. My diet already includes most of these foods, excluding protein powder; I'm not trying to increase muscle mass or lose fat. Below is a cheat sheet including these foods and other tips from the diet. I agreed with most of the book's nutritional guidelines, but I’m sticking to my 3 meals a day and no snacking, not adopting the book's 6 meals/snacks a day.
Why focus on the abs? As Zinczenko says, a flat stomach is the hallmark of people in control of their bodies and health. The benefits of a flat belly: reduced risk of life-threatening disease, better sexual performance, protection from injury, a stronger back, reduced joint pain, and better sleeping.
I’m a fan of Zinczenko's work in Men’s Health and the Eat This, Not That! books, so I wasn’t surprised that I liked this one too.
The New Abs Diet Cheat Sheet
Eat six meals (including snacks) spaced evenly throughout the day.
Plan most meals around the ABS DIET POWER 12 food groups. Each meal should contain at least two of the following:
• Almonds and other nuts
• Beans and legumes
• Spinach and other green vegetables
• Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
• Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
• Eggs
• Turkey and other lean meats (lean steak, chicken, fish)
• Peanut butter (all-natural, sugar-free)
• Olive oil [or canola, peanut, sesame; not vegetable oil or margarine]
• Whole-grain breads and cereals
• Extra-protein (whey) powder [or ricotta cheese]
• Raspberries and other berries
Emphasize protein, fiber, calcium, and healthy fats (mono- and polyunsaturated).
Limit refined carbohydrates like baked goods, sugar, white bread, rice and pasta, saturated fats, trans fats, and high-fructose corn syrup.
Drink mostly water. Limit yourself to two or three alcoholic beverages per week..
Cheat once a week by eating anything.
Exercise for 20 minutes 3 days a week. Total-body strength workouts can be done at the gym or home. Add interval training programs. Two of the strength-training workouts should contain abs exercises.
Nutrition
Restricting carbs forces the body to burn fat, not sugar.
High carb foods that flood the body with sugar calories, not just sugary foods, lead to diabetes.
Don’t eliminate carbs, just aim for low- to moderate glycemic load. Choose foods with high fiber, especially whole grains.
The body needs carbs and fats; low carb and low-fat diets aren’t healthy, and don’t work long-term.
Fats are filling and add flavor. Shoot for 0.5 g of fat per pound of desired body weight.
Protein fills you up, digests more slowly than carbs, spurs lean muscle growth, and elevates fat burn.
Refried beans are often high in saturated fat. Look for fat-free versions.
Broccoli florets have 3 times more beta-carotene than the stems.
Take an Omega 3 supplement even if you eat fish.
HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is dangerous because it shuts off natural appetite control, and it’s in so many foods.
Exercise
Exercise to alter your basal metabolism. The calories burned during exercise aren’t important.
Strength training is better than aerobics for long-term weight management. Aerobic exercise only burns calories during the workout; strength training causes the body to burn long after.
Aerobic exercise burns calories, controls stress, improves cardiovascular fitness, lowers blood pressure, and improves cholesterol profile.
Keep abs firm throughout the day to develop muscle memory. Flex your abs for 1 minute per hour when sitting. Walk tall.
A short, fast, high-intensity workout is better than a longer, steady workout for weight loss.
The New Abs Diet Workout
Strength training: 3 times a week. Total-body workouts with 1 workout emphasizing legs.
Additional cardio: optional, on non-strength training days. Do an interval workout 1 day a week and light cardio like walking on 2 of the 3 off days.
Abs exercises: twice a week, before strength training or interval workouts.
July 22, 2009
I picked this up because it was free (I found it in a huge a stack of books sitting on the bench in our apartment foyer), and of course the title is definitely something that'd be nice to achieve, a flat belly. Since hubby and I just started working out again after joining a gym, I figured I'd skim through it, thinking 'what the heck, maybe I'll get a few good new exercise tricks out of it'... but it's actually REALLY good. It's very smart, packed with information about how your body works, statistics, etc... it's more informative than persuasive, and it's definitely not "try my diet" or anything like that (in fact, he doesn't even promote "diet" at all.
The focus is not on a certain regimen or anything, not to lose weight or actually get a flat tummy (although those are of course the end result and *ultimately* what he promotes technically speaking), but his goal is really to just educate someone on how to realistically optimize how you eat and exercise. Obviously no one wants to limit how they consume their calories, nor do they want to spend hours at the gym, so the author here really keys in on how to be smart. For example, it's not about burning-as-many-calories-as-you-can-at-the-gym, but rather, optimizing you're time there so you can burn-as-many-calories-as-you-can-after-you-leave-the-gym! Cause obviously you're OUT of the gym more than you're IN it. So to do this, you optimize your "muscle building"... since muscle is the major contributor to fat burning, the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn, exponentially (I'm talking over 50% more calories!). Vis a vie, exercise your leg muscles first - the largest muscle in your body.
All his stuff in here is enlightening, and surprisingly not redundant or boring, or irritating that someone's trying to convince you of something you're really not interested in. Oh, and he actually gives practical stuff too you can walk away with using so you don't have to figure it out on your own. Like 56 work out routines with pictures, and dozens of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes (like 6 minute meals-- stuff that you already make for yourself, like spaghetti, or sandwiches, but gives good examples of what types of sauces to get to avoid high fructose corn syrup or 100% whole wheat bread, not to be confused with 'whole wheat bread' which, without that "100%" is just a marketing ploy and not really wheat).
ANYWAY. I can go on and on, but I'm clearly rambling. It's an excellent book. I've never read a 'diet or exercise book' before, so I guess I can't compare it to anything, but I am usually uninterested in that crap, but this was awesome. I can't recommend it enough. To everyone! Not just to health nuts or people who want to lose weight or anything, but really to people who even slightly care what they do to their bodies. Just simply to be in a healthier state of being, which is what this is all about.
The focus is not on a certain regimen or anything, not to lose weight or actually get a flat tummy (although those are of course the end result and *ultimately* what he promotes technically speaking), but his goal is really to just educate someone on how to realistically optimize how you eat and exercise. Obviously no one wants to limit how they consume their calories, nor do they want to spend hours at the gym, so the author here really keys in on how to be smart. For example, it's not about burning-as-many-calories-as-you-can-at-the-gym, but rather, optimizing you're time there so you can burn-as-many-calories-as-you-can-after-you-leave-the-gym! Cause obviously you're OUT of the gym more than you're IN it. So to do this, you optimize your "muscle building"... since muscle is the major contributor to fat burning, the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn, exponentially (I'm talking over 50% more calories!). Vis a vie, exercise your leg muscles first - the largest muscle in your body.
All his stuff in here is enlightening, and surprisingly not redundant or boring, or irritating that someone's trying to convince you of something you're really not interested in. Oh, and he actually gives practical stuff too you can walk away with using so you don't have to figure it out on your own. Like 56 work out routines with pictures, and dozens of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes (like 6 minute meals-- stuff that you already make for yourself, like spaghetti, or sandwiches, but gives good examples of what types of sauces to get to avoid high fructose corn syrup or 100% whole wheat bread, not to be confused with 'whole wheat bread' which, without that "100%" is just a marketing ploy and not really wheat).
ANYWAY. I can go on and on, but I'm clearly rambling. It's an excellent book. I've never read a 'diet or exercise book' before, so I guess I can't compare it to anything, but I am usually uninterested in that crap, but this was awesome. I can't recommend it enough. To everyone! Not just to health nuts or people who want to lose weight or anything, but really to people who even slightly care what they do to their bodies. Just simply to be in a healthier state of being, which is what this is all about.
June 30, 2008
SO I just got done reading this book (a VERY quick read). To be honest I didn't read every single word in this book, I skimmed it picking out the pertinent information and if I feel the need I can go back and read the rest of it. There were a few things i had an understanding of that I just didn't feel the need to be educated up on.
It's a good book, and quick read like I said. It took me 2 days to get through it. A few things about the food, the diet idea is the 6 meals / day. It has 12 "super foods" that you should incorporate into each meal but shouldn't be the only foods you eat. The things I found most helpful about this book and diet plan was it had sample "day meal plannings" area. It had all the meals you would eat for each fo the three meals and then each of the three snacks. It also had some great recipes in it for smoothies, and every meal of the day. I will find this very helpful as well. Lastly the thing that some people may find helpful (I didn't) was the exercise plan and pictures on how to do the exercises. I already have an exercise plan that I like that works well for me, so I skipped this area.
I'll be actually starting the diet next week (I go grocery shopping tonight) so we will see if it works for me or not. It said you might lose as much as 12 pounds of fat off your belly in the first 2 weeks. I think this is slightly errounious, it's impossible to lose fat in only one area, you are going to lose fat wherever your body wants to. We will see if I drop 12 pounds in two weeks though. After my 6 weeks I will see where I'm at and then come, take this book off currently reading and rate it either higher (if it works) or lower (if it doesn't).
It's a good book, and quick read like I said. It took me 2 days to get through it. A few things about the food, the diet idea is the 6 meals / day. It has 12 "super foods" that you should incorporate into each meal but shouldn't be the only foods you eat. The things I found most helpful about this book and diet plan was it had sample "day meal plannings" area. It had all the meals you would eat for each fo the three meals and then each of the three snacks. It also had some great recipes in it for smoothies, and every meal of the day. I will find this very helpful as well. Lastly the thing that some people may find helpful (I didn't) was the exercise plan and pictures on how to do the exercises. I already have an exercise plan that I like that works well for me, so I skipped this area.
I'll be actually starting the diet next week (I go grocery shopping tonight) so we will see if it works for me or not. It said you might lose as much as 12 pounds of fat off your belly in the first 2 weeks. I think this is slightly errounious, it's impossible to lose fat in only one area, you are going to lose fat wherever your body wants to. We will see if I drop 12 pounds in two weeks though. After my 6 weeks I will see where I'm at and then come, take this book off currently reading and rate it either higher (if it works) or lower (if it doesn't).
February 7, 2011
I picked this up on a whim, because I needed to lose weight, and aside from starving myself silly, I really had no idea where to begin. So, I figured it wouldn't hurt to be informed about the subject, so I know just what the hell I was doing.
The book lays out a simple, yet somewhat challenging, plan on losing weight: high protein diet, coupled with strength training exercise. Not exactly revolutionary, but then again, losing weight is usually not as complicated as people make it out to be. It's too soon to tell whether or not this plan will work for me, however, at the very least I have come away a lot more knowledgeable about what should go into my body, as opposed to what shouldn't, causing me to eat a lot healthier than I have in years. So, if I don't attain killer abs in 6-weeks like the books claims, at least I won't die of a heart attack at 30 (ideally).
For anyone looking for a reasonable health plan and an easy-to-follow guide to losing weight, I'd definitely recommend this book.
The book lays out a simple, yet somewhat challenging, plan on losing weight: high protein diet, coupled with strength training exercise. Not exactly revolutionary, but then again, losing weight is usually not as complicated as people make it out to be. It's too soon to tell whether or not this plan will work for me, however, at the very least I have come away a lot more knowledgeable about what should go into my body, as opposed to what shouldn't, causing me to eat a lot healthier than I have in years. So, if I don't attain killer abs in 6-weeks like the books claims, at least I won't die of a heart attack at 30 (ideally).
For anyone looking for a reasonable health plan and an easy-to-follow guide to losing weight, I'd definitely recommend this book.
August 8, 2011
This is a great book with tons of information and a very do able diet plan that does not promote extreme dieting just a simple plan for eating right and indulging on occasion. the book gives you information on which foods are good and why. It is a really great for a beginner at the gym though it is overselling itself just a bit there is no way we could get abs with the six week program unless you are stating with a pretty low fat percentage to begin with. The workout program itself could be better it just has too many isolation movements for like shoulder presses and back extensions but for losing fat more big movements like dead lifts and clean presses would have made this book even better but really this is a very minor complaint you could always pick another book like The New Rules of lifting to get your workouts but if you have not picked up this book go get it because it is worth every cent because of the diet info.
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July 3, 2014Muy buen libro, ya he bajado 10 kg en 2 meses. Te indica como bajar de peso con una dieta balanceada en grasas, proteinas, frutas, legumbres,... de casi todo pero sin cometer excesos ni abusar de las grasas trans que abundan en los supermercados. De 3 comidas abundantes al día lo cambia a 6 frugales. Dismitifica a las grasas haciendo una sabia clasificación de grasas buenas y malas (HDL y LDL). No puede faltar los ejercicios físicos en donde hay una sección especial en el libro con fotos de cómo se debe hacer los ejercicios tanto para el hombre como para la mujer. Resalta los ejercicios de fuerza ya que ellos hacen quemar grasa por más tiempo durante el día. Tambien hay recetas para cada día de la semana. Hace hincapié en el consumo de frutos secos y yogures como temtepié entre comidas para quemar grasa. Totalmente recomendado para mejorar tu apariencia, elevar tu autoestima y sobretodo mejorar tu salud.
February 26, 2017
This is by far the best health and nutrition book that I have ever read. By reading The Abs Diet, I found out that I was over-working out. Moreover, my diet has been in peril the last few years due to stress from work and graduate school. I loved the six-meal a day plan that incorporates a snack between each major meal. When I get hunger, it's usually time for a snack anyway, so I don't have the urge to meal on chips or other unhealthy foods.
I have not yet incorporate the full diet and exercise plan. However, I have found that the dietary changes I've made thus far have been painless. I switched from eating sugary cereal to oatmeal instead. I'm now cooking all my meals instead of being a fast food junky like I was last school year. Reading this book has certainly helped to change my wholistic philosophy of being healthy and enjoying life while I'm doing it.
I have not yet incorporate the full diet and exercise plan. However, I have found that the dietary changes I've made thus far have been painless. I switched from eating sugary cereal to oatmeal instead. I'm now cooking all my meals instead of being a fast food junky like I was last school year. Reading this book has certainly helped to change my wholistic philosophy of being healthy and enjoying life while I'm doing it.
September 19, 2011
Excelente libro para mejorar tu salud y mantenerte en forma fisica. La grasa abdominal es lo mas peligroso que existe ya que aumenta el riesgo de desarrollar distintos tipos de cancer, insomnio (y por lo tanto cansancio y mal desempeño diario), colesterol alto, baja autoestima, osteoporosis, obstruccion arterial y por lo tanto enfermedades cardiovasculares y disfuncion erectil, y muchisimas mas. Que hacer? los ejercicios con pesas -asi como una adecuada alimentacion de 6 comidas diarias- son clave, ya que aumentan el musculo y por lo tanto queman grasa. Matarte por horas con ejercicios cardiovasculares no es la solucion, solo quemaras calorias en ese instante y probablemente tambien quemaras musculo, lo que es igual a seguir con la carne flacida. Para aprender mucho mas, les recomiendo este libro de David Zinczenko, editor de Men`s Health.
February 12, 2016
I've read uncountable diet/fitness books and this is one of my favorites. It gave me a whole new way of looking at the food I ate and how the body metabolizes and utilizes calories. The main thing I took away from this book is that I never understood why protein rich foods were better than carbohydrates... In short it takes more energy for your body to burn protein and in the process burns more calories digesting protein than other food. It leaves you filling full longer and builds your muscles. The more muscles you have the more calories you will burn while at rest. It recommends strength training over a crazy amount of time on a treadmill. I'm not talking about turning yourself into a body builder with an over abundance of muscles just making yourself stronger so you can exercise less while burning more calories.
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