Carving the Abs
Oct 17, 2011
A Full Ab Feature on the essentials to getting CARVED ABS
Your Abs
The one topic that always comes up for every single one of us who trains. No matter how hard you train or don't train, abs are the one area that is the primary focus for many of us. A billion dollar ab machine media frenzy has exploded over the past few decades. Ab Expressway methods and un-conventional inventions have promised a variety of ways to Carve the abs, but little actually provide results.Because of the explosion of interest in shedding the mid section, we have somewhat gotten away from the basics of abdominal training. The Arnold's, Frank Zane's, Steve Reeves back in the day kept it simple, and yet had some of the most sought after physiques not just of their day, but even of today's top contenders for the King of the mid section.
The Basic Rules
The basics of what works comes down to a few simple rules. One is to look at your nutrition. Second, obviously is to get on a structured plan that involves more than just working your abs. Yes Abs must be the focus, but you must have a complete program. No one way or workout is the key to IT ALL. Keep it simple, but keep it consistent is the key phrase you must continue to remind yourself.
So Below I review a variety of programs, Nutritional meal plans and videos that review the basic elements on how to build and more importantly keep the slim, carved abs we all wish to possess.
Take care,
Mike McErlane
NUTRITION PLANS FROM JIM STOPPANI @ JIMSTOPPANI.COM
Meal Plan 1
Breakfast1 whole egg
1 slice reduced-fat or fat-free cheese
2 slices low-fat deli ham
1 whole-wheat English muffin
(Make breakfast sandwich: toast muffin; fry ham in pan and place on one half of muffin; fry eggs in pan using non-stick cooking spray and place on ham; top eggs with cheese and cover with other muffin half to make breakfast sandwich)
Late morning snack
1/2 cup reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey
(mix honey in yogurt)
Lunch
2 slices Turkey deli meat, or low-fat deli ham
2 slices reduced-fat or fat-free American cheese
1/4 avocado
1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
(Make rolls: Layer 1 slice of cheese on 1 slice of turkey, or ham; spread mayo on the cheese; slice avocado into 2 strips and put 1 slice of avocado in middle of cheese; roll meat and cheese around avocado and eat)
Mid-day Snack
2 hardboiled eggs
1 Tbsp light mayo
Lettuce
(add mayo to eggs to make egg salad; add egg salad to lettuce leaf, wrap and eat)
Dinner
6 oz lean ground beef (or lean ground turkey)
1/4 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 tbsp fat-free sour cream
4 tbsp salsa
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 med. Tomato
(Make taco salad: Brown meat in frying pan; and add taco seasoning; place meat over bed of lettuce; add diced tomato, cheese, salsa and sour cream)
Nighttime snack
2 oz. beef jerky
Totals: 1400 calories, 135 g protein, 70 g carbs, 60 g fat
Meal Plan 2
BreakfastWestern Bagel Perfect 10 Healthy Grain Bagel
1Tbsp Peanut butter
Late morning snack
½ cup Reduced fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey
(mix honey in yogurt)
Lunch
2 slices Turkey deli meat, or low-fat deli ham
2 slices reduced-fat or fat-free American cheese
1/4 avocado
1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
(Make rolls: Layer 1 slice of cheese on 1 slice of turkey, or ham; spread mayo on the cheese; slice avocado into 4 strips and put 1 slice of avocado in middle of cheese; roll meat and cheese around avocado and eat)
Mid-day snack
1 can sardines in olive oil
Dinner
6 oz chicken breast (baked or grilled)
1 cup Brussels sprouts (sauté in olive oil, add Tbsp lemon juice, tsp garlic salt)
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp olive oil w/1 Tbsp vinegar (dressing)
Nighttime snack
2 oz. fat-free or reduced-fat cheese (Swiss, cheddar, or Monterey jack)
2 large celery stalks
1Tbsp Peanut butter
(spoon peanut butter into groove of the celery)
Totals: 1500 calories, 150 g protein, 75 g carbs, 70 g fat.
Meal Plan 3
Breakfast1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean Cereal
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 hard-boiled eggs
Late morning snack
1/4 cup boiled soybeans (edamame)
1 stick light mozzarella string cheese (~ 1oz.)
Lunch
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 Tbsp salsa
(top cottage cheese with salsa)
Mid-day snack
6 oz. Shrimp
1 Tbsp seafood cocktail sauce
Dinner
4 oz lean ground beef or turkey breast
1/4 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/4 med. onion
(Make Chili con carne: brown beef in pan; add tomatoes and onion, 1/2 tsp ground cumin powder, 1 tsp chili powder, salt n pepper to taste to make chili con carne)
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp olive oil w/1 Tbsp vinegar (dressing)
Nighttime snack
2 sticks light mozzarella string cheese
2 large celery stalks
1Tbsp Peanut butter
(spoon peanut butter into groove of the celery)
Totals: 1350 calories, 130 g protein, 65 g carbs, 65 g fat
Meal Plan 4
Breakfast2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 med. Onion
(Make frittata: In frying pan on medium heat, cook onions for about 5 minutes with fat-free cooking spray, add broccoli and cook for about 5 minutes, In a large bowl, mix eggs, and cottage cheese and add to pan, lift and rotate pan so that eggs are evenly distributed; As eggs set around the edges, lift them to allow uncooked portions to flow underneath. Turn heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until top is set. Invert onto a plate)
1 whole-grain waffle
Late morning snack
1 stick light mozzarella string cheese
1 oz. mixed nuts
Lunch
1 slice low-fat deli ham
1 slice deli turkey breast
1 slice extra-lean turkey bacom
1 oz. reduced-fat or low-fat cheese
1 whole egg
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp olive oil w/1 Tbsp vinegar (dressing)
(Make Cobb Salad: slice ham and turkey into small trips, chop cheese and bacon, slice egg, add ingredients to salad and top with dressing and mix)
Mid-day Snack
1/2 cup Reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey
Dinner
6 oz. top sirloin steak (grilled)
10 asparagus spears (grilled)
(rub olive oil on asparagus spears; sprinkle on garlic salt and grill)
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp olive oil w/1 Tbsp vinegar (dressing)
Nighttime snack
1/2 cup cottage cheese
Totals: 1600 calories, 140 g protein, 70 g carbs, 90 g fat
Meal Plan 5
Breakfast1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 slice reduced-fat or fat-free American cheese
2 slices low-fat deli ham
1 low-carb tortilla
(Make breakfast burrito: Heat tortilla in warm pan; fry ham in pan and place on tortilla; scramble eggs and cook in pan using non-stick cooking spray, add cheese and place on tortilla; roll tortilla into breakfast burrito)
Late morning snack
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 cups mixed green salad
1/4 avocado
1 Tbsp olive oil w/1 Tbsp vinegar (dressing)
(slice the eggs and the avocado and add them to the salad; top with dressing)
Lunch
1/2 Low-Carb Tortilla, such as Mission Carb Balance
1/8 cup reduced-fat or fat-free shredded cheese
3 oz. chicken breast
(Make chicken quesadilla: chop chicken and cook in frying pan; place tortilla in a separate frying pan on medium heat; add cheese and cooked chicken to half of the tortilla and fold over tortilla cook both sides of tortilla until cheese is melted)
Mid-day snack
4 oz. Shrimp
1 Tbsp seafood cocktail sauce
Dinner
2 oz. lean ground beef
2 whole eggs
1 slice extra-lean turkey bacon, such as Jenny-O
1/8 cup reduced-fat or fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
¼ small onion
(Make cheeseburger quiche: brown beef in skillet with ¼ of a small chopped onion; cook turkey bacon in skillet and cut into 1-inch pieces; add beef and bacon to bottom of a pie pan; Combine eggs, sour cream; shredded cheddar cheese and 1 tsp of garlic powder in bowl and mix well; pour mixture over beef and bake 40-45 minutes at 350º or until top is browned)
Nighttime snack
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 tbsp salsa
Totals: 1450 calories, 130 g protein, 65 g carbs, 70 g fat
Meal Plan 6
Breakfast1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup Kashi Go Lean Cereal
Late morning snack
1 oz. fat-free or reduced-fat cheese (Swiss, cheddar, Monterey jack, etc.)
2 slices Turkey breast or low-fat ham deli meat
(Slice cheese into two thin pieces and place in middle of turkey; roll up turkey and eat)
1 oz mixed nuts
Lunch
1/2 can tuna
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
(mix tuna in cottage cheese, add diced onions, carrots and peppers if desired)
Mid-day snack
1 stick light mozzarella string cheese
Dinner
6 oz salmon (broiled or grilled)
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp olive oil w/1 Tbsp vinegar (dressing)
(add salmon to salad and eat as a salmon salad)
Nighttime snack
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 tbsp salsa
(top cottage cheese with salsa)
1450 calories, 140 g protein, 70 g carbs, 70 g fat
THE AB VIDEOS
THE WORKOUTS
| Day 1 | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscle Group |
| Plank | 3 | 30 | Abs |
| Side Plank | 3 | 30 | Abs |
| Laying on Ball Abdominal Crunches Hands by Head | 3 | 30 | Abs |
| Day 2 | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscle Group |
| Laying On Ball Abdominal Crunch With Cable | 3 | 25 | Abs |
| V-Ups With No Equipment | 3 | 15 | Abs |
| Laying On Ball Abdominal Crunch With Cable | 3 | 30 | Abs |
| Day 3 | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscle Group |
| Bent Over Cable Crunch | 3 | 20 | Abs |
| Plank | 3 | 30 | Abs |
| Russian Twists | 3 | 15 | Abs |
| Day 4 | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscle Group |
| V-Ups With No Equipment | 3 | 20 | Abs |
| Laying on Ball Abdominal Crunches Hands by Head With Band | 3 | 20 | Abs |
| Laying On Ball Abdominal Crunch With Dumbbell | 3 | 15 | Abs |
| Day 5 | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscle Group |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 10 | Abs |
| Plank | 3 | 30 | Abs |
| V-Ups With No Equipment | 3 | 15 | Abs |
