Welcome to Part 2 of my f(abs)ulous Science Project Series. Deadline : July 16th, 2009. Eeek!
The diet is the biggie.
One of the single most important areas to change the appearance of your abs – you literally are (and show) what you eat. These are my 4 Rules for making it happen. I won't bore you with all the science behind it - just know it works!
Rule 1: EAT
Eat 5 Meals. Every 3 Hours.
The rhythm should look something this (assuming you get up at 7am) :
Breakfast - 7.30am
Snack 1 - 10.30am
Lunch - 1.30pm
Snack - 4.30pm
Dinner - 7.30pm
Snacks should be around 150-250 calories. They should have a little protein, a little fat, and a few carbs. My all time favorite snack: a scoop of organic, crunchy peanut butter, over a green apple.
Main meals should be larger - some where between 300-500 cals for a woman. If you look at your plate, most of it should be vegetables.
The old-skool rule of protein portion size: it should be about the size of the palm of your hand. Your stomach is also approximately the size of your fist - so keep that in mind for your overall portion sizes!
Look out for My f(abs)ulous Science Project: The Recipes later this week for super simple recipes, most taking under 25 minutes to make.
Rule 2: Water, Water Everywhere
I have to admit – I am one of those people who *hates* drinking water. Like. Hates.
I have hoped (dreamed, prayed, asked the universe, wished on my eyelashes, asked Santa) for some kind of pill or supplement that you could take that would magically give you your daily water requirement…but *big, dramatic sigh* it doesn’t exist.
So, I deal with my water issues intake by adding different flavors to all the water I drink.
That’s right. All the water I drink.
Lemons, cucumbers, and limes…oh my! These are perfect for making water more palatable. Zesting the lemons and limes also will give you the essential oils from the peel that are good for your liver and make your skin glow. Who isn’t vain enough to love that?!
In another effort to avoid drinking mind-numbing, boring water, I make tea. Herbal, decaf tea. I either drink it warm or put ice cubes in it and drink cold through the day. Sweeten with a little Stevia or organic honey and you are good to go!
Dr. Melissa Hershberg, author of The Hershberg Diet (who also happens to be a good friend of mine) recommends that, in addition to drinking water, that you eat water as well:
"Foods like green veggies, fruits, broth-based soups, and lean proteins like egg whites and white fish are the absolute best for weight loss. They provide the most volume and mass for the fewest number of calories. When these high-water foods make up the bulk of your diet, you can afford to indulge in other delicious items and get away with it!"
I love this idea of eating your water . Filling up on veggies is not only uber nutritious, but you will feel full longer, and get all your water in the process too.
Bottom line here is drinking (and eating) your water = flat, toned abs.
Rule 3: Organic Sweeteners and Spice (and all things nice)
Let’s be honest. Eating clean and healthy can be bland, boring, and honestly just painful.
To avoid stabbing my eyes out with a fork while I am following this diet, it *has* to have lots-o-taste. Almost every single dish I eat has some random combination of the following herbs and spices:
Oregano
Herbs de Provence
Red Pepper Flakes
Fennel Seeds
Parsley
Lavender
Sweet Paprika
Sesame Seeds
Tumeric
Mustard Seeds
Black or White Pepper
Cinnamon
Cayenne Pepper
Hemp Seeds
Cumin
Basil
Thyme
These add tons of flavor and zilch on calories. There is really no formula to it – a little dash of this, a sprinkle of that, people think you are a chef and food is fun again. Play around with different combinations (my fave is a little red pepper flakes with herbs de provence and mustard seeds) and your taste buds will thank you.
Rule 3: Nix & Modify
So. This is a series on abs. The recommendations here are for getting the gorge abs we want for summer…known around some parts of Toronto as Kell’s stag party!
1. Nix
Sugar
Sugar is literally the worst thing ever created. Period. Done. End of discussion.
Your pancreas, liver, and gall bladder freak the eff out to deal with it. Your body basically just gives up and stores the sugar as fat – usually around your stomach.
HAIIIL NO.
For sweetness, add Stevia, cinnamon, agave, or peppermint-tea flavored water to whatever you are drinking or baking.
Dairy
Dairy, whether low fat or not, creates a ton of mucous in your intestines. This puffs out the stomach (again, flat abs = not happening), hinders absorption of nutrition from other foods, and, is it me - or is it just weird that we are drinking another species' milk?!
Almond, Rice, Hemp, or Soy bevvies are all better alternatives.
Meat
Meat literally has to rot in your stomach in order to be digested. Yummy & Tasty = yes. Flat, Stag-Party Abs = no.
Salt
Take out the salt. Put in your new-found love for herbs and spices (see above). Abs (heart, liver, kidneys, and well, basically your whole life) = happy.
Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol
Honestly? I love wine and sake too much to cut it out completely.
A glass of wine with dinner is ok, people. The French do it. The Italians do it. The Spanish do it. So can Canadians. Ya?
A glass of red will run you anywhere from 75-105 cals for a 4oz glass, 6 oz is about 125 cals, and a full glass (8 oz) is about 150-200 cals. You can see how it adds up quickly - but one glass - *totally* doable.
Also, drink things that are less syrupy and fruity (meaning less sugar, ab fat, and by far the worst hangovers).
Sake and vodka are both low-ish calorie alcohol choices. Mix the vodka with soda water, club soda and a lime.
2. Modify
Some Veggies.
I hate to have hate-on for veg – but some (broccoli, cauliflower, beans) are like, totally impossible to digest if they are in raw form. Steam your veg. We are talking only 5-10 minutes of steaming! Easy.
How You Cook
Baked,Broiled, and Roasted trumps Frying and Sauteeing. Always. Sauteeing is just a posh word for frying. Same concept (butter, oil, lard in the pan)- sneakier language.
Using the herbs, spices, and sweetners we discussed above on your food for baking and broiling and roasting will really help bring out the natural flavors of the food you cook, rather than hiding it under gobs of oil and butter.
Finally, instead of putting oil or butter in the pan, try water, or a 2 second spray of a non-stick spray. Marinate your proteins in orange juice, lemon juice, or lime juice. Fish will literally "cook" in the citrus acids. The Spanish call it ceviche. I call it delicious.
Rule 4: Cheat
Treat yourself to a cheat meal once a week and eat whatever you want. Whatever you are craving lap it up and reward yourself for a good week of eating!
My personal favorite cheat meal is Saturday or Sunday breakfast. I wake up late, I make a huge cappucino, and will make anything from pancakes with syrup to eggs benny. I read my online newpapers and life is good.
-----------------
Check out My F(abs)ulous Science Project: The Recipes later this week!
Dr. S
xo
Recent Comments