#menabs

Abs are “Made in the Kitchen”

Out of all the e-mail and thousands of messages that I get on a regular basis, the most common one has to do with How I got My Abs so shredded. Let me tell you that the hardest challenge for me is not training, but staying disciplined in my nutritional regiment non-stop.

Trainings occupy 1-2 hours of the day, while eating right is a full-time job. Lowering your body fat percentage and getting shredded is mainly determined by your diet.

Trainings do matter, especially in terms of muscle size, symmetry and proportion, but it is the dieting the burns the fat and reveals the muscles underneath it. It is easy to destroy yourself for two hours in the gym, but few manage to prepare their meals throughout the day and be consistent in their nutrient timing and portion.

The success of every diet depends on two factors: to make a suitable nutritional plan and to make sure that you follow it. I do keep shredded all-year round, but I get in my max shape only when preparing for photo-shoots, videos and appearances. This is both time and energy consuming. For the time you take to prepare for the specific event, you need to plan your weeks, your days and even your meals. Make sure that you record this carefully and follow it zealously. Here is how I do it:

Set a Goal First thing to do is decide on the exact date that you need to be your best shape. If time is not so relevant, then an approximate time will do enough, but make sure you set a target date, because that helps with planning and make you more motivated. It normally takes me four to eight weeks to get in perfect condition. Do not rush, rather try to make it gradual - this way you will save more muscle mass.

Keep it Simple After I set the time frame for the diet, I start writing down the meals that will comprise my nutritional plan. Make sure the meals are simple and easy to prepare, as you need to be efficient in the diet. You cannot spend half of the day cooking some culinary masterpieces, as this will take a lot of time and effort and you may lose focus. Chicken breast with rice and/or broccoli, tuna fish with green salad, egg whites with oats – all these are very easy and common combinations and surprisingly enough – they work the most. Keep it simple in terms of meals because this will help you carry it easily throughout your diet.

Prepare Meals Ahead Most of you may be working full-time jobs or studying, so its important to prepare meals for the day. When I diet I do prepare my meals for the day and care them in plastic boxes wherever I travel. I wake up early and cook all the meat, carbs and vegetables for the day, spread them evenly in several boxes and its done. Once you start doing this, you will be surprised how efficient and effective it is.