I admit it.
I am vain.
I want my body to look good. I want to weigh 85 kilos at 9% body fat. I want to be ripped.
Ideally I want my body to look like Ryan Reynolds did for Blade Trinity minus the blood and bullet wounds. Alas, while I’m fighting Chronic Fatigue I am skinny and weak and unable to gain muscle…for now.
But even though I’m not gaining muscle, I have found a way to trick my body into losing fat.
That one trick is NOT EATING JUNK FOOD. OK so I occasionally binge on icecream and pizza one meal a week. I’m only human. But then get back on track and eat perfectly for the rest of the week.
This once a week binge eating allows the body to get rid of the junk quickly and get on with the job of burning fat, while letting it know that there is no famine going on and it’s not going to starve!
It may not work for everyone but it works for me, mailny because I’m committed to sticking to it.
And because of my discipline I have lost body fat again and am down at around 12%. So with my body fat low you should be able to see my abs, but a few months ago they just weren’t tight enough to sit right.
My stomach looked weird. I had 4 of my abs visible but the lower portion was sitting out making it look like a little belly. It wasn’t a good look, but I had an experimental program to try on how to rectify the problem.
2 months later and I had the elusive six pack. My belly didn’t sag, my hips were better aligned and my posture had improved.
No I’m not going to show you. That would be weird.
But here’s how I did it.
The two exercises described above are:
The Cat Vomit.
You want to do this 2 times per week for 10 reps of 8-12 second holds with your lower abs pulled in as tight as possible.
Weighted Lying Leg Raises.
You want to do this 2 times per week for 2 sets of 10 reps per leg. When you lower each leg remember not to arch your back. Only lower your leg as far as you can while keeping your lower back in contact with the ground.
Doing these 2 exercises will help to activate the transverse abdominus (its like a belt around your stomach) and pull your abs in tighter, as well as helping to improve your forward hip angle if this is something you have.
You will also have sore abs so don’t try and do more thinking its better. If you want to do more abdominal work you are far better doing front and side bridge or plank exercises to help strengthen your core.
Will it give you as 6 pack? That depends on your body fat level.
If its around 12% (for guys) and 20% (for girls) or less you should be able to see your abs.
If its higher than that then your priority should be cardio strength training workouts to increase your metabolism to burn the excess fat plus a clean diet of mostly lean meats, fruits and vegetables and some good fats.
Here’s a few meals and recipes I’ve been usuing over the last few months that work for me.
Bunless Burgers
Get some quality beef or kangaroo burgers or a big slab of meat (mine in the picture is turkey) and grill it on the bbq.
Prepare whatever veggies you want in your burger such as avocado, beetroot, capsicum, low fat cheese, tomato, etc.
Grab some whole iceberg lettuce leaves and wash and dry em. Throw the meat and veg inside some with sauce if you need it and eat it like you would a normal burger.
Stewed Apple & Berry Crumble
Peel enough green apples for your family or to last you a few meals (red ones don’t go soft like the green ones do). Chop them into pieces and throw them in a pot on the stove top.
Add water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let them simmer for as long as it takes to evaporate the water.
Before removing the apple, add some frozen or fresh berries to the mix. Serve the dessert and top it with shredded coconut and macadamia nuts.
Try to refrain from adding cream or ice cream. I promise its sweet enough you wont need it.
Chicken Wings with Spinach & Grilled Capsicum Salad
Grab a pack of free range chicken wings (mine were peri peri spiced). Grill them on the open flame of the bbq on moderate heat until they’re cooked through.
Grill some capsicum on the hot plate and once its warm but still crisp, add it to a bowl of chopped spinach. Add spices such as chili, paprika, sea salt and cayenne pepper to match the peri peri chicken.
