Adequate exercise is as important as good nutrition
in losing fat and flattening the stomach in the Abs
diet.
It includes strength training three times a week,
abdominal exercises two or three days a week, and
optional aerobic exercises two or three times a week.
There are three basic principles to the exercise program:
-leave at least 48 hours between weights workouts
of the same body part;
-do no exercises one day a
week;
-and warm up for five minutes before exercising
by jogging lightly, riding a stationary bike, jumping
rope, or doing jumping jacks.
There are three components
of the plan that target different types of exercise:
-Strength training—Total-body workouts three days
a week, with one workout placing extra emphasis on
the leg muscles.
-Cardiovascular exercises—Do these twice a week inbetween
strength training days. Activities include
cycling, running, swimming, brisk walking, and stair
climbing.
-Abdominal (ab) exercises—Do ab exercises two or
three times a week, before strength training workouts.
GETTING STARTED.
People who are not already
exercising should do light strengthening exercises
three days a week for the first two weeks. One sample
routine is to alternate between three sets of eight to 10
pushups and three sets of 15–20 squats with no
weights. Rest for one minute between sets.
When it becomes easy to do 10 or more pushups and 20 or
more squats, increase the number of pushups and
add weights to the squats, using either a barbell or
dumbbells. The weights routine should be followed by
30 minutes of brisk walking.
People who already exercise regularly should consider
switching from their current workout routine to
the Abs diet workout for at least the first few weeks,
according to Zinczenko.
For maximumresults, it is best
to change the workout routine every month to keep the
body from adapting to a repetitious routine that can
slow muscle development.
The Abs diet suggests the
basic workout be done on Mondays and Wednesdays,
starting with one set of an ab exercise from each of the
five categories of abdominal regions.
Follow this with
two circuits of one set of the core exercises in the order
listed. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, do 20–30 minutes
of cardiovascular exercise. On Friday, do the Monday
through Wednesday workout but instead of the ab
exercises, traveling lunges, 10–12 reps, and step-ups,
10–12 reps each leg. Do two complete circuits.
ABDOMINAL EXERCISES.
These exercises strengthen
the abdominal muscles in five regions: upper abs, 12–15
reps; lower abs, 6–12 reps; obliques, 10 each side; transverse
abdominis, 5–10 reps; and lower back, 12–15 reps.
The following are exercises for each of the five abdominal
regions.Upper abs: traditional crunch andmodified
raised-feet crunch; lower abs: figure-eight crunch and
bent-leg knee raise; transverse abdominis: two-point
bridge and Swiss ball pull-in; obliques: medicine ball
torso rotation and two-handed wood chop; lower back:
twisting back extension and Swiss ball Superman.
CORE EXERCISES.
These are the basic exercises that
promote muscle strength: squat, 10–12 repetitions
(reps); bench press, 10 reps; pulldown,10 reps; military
press,10 reps; upright row,10 reps; triceps pushdown,
10–12 reps; leg extension, 10–12 reps; biceps curl, 10
reps; and leg curl,10–12 reps.
