CHAPTER 1
A Flat Belly for Life
16 INSTANT FIXES THAT WILL MELT FLAB AND TONE YOUR BODY.
There’s one fitness target that’s universally understood: abs. No matter how you look at them, a lean, toned midriff represents good health, a fit body, and sex appeal. But flat abs aren’t much different than the perfect guy. You want to believe they exist, but no matter what you do to find them, they always elude you! The chase remains, but at some point you start making excuses because of constant roadblocks: bad genetics, a hectic work schedule, Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream. You can let these excuses get the best of you—or you can take control of your destiny. It’s easier than you think! Just like finding the perfect partner, the perfect abs are possible once you stop searching so hard for the perfect answer.
Just look at Joyce Gochakowski. She struggled for years with her weight. Luckily her weight eventually hit a plateau, but the scale didn’t reveal a number she liked. She tried everything from low-carb diets to extreme Spinning classes. Then she tried the program in The Women’s Health Big Book of Abs. After the initial 4 weeks, she saw noticeable improvement, and in just 6 weeks, she dropped 10 pounds and completely reshaped her body and wardrobe. She changed her approach and saw gains when all hope seemed to be lost.
Like Joyce, you might be trying too hard and overthinking the process. Too many diets and too much exercise have resulted in information overload that probably has you staring wistfully at your skinny jeans, relegated to the back of your closet. It’s time to change all of that. Having a great body isn’t about making endless sacrifices or following an unbearable plan. It’s about understanding how tiny daily changes result in unbelievable transformations. We’ve seen the overweight become thin, mothers who look great in bikinis, and women who eat, drink, and still shrink.
Sure, some women do seem to be born with a great figure and naturally flat abs. It’s about as irritating as those born into megawealth. But you don’t have to be born rich to make a lot of money, and you certainly don’t need to be born with a six-pack to have a flat stomach and toned abs! Anyone—yes, that includes you—can eliminate their belly and uncover their abs.
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57
Percentage by which women with lean bellies are less likely to die of heart disease
The process starts by chucking the misinformation that’s been slowing your progress. We’re sure you’ve heard everything by now. Between crunches, planks, weight training, cardio, six-meals-a-day, and weight loss supplements, the process can be overwhelming. So it’s time to slow down, hit the Refresh button, and take a new, no-nonsense approach to your body. Just by opening this book, you’re well on your way. We’ve filtered out all the bad information, hunted down the top experts, and compiled only the best tips, tricks, and exercises that will actually help you see your abs.
If you’re going to finally transform your body, you’re going to need to let go of some previously held beliefs. That starts with your metabolism. No matter how difficult it’s been for you to lose weight, your body is not plotting against you. In fact, if you’ve put on pounds in the last few years, your body is actually working harder to help you become leaner.
Your body is the most sophisticated machine ever created. It burns calories to help you perform all of your daily tasks, like standing up, thinking, and sleeping. This daily maintenance is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Everyone has a BMR, but the bigger you are, the faster your metabolism works. Think about that: The more weight you carry, the better your metabolism.
On the surface, it doesn’t make sense. After all, skinny people have better metabolisms, right? Well, not exactly. Think about it another way. Say you have two cars, an Audi and a Hummer. Which needs more fuel? The Hummer does, because it’s much larger and has more demands. Your body is no different. The larger you are, the harder your body needs to work and the more calories you burn. Your body wants to be an Audi; you just have to be willing to trade in for a new model.
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40
Percentage by which women are less likely to die of cancer when they are at a healthy weight
So how do you become leaner? Surprisingly, it’s the small things that really make the biggest differences. And over time, those tiny changes add up to a lean, toned body.
Consider this a refreshing outlook on your transformation: Your metabolism isn’t holding you back, and your body isn’t hardwired to look a certain way. You can control your ability to lose weight. Simple, small adjustments to your diet, exercise, and other behaviors will make a surprisingly big difference and transform your body.
How easy can it be to see your abs? Here are 15 instant changes you can make that will help your flat belly dreams become a reality.
Turns out there’s a lot of truth to the term beauty sleep. That’s because researchers from Harvard University studied more than 68,000 women and found that those who sleep less than 6 hours a night weighed 5.4 pounds more and were 15 percent more likely to be overweight than those who slept more than 7 hours a night. The weight gain is no coincidence: When you sleep less, you experience a drop in the hormone leptin, which controls your appetite, and an increase in the hormone ghrelin—which forces you to reach for more food. The result: Those who sleep less eat an average of 220 more calories per day, say researchers from the University of Chicago. What’s more, researchers from the Netherlands found that women who were sleep deprived were rated as less attractive and less healthy looking by random observers.
QUICK FIX #1: Want to eat less and look better? Aim for 8 hours a night and don’t allow yourself to sleep for less than 7.
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12
Percentage by which women are less likely to have a stroke when they lower their body fat
For the past decade, you’ve heard that you need 5 or 6 meals per day for fat loss. The rationale was simple: When you eat, your body requires energy to burn away the calories from your favorite meals. So the reasoning went that more meals would equal more calories burned. Only one problem—it’s not how frequently you eat, but rather what you eat that impacts how many calories you’ll burn during mealtime. So if you consume 2,000 calories in a day, it doesn’t matter if it’s in three, six, or 20 meals. You’ll burn the same amount of calories, assuming that the foods you eat are the same.
QUICK FIX #2: There’s no need to feel forced to eat more or less frequently. In an attempt to burn more calories, you might have been accidently overeating and sabotaging your weight loss goals. With the diet plan in The Women’s Health Big Book of Abs, you’ll understand what you need to eat. Then it’s up to you to decide the times and frequency that work best.
While the number of meals you consume doesn’t matter, the size of your snacks do. According to Purdue University researchers, the biggest problem with our snacking behavior is that snacks have become meals, and meals have become feasts. In the last 30 years, snack sizes have increased from 360 to 580 calories. That’s a whopping 220 extra calories per snack. And when you consider that the average woman snacks twice a day during the workday, you’re looking at almost 500 extra calories per day. That number might seem innocent enough in isolation, but so does online shopping. Just as your credit card bill can skyrocket during a few sessions of retail therapy, so can your waistline. In just 2 weeks, your oversize healthy snacks can contribute to an extra pound of fat.
QUICK FIX #3: Enjoy your food, but do it wisely. The lean, nutritious snacks in the meal plan will help you crush your cravings and whittle down your waist.
Want to instantly drop a dress size? Conduct a quick inventory of what you eat and drink every day, and then remove all of the beverages not named water. Now add up the calories. If you’re like most women, you’ll find that you can cut your nonmeal calories by more than 50 percent, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In fact, 65 percent of Americans indulge daily in calorie-rich beverages, and those drinks are oftentimes the real culprit behind your weight loss struggles—not your metabolism.
QUICK FIX #4: Stick to water, coffee (watch the creamers), teas, and calorie-free drinks to help keep your slim-down plan on track. And remember that any sugar drink—whether it’s soda or a fruit juice—should be considered the equivalent of a dessert.
The calorie tracker on the elliptical might make running seem like a fat loss genie, but all is not as it seems. That’s because the more miles you log, the more efficient your body becomes at running and the fewer calories it burns. In other words, running may initially help you drop some pounds, but your progress will flatline as soon as your body adjusts to your exercise regimen. Plus, running long distances on a regular basis takes a physical toll (in the form of injuries, like runner’s knee), which can seriously dampen your enthusiasm. Ultimately, all that pain and boredom can cause many people to burn out and give up.
Enter weight training. Pumping iron isn’t just for the boys. Just three days a week of resistance training will keep you burning calories and will offer the metabolic boost you need to slash fat and look hot in whatever outfit you choose.
QUICK FIX #5: Head to the gym three times a week—but don’t make the cardio room your first priority. Instead, use The Abs Workout in Chapter 7 to put your body on the fast track to rapid fat loss.
WEIGHTS VS. MACHINES—WHICH IS BETTER?
The gym can be a confusing experience—and we’re not just talking about the grunting men in tank tops. Your local facility isn’t necessarily designed for success. That’s because most gyms are filled with machines. And while you can experience a great workout hitting the latest machine circuit, it’s an inefficient and dangerous way to exercise, say Drake University researchers. While it’s true that you can use more weight with machines, you’ll experience greater muscle activation with free weights. You see, free weights work your body harder with less weight. That means you can have a better, more efficient workout, without putting unnecessary stress on your body. Your best path is to use dumbbells and your own bodyweight in exercises, to get back in shape.
Not only should you be lifting weights, you should also be focusing on the larger dumbbells. That’s because researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis discovered that the more iron you lift, the more fat you burn. Once again, this isn’t just a man’s world! Women definitely benefit from lifting more. In fact, the researchers found that heavy weights burn more calories during your workout and then increase your sleeping metabolism by 8 percent. That’s right. You burn more calories just by lying on your back and pressing the snooze button. That 8 percent isn’t much on a daily basis, but it can add up to more than 5 pounds a year.
QUICK FIX #6: When you perform The Abs Workout, don’t be afraid to use bigger weights as you get more comfortable and improve your strength. Each time you reach the goal rep range, increase the weights by 5 pounds. As you’ll discover in Chapter 2, your hormones will prevent you from becoming big and bulky, and those heavier weights will only help you sculpt gorgeous, lean muscle.
There’s nothing fishy about fish oil, especially when it comes to your lean body goals. Pennsylvania researchers found that omega-3 fatty acids might be the secret ingredient to burning fat and gaining muscle at the same time. The scientists believe that omega-3s help fight against cortisol—the stress your body produces that makes it easier for you to store fat. By shutting down your cortisol production, you keep the extra weight off your hips, thighs, and stomach, and have an easier time adding lean, calorie-shredding muscle.
QUICK FIX #7: Take fish oil daily, whether it’s by a supplement or a whole food source like salmon or sardines. Alan Aragon, MS, a Women’s Health nutrition advisor, recommends 2 to 3 grams of fish oil per day.
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40
Percentage by which women are less likely to develop arthritis of the hips or knees when they have less belly fat
Every time you eat a meal and don’t consume protein, you’re telling your body that you don’t want to tighten your tummy and firm your tush. Here’s why: When you eat other foods—especially carbohydrates—you stimulate insulin, which spikes your blood sugar and makes it easier for you to pack on the pounds. Even so-called “innocent” healthy foods can be dangerous, like a piece of fruit. But protein is your nutrition solution. It controls your blood sugar, keeps you fuller, reduces hunger, and burns more calories during the digestion process so you can stay lean and fit and still enjoy your favorite foods.
QUICK FIX #8: Carbohydrates are not bad. Neither are fats. But when you eat them alone, they set off a series of events that can sabotage your healthy eating habits. So whether you’re snacking or eating a meal, include some protein and you’ll drop sizes and defeat stress.
If science has proved anything during the last 10 years, it’s that eating fat helps you become slim. In fact, the Institute of Medicine recommends that fatty foods make up 20 to 35 percent of your total calories. This, of course, isn’t an invitation to head over to the nearest fast-food joint. The fats you want to include in your diet are primarily saturated fats—from milk, red meat, and pork products— and monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) like nuts, avocados, and healthy oils.
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69
Percentage of decrease in development of type 2 diabetes when you have lower body fat
A report published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that a MUFA-rich diet helped people lose small amounts of weight and body fat without changing their calorie intakes. Another report found that a breakfast high in MUFAs could boost calorie burn for 5 hours after the meal, particularly in people with higher amounts of belly fat. What’s more, dieters who took a high-fat approach needed 25 fewer days to lose 10 pounds than those who used a high-carb approach, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins. And that was on a diet of 30 percent fat!
QUICK FIX #9: Fat is your friend! As long as you are staying away from fried foods, trans fats, and partially hydrogenated oils, the healthy fats you eat will make you leaner. Still not sure what to eat? Here are 5 fatty foods that are good for your body:
Beef (top round and sirloin)
Pork
Eggs (including the yolks)
Sour cream
Cheese (full fat or low-fat)
Want more options? Be sure to check out “The Lean Guide to Eating” shopping list.
Despite their low-calorie, low-carb, or low-fat claims, the “diet” foods at your grocery store might be the worst thing for your body if you’re trying to lose weight. The reason is quite simple: Diet foods try to trick your brain. They provide you with the taste of a high-calorie meal without all the calories but are filled with chemicals, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. Unfortunately, your brain isn’t fooled, and it leaves you craving more food, which causes you to overeat. Diet foods are also usually devoid of any nutritional benefits. So not only are you gaining weight, you’re also depriving your body of the necessary nutrients that protect your general health. Even worse, diet sodas and artificial sugars may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome, which includes higher levels of belly fat, blood sugar, and cholesterol, according to scientists at the University of Minnesota.
QUICK FIX #10: Stick to whole, unprocessed foods. As a general guideline, try to shop around the perimeter of your grocery store. That’s where you’ll find more fresh produce and fewer prepackaged items. For all your shopping needs, use “The Lean Guide to Eating” shopping list.
It’s not just what you eat—the way you eat might be the best way to curb your hunger. Eating fast makes you gain weight, according to =Japanese researchers. In their study, they found that people who ate faster gained more weight than those who didn’t. But if you want to flip the switch on your insatiable appetite, all you need to do is slow down and enjoy. It takes your stomach about 20 minutes to process food and then signal to your brain that you’re full. The slower approach will not only leave you more satisfied, but will also help you eat less food, say University of Rhode Island researchers.
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21
Percentage by which women are less likely to experience arousal dysfunction when they exercise
QUICK FIX #11: We don’t expect you to bring a timer to your meals, so instead focus on how much you chew your food. Chewing releases more flavor to your tastebuds, which will make all of your meals more savory and enjoyable. The more you chew, the longer it’ll take you to eat and the more full you’ll feel. Plus it’s a much nicer, calmer ritual to actually enjoy your food instead of gulping it down in one bite!
Take a deep breath before you head into the kitchen to cook your next meal. As you know, the more stressed-out you are, the more comfort food you crave. But now scientists have figured out why: Stress activates ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry. When you’re stressed before you eat, it alters the levels of dopamine, suggest researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. The result: You don’t achieve satisfaction from your meal, which leaves you craving more food.
QUICK FIX #12: While a stressful day may feel impossible to overcome, the stress in your body is like a light switch: It turns on and off very easily. Simply find a distraction that calms you down—watch TV, listen to music, call a friend—and within 5 to 10 minutes, your stress levels will decrease so you can enjoy your meal, without doubling back for more.
Go ahead, treat yourself—keep it small and frequent. When you’re trying to lose weight, the worst thing you can do is ban all indulgences, which creates a feeling of withdrawal. German researchers discovered that this mentality makes it harder to stick to a plan and more likely to pack on the pounds. A more effective approach is one that allows you to satisfy your cravings in controlled portions. Recent research from the University of Alabama found that when overweight women ate small desserts four times a week, they lost 9 more pounds than those who enjoyed a larger splurge whenever they wanted. The small sweets provide the psychological edge that allows you to stay motivated, without derailing your eating plan.
QUICK FIX #13: Within any diet, 10 to 20 percent of your calories can be directed toward a little treat, says nutritionist Alan Aragon. The key is watching the portion size, so that a cup of ice cream doesn’t turn into an entire bowl. You’ll learn more about how to make dessert a regular part of your diet in Chapter 4.
People who work out together should dine together. Eating with those who have a similar goal helps you lose pounds faster, according to a study in the journal Obesity. Once again, it’s all mental. When you’re with people who are also trying to lose weight, the social expectation creates a different attitude toward food (for example, you won’t have to worry that everyone will be ordering chocolate lava cake for dessert!). It’s like weight loss osmosis. The good intentions of your fellow eaters rub off on you, and it makes the entire dietary process easier, say scientists in Rhode Island.
QUICK FIX #14: Go out to eat but only with the right crowd! Try to make plans with buddies on a similar track to weight loss success. Reward yourself with a trip to a fun new restaurant, with those who will encourage you to make the right menu choices.
The stuff you see in the window of your local GNC isn’t just for jocks or serious weight lifters. Those big jars of protein powder can actually help you flatten your belly. While the appearance might be intimidating, it’s exactly what your body desires: an efficient source of protein that is low in calories, helps maintain your hard-earned long and lean muscle, and helps you lose more fat and not just pounds. The most efficient kind of protein is whey. According to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, participants who took whey protein for 23 weeks had less body fat and a smaller waist than those who consumed soy protein. In fact, dieters who included whey protein in their eating plan doubled their fat loss compared with those who ate the same number of calories but didn’t drink any shakes. Consider protein powder the little bit of extra magic that will finally reveal your abs.
QUICK FIX #15: Include a whey protein shake once a day or at least a few times a week. But don’t feel that you can only have a shake before or after your workout. You can also substitute a shake for breakfast or a snack. Just make sure that shakes are always a secondary option to whole food sources. You’ll find some great shake recipes in Chapter 10.
If these changes seem a little too easy, it’s because having the body you’ve always wanted isn’t as unrealistic as you’ve been led to believe. The real key to a successful diet and exercise plan is cracking the consistency code. Once you find a way to turn these small changes into an overall lifestyle, that’s when the fun begins. You’ll eat more, curb hunger, and finally start whittling your waist down to a sexy, slim silhouette. Forget high-priced personal trainers and controlling nutritionists. Let The Women’s Health Big Book of Abs be your coach to your best body ever. Your life-changing journey begins here.
This might come as a surprise, but the least beneficial aspect of your morning cup of coffee is its ability to provide a sudden jolt and make you more alert. When it comes to improving your health, there are few foods or drinks that offer more universal benefits. The jack-of-all-trades has been shown to improve your workouts by allowing you to push longer and harder and fight off fatigue. But that’s just scratching the surface.
Coffee actually contains more antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables, and that helps you fight against the aging process. Harvard researchers also found that the magical bean can lower the likelihood of depression by triggering neurotransmitters in your brain that elevate your mood. What’s more, women who drink coffee every day reduce their risk of skin cancer by more than 20 percent. To top it all off, research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that daily coffee consumption decreases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, and the American Heart Association reported that coffee reduces the risk of having a stroke by up to 25 percent. All of which is to say, the smartest—and healthiest—way to wake up is with some coffee in your cup.
QUICK FIX #16: Go ahead and pour yourself a cup of coffee each morning. But don’t feel limited to just one serving. Harvard researchers found that the sweet spot is actually 2 to 3 cups for the most benefits, and the American Heart Association noted that up to 5 cups of coffee can still help your health—assuming you can handle all the caffeine. If you don’t like the buzz, you can still experience all the positives of coffee in the decaf version.