Day 12- 70 Day Challenge- Abs Diet

I think I fell off the blogging roll.  Even doing a simple post is pretty taxing.  I will leave out the update for the past several days and continue to update you on my progress once I catch up.  But here is the link to the 70 Day Challenge and also the link where you can find the links for all my days- hold me accountable at youtube, pinterest, and twitter.

Most influential for my health consciousness was Men’s Health magazine because it introduced me to “The Abs Diet.”  The magazine editor and author of the book is David Zinczenko.  Although the book is written in a way to attract males towards the diet, any dieter can follow it. I learned that each person has to make a personalized way to get to the goals you have and the book I think best presents the way to do it on a great foundation.

Following the steps in the book  I got a way to transform the fat into muscle, as well as steps to sculpt the rest of the body.  I know I put down the “diet” trend, and yes, I am not a fan of diets but that term is associated with a “lifestyle” where you purge yourself of your natural desire to eat carbs or other things.  Here your body and your personal habits are taken into account and there is a way for you to incrementally change and add the healthy lifestyle choices to your life.

The Meal Plan

The meal plan consists of a 7-day plan, filled with what the author calls “power foods.” There are twelve power foods listed in his book, accompanied by recipes. You get one meal per week that is considered a “cheat” meal so you can et anything you want. The diet suggests that foods, such as fat-filled meats, processed and refined carbohydrates, as well as foods high in sugar, should be avoided.

The Power Foods

The foods below are referred to as the “Power 12,” and play an important role when following the Abs Diet.

1. Nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, etc. These should be eaten with the skin still in place.
2. Beans and otherLegumes
3. Green Vegetables: spinach, asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, etc.
4. Dairy: This includes fat-free milk, low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, as well as cottage cheese
5. Instant Oatmeal: When eating this food, no sweeteners should be added and it should also be unflavored.
6. Eggs
7. Turkey and other lean meats: This includes lean steak, chicken, as well as fish
8. Peanut Butter: This selection should be all natural and contain no sugar.
9. Olive Oil
10. Bread and Cereals: These items should consist of whole grains.
11. Extra Protein Whey Powder
12. Berries: raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc.