The Abs Diet was created by David Zinczenko, who has written
a book about the diet and is the editor-in-chief of Men's Health Magazine. This
diet is a healthy eating plan that encourages you to eat from a list of twelve
"power" foods:
* Almonds and
other nuts
* Beans and other
legumes
* Spinach and
other green veggies
* Dairy
(fat-free/low fat)
* Instant Oatmeal
* Eggs
* Turkey/lean meat
* Peanut butter
(all natural;limit to 3T per day max)
* Olive Oil (Extra
Virgin)
* Whole grain
bread/cereal
* Extra (whey)
protein powder
* Raspberries and
other berries
(Note that the first letters of each of these foods spells
out "ABS DIET POWER", a clever way to get you to remember the foods.)
The abs diet includes a list of other foods that can be eaten
either often, occasionally, or rarely. As expected, fruits, vegetables, and
lean proteins are included as foods you should eat often, whereas cookies and
candy should be eaten rarely. No big surprise there.
The diet claims that you will lose weight quickly and that
it will come from your stomach fat first. It also contains an exercise
component that will help you build muscle to gain a sleeker physique (and the
washboard abs you've always wanted).
This diet is essentially a healthy eating program, which
means that there is little wrong with it. It offers its followers lists of
foods that are "allowable", which makes it easy for many people to
follow.
Another great thing about this diet is that most of the
foods in the "Power 12" and "eat often" categories are
vegetarian friendly, which means that vegetarians can follow this plan with
ease.
Some people can lose weight simply by watching calories or
eating healthy, but others need a specific plan to follow. This diet is good
for those people that need a specific plan. If you follow the rules of this
plan, you are very likely to lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off.
It should be noted, however, that this diet is heavily
marketed towards men, who are more likely to lose and gain weight in their stomachs
first. That's why it's more common to see men that are slim on the bottom half,
but still have a "beer belly". Many women, on the other hand, tend to
gain and lose weight in the hips and thighs first. So, this diet may not
flatten a woman's stomach as quickly as it would a man's.
