There are 24-hours in the day, last time I checked. You probably train, if you’re using one of the programs I recommended, only 1 hour a day a few times a week, leaving many 23-24 hour stretches not working out.

So when you aren’t training, your muscles instead count on what you eat and don’t eat.

Despite its importance, many “bodybuilders” still don’t know much about muscle-building diets and nutrition.

Here are some techniques that can help you get all the muscles you want. These strategies will help you avoid being the guy who tries to disguise his bulging stomach. All these methods are guaranteed to make the most of your body’s muscle-to-fat ratio.

1. Satisfy your body with real food.

Many products on the market today are falsely advertised as food when they aren’t. Real foods are foods that are wholesome and unprocessed, with no preservatives or artificial coloring. If there are too many things you can’t pronounce on the wrapping’s nutritional information, chances are it’s not good for you.

Real food is made up of only one ingredient. What ingredients do you think make up an apple? Just one, and that ingredient is the apple itself. Make sure to buy lean meat, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. These food provide the nutrients and nourishment your body needs. Plus, these healthy food allow the quicker release of amino acids and glucose.

2. Get Creative and Get Cooking

The tastiest meals are often the easiest to make. You don’t need to be a world-class chef to make savory, well-prepared meals. Try not to get stuck with measuring the nutritional content of your food. Just relax and you’ll get it right eventually. Build your meals and snacks starting with protein, then complement it with carbohydrates and good fats.

3. Put Some Fatty Fishy in Your Dishy

Fatty fish can actually be very good for your muscles. Three to four times a week, eat servings of arctic char, mackerel, rainbow trout, salmon, or sardines. The high protein content of fish makes them easier to digest, making fatty fish an efficient post workout treat. Fatty fish is also rich in omega-3′s, which help prevent muscle inflammation, and vitamin D, which boosts muscle strength and function. Keep in mind that not getting enough vitamin D can lead to fat buildup.

4. Add some color to your diet.

Your diet should consist of a variety of colors from fruits and vegetables to ensure a wide range of antioxidants, which help in muscle recovery and promote growth. Research studies show that a diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables prevents cell DNA damage, which can cause slower hypertrophy and initiate disease. Next time you do your groceries, include these foods: broccoli, carrots, cherries, kale, blueberries, kiwi and red bell peppers. These are the highest anti-oxidant rich foods in the produce section.

5. Know where the best local farm in your area is.

Your local farms are the best place to get your supplies of muscle-building power foods such as eggs, meats, vegetables, which haven’t not been abused by pesticides and hormones. You can often get better deals buying locally, which helps reduce carbon footprint and helps your local economy too.

6. Have breakfast twice.

While you sleep, your body remains busy with catabolism and muscle growth. Your liver’s glycogen supply is also drained. The best thing to do is to wake up early and down a morning shake. Here’s what you need to throw together a quick shake: 1 banana, 1 cup of vanilla yogurt, some ice, 2 scoops of Chocolate Sun Warrior Protein, a tablespoon of mixed seeds, honey,and 1 tablespoon of organic raw almond butter. This shake should give you the energy you need to face the day. An hour after drinking the shake, fill your stomach with whole foods such as scrambled egg whites, oatmeal, or whole-grain toast.

“What’s the most effective workout for my abs?”

“How do I get 6-pack abs in the shortest time possible?”

“Why aren’t my abs any different after a thousand crunches?”

All these questions surrounding just one answer: eye-catching, attractive, good-looking, sculpted 6-pack abs.

Many people still don’t know how to shape their abdominal areas to have that popular “6-pack” shape. Toning and sculpting your muscles may seem like a difficult job, but you’ll learn that there’s a uncomplicated method to it.

So what workouts should you do to get those 6-pack abs?

Well it’s certainly NOT doing 1,000 crunches a day.

Having defined abs, just like other muscle groups, are the results of having low fat levels on your body. You keep body fat to a minimum by eating right, and cardio and strength exercises. Crunches or ab exercises have nothing to do with it.

It’s not simply about building up or strengthening your abs, either. Not seeing or feeling the muscles on your stomach means that there’s too much fat in that area. The muscle is buried under all that excess fat.

Most people don’t have their fat distributed evenly throughout their bodies. Each of us inherits a genetically determined and hormonally-influenced pattern of fat storage just as we inherit our eye or hair color. In other words, the fat seems to “stick” to certain areas more than others.

For men, the most common area for fat storage is located in the lower abdomen. This area has many nicknames, such as “beer gut”, “love handles”, or “pot belly”. For women, fat usually get stores in the triceps, hips, and thighs.

For most people, though, fat most commonly goes to the lower abdominal region. And it can be difficult to get rid of fat around that area, too. You could try cutting down the fat in one region by focusing on that body part during your workouts, but that method isn’t very effective.

The best way I’ve found is to spend time on more cardio work as this burns fat. If you’re doing the correct cardio protocol, 15 minutes of ab work two times per week should be enough. (About two to four exercises with reps usually ranging from 10-25 reps).

Abdominal Training Exercises

I’ll teach you an ab routine that I recently learned from Tom Venuto. I follow this routine twice a week, and I keep my body from adapting to the routine by changing the exercises monthly. I also do more reps on the abs than on the other muscle groups.

A1 Hanging leg raises: 3 sets, 15-20 reps Superset to: A2 Hanging knee ups (bent-knee leg raises) 3 sets, 15-20 reps (no rest between supersetted exercises A1 & A2, 60sec between supersets)

B1 Incline Reverse Crunches 3 sets, 15-20 reps Superset to: B2 Elbow to knee twisting crunches 3 sets, 15-20 reps

What cardio workout works best for the abs?

For maximum fat loss, you should do cardio 4-7 days per week for 30-60 minutes (the amount is variable depending on your results). You could continue running or mix up the type of cardio you do (stationary cycling, stairclimbing, elliptical machines, and other continuous aerobic activities are all excellent fat burners without the high impact and joint stress of frequent running).

If you’re pressed for time, you could do high-intensity interval cardio training and expect positive results in a shorter amount of time. Your workouts could be as short as 20 to 30 minutes, with a sufficiently high intensity level.

Once you’ve gotten rid of your body fat and your abdominal muscles are well-defined, you can relax your workout routines. You can do just 20 to 30 minutes of workouts, thrice weekly, for maintenance.

And it goes without saying that cardio excercises and workouts would be useless if you don’t maintain the right diet. But we’ll discuss diet and nutrition next time.

Just stick to these routines, and you can expect to lose all the fat around your abdominal region, showing the world those amazing, ripped 6-pack abs.

You’ve probably already found out what body type you are and you have set weight training routines in place meaning that you have already determined what muscle groups you need to work on most. The next step is getting the workout done properly with a level of intensity & certainty that it actually does what it’s supposed to do.

But because this is the start of your plan, you’re not used to the strain on your body and it can end up being an uncomfortable and overwhelming ride. Getting off the ride is incredibly easy in this phase, and that’s why we must stay completely focused.

So how do you keep focus on your goals?

1. Know what your goals are.

Completely understanding what you want to achieve will keep you from wanting to jump ship from your workout routines. You need to be motivated for you to achieve your desired muscle mass. Getting the body shape you want takes a lot of focus, even when faced with rigorous weight training workouts.

2. Accept your task.

You go to the gym regularly because you have a task to accomplish. You shouldn’t forget that. Come to terms with the fact that you’re in the gym to do nothing else than to work out. Do your best to go through your workout routine. You should accept that fact before you begin your workout.

3. Give yourself an ultimatum: Work out or else!

Once you step into the gym, tell yourself that you have to work out or suffer the consequences. That’s what Will Smith does when he visits the gym. He tells himself that he’ll die if he doesn’t complete each part of his workout. By doing that, he’s setting his body to do one thing only, and that’s to go through the entire workout. It’s an effective yet easy way to keep yourself motivated.

4. While you’re in the gym, put your entire attention on your workout.

The gym, as useful as it is, can present a lot of distractions as well. You could become demotivated, other people could involve you in incessant conversations, or you can even get sidetracked by the many mirrors.

So instead of letting yourself be distracted by these things, put your mind to the reps you’re supposed to do for your workout routines. Let everything else fade into the background while you work through your routine.

5. Welcome pain.

Who ever died of “good pain”? Do you know anyone? I certainly don’t. The kind of pain associated with muscle overload is a good pain – the kind that can only make you stronger, bigger and better. Welcome and appreciate it – it’s your key to success. I know that this is harder said than done, so use a strict tempo during your workouts and this will help keep you focused.

Conclusion

I’m not saying that you should have the skills of an expert bodybuilder when you next hit the gym. Being at ease with your workout routines can take longer than you think, and you should take one step at a time.

Recognize that you have the ability to be a lean, mean, workout machine regardless of your background and you should always work towards this by being as focused as you can be.

You should always stick to your workout routines no matter what. If you’re determined, your workout is more likely to succeed in building up your muscles.

Rather than cause your body to build up fat, there are some foods that do just the opposite. Eating these foods will encourage fat loss.

If controlling your weight was as easy as keeping track of your calorie intake, then consuming 2000 calories from junk food and 2000 calories of fruits and vegetables will affect your body the same way.

Calories from fruits and veggies would satisfy your appetite and give you enough energy for the day. Calories from the junk food, on the other hand, will just leave you hungrier and craving for more junk food. And the effect of eating junk food will be more evident on your body.

Different types of food have different effects on your body. various foods can provide you with a feeling of fullness. There are foods that aren’t so easy for your stomach to digest. And some foods can even boost your metabolism rate.

But the scientific stuff isn’t important. What’s important is that you know which foods burn fat. To help you out, here are some diet food tips and how they can help your body get rid of fat.

1. Oatmeal

Many people swear by the effectiveness of oatmeal as a fat-busting food. Oatmeal will prevent fat build-up in your body, while keeping your stomach nourished and satisfied. And fiber-rich oatmeal helps keep your body’s insulin levels down.

if you really want to get rid of your body fat, make sure to keep your body’s insulin levels low. For those who don’t regularly weight-train, insulin easily stores fat.

Start each morning with a bowl of organic whole grain oatmeal. Add natural peanut butter, sprinkle some cinnamon and pour a chocolate protein shake on top. Top your breakfast off with 3 scrambled egg whites.

2. Distilled Water

Water won’t have a direct, more obvious effect on your body, but it can definitely aid you in fat loss. According to some studies, cold or iced water can improve your body’s metabolism.

But despite what these studies say, it’s advised to consider cold water as an important part of your diet. Water’s good for many other things: hydration, energy production, absorption, and burning fat. Drinking lots of water can also lower your calorie intake.

Make sure you drink at least 3 liters of water everyday. Drink 1 liter at breakfast, and drink another liter between breakfast and lunch. And before you sit down for dinner, down another liter of water. This will help keep your body hydrated.

3. Eggs

Eggs are at the top of the list of fat burning foods. Eating 2 eggs for breakfast can affect your body more than you think. According to some studies, eating eggs for breakfast lowered calorie intake for a day. The study’s results also included the fact that people who consumed eggs at breakfast burned more fat than those who choose a bagel breakfast. The egg’s amino acid profile means that it’s protein-rich, an important factor in muscle building. The egg’s fatty yolk also eases digestion.

You should have up to three eggs with each meal, at least five times a week. Avoid the carbohydrates and sugar found in bagels, muffins, and pastries, because these increase your insulin levels and hasten fat buildup.

4. Olive Oil

Your body cannot live without certain foods and “good fat” is one of them. That’s because approximately 70% of it Olive oil is one of those “good fat.” Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that has many healthy benefits like preventing heart disease, colon cancer and controlling LDL (bad cholesterol).

It’s also loaded with vitamin E and antioxidants. Olive oil can increase the activity of certain chemicals called “uncoupling proteins.” These chemicals effectively “tell” the body to burn excess calories, rather than store it.

You can start including olive oil to your diet by complementing your protein shakes with a tablespoon of olive oil. Or you could use the oil as an alternative dressing for your salad, along with some balsamic vinegar.

In an effort to “gain weight” I used to stuff my mouth with as many calories as I could even when I didn’t feel like eating in the belief that it would help me put on some weight. Well of course it DID help me weight gain – but in a completely unsightly way! It didn’t matter that I was working out at the gym regularly. It just goes to show how your diet is really a huge part of the equation when it comes to muscle building.

So here is a partial list of foods you really are better off not eating. Sure you can get away eating bad foods once in a while (once a week, but not more than 2x a week), especially after your workout. But if you’re really serious it’s best to stay away from them.

1. Baked Products

• cookies
• pastries
• doughnuts
• pies
• cream puffs
• cheesecake

2. Simple Sugars and Refined Carbs

Avoid products made from white flour as much as possible. White flour is completely stripped of more than 75% of its vitamins and minerals, and over 95% of its fiber. It’s bleached in chlorine dioxide to give it a much longer shelf life. It is whitened by adding chalk, alum, and ammonium carbonate to make it look more refined.

“Enriched” flour, on the other hand, has been enhanced with synthetic nutrients. But you shouldn’t be deceived by that. Even rats die an early death when they consume only white flour for 10 days.

You’re better off staying away from simple sugars and refined carbohydrates. Avoid consuming products with white flour in it, such as cake and white bread.

3. Processed Meats and Meat Products

Many meat products in the market contain too many other additives and ingredients to be called “meat” at all. These meat products often contain too much bad fat and sodium. And you won’t even get protein from these products, since they contain mostly fat.

• bacon
• sausages
• pepperoni
• chorizo
• chicken nuggets
• cured pork ham
• retail cuts of beef
• salami
• meat-based sandwich spread

4. Fatty and Sweet Snacks

• cream
• popcorn
• potato chips
• crackers
• candies and candy bars
• milk chocolate bars
• ice creams
• most types of cakes
• frozen desserts

5. Fast Food

Despite the convenience fast food chains offer, you’re better off avoiding their products. Stay away from places like:

• KFC
• Wendy’s
• Papa John’s
• Taco Bell
• Little Caesar’s
• Krispy Kreme
• Starbucks
• Dairy Queen
• Domino’s
• McDonald’s
• Burger King

6. Drinks

• Packaged Juice (these beverages often contain too much sugar)
• Alcoholic Drinks (remember to take it easy on these)
• Soda

Basically, you should stay away from foods that:

• offer low nutrition, and contain few vitamins and minerals
• are too processed, or has a lot of artificial coloring, additives, flavoring, or preservatives * contain too much simple carbohydrates and refined sugars
• have high levels of saturated and trans fats

Building muscles and gaining weight properly can only be possible if you eat right, get lots of rest, and follow a well-planned muscle building routine. Weight training, coupled with the appropriate calorie intake, can definitely help you gain weight and build up lean muscle.

Here are 21 of the best tips that I’ve used in muscled building. These tips were really worked in terms of helping me achieve my goals.

Both rookie and veteran muscle builders can get a lot of help from this list. Keep on reading if you want to build a huge amount of muscles without resorting to drugs or supplements.

1. Maximize full-body workouts every 2 days, thrice a week, before moving on to 3-day or 4-day splits.

2. After each workout, use a thrice-weekly, 20-minute interval cardio plan. This helps make the most of muscle-to-fat ratio while building muscles.

3. Prioritize your underdeveloped muscles in each training session.

4. Digest a 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein after your workout in liquid form.

5. Use a training journal and track your progress.

6. Perform each set to muscular failure.

7. Strive to drink 4-liters of water a day.

8. Make sure that there are constant variations in your rep and set schemes.

9. Speed up the concentric (pushing) part of your exercise, and slow down for the eccentric (lowering) part of your workout.

10. Shoot for 5 pounds of lean muscle mass each month. Unless you’re ultra-skinny, anything more is commonly fat gain.

11. After 12-16 weeks of training and muscle building, rest for 1 week.

12. For your safety, get a spotter to help you with your heaviest set. This can make training easier for you.

13. Switch between barbells and dumbbells twice every month.

14. Make sure to stretch for 5-10 minutes before each weight-training workout. This preps your body for the exercise it’s about to endure.

15. Go for massage therapy regularly to avoid getting and sustaining injuries.

16. Follow a program for at least 12-16 weeks before trying your next one.

17. Build your sets so that your strength is increased by 5% weekly.

18. Build a diet around whole eggs, lean beef, chicken, whole milk, and fish, to give your body the protein it needs to build muscle.

19. Do your training with someone with a bigger and more solid body. This will motivate you to do better.

20. If you’re a newbie at weight training and muscle building, get a professional trainer to help you with your workout.

21. Concentrate your carbohydrates when your body needs them most breakfast, pre workout and post workout.

Whether you consider muscle building as recreation or something more serious, you shouldn’t take any chances. To successfully shape your body according to your goals, you should get all the help and tips you can get.

The techniques I gave you today will NOT work alone but by combining as many together as possible you’ll see a huge difference in your muscle growth faster than before.

That’s why you should make sure to read “No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain” by Vince del Monte. That’s where I got all these techniques. The book can also help you build a specialized workout for quick and easy muscle growth.

The No Nonsense Muscle Building program helped me gain over 5 kilograms in a span of 12 weeks. To me that’s close to a miracle – I couldn’t even put on a pound even after 4 weeks of dedicated training and religious eating before I did this program.

In an effort to “gain weight” I used to stuff my mouth with as many calories as I could even when I didn’t feel like eating in the belief that it would help me put on some weight. Well of course it DID help me weight gain – but in a completely unsightly way! It didn’t matter that I was working out at the gym regularly. It just goes to show how your diet is really a huge part of the equation when it comes to muscle building.

To help you out, here’s a list of what types of food you should avoid if you’re determined to bulk up those muscles. You shouldn’t eat these foods more than twice a week. If you really want to gain weight by increasing your muscle mass, though, then you should avoid them completely.

1. Baked Products

• cookies
• pastries
• doughnuts
• pies
• cream puffs
• cheesecake

2. Simple Sugars and Refined Carbohydrates

White flour is one thing you shouldn’t hesitate to avoid. White flour contains almost no vitamins, minerals, or fiber. To make the flour white and refined, a variety of chemicals such as alum and ammonium carbonate. And to make sure that the flour’s long-lasting, chlorine dioxide is used to bleach it.

“Enriched” flour, on the other hand, has been enhanced with synthetic nutrients. But you shouldn’t be deceived by that. Even rats die an early death when they consume only white flour for 10 days.

You’re better off staying away from simple sugars and refined carbohydrates. Avoid consuming products with white flour in it, such as cake and white bread.

3. Over-Processed Meats and Meat Products

• pepperoni
• cured pork ham
• chorizo
• bacon
• sausages
• salami
• meat-based sandwich spreads
• chicken nuggets
• retail cuts of beef

These meats are the very definition of “mystery meat”. These products have so much other ingredients mixed with them that they can no longer be considered “meat”. These foods are often full of bad fats and sodium, and are a bad source of protein. More often than not, they contain more fat than protein.

4. Snacks that contain too much fat and sugar, or junk food

• candy & candy bars
• chocolate bars
• ice cream
• cakes
• potato chips
• popcorn
• cream
• frozen desserts
• crackers

5. Fast Food

Make sure that your daily diet contains as little fast food as possible. Don’t go for these fast food joints:

• McDonald’s
• KFC
• Krispy Kreme
• Starbucks
• Dairy Queen
• Little Caesar’s
• Taco Bell
• Wendy’s
• Burger King
• Domino’s
• Papa John’s

6. Drinks

• Packaged Juice (these beverages often contain too much sugar)
• Alcoholic Drinks (remember to take it easy on these)
• Soda

The basic guideline is for you to avoid foods that are:

• low in nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
• highly processed – contains a lot of artificial flavorings, colorings, additives, preservatives and ingredients you can’t spell or pronounce easily.
• loaded with simple carbohydrate, and refined sugars
• very high in saturated and trans fats

Building muscles and gaining weight properly can only be possible if you eat right, get lots of rest, and follow a well-planned muscle building routine. Weight training, coupled with the appropriate calorie intake, can definitely help you gain weight and build up lean muscle.

By now, you should know what body type you have and you probably have some weight training routines worked out for you. So you already know which muscle groups you should focus on. Your next plan of action should be to do the workout correctly, trusting that the routines would have positive effects on your body.

But because this is the start of your plan, you’re not used to the strain on your body and it can end up being an uncomfortable and overwhelming ride. Getting off the ride is incredibly easy in this phase, and that’s why we must stay completely focused.

So how do you keep focus on your goals?

1. Know what your goals are.

The clearer you are, the less you have to take your focus away from what you need to do, and believe me – if you’re serious about working out – you’re gonna need all the focus you can get. Having the body you want means you need to be ready to take on anything, even if it means adhering to strict weight training routines.

2. Accept your mission

You go to the gym for one reason and one reason only: to work out. And don’t you dare forget it. You should come to grips with the fact that, in the gym, you’re going to do nothing else than sweat and work through your weight-training routines. You’ve got nothing else to do at the gym, and that’s what you should set your mind to before you start your workouts.

3. Work out or die!

Once you step into the gym, tell yourself that you have to work out or suffer the consequences. That’s what Will Smith does when he visits the gym. He tells himself that he’ll die if he doesn’t complete each part of his workout. By doing that, he’s setting his body to do one thing only, and that’s to go through the entire workout. It’s an effective yet easy way to keep yourself motivated.

4. While you’re in the gym, put your entire attention on your workout.

One thing that you can end up doing which will dramatically affect your workout is to get distracted. Distraction could come in the form of negative thoughts, or chatting endlesly to other people in the gym, or staring at yourself in the mirror more than anything else. Instead of letting all these little things take your attention, focus on each repetition and each set of your workout routines. Don’t let your attention be distracted, and see your routine to the end.

5. Familiarize yourself with pain.

Your body can’t possibly give out from too much “good pain”. “Good pain” results from working and straining your muscles; this pain makes your muscles bulkier and stronger. Accept the fact that where there’s no pain, there can never be any gain. Of course, things are always easier said than done, so be strict with yourself when it comes to your workout.

Conclusion

I’m not saying that you should have the skills of an expert bodybuilder when you next hit the gym. Being at ease with your workout routines can take longer than you think, and you should take one step at a time. No matter who you are or what your background is, you have what it takes to shape your body to your ideals. Don’t be discouraged in working towards your goals, and remember to stay focused. You should always stick to your workout routines no matter what. If you’re determined, your workout is more likely to succeed in building up your muscles.

“What’s the best Abs workout?”

“How do I get those 6-pack abs as quickly and easily as possible?”

“How come I still don’t have a 6 pack after all the crunches I do?”

All these questions, and yet, they all want just one answer: hunky, irresistible, ripped, stunning 6-pack abs.

The way to get those much-desired 6-pack abs is still unknown to many people. But after reading this article, you’ll realize that shaping your abdominal muscles isn’t as hard as it sounds.

So, which workouts would tone your abdominal muscles into that 6-pack shape?

Well it’s certainly NOT doing 1,000 crunches a day.

Having defined abs, just like other muscle groups, are the results of having low fat levels on your body. You keep body fat to a minimum by eating right, and cardio and strength exercises. Crunches or ab exercises have nothing to do with it.

And it’s not as simple as focusing attention on your abdominal muscles. Not being able to see your abs means that your body has stored too much fat. That’s why you can’t distinguish the muscles on your abdomen.

Our bodies have different patterns of fat distribution. It’s all pre-determined by genetics, just like hair or eye color. The distribution pattern could be affected by hormones, too. So it’s not our fault if the fats in our bodies are stored more easily in some areas than others.

For men, the most common area for fat storage is located in the lower abdomen. This area has many nicknames, such as “beer gut”, “love handles”, or “pot belly”. For women, fat usually get stores in the triceps, hips, and thighs.

Sadly, in most people, the lower abs is often the first place the fat goes when you gain fat, and the last place it comes off when you’re losing it. You could focus on doing more exercises targeting a specific body part, but “spot reduction” is a myth.

The most effective way to burn fat is to do more cardio workouts. If you’re doing cardio work properly, working on your abs for 15 minutes, twice a week (with 10-25 reps for two to four exercises) should have positive results.

Abdominal Training Exercises

Here is a recent ab routine that I used that I learned from Tom Venuto. I do this routine only twice a week and I change the exercises approximately every month so my body doesn’t adapt. I prefer slightly higher rep range than other muscle groups, but as you can see, it is far from doing 1000 reps a day.

A1 Hanging leg raises: 3 sets, 15-20 reps Superset to: A2 Hanging knee ups (bent-knee leg raises) 3 sets, 15-20 reps (no rest between supersetted exercises A1 & A2, 60sec between supersets)

B1 Incline Reverse Crunches 3 sets, 15-20 reps Superset to: B2 Elbow to knee twisting crunches 3 sets, 15-20 reps

What’s the best cardio workout for my abs?

For maximum fat loss, you should do cardio 4-7 days per week for 30-60 minutes (the amount is variable depending on your results). You could continue running or mix up the type of cardio you do (stationary cycling, stairclimbing, elliptical machines, and other continuous aerobic activities are all excellent fat burners without the high impact and joint stress of frequent running).

If time plays a big part in your workouts, you could opt to do shorter interval cardio training sessions with higher intensity levels. You could set the workouts to last for 20 to 30 minutes, as long as the intensity level is sufficiently high.

Once you are satisfied with your level of body fat and your abdominal definition, you can cut back to 3 days per week for 20-30 minutes for maintenance.

Of course all of these will not work if your diet is crap in the first place. But that’s another huge topic altogether that I will address in a different article.

So follow these principles and you will strip yourself of abdominal fat and reveal those eye-popping 6 pack abs that ladies love.

If like me you’d been cursed with a skinny body and youre struggling to get bigger and put on muscle weight due to your super fast metabolism, here are the top 3 practices I used to get overcome my skinny genetics.

1. Monitor and Assess.

Shaping your body to the form you want can be a long process. Sometimes, all your sacrifices won’t even be that obvious. Thus, closely checking your body and evaluating the results of various habits and exercises is a must.

Unless you actually take the time to track the changes in your body’s shape, you wouldn’t be able to if what you’ve been doing is effective at all. Being aware of the changes in your body and evaluating these results are easiest ways of discovering your progress.

2. Eat 5-6 healthy and well-balanced meals per day.

Don’t wait until you’re hungry to fill your stomach. This could make you lose muscles and retain fat. That’s not what you want for your body, is it?

Feed your body once every couple of hours, to supply the muscles with sufficient energy. You wouldn’t believe how well this worked for me. Eating 3 meals a day made it hard for me to build up muscle, even with the long hours I put in at the gym.

3. Learn about your Macro Nutrient Ratio.

Though two kinds of food may have the same number of calories, that doesn’t mean that they will affect your body in the same way. Calories from junk food don’t have the same equivalent as calories from fruits, nuts, vegetables, and grains. That’s why it’s best if you find out what your optimal macronutrient ratio is.

Be aware of what your food contains. When buying packaged foods, always take time to analyze the ingredients and nutrition information.

A good baseline diet to start from is to get 55% of your daily required calories from Carbohydrates, 35% from Protein, and 20% from Fats. Track and measure your results on this diet, and then tweak the figures accordingly to see how the different ratios affect your muscle gains.

So there you go! Follow these rules and you will never go wrong, and you will be well on your way fram scrawny to brawny!

For more weight gain diet tips, bodybuilding videos, free body building tips and bodybuilding routines, visit my blog www.muscle4hardgainers.com

About the Author

Clement Yeung used to be underweight and discovered the most effective way to build muscles effectively without drugs or harmful and expensive supplements. He now shares everything he’s learning in his blog made especially for Hardgainers who want to gain weight and build muscle. You can get more fantastic bodybuilding tips and muscle building resources like free videos, mini-courses, e-reports, articles, and workout guides at http://www.muscle4hardgainers.com