2

TROUBLE SPOT ABS

For many people the idea of achieving a flat tummy or ripped abs seems almost impossible. All around the world in gyms from every nation you will find scores of people doing hundreds upon thousands of crunches, sit-ups and waist “bends” in a vain attempt to flatten out their stomachs and lose mid-section fat.

The media adds fuel to this fire by advertising scores of abdominal isolation gadgets and giz-mos that promise miracles in minutes. From diet books promising “6 minute abs” and “8 minutes in the morning” people are being duped into believing that a flat stomach is the result of isolating this particular area using some sort

of exercise gadget and hoping that the fat will magically disappear. Here is the interesting part- great abs are never the result of the num-ber of crunches that you do. Instead, great abs are achieved by working the body as a whole and by performing those exercises which have the highest metabolic cost. This is a fancy way of saying that they burn a lot of calories. Do not focus solely on small “showy” body parts like abs, shoulders and arms. These are relatively small muscle groups and training them will not result in a large amount of caloric expenditure. Instead, focus on the large muscle groups of the legs and back and follow this with a few highly effective abdominal exercises that will challenge your midsection and send your metabolism into overdrive.

Overview

The first and most important point to consider is that In order to lose fat from any part of your body you have to create a calorie deficit. This means you must take in fewer calories than you are burning. The best way to accomplish this is to follow the guidelines I presented in the TST Fat Loss Manual. It is important to remember that the quality of the calories you consume matters as much as the quantity of calories. Two thousand calories per day consisting of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and essential

fats will produce a vastly different hormonal response than two thousand calories of refined foods, fried meats and sugar.

The connection between the foods you con-sume and where you store body fat is well doc-umented. The hormonal response that occurs whenever you eat or drink will vary according to what is being ingested and as a result can impact where you carry your body fat.

Nutritional Recommendations

3

Belly fat

Research has shown a correlation between high umbilical (abdominal) skin fold measurements and elevated levels of the stress hormone corti-sol. Cortisol is often demonized in the fitness in-dustry however it should be noted that cortisol serves an important role in our bodies as part of the fight or flight response to stress. Howev-er, problems arise when cortisol levels remain elevated for too long resulting in mid section fat deposition in the region surrounding your belly button.

Note: According to Chinese and Ayurvedic med-icine, body piercings can impact your endocrine system and have a negative effect on site specific body fat deposition. While acupuncture can pro-vide support in the treatment of obesity, a wrong-ly place piercing can have the opposite result. Navel piercing in particular should be avoided, especially if you are trying to lose fat from your midsection. The insertion of foreign objects into the central meridian of the body will increase cortisol production and localized fat deposits.

Taking control of your cortisol levels can be achieved naturally using the following steps:

1. Avoid very low-calorie diets, especially for ex-tended periods lasting longer than 14 days. The chronic restriction of calories is a signifi-cant stress to the body, causing decreases in testosterone and increases in cortisol.

2. Avoid overtraining (a common mistake amongst overzealous newbie’s). Keep work-outs brief (less than 60 minutes) and intense by packing more work into less time.

3. Consume protein immediately following your workout. This will help to suppress the post-workout-induced stress response and maximize recovery.

4. Be sure to get seven to eight hours of deep, dark, restful sleep nightly.

5. Drink plenty of water (especially lemon wa-ter as it helps promote an alkaline ph) .

6. Do not binge on alcohol.

7. Consume an alkalinizing, healthy diet rich in essentials fatty acids, green vegetables and protein and low in processed foods and sugar.

8. Increase supplementation of vitamin C (min-imum 2 grams/daily), and use an adrenal support supplement.

9. Remove food stressors. Food intolerances are quite common and will increase stress and cortisol levels in the body. The most common offenders are wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, yeast and corn.

Ten Steps to Cortisol/Adrenal Balance

4

Love handles

In addition to having belly fat many people will also have excessive amounts of fat around their love handle or supra iliac region. When this skin fold is high, the person could have excessively high circulating insulin. In this case following a

low carbohydrate diet is an absolute necessity. I would also recommend consuming smaller, more frequent meals consisting of lean protein, essential fats and high fiber.

High Cortisol

1. Phosphatydylserine Phosphatydylserine is found in green drinks like greens+. Consuming phosphatydylserine first thing in the morning and immediately post workout will reduce circulating cortisol while also improving mood, memory, and your body’s ability to fight stress and depression.

2. Omega 3 fatty acidsOmega 3 fatty acids from fish play an important role in losing abdominal fat and a whole lot more. The epa and dha found in fish oil will help reduce inflammation, boost immunity and improve insulin sensitivity (among other things). Choose a supplement that is standardized to contain a min-imum of 2:1 epa/dha ratio and sourced from small fish like anchovies, sardines or Krill. Recommend-ed dose is 6-20 grams per day. Stay on the low end of this scale if you are on blood thinning meds as fish oil also has a blood thinning effect.

3. GlycyrrhizinGlycyrrhizin is a component of licorice, which is capable of inhibiting the metabolism of cortisol.

This supplement must be used with caution as excessive consumption of glycyrrhizin can lead to hypertension and hypokalemia (low potassium). The European Union recommends a 100 mg/day upper limit for ingestion of glycyrrhizin.

Another good idea for any person with high cortisol levels is to limit or eliminate their caffeine and simple sugars consumption. These are two factors that could negatively impact levels of cortisol in the body.

High Insulin

1. Ground flax seedGround flax seed is a nutrient rich source of fibre and lignans which serve to lower blood sugar and remove bad estrogens from the body. I recom-mend using a tablespoon on top of your salads and blending into your smoothies.

2. CinnamonThis tasty spice reduces blood sugar levels, triglycerides and bad cholesterol while simul-taneously improving insulin sensitivity – which significantly improves your ability to access fat for

Supplement Recommendations

5

energy. Sprinkle a teaspoon (5 grams) into your smoothies and on other dishes.

3. FenugreekFenugreek is an herb that helps to lower blood sugar while also decreasing the conversion of testosterone to estrogen (a process called aromatization). Use 500 mgs daily while on a healthy diet and strength training regimen.

4. Chromium PolynicotinateChromium Polynicotinate is an essential trace element that plays a role in blood sugar me-tabolism by enhancing insulin sensitivity. If you decide to take chromium, 200 mcg daily is the recommended dose. Take it before or after a meal and don’t take it with a multivitamin or other medications because this could interfere with chromium absorption. Those with diabetes who are already on medication should speak to your doctor before using this supplement.

My personal favourite abdominal exercises;You can perform these one at a time or in a circuit like fashion. Perform each exercise for 1 minute and feel the burn! Include this routine together with your cardiovascular exercise in on your off days and you will be seeing your abs in no time.

A1. Hanging knee raise

A2. Ab wheel roll outs

A3. Garhammer raise

A4. Stability ball pike

A5. Plank on ball

Complete your ab routine by performing 10-12 minutes of cardio intervals or 20-30 minutes of steady state cardio.

How to Prioritize Your Abs Within Your Training Program

Abdominals can be trained with a relatively high training frequency. However, I prefer to train them at the end of the workout or on cardio only days. The reason for this is because your abdominals stabilize your trunk and fatiguing them prior to performing heavy lifts such as the squat or deadlift can result in decreased perfor-mance or even injury.