87104

So you want six pack abs? The truth is, for most people getting six pack abs is not an easy task because it requires dedication and motivation...but it is possible! Below is a general 2-step guide that, if followed religiously for 3 months, will improve your abs.

Step 1: nutrition

This is the single most important part of the puzzle, hands down. You can have the most impressive set of abs, but if they're covered with a layer of fat, you won't see them! Break up your day with 5 or 6 mini-meals because this jump starts your metabolism. And stop eating the food that is preventing you from seeing your abs: white bread, pasta, soda, candy, dessert, fast food, hydrogenated oils, sugars and fructose corn syrup.

Instead, eat the foods that will help you reach your six pack goal: oatmeal, olive oil, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, natural peanut butter, chicken, fish, protein, green tea and water. Be realistic - you'll slip here and there, but make a conscious effort to improve your eating habits because getting a six pack will be impossible if you don't.

Step 2: exercise

You need to concern yourself with 3 different exercises: cardio, weightlifting and ab exercises. And aim to workout 4 times per week.

The cardio you do can be anything: walking, running, biking, swimming...whichever cardio you don't mind doing so you stick with it. The trick is to do the cardio in bursts. For example, if you're running, walk for one minute and then sprint for 15 seconds and repeat 10 times. Perform this type of interval cardio 2 times per week.

Weightlifting is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog...and this is while you're just sitting around! Aim for 30-45 minutes, 2 times per week. If you're confused as to what exercises to do for each body part, check out the following website. It features professional bodybuilders, but the information is great and can be used by anyone.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

The last exercise you need to incorporate into your workout are ab exercises. Aim to work your abs 3 times per week. There are a ton of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing and mix it up. A good database of different ab exercises can be found here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exername.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals

tip: mix up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and improving. Add or take away different weightlifting or ab exercises, or at the very least, vary the weight, reps or form of cardio you do.

Well, there you have it. Follow the above for 3 months, and while results will vary from person to person, you will see an improvement in your abs. And keep in mind that dedication and motivation will go a long way to helping you reach your goal of having six pack abs.

Imagine the feeling you'll get when you look in the mirror and like what you see.

Honestly, this article only scratches the surface on getting six pack abs. If you really want to learn the tried and true techniques for developing a rock-hard midsection, check out The Truth About Six Pack Abs. It's an amazing fitness program.

If you've lived under a rock since May then you'd be surprised to learn that microsoft has released their second xbox titled xbox 360. Upon your emergence it wouldn't take long for you to figure out that this is no regular system; the XBOX 360 will lead the next generation consoles by including some of the latest wireless and graphic technology to-date. What some of you may not know is the fact Microsoft will release TWO different systems. They were concerned about the price of all the gadgets so they made a second, cheaper system. What's the difference? This article will explain some of the must knows before buying the xbox 360.

First off, what do the systems hold that are the same? Both hold a dvd-ROM so you can play DVD's, CD's, all xbox 360 games. You can plug into one of the 3 usb ports to access iPOD's, video, cameras, MP3 players, etc. pretty much the generic gaming experience will be available on both systems. But now for the fun stuff. Should I shell out the extra $100 for the more expensive system?

You'll be surprised about the differences between the two bundled systems so consider these things before buying. In no particular order here are some CONS of buying the CHEAPER system. (Believe me, I wouldn't pump the more expensive system if it wasn't a big deal, I'm here to save gamers money.)

• First off, remember backwards compatibility? Your ability to play 200 xbox games on the next generation xbox 360? Well you NEED to download patches for most games and those patches stay on the hard drive. The cheaper system does NOT come equipped with the 20GB hard drive.
• What's the difference in cables? The cheaper version comes complete with AV cablesfor your TV, the expensive version comes complete with cables for HD-TV hook up. BUT get this: the graphic difference of the xbox to xbox 360 will be marginal if you have an old TV. This is what we've been told, and if you experience otherwise post it in our xbox forum. It seems that you need a new TV to really experience the bells and whistles of the new system.
• If you want to save games then you NEED to buy a 64MB memory unit (for the cheaper system) which will cost 40 bucks. That bumps up the price of the original to $340 from $299. For an extra $60 bucks you can have EVERYTHING in the better system. (As an aside, the Canadian companies are going to make a bundle (well not a bundle since Microsoft will likely loose money to start off with.) But, the US price for the basic system is $299 while the Canadian counterpart is $399. The current exchange rate does not warrant a $100 increase to adjust. The price should be closer to $350. Just a thought.)
• The one controller that comes with the new cheaper bundle is wired, whereas the more expensive bundle will come complete with a single wireless controller. Enough said. You be the judge regarding its value.

Judging by looks, the xbox 360 games will typically be sharper and crisper, but not an all out blow out. I'll say that Microsoft BETTER get some more games going than the initial 18 or risk losing market share and interest in a hurry. This article concludes that for the extra $60 bucks (you need the 64 MB card to save games so that's why it's $60,) you shold go out and place an order for the more expensive system. Why Xbox made two different ones when the prices would be so close is beyond me. Mind you, coupled with game packages, the price does climb up there. That's my take, now back to gaming.

You have set your fitness goals and now need to decide which exercises you want to add to your fitness routine to help you burn away that unwanted fat. The best way is to add a combination of both strength training and cardiovascular.

strength training is the most beneficial methods of fat loss. By building muscle, you are in turn increasing your metabolism and helping your body to burn even more calories. Also with strength training, your body begins to burn a large number of calories even after you have finished training.

With strength training you have many options. For beginners or someone who doesn't have access to a gym or equipment, bodyweight exercises are a great option for fat loss. Another option is using the push/pull split. This is a great way to get in a total body workout that allows you to perform more exercises per workout and get more recovery time.

Some key points when doing strength training are make sure to warm up and stretch before your workout, lift the weights in slow, steady movements and don't forget to breathe.

Cardiovascular exercise is the 2nd part of your fat loss fitness routine. Cardio can be done following your strength training or as separate training on the opposite day of strength training. Cardio is not only a great aid to fat loss, but also to help you to maintain a healthy heart. The best form of cardio is HIIT or high Intensity Interval Training. HIIT involves intervals of varying intensities, some very high. Interval training can be as simple as doing an all-out sprint, jogging to lower your heart rate, and then sprinting once again. This should be done anywhere from 15-30 minutes. The advantage to HIIT is that you are burning more calories in a shorter period of time. You can perform HIIT on almost anything, such as bike, treadmill, elliptical, or even bodyweight circuits.

It is best to perform strength training workouts at least 3 times per week and also perform HIIT 3 times per week. Make sure to change up your workouts every 6-8 weeks to avoid a fat loss plateau. Changing your workouts also keeps your workouts fresh and new and makes you less likely to stop doing them and gives you a better chance of reaching your fitness goals!

Angie Schumacher is a successful fitness entrepreneur both in online and offline areas. She is a Certified personal Trainer and diet and fitness website manager. For more great diet and fitness tips, visit http://www.WomensDietAndFitness.com and http://www.BuildingABetterU.com