Six Pack Guide

7/21/2019 Six Pack Guide

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MICHAEL MORELLI JR.

HOW TO EAT & TRAIN

FOR SIX-PACK ABS


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COMPLETE GUIDE FOR A FLAT

STOMACH AND SCULPTED SIX-PACK

Consult your physician and get permissionbefore starting any exercise program or alteringyour diet. The programs and informationexpressed within this book are not medicaladvice, but for educational purposes only. Thisprogram is designed for healthy individualsover the age of 18.

If you are taking any medications, you must talkto your physician before starting any exerciseprogram, including Six-Pack Finishers. If youexperience any lightheadedness, dizziness, orshortness of breath while exercising, stop themovement and consult a physician.

The author is not responsible in any manner

whatsoever for any injury or health condition that

may occur through following the programs andopinions expressed herein. Dietary informationis presented for informational purposes onlyand may not be appropriate for all individuals.

The editors and publishers advise readers totake full responsibility for their safety and knowtheir limits. The ideas represent the authorsopinions and are solely for informational andeducational purposes.

No part of this book may be used or reproducedin any manner whatsoever without writtenpermission except in the case of brief quotationsutilized in articles and reviews.

SIX-PACK FINISHERS


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Lean, Attractive Abs

Every day, I see many people who have beenthrough that depressive cycle of weight loss.In fact, you can check out my Instagram page@ instagram.com/morellit if you want to seesome proof of how many people are fed upwith the tness industry. As a result, there aremore than a half a million people following me

because they want real answers, which is what Ibring to the table.

And despite being online for only a couple ofyears, the effectiveness of my unique approachto sculpting abdominal muscles, tness, andfat loss has allowed me to create a successfulmembership site, MFIT90, that people raveabout it. Also, I created HIIT MAX, a 60-daytraining program that effectively burns fat andbuilds muscle.

Noticeable Differences

With an effective abs program, such as Six-PackFinishers, the differences in your body and corebecome noticeable.

And as the fat begins to melt away, yourmidsection shrinks, and your abs begin toappear. You, your family, and friends will see the

difference.Lean noticeable abs are a real achievementthat only a small percentage of people actuallyachieve. If you follow my approach youll notonly reveal six-pack abs, but youll also succeedlong-term.

In addition to looking good, youll feel betterthan youve ever felt. By following this program,youll enjoy:

Leaner stomach and attractive abs

Increased core strength

New levels of energy

Better moods

Less fatigue

Improved sleep

Inspiration,

Motivation,

And SupportEverything you need to build a rock solid core

and six-pack abs is in this abdominal program.

Its easy to follow with no extra uff All you needto do is to be patient and stay the course.

And throughout Six-Pack Finishers, youll ndplenty of inspiration and motivation becausethats what I aim for. Support is just a click awaywhen you need it. So, if you need to contactme, please dont hesitate.

Now, if youre ready, lets begin. Ill start by

sharing the painful story behind my fat lossjourney.

To your six-pack success and health,

Michael Morelli Jr.

Your Dedicated Coach

FOREWORD: MY PROMISE

SIX-PACK FINISHERS COMPLETE GUIDE 3


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Although Im now in my 30s, when I was ateenager, like most teens, I wanted six-pack abs.That teenage desire for six-pack abs remainedwith me over the years.

As a result, I devoted the past decade of mylife trying what seemed to be every diet, tnesssystem, and weight-loss program on the market,including: low-carb diets, high-carb diets, low-fat diets, calorie-restricted diets, diet after diet,

And tness system after tness system. I triedone weight-loss program after another.

None of them worked for me. I became what somerefer to as a yo-yo dieter. I would lose sevenpounds only to gain them back and then some.

Getting FatterThe bottom line is I became fatter and heavierinstead of leaner and lighter. I was frustrated,

confused, and annoyed with the weight-lossgurus. And I considered giving up countless times.

Giving UpTruth be told, I did give up. I was sick andtired of the whole thing! So, one day I decidedenough was enough. I quit the gym (eventhough I had seven months remaining on my

YMCA membership).

Shortly thereafter, I went through a series ofpainful events.

Collapsing Marriage,Destructive HabitsThe collapse of my marriage was the rst painfulevent. After a seven-year relationship and ashort marriage, I was looking for a way out.

Leaving the amazing woman I was married to wasone of the hardest things Ive ever done in my

life. Nevertheless, we just werent right for eachother. So, I moved out, and we led for divorce.

THE PAINFUL STORYOF MY FAT-LOSS JOURNEY



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What am I going to do?

I cant even take care of myself!

Its time to get it together, Michael.

Nonetheless, I was determined to participate inmy daughters life. She needed me. There wasno way was I going to be a deadbeat dad.

Of course, that meant a lot of things had tochange, such as my drinking, smoking, eating,and exercising habits. At the time, I was so outof shape I couldnt even carry a couple of bagsof groceries up two ights of stairs withoutfeeling as if I had the wind knocked out of me.

To add insult to injury, at the time, I was onanxiety and attention decit disorder (ADD)

medications. What a role model!However, there was hope. Luckily for me, priorto this painful period of my life, I had read a tonof leadership books. The knowledge from thosebooks allowed me to quickly realize I couldntlead an army of ants to a picnic in my condition.

Nevertheless, I was committed to gettinghealthy for my daughter.

The First Prayer in aLong TimeIt was time to step up. It was time to becomea father. It was time to become the leader mynew family needed and deserved.

This time my goal wasnt to get a six-pack.Instead, I wanted to become healthy from theinside out.

So I prayed for the rst time in a very longtime. I didnt know it at the time, but a growingbody of evidence indicates that real healthis just as much mental and spiritual as it isphysical. Ignoring all of the so-called gurus andmainstream media, I began taking care of my


Meanwhile, my destructive behaviors ofdrinking, smoking, and using drugs remained apart of my life. The divorce didnt free me fromthose destructive habits.

Mentally AndSpiritually DrainedI had a collapsing marriage, destructive habits,and to make matters worse, I was out of shape(nearing 180 pounds at 57). I was also mentallyfatigued and spiritually drained.

Picture a sad, broken, lonely, and physically out-of-shape guy in a 1000-square-foot apartment.That was me.

The Call No Guy LikesThen, one day I received a phone call froma woman I met a few months earlier. Prior tothe phone call, we hadnt talked for a while.However, Ill never forget having the thoughtshe was the one for me when we rst met. Gosh,we laughed a lot together. In fact, thats all I canrememberlots of laughs.

Anyway, the call was the kind of phone call noguy likes. I answered the ringing phone, andshe said, Michael, I think Im pregnant. Andlike most guys, I said as most guys would in thissituation, Are you sure?

The Turning PointWell, it turned out she was indeed pregnant.Months later, we found out that she wasexpecting a baby girl, our daughter. At that

moment, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasgoing to be a father!

That moment was a turning point for me. It wastime for me to get my act togetherand fast.Repeatedly, thoughts ashed through my mind


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to ever happen to me. Its responsible forhelping me to overcome addictions, live a morespiritually centered life, and enjoy more energythan ever before.

I was able to create and maintaina stronger,faster, and leaner physique at 8 percent or sobody fat.

And instead of trying to lose weight all yearlong, I could live year-round with a six-packand eat up to 3500 calories each day of wholefoods.

Believe me, if I can do it, so can YOU!

You can also get and maintain attractive absyear-roundeven faster than I didwithoutthe guesswork. Youll fnd out why and how

in the next section.

spiritual health. After all, the gurus and mediaonly helped me to spiral downward in the past.

The Breakthrough,

Real-Life ExamplesAnd instead of turning to the media and gurus,I sought out solid information, including:

Real-life examples

In-depth research

Case studies

Books

Blog posts

I devoured anything I could get my hands onwith facts, information, and habits of peoplewho lived in healthier generations during a timewhen countless people didnt need oxygentanks and seven different medications just tosurvive another day.

What I discovered were pre-agriculturalera and pre-mass food production eatinghabits that were quite logical. In a nutshell,I uncovered the truth and importance of

eating real, unprocessed food thats from asclose to nature as possible. And, I learnedthe importance of listening to your body.

That was only the beginning for me.Remembering the commitment to myfamily, I stayed the course. Additionalreading and research allowed me to quicklybecome knowledgeable on ancestral dietsand fat loss.

My journey was hard. But anythingworthwhile takes time and patience. Thisnew lifestyle was one of the best things

SIX-PACK FINISHERS COMPLETE GUIDE


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Can you relate to the painful story I just sharedwith you? If so, then youre familiar with thestruggle to lose weight, the struggle to nallyachieve that attractive six-pack.

For close to 10 long years, I struggled with myweight. I struggled and failed to get the six-pack I desired since my teenage years.

I was never happy with my body, and I nally

reached the breaking point where I just didntthink I could ever have a six-pack or a trim, lean,and t physique. The big programs sold me,and I believed the outrageous claims; I wastedmy time and hard-earned money on diet books,tness systems, and useless supplements. Theylet me down.

Finally, after almost an entire decade ofletdowns and frustration, I lost 27 pounds of fatin 113 days!My abs started to show through,

nally I had six-pack abs. At last, I gured outthe fat loss puzzle.

Get Faster, Better

Results Than I DidFollowing this six-pack blueprint, youll learnexactly how to replicate my results. In fact, Iguarantee if you follow this program, youlldevelop an attractive six-pack faster than I did.

It took me 113 days. Youre going to discoverhow to get real results in less time.

Why are you going to do it faster than I did?Youll do it faster than I did because youllreceive all the secrets and special techniques Ipainstakingly learned over almost 10 years.

My clients have enjoyed phenomenal results,plus techniques youll discover some of theleading experts in the world have testedthousands of times.

With my program, you skip the painful trial anderror I had to endure during my transformation.That spares you from wasting time and energy.Instead, you go directly to the proven methodsthat atten your stomach and sculpt your abs.

Youll experience methods that allowed me to:

Enjoy six-pack abs every day of the year

Achieve and maintain 8 percent body fat

Experience more energy and motivation

daily

Run long distances and jump higher

Create a stronger, leaner physique

Next, youll see real-life success stories ofwomen and men, whom Ive helped to attentheir stomachs, sculpt abs, and burn fat withoutyears of guesswork.

And by simply implementing my proven system,

you too will have your own success story toshare with others.

FASTER SIX-PACK ABSWITH NO GUESSWORK


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A journey of almost

10 years.Always workout but didnt realize the art of

clean eating. The beginning of 2013 was when

the clean eating really started to take shape.

MrShutUpAndTrain had this 30day cardio challenge,

was wonderful, loved the exercise, and the work

ethic of his videos, a wonderful program, did it

three more times throughout 2013. Lost over 30lbs.

In 2014 started SixPackFinishers, now this programreally ne tuned my eating, and exercise regimen.

Everything was right there, through a website.

Answered question through website or email. Your

program was the answer and Im forever greatful.

Now getting ready to start working on your newprogram HIIT MAX. Cant wait!

Thank you so much for

letting me be a part of

Six-Pack Finishers!This has been a life-changing experience for me!

I started noticing changes immediately. During

the rst week of training I lost 9 lbs. I think I triple-

checked the scale because I couldnt believe it.

Two years of constant struggling was over!

I stuck to the diet, and I have now lost 25 lbs. The

meal plan included in this program has been a

great inspiration. When in doubt, I could just post a

question, and I got an answer straight away.

TESTIMONIALS


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After months of working outand dieting I've lost 75 poundsand I was able to make my goal and step on stage

(physique bodybuilding) tonight!

I was so fortunate to nd Michael because when I

rst started 8 months ago, I didnt know much about

dieting or exercise.

After the rst 2 days I could tell he wasnt going to

just take my money and give me a little info and thatsit the fact is he really cares about people and wants

to help them out, and is actually there for them.

Since this program I haveseen and felt the difference in

my body.Its amazing how good you are supposed to feel

when you eat the right foods.

I love it, I dont even want unhealthy foods anymore

and my condence has raised. Ive been smashing

my workouts with six pack nishers workouts.

I highly recommend Michael and six pack nishers to

anyone, it will be one of the best decisions you will

make regarding your health!

TESTIMONIALS


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"There is something againwhich I want to share with you!I am truly amazed. I have had a really bad hay allergyon my adult life with the last 3 years being terrible.

Well... I just realized yesterday... the allergens are on

the air right now here in Finland. And, well - I havent

been taking any medication - I have no symptoms!

I cant believe this is true! The only thing that has

changed is my diet...

I am so so so happy I bought your program and

that you suggested me to leave the grains for twoweeks rst.

Michael, I started working out

with your free e-bookin late March 2014. My eating habits were horrible,

and I was at 180lbs with 27% BF. I started losing

weight once I followed your plan and advice. I

then completed you Six Pack Finisher program and

everything fell into place.

It hasnt been easy, and there has been a lot of

adjustment along the way. You have been always

there for me, and have helped me get to where I am

now. I am 166 lbs and 16% BF now; my pants size

also went down 1.5 times.

I am nowhere near my goal, and I continue working

towards my goal. Your support is greatly appreciated

as you are available at any time, and are always

willing to help me succeed.

TESTIMONIALS


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Are the women and men who shared theirsuccess stories any different from you?

Not at all. They represent people of all walksof life with their own unique struggles. And justlike you, each one of those men and women hada strong desire for permanent, lasting change.

The only difference between you and them istheir decision to put aside doubts and give mysimple, proven methods a try. Those successstories were possible because those well-intentioned people discovered the real reasonsthat prevented their bodies from burning fat,becoming lean, and building a six-pack.

While there are countless reasons peoplestruggle to melt away fat and achieve attractiveabdominals, it boils down to seven core reasons,which Ive identied and compiled during thelast decade. The seven reasons or roadblocksare consistent across the board.

Its important that youre aware of theseroadblocks. If youre ready to melt away yourfat and nally carve out your six-pack, theyrecritical to your success.

1. Not Knowing What

Foods to EatUnfortunately, many tness programs and

diet books give very general directions andstatements. They might tell you all about fats,proteins, and carbohydrates, but theres neverany concrete information about the specicfoods themselves.

If you dont know which foods to buy from thegrocery store, and what you need to stock inyour kitchen, then youll have a tough time.Theres no way around this. Guessing does not

make for a successful fat-loss plan.

With this program, youll receive lists of foods,so youll have no doubt about what to shopfor. This removes all the confusion from theshopping process.

The grocery store can intimidate you, especiallyif you dont know where to look or what to askfor. Now you will have a 1-2-3, connect-the-dots approach. All you have to do is to print offthe checklist and off you go. You never have towonder what you need to buy in order to losefat.

2. Not Knowing How

Many Times to Eat per

Day

Do you know how frequently to eat for maximumfat loss? Do you know the most harmful time toeat, when youre most likely to put on fat?

Many people simply dont know these things,and they make a big difference. If youre doingeverything right but fail to eat frequently enough,you hinder your progress. Ive encountered thisissue many times with my clients. Making thisone small shift in meal frequency will have amajor impact on the way your body responds.

3. Not Knowing How to

Combine FoodsWhile most people know about the fat-inducingfoods (junk food, fast foods, chocolate, and soon) and the healthiest foods to eat (in general),most people are never told about combiningfoods.

REAL REASONS YOU FAILEDTO LOSE WEIGHT



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This is one of the most important concepts inburning fat. It turns out that there are certaincombinations of foods the body requires to stayhealthy and stay lean. I gured this out afteryears of trial and error. This is one of the thingsthe gurus diet books never mention.

4. Attempting to

Count CaloriesMost people lose interest in tness and dietprograms as soon as they nd out they need tocount calories or measure their food. Lets bereal: Most people simply dont have the timeto count every crumb they consume on a dailybasis.

If you have a family, children, work, and a sociallife, you cant maintain the calorie-countingprogram. Its just unrealistic.

The beauty of my program is that you only needto have a general understanding of calories(which will be provided), but you dont need tocount calories.

There are some rules to follow (in terms of thefoods you should choose), but you can basically

eat until youre satised.

This means you should eat until youre about70 percent full, not until you feel youre goingto burst. This is important. Youll soon get usedto the natural feeling that your body gives youwhen youve had enough to eat.

You may realize you have overeaten for manyyears. As you break down your new nutritionprogram into a specic macronutrient prole,you will never feel hungry.

5. Being Overwhelmed

by InformationInformation overload cripples most people. Iknow this from personal experience. There is so

much conicting and inaccurate information onthe Internet that its hard to know whom or whatto trust.

When you get conicting information, it leadsto procrastination. Even tness and diet booksthat explain everything in detail cause peopleto procrastinate. Many times, people publisha huge book just to give the impression ofexpertise.

Well, I want to combat this issue. This is the

reason my guide is short, but concise. You getthe core facts you need to understand and aplan you can implement from day one. No moreguesswork or procrastination.

In the next section, Ill share with you ve of themost commonly held myths (false information)that can cripple your efforts to atten yourstomach and sculpt your six-packs.

6. Not Having EnoughTime to Prepare MealsIn todays on-the-go society, many peoplesimply dont have time to prepare healthymeals.

The good news is you can have healthy, deliciousmeals that lead to a atter stomach and moreattractive abs without spending hours on them.It all comes down to simply staying prepared

by prepping your food in advance, so you cangrab and go when you need to.


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7. Believing You Can't

Have the Body of Your

Dreams

Unfortunately, as a result of the false promisesof fad diets, many people have formed thebelief they cannot achieve a six-pack or thebody of their dreams. More often than not,this is because they tried many of the popularprograms and diets without success.

The problem wasnt a lack of effort orunderstanding. The problem was the informationand the advice they received.

The point is this: The human body responds

to the same stimuli, regardless of origin,personal characteristics, or beliefs. Once youstart eating properly, your body will respond.

Your metabolism shifts, your stomach begins toatten, and you become a fat-burning machine.

Deceptive Myths That

Keep You Fat for LifeWhile other plans have let you down in thepast, I believe my system will work for you. If

you apply my system, are patient, and see thisto the end, youll get the results youre after.I believe this is the last diet-related programyoull ever spend money on.

Why? Its simple. Because my diet methods atout work. I can condently say that becauseI know whats in store for you. I know youregoing to follow what I present; therefore, I knowyoure going to crush it.

But, before jumping into the workouts, its

important that you review the next section onthe ve most popular, yet sabotaging myths.

Although you now know the reasons keepingmost people from having a six-pack, you alsoneed to know the ve most commonly believedmyths that keep millions of men and women fat,and they dont even know it. Chances are, atleast one of these myths sabotages your tnessand fat-loss success. Simply believing even oneof these myths can totally derail your progress,

results, and goals even with Six-Pack Finishers.


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Youve been lied to countless times. There areso many myths out there.

The good news is that the truth is much simplerand more straightforward. Before jumping intothe ve worst fat-loss myths, its important foryou to know that

You can atten your stomach and sculpt yoursix-pack without starvation diets, salads,cravings, bags under your eyes (adrenal

issues), hours of cardio, or destroying yoursocial life.

You dont need low-fat diets, no-carbdiets, Atkins, Zone, or any other celebrity-endorsed diets.

Those methods and diets all sound stupidbecause they are. Theyre nothing more thanmarketing gimmicks with the goal of generatingcuriosity.

Unfortunately, those approaches also generatepoor health, results that dont last, and weightgain. Simply say no to the fad diets, hours ofcardio, endless crunches, and harmful diet pills.

Now, lets start uncovering all of the myths thatprevent you from achieving the body of yourdreams.

1. Restrict Calories

Theres a huge myth in the tness industry thattells people to lower their calorie intake in orderto achieve a smaller midsection and to loseweight. There are some very dangerous levelsof calorie intake advised on the Internet.

If you restrict your calories too much, your bodywill start to react in order to preserve itself. Inessence, it will enter starvation mode and will storemore body fat, which is the opposite of your goal.

Not only this, but youre very likely to damageyour internal organs. In some serious cases, theeffects arent reversible, and they can lead tolong-term health problems.

More often, people will restrict their calories for30 to 60 days and lose weight. The key wordhere is weight. This is a combination of bothmuscle and fat, sometimes more muscle thanfat.

These people quickly discover this lifestyleleads to unhappiness and isnt sustainable, andthey regain all the weight (and more) when theyreturn to a more sustainable diet.

This is the major cause of the yo-yo dietphenomenon.

2. Eat a Low-Fat DietA low-fat diet became popular in the early

2000s, and the government and local healthorganizations promoted it.

The human body needs fat in order to functionproperly. In fact, the brain cannot function as itshould without healthy fats. Fats are essential.But its important to eat the right fats. Youll seea list of approved fats inside the macro list; stickto these, and youll do just ne.

3. Do Lots and Lots of

CardioIf you have followed me for some time, thenyou know I think traditional long-form cardio isbroken.

In other words, it isnt effective as the foundationof any training program when it comes tolosing fat, attening your stomach, or getting

THE FIVE POPULAR, YETSABOTAGING FAT-LOSS MYTHS



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a six-pack. Cardio simply takes up lots of time,doesnt promote increases in lean muscle, andis very boring.

Many people believe running on the treadmillor cycling for 45 minutes every day is what theyneed to do in order to melt belly fat and lose

weight. This just simply isnt the case.Weight training with short periods of rest,accompanied by the right abdominal exercises,is by far the best formula for fat loss. Once Igured this out, I never used traditional cardioas the foundation of my training program.Finally, after years of doing it wrong, Im in thebest shape of my life.

You can nd tons of free information and videoson my blog.

4. Use Fat-Burning

SupplementsMany people have turned to fat-burningsupplements in desperation. When all elsefails to work, you can expect people to turn todrugs and medication and make no mistake,most fat burners (that work) use very powerfulingredients.

While they do produce fat loss, once peoplestop using the supplements they more often

than not gain the weight back. Plus, lets faceit: you cannot be on this stuff forever. It almostalways has some frightening warnings on thelabel.

The ingredients are unhealthy, especially in thesedoses, and you can be sure of an array of sideeffects such as headaches, dizziness, irritability,and mood swings. I dont recommend weight-loss supplements. In fact, I highly discouragethem. They just arent necessary!

I emphasize the lifestyle of a healthy, t, andactive body. When you implement the rightnutrition and training methods, you will lookgreat and feel great. You dont need to use fat-burning supplements in order to get ripped.

5. Protein Makes YouBig and BulkyTheres a major myth that circulates the Websaying that the more protein you consume thebigger and bulkier you get.

Protein is the muscle-building block and criticalto building a better body. The amino acid prolefound in protein is essential. In other words, weneed it. The moral of the story is dont be afraidof protein, its your friend.


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PART 2:HOW TO EAT AND TRAIN

FOR SIX-PACK ABS


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Youve probably guessed from the previoustwo sections that abs are made in the kitchen.Without the right nutrition, your abdominalswill remain covered by a layer of fat. The truth iseverybody has a six-pack. But unless you dial inyour nutrition, youll never expose it.

What we refer to as the six pack is, in fact,a single muscle called rectus abdominis,which extends from the breastbone to the topof the pubic bone. This large muscle is themost supercial of all the abdominal muscles,meaning that its located right underneath theskin, so when the layer of fat that separates therectus abdominis from the dermis gets thinner,your six-pack becomes visible.

Also, its important to know theres no such thingas spot reduction. So, if youre wondering howto target that last bit of belly fat, the short answeris you simply cannot target and reduce fat inone specic area. While its true that you cantighten muscles in a specic region, you cannotspot reduce fatperiod.

To reach your goal of a at stomach andsculpted abs, you have to burn fat and torchextra calories creating a weekly decit. Istrongly encourage a weight-training programcombined with touches of HIIT (high-intensityinterval training) as well as abdominal work.Dont forget nutrition, this is 70 percent of thefat-loss puzzle.

Two programs I can recommend are MFIT90,my 12-week weight-training program and mealplanner, and HIIT MAX, the number-one-sellingHIIT program online with more than 30,000members worldwide).

Remember, no matter how hard you train yourabdominals, you still have to eat right in order

to reduce your body fat to expose your six-pack.

Body-Fat Percentages

for Six-PacksBoth women and men need to achieve andmaintain a certain percentage of body fat inorder to expose the abdominals.

In most men, a body-fat percentage between 5and 10 percent leads to an attractive six-pack,while women can get a ripped midsection atbetween 8 and 15 percent.

ABS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN


MALES FEMALES PHYSICAL ASPECT

5-10 8-15 Athletic

11-14 16-23 Good

15-20 24-30 Acceptable

21-24 31-36 Overweight

>24 >37 Obese

Abs-friendly, metabo-

lism-revving foodsAs previously mentioned, intense training is onlyone component of a at, attractive midsection.

The most important component is a clean,whole foods diet.

The challenge is to embrace the right nutritionprescription, eating habits, and diet. You shouldeat foods that keep your stomach at, minimizebloating, and keep the metabolic rate elevated,which forces your body to burn more calorieswhile metabolizing them.


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Protein-rich foods are ideal for getting shreddedfaster since they have the greatest thermic effect(20 to 35 percent). This means protein requiresthe highest amount of energy to digest, absorb,and convert into fuel for the body.

Your focus should be primarily animal-based

protein such as:

Lean Beef

Fish

Turkey

Chicken

Lean Pork

Eggs

The thermic effect for carbs and fats is between5 percent and 15 percent; aim to eat moreprotein. However, try to get a balanced amountof quality carbs and healthy fats but be carefulnot to over-consume. Eat lots of protein andveggies and ll in the gaps with quality carbs

and healthy fats. (See approved list of foods.)Remember, always strive to eat whole foodsfrom as close to nature as possible. Thisincludes lean meat, veggies, nuts, seeds, somefruit, little starch, and no sugar. The emphasison whole foods is because of their nutrientdensity (nutrient rich) without caloric density(low calories).


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Because its so important, I have to include afew things to assist you on your journey. I canassure you that, by applying these ve simplesteps in addition to the workouts, you will losebody fat, build lean muscle, and see major bodycomposition changes within weeks.

Also, the foods and beverages listed in theaccompanying Six-Pack Finishers Macro List &Grocery Guide will have the highest amount of

micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) withoutcontaining the empty calories in processedfoods. Try your best to select foods only from it.

Eat Lots of ProteinEvery meal should contain some protein,specically, in the form of animal-based protein(beef, sh, chicken, pork, or eggs). There areseveral very solid reasons for the emphasis onprotein and this applies to everyone, not just

athletes.

Thermic effect of food

(TEF)Protein is a very costly macronutrient for thebody to metabolize. Your body actually burnscalories in order to digest protein. Therefore,from a fat-loss perspective, it makes sense to

include protein with every meal.

Repairing skeletalmuscle and tissueThe volume and intensity of training createconsistent damage to the bodys muscles and

tendons. Protein plays a major role in repairingthe damage.

Addition of lean bodymass (LBM)Resistance training tears down the bodysmuscles. Therefore, its important that youprovide your body with the nutrition and food

to rebuild itself. Contrary to popular belief, ahigh-protein diet will NOT create big, bulkymuscles in women. Females simply do not havethe testosterone and hormones responsiblefor bulking up like males. Instead, high-proteindiets help women to achieve a slender, long,and lean body.

Satiety

Satiety is essentially how satised your brainbecomes after eating food, in this case, protein.Your hormones completely drive your eating.Fat, carbs, and protein all affect hormonalsecretion differently. When it comes to satiety,protein is king. A little protein goes a longway. Furthermore, its physically impossible toovereat protein.

Fat storage/fat

releaseWithout getting too complicated, its importantfor you to understand a couple of hormones:insulin and glucagon. Together, these twohormones regulate blood sugar. Animal-based sources of protein are very dense withamino acids and create a greater secretion of

MORE ABOUT FOOD AND NUTRITION



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glucagon, the fat-release hormone. Insulinis the master fat-storage hormone. Whenit comes to losing fat, its fat-release youreafter. Thats why its best to eat animal-basedprotein, which happens to be the best sourceof complete protein.

Displacement ofCarbohydrate RatioTypically, if your protein is high, your carbintake will be low. And when animal-basedprotein dominates this ratio, fats naturally fallinto place, and carbs are easily portioned andadjusted based on exercise needs. While beans,nuts, and dairy contain protein, the quantityand quality are substandard at best. Authoritiesgenerally recommend that you aim for a dailyconsumption of protein that equals 1 gram ofprotein per pound of body weight.

Quick Tips Prepare more protein for dinner so you can

use leftovers as snacks.

Beef jerkyA great snack while on themove.

Protein powder is a great way to supplement.Just make sure youre using a quality brand.The fewer ingredients the better. Look forsomething with relatively low carbs.

Breakfast MUST contain protein. At least 30grams of protein from whole food sources.

Use your accompanying Six-Pack FinishersMacro List & Grocery Guide to choose high-quality protein foods.

Make sure every meal contains a dense andcomplete protein source. Maintain an overalldaily protein intake of a minimum of 1 gramper pound of body weight. Aim for 30 grams ofwhole food protein in your rst meal of the day.

Note: This is a rule of thumb for most individuals.

If youre 50 pounds or more overweight, thenyou need to use your lean body mass instead ofyour total body weight to calculate total dailyprotein.

Stay Hydrated

While many consider this an easy area to cover,more often than not most people overlook it.Even if it seems as though youre maintainingsolid hydration, keep track of it to ensure youreally are. I often think Im drinking more thanI actually am, and keeping track really helps tomake sure you stay hydrated.

Hydration formulaThe recommended formula to use for optimal

hydration is: body weight (BW) in ounces per day (1 ounce=29.5mL). This is to ensure you replace uidlost throughout the day due to normal sweatand increased metabolism.

When the body is chronically dehydrated,it holds onto water for survival. The body isvery efcient at retaining water. The solutionis to constantly and efciently hydrate so thebody sheds excess water, which results in anappearance of better muscle tone and a leanerphysique. Additionally, proper hydration clearsthe metabolic waste from your training volumeand helps with recovery.

Important Note:Drinks like iced tea and dietsodas DO NOT count toward your hydrationstatus. You will nd an excellent choice ofbeverages in the accompanying Six-PackFinishers Macro List and Grocery Guide. Reviewthe guide and try to select beverages from it.

Hydration timingWhile increasing and maintaining yourhydration, its also important to consider timing.Large amounts of water during meals can leadto inefcient digestion by diluting gastric acidsand enzymes. Try NOT to drink anything during


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or at least 30 minutes after eating to optimizedigestion.

Relax, chew your food, and let your saliva breakdown the food. Enjoy the process. Certainly,there are times when we need liquid to clearour throats; therefore, this is a do-your-bestproposition. Eating all the salmon and spinachin the world will do you little good when yourbody poorly digests and absorbs food becauseyou consumed too much liquid.

Conversely, drinking 8 ounces of water 20 to30 minutes prior to your meal can increasesaliva content and therefore, increase digestionquality.

Coffee

Its OK to have coffee in your diet. Despitebeing demonized as a diuretic, its not. Coffeeis a known ergogenic (training aid) that containsa fair amount of antioxidants and caffeine.Caffeine is actually the most underused, naturalfat-burner on the market. Too many peopletake pills containing many harmful chemicals,when all they need is a shot of espresso or asmall cup of coffee (black). The main downfallof coffee consumption is all the stuff peopleadd to it (sugar, creamer, etc.). However, coffee

does cause gastric motility, which can beunpleasant for someone with a predispositionto GI disturbances.

TeasThere are many teas to choose from, suchas green, white, and rooibos. Green tea isanother natural fat burner. Its thermogenic (fatburning), due to compounds called catechins.Catechins are active in both green and whiteteas. It also contains theanine, a precursor to

a calming neurotransmitter. Rooibos tea isactually an African bush that comes in greenand red. It contains no caffeine but is very highin antioxidants. Black teas and herbal teas arene, too.

AlcoholAlcohol consumption affects your hydration,and it can hinder your fat-loss efforts. So, if youchoose to drink while on this program, then

dont consume more than one to two drinks perweek. The many red wine studies do not showmany benets for general health. In fact, alcoholworks against you and negatively affects

hydration status

fatty acid synthesis

testosterone production

REM and second-stage sleep

All four are essential for general health, fatloss, and better body composition. Weresocial creatures, and drinking does occur.Nonetheless, beware of alcohols damagingeffects and do your best to keep it at bay.


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Look at it this way: you use whatever youconsume or drink for either FUEL or REPAIR.Alcohol is dirty fuel that negatively affectshormonal response.

MilkMilk is only essential for three types of people:

people trying to gain weight

people who want cancer

babies and small children

That statement usually gets some attentionand even upsets some people. Regardless, itsvalid. With a few exceptions, no one other thanbabies or small children should drink milk.

Milk is highly anabolic and insulinogenic (causesa large insulin release), hence its carcinogenicproperties. The protein found in milk isntterrible (although casein protein often causesinammatory issues); however, the lactose canbe problematic for some people, even if theyarent lactose intolerant.

Furthermore, the calcium for bones is highlyoverrated when you consider North Americansconsume some of the highest levels of calciumin the world, yet have the highest rates of

osteoporosis (bone fragility and loss). David S.Ludwig, MD, PhD published an article on milkbased on a Harvard study. In the September2013 edition of JAMA [Journal of the AmericanMedical Association] Pediatrics, Dr. Ludwigpoints out there are many other calcium sourcesthan milk, and that countries that dont consumemilk actually have a lower rate of bone fractures.

Additionally, the quality of grocery store milkis quite low, due in large part to high-heat

pasteurization, homogenization, and the qualityof the cows it comes from. Forms of full-fatyogurt and heavy cream DO NOT fall into thiscategory.

Consume half your body weight in ounces perday, spread out over the course of the day. Begin

with 8 ounces of water rst thing in the morningprior to eating. Limit consumption during mealsand 30 minutes after eating. Limit alcohol.

Eat High-quality

FoodsWhat do I mean by food quality? I mean wholefoods from as close to nature as possible. Theemphasis here needs to be meat, veggies, nutsand seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar.

The emphasis on whole foods is because oftheir nutrient density (nutrient rich) withoutcaloric density (high calories).

The foods listed in the accompanying Six-PackFinishers Macro List & Grocery Guide will havethe highest amount of micronutrients (vitaminsand minerals) without containing the emptycalories present in processed foods. Try yourbest to select foods only from there.

Think pickle instead of Twinkie. Blueberriesinstead of Blizzard. Steak instead of Subway.Remember, the main goal of food quality isnutrient density without caloric density. Keep inmind, the more you can prepare your meals athome the better.

Make food prep a high priorityOne of the major downfalls in peoples dietsis due to lack of food preparation. However,its so easy to stop and grab something quickwhen youre on the go and dont have anythinghandy. To avoid this, use Sunday night as foodprep night.

Grab a large package of chicken breasts from

your favorite grocery store. Toss them on aGeorge Foreman grill with a bit of lemon andblack pepperand youll have delicious, qualityprotein for the entire week. Then all youll haveto do is grab-and-go. The same approach workswith veggies. Simply chop up some carrots,celery, red pepper, or cucumbers. Toss them


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into some zip-lock bags. Next time you gethungry, youll have some nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods handy. Boom! Its that easy.

OrganicsAn easy way to break this up is to think fruits andveggies, and follow the rule of The Dirty Dozen& Clean 15. The list is in your accompanyingSix-Pack Finishers Macro List & Grocery Guide.

If remembering the list seems a bit much, thenan even easier way to remember it is to:

Buy thin-skinned items (apples, berries, leafygreens, etc.) organic.

Buy thick-skinned items (bananas, avocados,sweet potatoes) conventional.

So, are organics really worth it? Do they containmore vitamins and minerals than conventionalproducts?

YES, they are worth it. NO, they dont offer a lotmore vitamins and minerals than conventionalproduce.

Organic fruits and vegetablesThe value of eating organics lies in whats NOTin the produce. Organics are free of pesticides

and herbicides, which even in small doses arenotorious endocrine disrupters. Furthermore,continuous chronic exposure to pesticidesand herbicides, even at low levels, can impair

hormonal secretion. Remember, optimalhormones equal optimal health and bodycomposition.

Organic meatsAnother quality organic item with a much betterfood prole than its counterpart is organic,grass-fed beef rather than conventional beef.This can be pricey; however, the fatty acid proleis much different, containing much better ratiosof omega-3/omega-6 fatty acids and high levelsof conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vaccenicacid (naturally occurring and healthy transfats)that benet your health and lower body fat.

With the emphasis on animal protein in yourdiet, the cost-benet ratio will be high. Irecommend buying meat through local farmsor small local grocery chains. A good nationalchain is Whole Foods.

Macro ratiosCombining macros (protein, fats, and carbs)ensures proper macro nutrient balance, whichtends to bring down a meals overall GI (glycemicindex). As a result, this lowers the bodys insulin(fat-storage) response.

Reminder: Theres an excellent list of high-quality macros (protein, fats, and carbs) fromwhich to choose in your accompanying Six-PackFinishers Macro List & Grocery Guide.


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Quick Tips Beef is a better choice than chicken.Why?

It has a better amino acid prole and highbiological protein value. Plus, the fats frombeef are much better than chicken.

Bacon and pork are solid choices,especially

when you get sick of beef. Again, I shop forthese foods at local farms and small grocerychains. Whole Foods is a national chain thatis solid, too.

Breads/grains. Simply put, these are verydense, nutrient-depleted carb sourcescoupled with inammatory prolamines likegluten and gliadin. This is a huge topic.These foods have only been in our diet fora short time considering how long weveexisted. We have NOT adapted to thesefoods. Our bodies NEVER fully digest thegluten peptides found in grains. The moralof the story: We need to seriously limit these.Just remember: empty carbs.

Pasta falls under grains. Think of it aswheat sugar. This is SO processed, andthe GI index is sky high with lots of addedinammatory gluten.

Eggs are king. And superfast.Try to buy

organic free-range eggs from someone localif you can.

Cake/candy/sugar: Eliminate all renedsugars and really limit even the naturalsugars. At the end of the day, sugar is stillsugar.

Chocolatecan be an effective way to dealwith late-night sugar cravings, or even sugarcravings in general. Its leaps and boundsbetter than sugar. The brand I choose is

www.lindtusa.com.

They have dark chocolate bars ranging from50 percent up to 99 percent cocoa; the morecacao the bar has, the more antioxidants andsaturated fat itll have (which is good), plus the

lower carb content. You can nd them at severalretailers.

The cool thing about chocolate is it stimulatesthe release of dopamine, which is the rewardneurotransmitter. This will shut down yourcraving for sweetness without the high-glycemiccarb overload.

Dairy in the form of full-fat yogurt andheavy cream is ne for most people. Theissues with spiking insulin in milk come fromthe combination of lactose and amino acids.Cream and yogurt are solid sources of SFA(saturated fatty acids).

The 90/10 ruleSome people simply need the freedom and

exibility to deviate from a clean diet. In fact,doing so helps many people stay sane and buildresiliency. For those who choose to deviate froma clean diet, I prescribe the 90/10 rule:

90 percent of the time stay on track with aclean diet.

10 percent of the time deviate and indulgein cheat meals.

Planning and timing your cheat meals can

be benecial, especially if you indulge aroundyour most intense training day(s) for the week.Thats just a little secret of mine. Remember,consistency is what youre after. Minor deviationswill not cause things to come crashing down, aslong as you stay smart about eating clean.

Emphasize whole foods from as close tonature as possible. Every meal should containsome proteins, fats, and carbohydrates (PFCs).Continue to shift toward local organic produce,

and organic, free-range, grass-fed beef.

Eat ConsistentlyConsistent meals and snacks are important. Thekey here is consistency. What works for some


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typically doesnt work for others. In a busy andfast-paced world, we have to do the best wecan; for some that means three square meals,for others ve to six smaller meals. Find whatworks for your lifestyle. Be consistent and makesure to get all your macros in.

Use your accompanying Six-Pack FinishersMacro List & Grocery Guide to quickly choosefoods and snacks. Also, you can use youraccompanying Six-Pack Finishers AthletesFood & Training Journal to track the frequencyand consistency of your meals.

Analyze your schedule to determine the bestmeals/snacks regimen. Be consistent. Thenumber isnt as important as making sure to getin your macros and the consistency piece.

Eat Around FoodIntolerancesIts important that you become aware of howfood affects your body and makes you feel. Ilike to use a simple tracking system (smileyface/frowning face). Think about how you feelbefore, during, and after you consume yourmeals. Leave a face next to the item, in youraccompanying Six-Pack Finishers Athletes Food& Training Journal, based on how you feel.

Why?Certain foods might cause you to experiencelow-grade, chronic inammation thats not onlyharmful to your health but also robs your bodyof important nutritional resources.

For example, if your body is using nutritional

resources (calories, proteins, fat, carbs, etc.)to x and repair damaged tissue from afood intolerance or sensitivity, then its notrecovering from any training or exercise as wellas it could. And, very possibly your body mightnot build lean body mass or burn fat.

Track and log physical (gastro/energy levels)and emotional (alertness/mood changes) statesin relation to food intake. Feel free to use theSix-Pack Finishers Athletes Food & TrainingJournal that came with your Six-Pack Finishersprogram. Or, if you already have a favorite wayto track, stick with that.

Throw out your excuses. Start by implementingthe ve basic nutrition principles (protein,hydration, food quality, frequency, and foodintolerance) from this nutrition prescriptionguide as well as the Six-Pack Finishers Workouttraining manual.


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Its important to train all four quadrants of yourabdominals effectively and efciently so thatafter you reduce your body fat to a low enoughpercentage, your six-pack actually shows. Youhave to train your abs properly so theyre dialedin from all the different angles.

If youre like me, there was probably a point inyour life when you were doing crunches andthought that was all you needed to do. But

crunches dont work your entire abdominal area.And if youve ever seen a dialed-in or super-chiseled six-pack, then I can guarantee you thatperson isnt just doing crunches. Instead, he orshe is training all four quadrants:

Upper

Lower

Obliques

Rotationals

The abdominal muscles consist of four differentareas that work together to support themidsection of the body, commonly referred toas the core. The core contains upper and lowersections, the obliques, and the rotationals.

UpperThe upper section of the abdominals or corehas various functions. The upper core consistsof the top section of the rectus abdominis,which is the outermost portion of the abdominalmuscles.

The upper section of the rectus abdominismuscle primarily exes the upper midsectionof the thorax, or the thoracic spine. When therectus abdominis muscle contracts (shortens),the top portion of the muscle pulls on the

ABDOMINALS: HOW TO EFFECTIVELYTRAIN ALL FOUR QUADRANTS



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ribcage and spine to cause a exion movementin the thoracic spine.

While performing a standard sit-up, the upperportion of the rectus abdominis pulls with greatforce to cause the sit-up movement. Whenan individual has a strong core, the body can

perform this type of movement more easily.Its very important to keep the upper portion ofthe rectus abdominis strong in order to easilyperform activities associated with daily living.This portion of the abdominals helps supportthe back, helps keep the organs lying underthe muscles safe, and most important, helpssupport posterior chain.

LowerThe lower rectus abdominis muscle is the lowerquadrant of the abdominal muscles. Consistingprimarily of the rectus abdominis, this muscleserves similar duties as the upper rectusabdominis.

The lower section of the abdominal musclesacts to lift the thighs toward the body. Thismovement is most analogous to high kneeexercises. When you lift the knees in the air,the hip exor muscles are primarily in chargeof lifting them, but the lower rectus abdominishelps the hip exors in this action. This meansthat while the primary exercise of doing kneelifts is to work the hip exors, you can reasonablyexpect to also get great benet in the lower abswhen performing this activity.

The lower abdominal muscles need to staystrong for everyday activities. When liftingthe thighs in the air, as in walking up stairs orin normal gait, you use the lower abdominals.

This means all day, every day, you use core in allbasic functions.

Because you use the lower rectus abdominisfrequently throughout the day, a strong core isimportant when trying to maintain a high levelof endurance.

ObliquesThe oblique muscles make up the outer sidesection of the abdominal muscles. The obliquesconsist of two separate muscles with two similarfunctions.

The external oblique is the area in the core(abdominals), known as the love handles.These muscles are important and responsiblefor twisting and side-bending actions. Whenthe body is upright, lets say carrying a heavygrocery bag in each hand at the side, you needto stabilize the core on each side to keep thebody erect. In order for the body to remainupright, the oblique muscles need to be strong.

Similarly, both sets of oblique muscles (there aretwo on each side of the body) assist in twistingmotions. When the body is twisting, as in a golfswing, the core gets heavy use. The twistingaction is actually something you use in everydayactivities like walking, running, jogging, carryingbags, and simply standing. These are importantmuscles for these reasons.

RotationalsThe rotational muscles are the nal portion that

makes up the abdominal area. The rotationalmuscles are the deepest muscles in theabdominal area and are responsible solely forthe rotation of the trunk.

While it may not be obvious, the body rotatesthroughout the day quite frequently. In fact,every step you take involves some rotationof the spine. The main purpose of strongrotationals is to help maintain proper balancewhile performing dynamic movements.

Why We Need to Train

Them AllThe abdominal muscles, that make up theprimary portion of your core, are the center


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point and create stability. The core is responsiblefor creating stability when walking, maintainingan upright position when standing, and formaintaining lower back strength and stability.

In addition, the abdominal muscles allow thebody to bend over, move side-to-side, and

allow the trunk to turn left and right in a swiftrotation. Without strong abdominal muscles,the human body cannot operate at full capacity.Oftentimes a troublesome back is a result of aweak core.

The moral of the story, train your entire corefrequently throughout the week. Additionallymake sure a weight-training program thataddresses your specic wants, needs, and goalsis your foundation.

Reducing Body FatMaintaining and creating additional strengthand endurance begins with the core. Trainingthe abdominals can be fast and fun. You dontneed to spend a lot of time directly trainingyour abs because dont forget you use them allday every day in everything you do. The key isto be effective with your efforts.

In order to have visible abs, you need to reducethe fat surrounding your abdominals rst.

This means that other training (weight trainingand HIIT) should accompany your abdominalroutine. Research shows that body composition,especially around the waist, dramaticallydecreases with high-intensity interval training.

High-intensity interval training often includesall-out work periods followed by minimal restrepeated for 15 to 30 minutes. As you beginto reduce your body fat percentage, your bodywill take shape, and youll begin to see theeffects of your abdominal training. Youll notonly begin to look healthy, but youll also begin

to feel healthy, and that means reduced healthrisks associated with high abdominal fat.

Moreover, abdominal exercises are best toincrease the muscular endurance of yourcore. Research indicates that exercising theabdominal muscles ve days per week canhave a signicant improvement on muscularendurance and strength.

The moral of the story is dont be afraid to trainyour core more frequently.

Now we move into the fun stuff, the training. Thefollowing section includes the best exercises forincreasing the muscular endurance and strengthof your abdominals.

Best Exercises for the

Abdominal Muscles Upper Quadrant: planks, cable crunches,

incline sit-ups, FitBall sit-ups, and sit-up Vs.

Lower Quadrant: hanging leg and kneeraises, planks, lying leg lifts, leg scissors,decline leg raises, FitBall knee tucks, andsit-up Vs.


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Obliques: side planks, thoracic rotation,Russian twists, seated trunk rotation, bicyclecrunches, barbell and dumbbell side bends,and FitBall trunk rotation.

Rotationals: Russian twists, seated trunkrotations, bicycle crunches, and FitBall trunkrotations.

Heres a little more information about a few ofthe best exercises for the abs.

Hanging leg raisesIf you have aspirations of achieving solid six-pack abs, then hanging leg raises will denitelyhelp!

Quadrant Worked:Lower

PlanksNothing screams core stability like doing planks.Try building your way up to two-minute planks!

Quadrant Worked:Upper and lower quadrant

Side planks with knee pullsThis exercise is perfect, especially if youvebeen nodding off lately while doing regular

side planks.Quadrant Worked:Obliques

Cable crunchAre crunches getting too easy? Well, try cablecrunches. This exercise does a good job of fullyengaging your abdominal muscles, specicallythe upper quadrant.

Quadrant Worked:Upper quadrant

Lying down leg liftsLying down leg lifts target your lower abdominals.To make these harder, have someone forcefullypush your legs back to the bottom position.

Quadrant Worked:Lower quadrant

Leg scissorsIf you want an abs exercise that burns, put legscissors in your routine. These hit the lower absarea hard.


Russian twistsRussian twists are a very effective abs-buildingexercise. They target your obliques.

Quadrant Worked:Obliques and rotationals

Seated trunk rotationsWhile a lot of abs machines are useless, theseated trunk rotation machine isnt. It worksthe obliques overtime. You can do this without

weight if need be. (See video demonstration.)


Bicycle crunchesRiding a bike works the abs. But doing bicyclecrunches really works the abs! One of mypersonal favorites.

Quadrant Worked: Obliques and rotationals

Decline leg raisesThe late, great Bruce Lee used to do this greatabs exercise. The decline leg raises do a good

job of thoroughly working upper and lower absmuscles.

Quadrant Worked:Upper and lower quadrant

Incline sit-upsWhen regular sit-ups get easy, this exercise is

the next step. Incline sit-ups do a good job offully stimulating the upper abdominals.

Quadrant Worked:Upper quadrant


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Barbell side bendsMost gym goers dont do (or havent heard of)this exercise. If you want to build great obliques,then get acquainted with the barbell side bend.

Quadrant Worked:Obliques

FitBall sit-upsA great way to engage your upper abs is bydoing FitBall sit-ups.

Quadrant Worked:Upper abs

FitBall trunk rotationsA great way to engage your obliques is bydoing FitBall trunk rotations.


FitBall knee tucksIf you want to fully engage your lowerabdominals, try the FitBall knee tuck.


Sit-up VThis exercise is great for stimulating the upper

and lower abdominals simultaneously.Quadrant Worked: Upper and lower quadrant

What a Balanced CoreMeans and Why It's

Essential

A well-balanced core has abdominal musclesthat are equally strong and conditioned in alfour quadrants.

An imbalance of abdominal muscles can veryeasily exist depending on the individualImbalances often occur due to injury, so theindividual usually overcompensates withouteven knowing he or she is doing it. Consequentlyimbalances start to develop.

This is why its important to continue to

strengthen your core. You must train yourabdominal muscles in all four quadrants sotheyre equally strong on each side of the bodyIf the abdominals are imbalanced for any lengthof time, the lower back begins to suffer, i.e.lower-back pain and a trip to the doctor.

Remember, when youre training youabdominals, be sure to include exercises thattarget each of the four quadrants. You dontalways have to train all four quadrants in one

routine; however, its important to make surethey all get touches throughout each week.

This program covers it all, all the training you


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Indirect Abdominal

TrainingJust because it may not seem as if youretraining your abdominals, oftentimes you are.Indirect abdominal training is common, andoften individuals dont realize theyre alwaysworking the abdominals to some degree.

For example, when performing leg lifts, hangingfrom a pull-up bar, the primary muscles usedduring these L crunches are the quadriceps.What many notice the next day after performingthis exercise is that the lower abdominals aresore. This soreness is due to indirect abdominaltraining or the training for other areas is workingthe abdominals at the same time.

Another example is running. This is anendurance exercise that indirectly works theabdominal muscles. The abdominal musclesare responsible for maintaining strength andendurance in the core and midsection whilerunning. Endurance runners indirectly traintheir abdominals because the body is constantlytwisting, pulling, and attempting to maintain anupright position for an extended period.

A very common example of the body indirectlyworking the abdominal muscles is during anyweight lifting activity, especially using freeweights and barbells. During weight lifting or

strength training, the body has a challenge tomaintain a specic position.

During a biceps curl, for example, the body isstanding in an upright position and in as close toperfect posture as possible. During the bicepscurl, the main action is to ex (bend) the elbowswhile lifting the weights toward the shoulder

joints. While performing this exercise, the bodymust remain upright in order to isolate the

biceps during the lift and prevent the back fromhelping. As a result, the body indirectly worksand uses the abdominal muscles as a midline(core) stabilizer.

Following are some additional exercises that doa great job of indirectly training your abdominalmuscles. In many cases, these exercises willmake you feel as if youre simultaneouslytraining your abdominals.

Renegade rowsWhen it comes to building six-pack abs, youhave to be a rebel with a cause. In addition toyour back, renegade rows fully engage yourentire core.

Mountain climbersWhile most think of this as a cardio exercise, itsalso an effective abdominal exercise. You get

the best of both worlds; taxing the abdominalswhile simultaneously burning lots of calories(fat). I use this movement a lot in my HIIT MAXprogram.

Spiderman pushupsTime to work your abs in superhero fashion!Spiderman pushups not only stimulate yourupper and lower rectus abdominals but theexternal obliques as well.

L-SitsYou thought doing regular chin-ups was hard,this exercise smacks you in the face, or shall Isay, your abs!

One-arm dumbbell rowNot only a great arm and back builder, one-armdumbbell rows stimulate the obliques as well.

INDIRECT AND DIRECTABDOMINAL TRAINING



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Front squatNot only great for building your quads, frontsquats also work on your abdominals wall (upperand lower abs). Because of the front-loadedweight, your abs work overtime to stabilizeduring the lift.

Standing barbell shoulderpressThe standing barbell shoulder not only buildsnice round shoulders, but this exercise alsotaxes the abdominals.

Dead liftA dead lift is one of the few exercises that worksthe entire body. Its potentially the single best

movement you can do. The core works overtimeduring this lift. Try it. Youll feel it instantly.

Split lungeIn case lunges get too easy, try split lunges. Thesplit lunge is a great supplemental exercise thatuses the abs as stabilizers.

Direct Abdominal

TrainingIn contrast to indirect abdominal training, directabdominal training is something that mostunderstand and are conscious of during theirtraining.

Direct training is when the body is intentionallyworking a particular muscle or muscle group.

Over the years, many people have used thedirect abdominal exercise, and it remains apopular exercise in gyms all over the world.

Some examples include a standard crunch, sit-up, plank, bridge, side plank, bicycle crunch,or side bend. Directly training the abdominals

works to strengthen the core.Standard crunches typically directly train the abs;however, this isnt the most effective exercise.For example, performing an abdominal crunchon a stability ball is better and provides a moreintense contraction. (See video.)

Research has demonstrated that abdominalcrunches on a stability ball with resistanceactivate and directly work the upper portion ofthe rectus abdominis muscles.

Another exercise that directly works theabdominals is the plank. This is a simple, yeteffective, direct way to train the abdominals.There are several variations of planks; however,the basic plank directly trains the rectusabdominis (the six-pack) and the transverseabdominis (a deep abdominal muscle).

So, that in a nutshell, is indirect and directtraining. While we discussed it in relation toabs, it also applies to other muscle groups.

With this program, youre going to do alot of direct abdominals training becauseyou absolutely have to specically work theabdominals and the core. But, youre also goingto hit them using some indirect training, as well.


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How Often Should You

Train the Abdominals?Some people say to train your abdominals asyou train any of your other muscles. And theylltell you to make sure you rest them, too. On theother hand, some people say you could trainthem every day. So whats the truth?

Well, you can train your abdominal musclesevery day. Personally, I train my abs four to vetimes each week.

Now if youre just starting out, do I recommendtraining them every single day? No, probablynot. Its probably something to work towardand build up to, but you can certainly trainthem more often than you do. If youre startingout, every other day is perfect. You can buildfrom here.

In this program, youll receive daily nishersyou can insert directly into your current trainingschedule. You can also insert them on youractive rest days. You can also choose from someother abdominal routines. And youll learnhow to train or how to insert them into weighttraining or an effective fat-burning programsuch as my 60-Day HIIT MAX program. To learnhow to effectively structure a workout >> ClickHere


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Furthermore, if you train your abs at the endof your session, they will have already seensome indirect work and be ready for completeexhaustive nisher-style training.

So, remember, if you intend to work moremuscle groups in a single session, then the best

strategy is to postpone the abs workout untilthe end of your training routine. Try to limityour workout to around 60 minutes, allow 10to 15 minutes for your abs routine and watchthe magic happen. Stay focused, keep theintensity high, and the rest periods low (45 to60 seconds).

Let me explain. When you rst start exercising,your body burns the fuel thats readily available,or the blood glucose, more specically, andthen it starts releasing new amounts of glucoseinto the bloodstream by breaking down theglycogen stored in liver and muscles.

Weight training stimulates the release ofglycogen into the bloodstream. Therefore,youll have just enough left in the tank fortraining the abdominal muscles. Remember, 10solid minutes of abs work is better than 15 lousyminutes.

So the conclusion here is that for maximum

benets,always train your abdominals after theworkout.

What Breathing

Patterns Are Optimal

for Training and

Effectiveness?

Many people dont know about optimalbreathing. Personally, once I implemented thisfollowing breathing component, all kinds ofpositive things started to happen. I experiencedserious improvement in my obliques, lower abs,

upper abs, and my rotationals.

Lets say that when youre training, youre doingyour crunches. If youre not breathing properly,you could do countless crunches. But, if youdial in a crunch and do it properly, then youlldo fewer, yet more effective, crunches.

So, when youre training your abdominals,whats the optimal way to breathe in order toget maximum training results?

For simplicitys sake, well use a crunch toillustrate.

1. As youre crunching up (contracting), youbreathe the air out and then you squeezeonce more getting that extra bit of air out.

Youre getting that last little bit of crunch orcontraction. Breathe the air out and contractyour abs. This helps to eliminate the airfrom the lungs, and so you can squeeze themuscles more efciently and get a moreintense contraction.

2. On your way back, youll inhale as younormally do to help bring oxygen andnutrients to the muscle bers.

Thats how you should think about breathingevery time you train your abdominals. Every

rep should have the same focus and intensityas the rst. This little change in your techniquewill take even the most simple abs exercises toa whole new level.

If youre used to doing 100 crunches with ease,try using this new training technique. Im willingto bet you dont get to 100. This new methodof training your abs is going to create seriousblocks of abdominal muscle. Thats why itsvery important to understand the breathing

component.Make sure you think about this every time youtrain your abs. Now that you know, every timeyou train your abdominals, whether youre usinga workout from this program or not, make sureyou implement this same breathing technique.



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If youre like me, then taking days off (rest days)is probably tough for you. There were timeswhen I would work out for 14 straight dayswithout taking a rest day. As a result, I was over-trained and wasnt seeing the results I wantedin my body.

Thats why no matter how good your nutritionand diet are, you absolutely need to rest yourmuscles. You tear and fatigue your musclesduring training. However, the magic happensduring your recovery and rest. This is whererepair and growth occur.

Its important to understand the three parts ofproper recovery:

1. TIBS

2. Rest days

3. Sleep

Time In Between Sets(TIBS)The rst recovery step is time in between setsor TIBS.

This is how much time you rest in between yoursets. You can manipulate this based on a numberof factors, such as whether youre training for:

Endurance

Fat loss

Strength

Muscle (or mass)

Proper rest between sets will allow the musclesto replace glycogen in the muscles to use forthe next set.

Research shows that at least 20 seconds of restbetween sets can increase gains in muscular

endurance. A recent study suggests at least 20seconds and no more than 60 seconds of restbetween sets at a high volume and intensity isnecessary to increase muscular endurance. Thisstudy concluded that 20 to 60 seconds of restis important for increasing the efciency, safety,and the overall effectiveness of any resistance-training program. The abdominal muscles areprimed and geared for muscular endurance,which suggests that 20 to 60 seconds betweensets is what I refer to as the sweet spot for

effectively training the abdominals. This restperiod is denitely important to help avoidovertraining the abdominals and can help thebody recover between sets.

Youll notice that in this program, you continuallymanipulate TIBS to constantly vary the routine.

Rest DaysThe second recovery factor is your actual rest days.

My philosophy here is a little bit different fromothers. In fact, some people dont really touchon this, but I believe its critical to your success.

Its still important that you constantly vary yourroutine to keep your muscles guessing in orderto keep your body growing and changing.

Well, a lot of us train and work out Mondaythrough Friday, taking Saturdays and Sundaysoff. This happens week after week. Month after

month. Your body begins to anticipate theserest days. Its not guessing anymore becauseyour body knows its going to work out Mondaythrough Friday, and its going to rest Saturdayand Sunday. Many people do this because it tsperfectly within their schedules.

But, lets face it: Saturdays and Sundays aretechnically only days off from work. However,you could rest a day during the week in

RECOVERY



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exchange for a day in the weekend easily if youjust changed your schedule a little bit.

I like to change rest days, week after week, sothey never stay the same. Sometimes I rest onthe weekend. Sometimes I rest during the week.

Maybe you can rearrange your schedule a little

bit to take advantage of this. Theres a hugeupside to varying your rest.

With that in mind, you might be wondering,How much rest do the abdominals really need?

As mentioned earlier in the training frequencysection, if youre a beginner, then you mightchoose not to train your abs every single day.However, its denitely something to work andbuild up to. That said, training your abs threeto four times a week is ne. You can alternateyour rest and training days, or you can take aconsecutive block of rest days. It really dependson your tness level and how your bodyrecovers. The best thing you can do is to listento your body.

SleepThe third recovery step is sleep. Sleep is critical.If youre not getting enough sleep, your muscles

dont have enough time to repair themselves.For some of us, stress makes it hard to sleep.Others suffer from insomnia because of havingall kinds of things on their minds. I know thisbecause I go through it. You just have try tomake sure that, if youre one of those peoplewho likes to do things at night, you know whento stop for the evening.

Also, you might benet from aligning yoursleep with the bodys natural sleep cycles.

Im not a doctor, but I discovered that sleepcycles happen every 90 minutes. You go in andout of these waves (cycles) every 90 minutes;therefore, you want to try sleep in incrementsof 90 minutes.

However, Im not saying you should sleep foronly 90 minutes. My point is that I have found

that if I get 6 hours, 7 hours, or 9 hours ofsleep, Im better than if I get 8 or 10 hours ofsleep. I swear by it. Just think about it and tryfor yourself.

I can get up on 6 hours, 7 hours, or 9 hoursof sleep and feel very refreshed. However, if Im

awake at a time not aligned with the 90-minutesleep cycle, then I nd myself groggy and notup for the days challenges.

So when youre going to bed, set your alarmto give yourself 6 hours, 7 hours, or 9 hoursof sleep, whatever your schedule allows. Thenobserve and note the difference. If youreaccustomed to getting eight hours or seven hoursor some other number, try to set yourself up tosleep in 90-minute waves whenever you can. Ivefound Id rather get a half hour less and fall in the90-minute window than get the extra sleep.

What Is the Nutrition-

al Component of

Recovery?Now that you understand the three pillars ofrecovery, TIBS, rest days, and sleep, lets quickly

discuss nutrition as it relates to recovery.In addition to those aspects of recovery, properdiet with sufcient carbohydrates, protein, andfat are essential to helping your body recovereffectively and efciently.

Muscular contractions in the body oftencause slight tearing, which causes the body toimmediately start the repairing phase. Duringthis phase, the body requires and uses storedprotein for recovery. Without adequate protein,

the muscles simply cannot recover.

Most authorities generally recommend thatyou aim for a daily consumption of proteinthat equals 1 gram of protein per pound ofbodyweight. And if youre more than 25 percentbody fat, then you should instead consume 1gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.



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SIX-PACK FINISHERS COMPLETE GUIDE

Every meal should contain some protein. Also,be sure to include some protein with your post-workout meal. The focus should be primarilyanimal-based protein such as:

Beef

Fish

Chicken

Pork

Eggs

If youre a vegan or vegetarian, rice and peaprotein are your best options.

By consuming enough protein, you ensure thatwhile recovering, youre getting all the necessarynutrition your body and muscles require.

Remember, repair, growth, and results donthappen when youre working out. They actuallyhappen during your rest and recovery phases.

Benefits of Proper

RecoverySome of the benets of proper recovery includethe following:

1. Your muscles rebuild and can withstand thenext high-intensity or high-volume workout.

2. Your muscles can adapt.

3. Your experience gains in trainingperformance.

4. Your body and muscles experience fasterrecovery and healing.

5. Your muscles develop better and greateramounts of tone.

6. You develop enhanced strength andendurance in your abdominal muscles.

7. Your body can better relax and sleep.

Overtraining

When youre overworking the body with littleor no rest days, overtraining or overreachingoccurs.

Research indicates the overtraining syndromeis a maladapted response to high levels ofexercise training without sufcient days ofrest in between. This research on overtrainingindicates that exercising too much withoutsufcient rest can lead to neurologic, endocrine,and immunologic issues.

Moreover, one obvious symptom of overtrainingis a negative change in mood. Allowingsufcient rest is an important aspect in training,which you shouldnt overlook.

When the body doesnt have sufcient recoveryor rest, the individual is at heightened risk forovertraining. Overtraining is in some instancesa clinical diagnosis, which often refers tothe body being so overworked that it cannotperform its regular duties. When an exerciser

works the body to such a high degree with norest, the bodys energy balance begins to shiftand shut down in different ways. The musclesneed rest in order to sufciently recharge,period.

Now that you have a good foundation of trainingand nutrition methods, its time to CRUSH yourabdominals. Let the workouts begin!


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Important:If you skipped right to this section (as I would have), go back and read the entire guidebefore starting Six-Pack Finishers.

How to Set Up an Effective WorkoutWhile this guide is all about abdominal training, we know that to get a six-pack, you need morethan just effective abdominal training. You need a comprehensive program that includes weighttraining and/or high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Its my feeling based on thousands of trials and tons of research that weight training is the foundationof any successful attempt to get t. We all dont have the luxury of having a gym membership and

thats why I created MFIT90, a 12-week weight-training program that includes two approaches,one for those with access to a gym and another for those who train at home.

Maybe you already have a weight-training program in place, and you bought this specically forthe abs workouts, which is perfectly OK. You can just as easily plug your weight-training programin with Six-Pack Finishers.

Mon:

1. Weights 45-60 min.

2. Six-Pack Finishers 15 min.

3. Cool Down 5 min.

Tues:

1. Zone 1 Work (Active Rest) orHIIT MAX

2. Six-Pack Finishers 15 min.

Wed:


2. HIIT MAX or Six-Pack Finishers 15 min.

3. Cool Down 5 min.

TRAINING


Thurs:

1. Rest

Fri:

1. HIIT MAX 25 min.

Sat:


2. Six-Pack Finishers 15 min.3. Cool Down 5 min.

Sun:

1. Zone 1 Work (Active Rest)

2. Six-Pack Finishers

Important: This is just asample weeks routine

You can manipulate and/or shuf-e the days towork for your schedule aswell as your capacity. I justwanted you to see howyou can use the variousforms of training to roundout your schedule.

This type of schedule wildo two things: keep youfrom getting bored and

produce incredible resultsvery quickly, providingyou properly plan youdiet. That is, I mean yourechoosing foods from theapproved lists includedwith any one of myprograms.

Sample Workout Schedule


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Six-Pack Finishers is a versatile abdominaltraining program that can be used in con-

junction with your current training, or bythemselves.

Here's how:There are two sets of nishers, metabolicnishers and strength nishers.

A. Metabolic Finishers are calorie torching, fatblasting, high intensity core focused routinesthat will test your aerobic capacity like noother abdominal training on the market.

B. Strength Finishers are your foundation,create raw core strength, and build rockhard abdominals.

Together these two sets of nishers tightenand tone your core while stripping layers of

fat off your midsection. Combine strength andmetabolic nishers for the perfect shreddingcombination.

Use Six-Pack Finishers With Your

Current Training

You can use either of the nishers to do justthat, nish off your workout. Just choose 1 fromeither set and add it preferably to the back endof your strength training. Its recommended thatyou switch back and forth between the Strengthand Metabolic Finishers.

Use Six-Pack Finishers By

Themselves

The combinations are endless. Use Six-PackFinishers on Zone 1 (active rest) days. Use themetabolic nishers in place of your cardio, andnally choose two Six-Pack Finisher workoutsand crush your cardio and your core in 20minutes or less.

There us no other abdominal training programthat torches more calo-ries and burns more fat period!

Now get going, as in now. Stop thinking andjust start. Trust me; theres so much power injust waking up and doing, before your mind hasthe opportunity to play games on you.

HOW TO USE SIX-PACK FINISHERS


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A ABDOMINALS SETS REPS REST

1 Phase 1

a SitUp V

3

15

1mb Mountain Climber 30

c Trunk Rotations 30

Optional Plyo, Jumping, or Squat Jacks 30

*Try & Only Rest At The End Of The Set?Round

2 SETS REPS REST

a BiCycle

3

30

1mb Lying Leg Raise 1m

c Plank 30



3 SETS REPS REST

a Sprinter Cunches

3

20

1mb PushUp Crunch 20

c Heel Touches 30



4 SETS REPS REST

a Rolling Plank

3

20

1mb Half-Seated Leg Circles 20

c Russian Twists 30



METABOLIC FINISHERS


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5 Phase 1

a Side Plank R/L

3

30s/side

1mb Hanging Knee Raises 30

c Plank Jacks 30



6 SETS REPS REST

a Wide-Leg Cross SitUps

3

10/side

1mb Leg Scissors 30

c Mountain Climber 30



7 SETS REPS REST

a AB Drag

3

10/side

1mb Sprinter Cunches 20

c Plank 1m



8 SETS REPS REST

a mFIT Climber

3

15

1mb SitUp V 10

c Plank Jacks 20




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9 Phase 1

a Plank Up

3

Fail

1mb Heel Touches 15/side

c Plank Up Fail



10 SETS REPS REST

a Mountain Climber

3

50

1mb Sprinter Cunches 10

c Rolling Plank 0m


*Try & Only Rest At The End Of The Set?Roun

Documents

Six Pack Guide