The Abs Diet. The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life

This is the most entertaining, informative and doable diet and exercise plan Ive ever read. AMAZING. Finally, a book thats based on solid science, not gimmicks. Forget Atkins, the Zone, Weight Watchers and the rest. This is the only book youll need if youre want to look and feel great. Im only a few days into the plan and already Im noticing a huge difference..
All of the recipes, exercise descriptions and health lessons (the books tells you how to fight diabetes, high-blood pressure, cancer and more) give you everything you need to stay in your best shape for life.

First off, this book is great for anyone whos sick of such garbage as the Atkins or South Beach Diets. Although it is more of a mans diet due to its rigorous exercise program, it is universal for the most part. The diet itself is somewhat unrealistic seeing as most Americans cannot eat Zinczenkos almonds and bizarre snacks every couple of hours and eat the prescribed foods when eating out or on the go. For example, fast food is terrible, but it is nonetheless an unfortunate reality for many time-pressed Americans - even those with 6 pack abs.

The book earns its keep and 4 star rating largely upon its helpful photos, explanations of training regimens, and lastly for its actual diet information. Recommended only if this is to be a lifestyle choice for those serious about fitness, not merely a fad diet that you will abandon after merely losing 5 or 10 lbs.

Do you want rock-hard abs This book will help you to devise
strategies to attain them. Strong abs add support to the back. Musculature in the abdominal area acts as a shock absorber for musculoskeletal stresses inherent in a variety of multi-directional body motions. The authors recommend that you take a good multi-vitamin with
chromium, B6 and B12. Tea-drinking provides all-important
anti-oxidants to combat diseases of all kinds. Peanut butter
is known to have a benefit in promoting testosterone. Omega-3
fish oil is found in tuna and a variety of fish products.
Almonds, beans, frsh turkey, fat-free dairy, eggs and olive oil are an important mainstay for the abs diet. Bananas are a rich
source of potassium (K). This book will help you to focus on
an overall strategy for developing and maintaining abs. A beauty of this work is that it covers the many dimensions inherent in transforming flab into a permanent musculature. The work is an
excellent value for the charged.

Strong Points of the Book (+).
1- Quick healthy recipes (I especially loved the smoothies).
2- Explanations of scientific terms (cholestrol, Blood Pressures HDL andamp. why an increase in muscles leads to a decrease in weight).
3- Success Stories of people who followed the diet.
4- Workout schedule (easy andamp. time saving) includes 52 abs workouts targeting all ab muscles + other lower andamp. upper body workouts.
5- Iconic overview of the 12 Power Food Groups and their benefits.


Weak Points of the Book (-).
1- Overemphasizing the benefits of the abs diet (let the diet speak for itself).
2- Negatively criticising other diets (Including The Zone, Atkins, South Beach). These diets have worked for many over the long term. No need to put those down to play up the good features of the Abs Diet.
3- Repetition of the benefits of the 12 Power foods listed in the book. A chapter in the book gives a summary of the Power Foods andamp. another gives a full explanation of the benefits of those food groups, which could have been put together in one chapter. Redundancy is not recommended.

Overall verdict.
A wonderful book with scientific evidence to support the information andamp. facts listed in the book, plus the credibility of the authors experience who happens to run Mens Health and work in it for the past 10 years.

I watched Good Morning America yesterday and saw the results of the ABS Diet. I rushed over to Borders in my area and read about half of the book.

First of all, this whole ABS Diet is nothing more than a marketing ploy. This is a weight loss book, simple.

The diet includes way too many calories. This author has you eating around the clock. If you are like me, and you are already eating too much, this book will only help you to gain weight, not lose. And the exercises look complicated. This author is with Mens Health and this looks like a manb book to me.

Since I was at the store, I took a look at Jim Karas book, Flip The Switch. He was on the segment yesterday for the ABS Diet.I saw his book listed on the ABC.com site. Karas is the guy who helped Diane Sawyer lose all of her weight. I decided to buy that book instead because it all made much more sense to me.Simple eating plans plus an easy to follow exercise program.

If you are ready to buy a weight loss book, buy Flip The Switch and pass on the ABS Diet.

Okay folks, heres the skinny (pun intended). I was one of the guys profiled in the book. It really did work wonders.

I dropped quite a bit of weight and felt great-- for the first time in years. I dropped about 3 pounds a week, with a little plateau in the middle. The cool thing was, when I started, I had an arm and knee injury that kept me from working out, but I still dropped the weight (it really seemed like it melted off at times). Then when you kick in the workouts they talk about, everything gets even better.

The food is great (well, its what you eat now anyway). Its really more about a paradigm shift in your habits. Eating more, not less, is what this thing is about. Now, can you plop down in front of the tv and stuff your face with a bag of chips Heck no. If you want a diet that lets you do that, go find that alternate universe where that sort of food doesnt cause a heart attack, kick back, stuff your face.

Look, Ive done Atkins and Ive done everything else. I felt like s*** on every one of those diets, even if I did drop a pound or two. This one was different. I actually *felt* better. I didnt feel greasy inside, like with Atkins. Just mentally and physically, this one is the best for me.

Having tried a ton of other programs/systems, I can honestly say this one is good. Is it for advanced guys Maybe not, heck, you guys dont need a book on how to get in shape anyway. Go do your 10,000 crunches and work (and admire) your pecs. But for the rest of us fat hacks, this book is very helpful. Loads of new ways of looking at what food is good for MEN (some new ideas in here that go against a lot of what weve been taught). Also, written in a very casual, fun format.

Ive fallen off the wagon a couple of times, but gotten back on and picked up right where I left off. Im not perfect and I know its not gonna happen overnight. Ive been eating horribly for 25 years. Thats quite a habit to break. But guys, its not about guilt, its about being around to see your kids grow up. This book makes it easy to get back on and get your life back, even if you falter a few times. The way I was going before doing this program, that was in real jeapardy. Get the book and good luck.

By the way, Im staying anonymous on this, just dont want to deal with a bunch of emails.

Amazing. Watched with growing interest recently as Good Morning America put a couple of viewers on The Abs Diet for six weeks and unveiled the results. The woman, a mother of four no less,lost 19 pounds. The before and after photos were more than enough to convince me to get off my butt and take control of my own spare tire. As if only to drive the point home, one of the other test cases, a male photographer, dropped 21 pounds and announced that he plans to run the NYC marathon. After an enthusiastic week on the plan I am happy to say that I already look and feel better and am amazed at how fun it can be to eat six-times a day. I cant wait to get going on the exercise portion of the plan and see how it adds to the few pounds I have already watched burn away.

It says coffee is not permitted. I love coffee. I love the smell, the ritual of grinding and brewing...I love everthing about it. About 3 months ago, I found that right after drinking it I would feel sick to my stomach. So, I gradually cut that out and started dring soyfee soy coffee (...). I would put just a smidge of half and half it it. It was a wonderful caffeine-free substitute for coffee. I would only have maybe one cup in the morning. I felt it was more of a gentle way to wake up. I have not had any caffeine since. I never thought I would ever give up coffee much less caffeine but here I am ... FREE.

The most noticable difference I feel is sleeping better. I am surprised since at the time I gave up caffeine I was only drinking one cup of tea per day. But I am definately sleeping better. Perhaps it is a combination of being de-toxed from all the crap I was eating. All I can say, is that it is definately worth it.

This book is easy and the diet managable - I can only hope for half of the results I witnessed on GMA. Who knows - maybe Ill run a marathon (although not the NYC) myself.

Ninety percent of this book is about adopting and maintaining a diet and exercise plan that will reduce body fat percentage, increase LBM, and lead to a more healthy body. The information in the Abs Diet can be beneficial to beginners to nutrition, weight training, and cardio, but for those with the basics down, it likely contain information already known. Here is a reiteration for the umpteenth time of the following. The Glycemic Index (GI). Avoid the starvation mode by eating small, balanced, and nutritious meals throughout the day to keep the metabolism up and running by eating approximately every 3 to 3.5 hours. Keep your body adequately hydrated. Avoid sugars, fructose and corn syrups. Really The basic theme of feed the muscle burn the fat, that has been regurgitated for years now.

The only portion of this book that focuses on defining the abdominals and obliques is the last chapter. So why the title

This book is put forth by two authors with backgrounds in health and nutrition. David Zinczenko is editor and chief of Mens Health magazine, which gives advice to the perrenially out-of-shape and uneducated, according to its own statistics on it market base readership. The title Abs Diet. The Six Week Plan to flatten your stomach, is another attempt to ride the recent health wave of out-of-shape Americans who are spending billions to obtain any information they can get their hands on regarding anything that is 1. healthy and 2. will make them look better.

For someone to shed the fat that covers their abdominals they need to very knowledgeable about their diet to a T This takes lots of time, trial and error, and consideration, while simultaneously living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a properly executed exercise regimen. All these things mentioned, can NOT be done in a mere 6 weeks. The title alone insinuates and perpetuates the myth of spot reduction when it comes to reducing body fat percentage.

Those who seek instant gratification with little effort or long-term foresight will be the buyers of this book. Check out Tom Venuto.

Im a diet fanatic and buy just about any reasonably presented book on this subject. This is a sensible diet that makes sense and works for most people who are not metaboically resistant. Eating six small meals a day rather than 3 large ones is a good idea, and tends to match the Zone diet in this area. Balancing carbs with protein is also a good idea and matches several other diets out there. The author advises you to eat oatmeal in the morning for breakfast, but you need to be aware of something. first, make sure you buy the old fashioned kind that takes about 5 minutes to cook. Do not eat that instant stuff. Second, if you eat a massive dose of carbs, as oatmeal contains, for breakfast, you can count on being ravenously hungry witin about 2 hours as your body compensates for the spike in your sugar levels from the carbs.

Fianlly, this book is really not about developing great abs. Its just a catchy title. If you lose weight, your abs will naturaly look better. Buy this book if like me, you benefit from the constant encouragement found in reading new diet book--but overall, stick to a basic plan of sensible calorie consumption, avoiding stupid carbs found in sodas and candy, and get some exercise.

I saw this book promoted on the Today show, and decided to get it. The book is easy to read and understand, providing some important information about how the body metabolizes the fats and sugars we eat, and the things we really need to read in nutritional labels to follow the plans guidelines. There are some helpful photos in the book of some ab exercises you can do at home or in the gym that did not seem too hard to follow. There were also testimonials in the book .... The largest downfall of the book is that it is written for men. The testimonials were from men who followed the diet and exercised a lot. Since men who diet lose more than women - especially in the belly areas, I am skeptical how this diet would work for women. The recipes are simple and the 7 day suggested meal plan was helpful to get a better picture of the plan, but again, the food intake (as far as calories) seemed to be geared toward men and not women. So, if you follow the meal plan and are a woman, youll have to guess on the food portion in order to have some benefit. I am going to try this diet, but unlike the people who are int he testimonials, I wont be exercising every day. So, I am not sure how this will work. The basic principles of the book are great though - eating six smaller meals and eating the power food groups. So, maybe that will be enough to go by. But, you can also get this basic information on the diet on the mens health website and save some of the money on the book until in goes on sale

I am in the medical field and work ina critical care setting. I do not agree with some of the other reviewers because this book, in my opinion, was a good look at how balanced nutrition is able ot be achieved. The first 75 pages are more of a motivation reason of why you should be eating correctly. It is not another low carb diet. I dont even think its a diet, its more a way of looking at food the way we should - without the partially hydrgenated oil and the high fructose corn syrup. You may have confused this with low carb. Vegetables are typically low in carbs and calories as it is, and fruits are a natural carbohydrate that allows you to feel satisfied longer. I use this book for motivation to get back into the habit of eating more balanced. The smoothies recommended actually taste pretty good and are easy to make. Not only that, but you do feel satisfied afterwards.

While I would not advise only following it in 6 weeks, I think its a sound plan. I think the claims it makes are a little over the top, but this book should be more about eating to maintain and improve your health, not just to lose weight. I particularly liked the sections describing some of the major contributors to a decline in health in the average AMerican and what natural foods can protect against them...they are decent descrioptions that are related to the everyday person.

As someone who is very much into health and reads up on alot of nutritional research and physical diseases and ailments, I recommend the book and the foods it describes. Just dont expect the loss in 6 weeks.

Undoubtedly, the author has the personal discipline to stick to an almost-vegetarian diet and exercise moderately. Yet, he struggles with the basics of the science of health and distorts most of its principles when he tries to explain how diet and exercise work.

The author does not specify his references other than citing vague names without dates or context, yet he criticizes other diets, such as the South Beach diet and Atkins diet. The advocates of those diets are well educated professionals with deep understanding of the physiology of nutrition and exercise that the current author lacks.

Even if you do not mind spending the USD24.95 in such a laymans reading, you would gain a lot of misinformation by reading this book, which I attribute to the authors inaptitude, as follows.

(1) The author advocates a diet (that consists of nuts, beans, green vegetables, diary, oatmeal, eggs, peanut butter, olive oil, whole grains, whey, and raspberries) and claims that eating MORE, not less would promote better health. He thus totally omits the principle of conservation of energy, which implies that eating less, and moving more is the way to maintain optimum bodyweight.

(2) The author prescribes bizarre and unproven eating habits to deal with high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer such as eating more apples, drinking more tea, and drinking alcohol.

(3) The author invents useless information such as the Glycemic Loads of Food, page 276, by multiplying the glycemic index by the available amount of carbohydrates per serving of that food. That is a flawed and useless way of judging the glycemic effect of food.

(4) The exercise programs in this book are meant to fill the remaining pages, since they do not have a characteristic strategy that stands out as unique or different from common weight training exercises. Moreover, the author erroneously believes that strength training with weight burns more calories even after the exercise is over. He explains that with the afterburn. He thus confuses tissue regeneration for caloric expenditure. He repeats that mistake when he claims that eating proteins burns more calories (25 for each 100 calories) compared to eating fat and carbohydrates that require 10 calories to burn for each 100 calories of intake. He never cites a reference for such bizarre information.

(5) The abdominal exercises in the book are modest in performance but are analyzed erroneously. The transverse abdominal muscles are claimed to be worked out in rollover motions that target the rectus abdominis and the lower abdominal muscles are claimed to be worked out in exercises that target the iliopsoas. That is apart from the general mediocre execution of many other exercises such as the side bends for the obliques and the seated press for the shoulders.

(6) The author believes that up to 25pct. of the energy of ingested food is consumed in just digesting that food, and that up to 80pct. goes into basal metabolism, and only 10pct. to 15pct. of the energy is consumed in exercise and activity. Thus, he concludes that one could burn energy by doing nothing other that following his diet and in SIX weeks could see results. That is a miscalculation.

Although the author only claims that he is the editor-in-chief of Mens Health magazine, he has tackled very complex disciplines with very poor homework.

Let me start off by saying, Im not condemning this book. I didnt buy it to educate myself on how to eat right and exercise - I already knew that from the half-dozen or so other books I have read on the subject. I was curious to see Mr. Zinczenkos take on the 12 power foods and exercise regimen. In short, my conclusion is that the rate of weight you are expected to drop following the plan to the letter is unhealthy.

By that I mean that his book specifies the 6 meals you are to eat a day and the simple exercises that go with it. Even though the book tells you time and time again not to count calories - for curiositys sake I did anyway for the first week just to see what Zinczenkos power foods and portions came to. My conclusion is that I averaged 1600 calories a day. Couple that meager amount with my exercise routine and I have a net effect of about 1000-1100 calories for my body not burned off by exercise.

Based on my 6 2 frame and basal metabolic rate, Im likely to have a calorie deficit of about 1500 calories a day. Simple math tells me I would lose a minimum of about a pound every two days. In fact I lost 4 lbs the first week. Sounds good doesnt it Well the problem is most nutritionists (and I have talked to several) will tell you not to lose more than 2 pounds per week on any plan. You risk cannibalizing your own muscle for energy and therefore set yourself up to gain it all back in the future. In other words the average man should probably take the slow and steady approach and feed themselves about 2000-2200 calories a day of healthy food.

I guess my point is, that while the science is good and Zinczenkos motivation seems rational - when you really look at what he has you eat and how much, it is a starvation plan whether he admits it or not. Breaking it up into six meals is helpful, but at the end of the day I find myself craving more food. The portions suggested in the book are not realistic for long-term maintenance.

Ive started recommending this book to almost all of my patients (Im a physician who specializes in weight loss). Heres what works and what doesnt work about the book...

What works.
Ive studied almost all of the diets (fad and ivory tower precipitants) that have been written over the past 50 years or so. One major flaw makes most of them unworkable. they take more effort or time than most people can afford. For example. if you want the most high performance diet on the planet, study all the Zone books. but, be ready to spend an hour per day planning and preparing food if you really want to do this one right (and you need fortitude and an IQ thats up there just to understand it). Anyway. . . back to The Abs Diet--when I finish trying out a diet (in my opinion you dont really know a diet until you live it a few weeks), and go back to living what works for me, this is the way I eat. This being the way Zinczenco attempts to describe in this book.

No, Ive never been overweight. but at 45-years-old, I still have the 6 pack. And the way Ive stayed lean has been by eating the way he teaches. Yea, blah, blah, blah. . .you may be saying to a man whos never been overweight. But, the people Ive helped drop 30, 60, or 100 pounds and KEEP IT OFF all did it by employing a few important elements in this book.

First, buy a blender and use it the way Zinzenco describes. With a blender, I can prepare a delicious, nutritious, breakfast and feed my three sons and me in less than three minutes (and even the third grader likes it). Many of the people I know who are very busy and in very good physical condition past the age of 35 use a blender at least once a day. If you dont do anything else with this book, read and reread the section on blender recepies. Then make the shakes and drink them first thing in the morning and about 2.5 hours after supper (to avoid the nighttime munchies).

Next, learn to spread calories over the entire day. Everyone whos obese (almost without exception) eats most of their calories in the evening (with very little food during the day). The really healthy eat small meals all day long. Zinczenko teaches an easy method for spreading calories over the entire day. One of the most powerful skills for spreading calories is the blender (because its quick and produces filling low-calorie potions). Throw me in a room with a blender and a few basic ingredients and Ill have your pickiest first grader slurping down the last drop. The obese will be better with the pancake griddle (if they eat breakfast at all, which they rarely do). Their blenders gathering dust in the back of a cabinet. This is not a will power issue. its a skill issue. Learn the blender skill and you wont need as much will power. Learn it well. It will do wonders for helping you spread your calories through the day. Zinczenko gives you blender potions and even tells you how to choose the best blender (this really is an art form as much as baking any bread).

OK, Im starting to bore myself. Bottom line, the book is medically and practically sound. Zinczenco is a real live healthy male who lives the life and knows the preventive health literature much better than most physicians I know. You wont count calories, you wont go hungry, you can eat real food, you wont spend all day in the kitchen.

Now where the book is weak.
You will probably not see the permanent weight change you want if you only follow his exercise plan. You might. But, most people seem to need more walking to enjoy lasting weight loss (by my experience and recent research). If youre already close to your normal weight and just want to trim off 15 pounds so you can see your abs, then his plan might work. If youve got more than 20 pounds to lose, tear out the exercise section of the book, throw it away and walk 20 miles a weeek (about 3 miles a day).

Next, many of my women patients feel alienated. He seems to address men as if the women are out of the room for the moment (like the joke about something lasting about as long as you did on your prom night). But, the humor adds the refreshment of hearing someone with a Y chromosome actually breathe an occasional word (at a time when were afraid to use he without balancing it with a she) as if all men dont rise and fall on the opinion of the nearest woman. More importantly, the eating plan works for both sexes but only if the women can suffer through the jokes and ignore the exercise plan and go for a walk.

Next flaw, theres a swamp of data and research to wade through in the beginning of the book (interesting if youre a physician and enjoy swamps). some of my patients just bore out around page 60 before thay make it to the part that gives results. Also, his explanation of why low-carb diets give results shows some lack of understanding (or perhaps recognition) of the power of ketosis when used therapeutically.

Solution. just start on Chapter 7--thats where you strike gold. Read through (including) Chapter 10. Youd probably be better off throwing the rest of the book away and reading those four chapters about 10 times. Please, dont throw away the whole book.

Actually, this may be the best diet book Ive ever read because I know the eating plan will give long term weight loss (because most can happily live with it) and improved health with less effort than any other plan Ive seen in print. This book is the closest Ive seen yet to the way I actually eat. Again. . .it only works long term if you walk 15 to 20 miles per week and use your blender twice a day (and Im not talking about marguiritas). If you want to supercharge your results, combine the diet with the techniques taught in the book Anytime...for as Long as You Want.

I have long sought a weightloss plan which allowed you to take a sensible approach to eating, while incorporating all of the food groups. The Abs Diet is it. I began the diet a couple of weeks ago and have begun to see results in the loss of belly-fat. As a middle age woman whose genes have suggested a predisposition to a thick middle, I have found that the diet alone has left me totally satisfied, while eating the foods that I like, in sensible nutritious amounts. I have lost my craving for sugary foods through the fruit that I eat everyday, and I have found that the small amount of pasta and bread that I eat has overcome the craving for carbs. South Beach and Atkins watch out. I expect that when I begin to work out again(I am recovering from shoulder surgery) I will experience major results, while living a healthier lifestyle. I am a vegetarian, so I must carefully monitor my protein intake. The inclusion of 3 snacks a day has allowed me to ingest a healthier level of nutrients.

While this book was written with men in mind, my only criticism is that it should have included a feminine side as well.

First off. Im in my fourth week of the plan and Ive lost over 15 pounds, more than one size down in my waist, feeling great, and not even thinking Im on a diet.

Second. If you bought this book and youre already a fit person like some of the reviewers, you need to pay better attention. This isnt an abs workout book, its a diet.

Bottom line. Intelligently presented, logical explanation of how (and why) you can change your lifestyle to make drastic and effective changes for life. Just by my undertaking this program, my better half has lost 8 pounds as well (and the extent of her participation is that we eat the same meals pretty regularly).

Id never tried a diet before this one because, frankly, they never made any sense to me. After reading about the plan on the web site, I had to read the book. Once you read it, youll believe. Its fact, not fads.

Eat everything. Concentrate on whole grains. Drink milk. Balance protein with carbohydrates. Avoid processed sugars. Do some exercise. The idea that a diet book making such proposals comes as a pleasant surprise shows just how far afield weve gone in the search for new ways to be fit. The only thing new about this diet by the editor-in-chief of Mens Health is its name, and this, one can presume, is because nowadays, a book simply called Sensible Eating wouldnt sell. The books title is indeed misleading. only the final chapter deals solely with abs. The rest is full of rational recommendations for a realistic diet plan. eat more and smaller meals. have oatmeal in the morning for a nourishing breakfast. dont starve yourself. drink plenty of water. and stay away from sodas and foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup. Whether readers will, in the end, walk away with abs of steel is not really the point. Theyll control their weight in a healthy way, without counting calories, cutting out whole food groups or supporting the beef futures market. Best of all, this book tells readers why it works. increase your bodys metabolism, gain some muscle and fat burns away. The authors make this seem like a fresh and very attainable ideal.
Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description

Great-looking abs are more than just a way to support the mirror industry. In fact, strong abs and flat stomachs are the ultimate indicator of overall health-for both men and women. Great abs will help you live longer, sleep better, prevent back pain, and significantly improve your sex life. (And, hey, they dont look half-bad in the mirror, either.) Unfortunately, you could spend years on starvation diets and extreme exercise programs that never unearth those elusive stomach muscles.

Or you could spend just six weeks with David Zinczenko, Editor-in-Chief of Mens Health magazine, on THE ABS DIET-an easy and effective program for everyone that is helping thousands of people lose weight, flatten their guts, banish post-pregnancy bellies, and become healthier than they ever thought possible.
Whats more, once on this revolutionary new diet youll look and feel better than ever without deprivation dieting, counting calories, measuring foods, worrying about confusing phases-or ever feeling hungry.
Sound impossible Let David Zinczenko prove it to you. As editor-in-chief of the worlds most important mens magazine, Zinczenko has devoted his career to helping people improve their lives through the latest and most well-researched health, nutrition, and exercise information available.
Now, in the national bestseller THE ABS DIET, Zinczenko reveals his infallible formula that works for both men and women.
andgt.andgt.The ABS DIET POWER foods. the 12 best foods (all part of an easy-to-remember acronym) that will naturally boost your metabolism so that you can strip away fat, build muscle, and look and feel great for life. (Bonus. Many of the Abs Diet Powerfoods are even-gasp-carbs.)
andgt.andgt.SIMPLICITY. This low-maintenance program is easy to follow because there are no scales, no phases, no calculus-like formulas to compute, and no recipes that take a culinary degree to make. (One of the secret weapons. Satiating smoothies.) In fact, many of the dozens and dozens of delicious meals you can make take no more than a few minutes to prepare.
INCENTIVE. The plan never leaves you hungry. Instead, it encourages you to eat (a whopping six times a day.), stokes your metabolism, and even lets you cheat now and then.
ENERGY. Designed to help you build the lean muscle that and melt away that pesky belly fat, this full-body exercise program can be done at home in only 20 minutes, 3 times a week, with nothing more than a set of dumbbells.
LONGEVITY. An easy-to-remember maintenance plan will help you maintain your flat stomach forever.
Thousands of people are on THE ABS DIET, which can help you lose up to 20 pounds in six weeks-all while gaining pounds of muscle.-because its easy to follow and even easier to stick to. THE ABS DIET also describes some of the stories of people who went on the program and had amazing successes. In those cases, these people ended up changing their waistlines-and their lives.
THE ABS DIET is the best, last and only diet and nutrition plan that you will ever need.

Read about how low-carb diets are making you fat, about how the food industry is putting secret fat bombs in your favorite foods, and about how you can fight back. Youll find out why 95 percent of all diets fail, and why THE ABS DIET is different.

So how about joining on for a six-pack Yours.



- 12 superfoods that will change your life.

- A simple maintenance plan to keep your abs from disappearing

Six weeks to superior strength and sexy symmetry every man-and woman. -lusts after. Mens Health can show you how.


From the Inside Flap

You have abs.
Yes, you.

And in just six weeks,
theyre going to show.

The lean, hard stomach everyone wants is within your grasp-and The Abs Diet will help you achieve it.
In survey after survey, men and women say a lean, muscular abdomen is the ultimate symbol of sex appeal. And in study after study, researchers found that getting a firm, flat stomach is the single most significant step you can take to stay healthy for life. Its simple. To look better, to feel better, to live better, The Abs Diet is for you.
The Abs Diet is not a gimmick. It doesnt bury you in measuring, calculating, counting, or hard-to-understand phases. It lets you enjoy the foods you crave. Its not low-carb, low-fat, or low-anything-else. Its just a smart, sensible, healthy plan that will give you the body you want in weeks. And youll never feel hungry, restricted, or deprived.
How is this possible Research at top medical schools has shown time and time again that the best way to maintain a fit physique is to eat more food, not less.
The Abs Diet will show you how to eat to keep your bodys natural fat burners stoked at all times so you burn fat and build muscle all day, every day-even when you sleep.
In these pages, youll learn about the 12 Powerfoods that should become the staples of your diet. (Hint. Steak and strawberries are both in the mix.) Youll discover the two hidden dietary killers that could be poisoning you right now. Youll find out why 95 percent of all diets fail-and why The Abs Diet is different.
(continued on back flap)
(continued from front flap)
And youll enjoy some of the simplest, most satisfying meals ever created.
The Abs Diet is the best, last, and only diet and nutrition plan you will ever need.
How do I know Well, Im the editor-in-chief of Mens Health, the worlds largest mens magazine. I eat the latest health information for breakfast, I pour over how to make your body better for lunch, and I want to tell you about it over dinner.
Ive got quite a story to tell-about how low-carb diets are making you fat, about how the food industry is putting secret fat bombs in your favorite foods, and about how you can fight back.
So how about joining me for a six-pack Yours.
-David Zinczenko





David Zinczenko, the editor-in-chief of Mens Health magazine, grew up as an overweight kid in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Since then, he has become one of Americas leading experts on health and fitness, has offered advice to men during appearances on Good Morning America and The Early Show, and has twice competed in the New York City Marathon. He lives in New York City and Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Ted Spiker, an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Florida, is a contributing editor to Mens Health. His work has also been published in Fortune. O, The Oprah Magazine. InStyle. Sports Illustrated Women. Writers Digest. Adventure Sports. and more. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.


From the Back Cover

The Abs Diet is a sensible eating and exercise plan, not a fad diet. The Abs Diet Power-
foods and the Abs Diet Workout are designed to make you fit, healthy, and lean for life. If you want to get on top of your game, this is where you start. Remember. Dont cheat yourself, treat yourself.
-The Rock, movie star

The Abs Diet is a must read for anyone who is serious about building a healthy body and changing to a healthy lifestyle. Most diets are based on gimmicks that set you up for failure. this is the first program I have seen that promotes a lifestyle change that anyone can live with.
-David R. Pearson, Ph.D., director of the strength-research laboratory
at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana

Finally, a diet thats focused on what you can eat, not what you cant. The Abs Diet isnt just about aesthetics, though. Youll look good, but youll feel great-and youll succeed at last. The Abs Diet addresses the reality of peoples everyday lives and shows them how to improve their health through smart eating and exercise.
-Heidi Skolnik, R.D., staff nutritionist for the New York Giants

Clear, crisp, refreshingly sensible, and as entertaining as it is enlightening, The Abs Diet will reward its readers handsomely. There are few diet books that I am willing to endorse. I endorse this one enthusiastically. If you have an abdomen, get this book.
-David L. Katz, M.D., director of medical studies in public health at Yale University School of Medicine and director of the Yale Prevention Research Center

Whether you want to change your body to improve your health, your looks, your athletic performance, or your sex appeal, The Abs Diet offers you a simple promise. If you follow this plan, you will transform your body so that you can accomplish each and every one of those goals. As a bonus, The Abs Diet will do something more than just enhance your life-The Abs Diet is going to save it. In addition, just look at what youll gain.
o A fitter, healthier, sexier body. (Both women and men rate a flat stomach as the most appealing muscle group.)
o Freedom from back pain and injury. (In one study, firmer abs were found to be the most important predictor of ones overall health.)
o A longer, healthier life. (The right diet can fight cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more.)
o A better sex life. (Learn the diet-and-
exercise prescription for total sexcellence.)


About the Author

David Zinczenko, the editor-in-chief of Mens Health magazine, grew up as an overweight kid in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Since then, he has become one of Americas leading experts on health and fitness, and serves as a spokesperson for all issues affecting men. He has been a guest on Good Morning America, the Today Show, CBSs The Early Show, CNN, 48 Hours, Primetime Live and VH-1, and has written Op-Ed pieces for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He has twice competed in the New York City marathon, and in 2003 was named by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Eligible Bachelors. He divides his time between Allentown, Pennsylvania and New York City.

Ted Spiker, an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Florida, is a contributing editor to Mens Health. His work has also been published in Fortune. O, The Oprah Magazine. Instyle. Sports Illustrated Women. Writers Digest, Adventure Sports. and more. He currently resides in Gainesville, Florida.