Feeding the Gut: Three Excellent Food Products for the Abs

A lot of regular gym buffs and body building experts will agree to the notion that the abs is one of, if not the most difficult muscle group to develop. It takes years of dedication and determination to get that 6-pack running, and maintaining it is no easy task at all. Another fact that most people will agree with is that one’s diet plays a crucial role in the development of ripped abs. The simple reality is that no matter what type of ab routines one may have, he wouldn’t be seeing the best results without having a sufficient supply of ab foods.

Say Cheese

That’s right – good old cheese is one of the best ab foods out there. However, don’t get too excited and start chomping down double cheeseburgers with extra cheese just yet. The cheese we’re talking about here is low-sodium cottage cheese. This is because this particular type of cheese is an excellent source for protein. As a lot of people know, protein is essential in promoting the proper maintenance of muscles. Without sufficient amounts of protein in one’s diet, it would be very difficult to develop the abdominal muscles as well.

One of the main effects of a low-calorie diet is that hunger becomes a chief nemesis. One of the best ways to resolve this is by eating foods that digest at the slowest rate. Casein protein is one of these slow-digesting nutrients and it can be found in cottage cheese.

An Apple a Day

Aside from torturous episodes of hunger, another effect of a low caloric diet is tissue breakdown. As the body goes down to around 8 percent body fat, the more often it becomes hungry. This is the body’s way of saying that it isn’t used to being this lean. Those who are determined to get washboard abs will just have to fight off these urges. As mentioned earlier, it is also possible for the body to go into a catabolic state wherein problems arise regarding the development and maintenance of tissues.

One of the best weapons one can use to combat these effects is by taking in a lot of fruits – especially apples. The carbohydrates in apples are different from those that are found in bread or rice and it has the ability to bring the body back to an anabolic state. Although the results may not be instantaneous, the nutrients found in fruits will still be able to minimize the amount of damage incurred by the tissues. Apples are also a great source of fiber (helps suppress hunger) while also contributing to the maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels.

Peanut Butter

Even more shocking than cheese is peanut butter. Although a lot of people will be too quick to cast out peanut butter as an unhealthy food product, the truth is actually quite the opposite. The fact is that peanut butter is actually one of the best foods when it comes to getting those abs ripped.

Two of the main benefits of peanut butter is that aside from being an excellent hunger suppressant, it is also packed with a lot of healthy fats. A tablespoon or two of peanut butter will be enough to keep one hunger-free for a good couple of hours and it will also contain enough healthy fat to satisfy the body’s needs. The secret is to opt for the natural variety of peanut butter which will have less added sugars. GP