 |
| Want abs? What you eat is more important than how many crunches you do daily. |
Contrary to popular belief, a six-pack is not made in the gym—it’s made in the kitchen.
Sure, you have to build some muscle if you want definition, but to reveal those coveted abs, your diet has to help blast away the fat layered on top that keeps them hidden. Here are five fat-torching steps to help melt away the fat for good, exposing that hidden six-pack.
Step 1: Keep calories low, but protein and fiber high
When it comes to getting lean—as opposed to just losing weight (and muscle in the process)—the quality of your calories matters. The amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat you eat can change how you burn calories and how hungry you are throughout the day. Cutting calories while keeping the percentage of calories from protein high has been shown in studies to help boost metabolism and maintain muscle (that, in turn helps you burn more fat), while keeping you feeling satisfied longer (1, 2). Getting just enough carbohydrates along with fiber also helps you to feel full longer leading to a reduction of calories over time (3).
IsaLean Pro is a great example of a low-calorie meal replacement (290 kcal) with the right amount of high quality protein (36 g), low-glycemic carbohydrates (21 g), and fiber (6 g) to promote fat loss and muscle maintenance, curb hunger, and provide long-lasting energy. Although IsaLean Pro shake is made mainly of undenatured whey protein, it also contains some other milk protein (casein). The ratio of these two types of protein in the shake is ideal for stimulating fat loss and also for preserving metabolically active muscle, which is essential for maintaining a high metabolism.
Whey is the best form of protein to increase fat burning potential and trigger muscle growth, but casein provides a sustained release of protein that inhibits muscle breakdown and encourages fullness. IsaLean Pro offers all the benefits of both types of protein, maximizing fat burning capacity and satiety, and inhibiting muscle breakdown during the hours between meals.
Step 2: Go for extra undenatured whey protein after workouts and at night
An extra dose of undenatured whey protein after a workout can help stimulate repair and growth of muscle damaged during intense training for maximizing muscle reserves and metabolism. In addition, whey consumed before bed helps to stimulate overnight fat burning and muscle building, and also to take advantage of the benefits of whey in improving sleep quality (4).
Unlike the IsaLean Pro shake, which is a complete meal replacement, IsaPro is made entirely of pure undenatured whey protein concentrate without any other accompanying nutrients. IsaPro can be added anywhere in the diet to boost daily protein intake and provide its fat burning and muscle building powers.
The various benefits of IsaPro in supporting weight loss have prompted its use as the main component of a unique fat-burning cocktail known as “the Bedtime Belly Buster.” Isagenix users have created several variations of this concoction, combining IsaPro with other Isagenix products such as Fiber Pro, IsaCalcium, Want More Energy?, or IsaFruits. In addition to improving sleep quality, the Belly Buster may also support weight loss goals by replacing high calorie late-night snacks that would otherwise sabotage efforts.
Step 3: Cut extra fat calories with calcium
Studies have shown that calcium can play a direct role in body fat reduction because of its ability to increase fat burning, reduce fat absorption, and promote an increase in metabolic rate (7). Taking a dose of calcium for at least seven days has been shown to increase fat burning capacity by 11 percent. Some evidence also shows that calcium can prevent fat from being absorbed in the intestine. Calcium binds to dietary fat and bile in the gut forming a soap-like substance that cannot be absorbed. This insoluble soap is then eliminated from the body, effectively reducing fat intake. In addition to boosting fat burning power and elimination, there’s some evidence that getting sufficient calcium may reduce food intake (7).
Ageless Essentials Daily Pack (AEDP) provides optimal levels of vitamins, minerals (including plenty of calcium), fish oil, and antioxidants in convenient AM/PM packets. The components of AEDP offer a wide variety of health-promoting benefits. The best absorption of calcium occurs when it is consumed over the course of the day, which is one of the reasons that the AEDP AM and PM packets are great. Using AEDP ensures that the body gets optimal calcium to enhance weight loss.
Step 4: Lose weight through better sleep with melatonin
Sleep quality and duration predicts weight loss in dieting adults, according to recent research (8, 9). The reason is that insufficient or poor quality sleep upsets the body’s circadian rhythm, adversely affecting many processes including metabolism and appetite regulation. This may trigger an increase in appetite-stimulating hormones, encouraging overeating and stifling weight loss efforts (8). Even losing moderate amounts of sleep can have devastating and wide spread effects on the body. Sleeping less than six hours per night has been shown to disrupt as many as 700 different genes that regulate metabolism, immune system response, and stress response (10).
Isagenix Sleep Support and Renewal provides melatonin as a healthy way to promote quality sleep. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain that regulates sleep and wake cycles. High levels are released at night to promote drowsiness, with levels dropping off in the early morning hours. Light-emitting screens from televisions and cellular devices can interfere with and suppress melatonin production, disturbing the sleep cycle by increasing alertness and shifting circadian rhythms later. In addition, as people age melatonin production wanes. Using Isagenix Sleep Support & Renewal before bed maximizes sleep quality and duration to ensure weight loss success.
Step 5: Cleanse off the extra pounds
Studies on intermittent fasting have shown that it may be more effective for weight loss than cutting calories alone (11). In addition, the Isagenix system, which includes Cleanse Days, specifically has been shown to stimulate greater fat loss than a leading heart-healthy diet plan (12). The difference between regular intermittent fasting and Cleanse Days is that use of the Isagenix product Cleanse for Life helps promote healthy weight loss and optimal health through supplementation of potent botanicals. Unlike other cleansing regimens that deplete the body of nutrients with laxatives or diuretics, the botanicals used in Cleanse for Life nourish the body by supporting antioxidant defenses and detoxification systems (13, 14).
On the Isagenix cleansing system, a weekly regimen of one or two Cleanse Days is paired with five or six Shake Days, where 2 shakes and a meal are consumed. Cleanse Days permit the body to burn through fat while stimulating the release of fat-stored toxins. Incorporating Cleanse Days with Shake Days is not only a proven method for revving up fat burning, but it can also reset food cravings and help preserve lean muscle. Resetting food cravings supports weight loss by reducing the urge to overeat during post-cleanse meals, while keeping muscle ensures maximal metabolic rate and efficiency in calorie burning.
These five steps, especially with use of Isagenix products, are the tools you need to reveal your inner six-pack – for good! You’ll find the fat covering your abs doesn’t stand a chance with Isagenix.
