Carri Lyn Ciamarra Age: 32 Height: 5ft 5" Weight: 125 pounds  118# Competition Resides: Westchester, NY. What would you consider to be the most important factor in achieving great abs? Plain and simple. Eating clean is the key to a chiseled six pack. What advice would you give to other women looking to change their body? Turn your iPod on and get lost in your training. When I train I get in my zone and I focus solely on my workout. Set goals for yourself and focus on achieving them. Ask questions, read books and do your research. If you are looking to change your body you need to focus on your training and nutrition, you need both of these elements to achieve your desired results. You’re going to have good days and bad days, changing your body is a lifestyle change and it takes determination and patience. The results are both physically and mentally rewarding. It’s a hard journey but stay positive, strong and focused.         How often do you train your abs and what are your favorite exercises? I love training my core and pushing my body to the limits! I focus on abs 4-5 days a week. I love to superset my weights so I add a triple set with an ab routine. For me it’s important to incorporate an ab routine with my weights so I do not forget about them at the end of my routine. Sometimes if we do abs at the end we exhaust ourselves throughout our workout and we neglect our abs. So to train them hard I slip them in as a triple set. I have 2 favorite ab exercises that I love to do: 1) I take a decline bench, a stepper and a medicine ball. I stack the step as high as I can go (usually about 10 stacks) and I perform slow, controlled, decline crunches while holding a heavy medicine ball. My 2nd favorite abs exercise is hanging leg raises. I usually perform this is exercise from a pull up bar. Firmly gripping the pull up bar I lift my legs and perform a straight legged crunch keeping the contraction in my abs. For a more advance workout I strap on ankle weights. Find what works for you and be creative! What kind of weight training program do you follow and how often do you visit the gym? Right now I am doing a 4 day split; I usually change my routine every 6 six weeks, always hitting each body part twice a week. Right now I take my 5th day off from weight training, concentrating my 5th and 6th day on cardio, resting completely on the 7th day. I love cardio and I alternate between Steady State and HIIT Cardio. Do you take any supplements, if so which ones? I am a big fan of vitamins and supplements. I take Omega 3-6-9, Amino 1000 soft gels, glucosamine, I use flax seed in my protein shakes. I am a big fan Leutor 70 and I take it 30 minutes prior to my work out. I also have a whey shake post work out. What type of cardio exercise do you do and how important is it in your program? I love to push my body and I love boxing classes. Not only is it great cardio but such a stress reliever from the everyday. It’s a fun and motivating way to incorporate cardio into your workout. I box twice a week and highly recommend it. I also love sprinting; it’s great for toning your legs. I warm up with a light jog for 5 minutes all out sprint for 20 seconds recover for 40 seconds and repeat. I see great gains with anaerobic exercise such as sprinting, whether you’re out doors on a bike, or sprinting on a track…it works! What does your typical day’s diet look like? I eat clean. If it comes in a box I stay away from it. It takes time to know how your body responds to certain foods. I do well with starchy carbs and I am a big fan of chicken and tuna for my protein source. I eat 6 meals a day and balance them with protein, carbs and healthy fats. Everyone is different, I know what works for my body and I stick with it. I stick to good carbs: oatmeal, brown rice, red potatoes, yams, whole wheat pita and grains. Beans (black, navy, chick peas, etc.) Good fats: Peanut butter, peanuts, almonds, olive oil and flax seeds. Ideally I eat every 2.5 hours and I do not snack between meals. Always drink your water. If I have a Chocolate attack, I grab Instone pudding or BSN dessert Chocolate Fudge pudding protein shake. These both help curb my sweet tooth cravings. We are all human, so if you fall off the wagon, re focus and don’t beat yourself up over it. Eating clean is a lifestyle and if takes time to acclimate yourself to this change. What would be your top five tips for getting a flatter stomach? 1. Stay away from salt 2. Sprinting and cardio tones my mid section 3. Follow an ab routine that is challenging and fun. Try triple setting or super set a weight set with your abs! 4. Partner up with a girlfriend. Take your waistline measurements and motivate each other to reach your goals. 5. Always remember eating clean is the key. You are what you eat…You can do anything you put your mind too. Get control over your fitness and nutrition and it will change your life. So go for it! Good Luck with the SixPackNow Program guys, Carri Lyn