Vegetarian Program

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The Program for a Vegetarian male will require the following: A cardiovascular training plan accompanied with a good nutritional plan and structured weight training program. Remember in order to attain and maintain great abs, your body fat levels will need to be reduced to 10% or lower, one way of measuring your progress is to invest in some Body Fat Calipers (Standard or Digital). Let's have a look at what the program will require:

CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE

As mentioned in the SixPackNow Program Introduction cardiovascular exercise burns fat, therefore it is a crucial aspect in the Program. We all know that working out for some people can be a real drag, especially when the results just don’t seem to be going the right way. But have you ever thought why you’re not seeing the results? More than likely it’s because you’re just not pushing yourself. You should never expect exercise to be easy, if it is then you’re doing something wrong. So what’s an effective cardio workout to burn those stubborn fat cells?  HIIT!

HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training as its known is just a little different than your typical hour long, ineffective and boring cardio session on the stationery bike or treadmill. In fact, a HIIT session can be fit into a 30 minute session and burn twice, if not three times the amount of fat than an hour long low intensity jog would, and it’s been proven in many studies and tests. HIIT can be performed with or without cardio machines. HIIT is a form of exercise where you perform a short burst and then a high burst of intensity, followed by a brief rest period to catch your breath. Not only will a HIIT session speed up your metabolism, but it keeps the metabolic rate increased for hours afterwards. But, you have to push yourself with these workouts, you can do an hour long, non-exhaustive workout if you prefer, but you won’t reap the benefits that a HIIT session can offer. Lets take a look at a typical HIIT session and how it works. Lets take for instance a workout on the stationery bike (remember you can use a rower, elliptical, treadmill, skipping rope, or go out on a jog or run). You should start off with two minutes of low intensity cycling just to warm those legs up and get that blood circulating. After two minutes have elapsed, its time to crank up the intensity and push hard for a full minute (85-90% of your maximum effort), after that minute has elapsed, it’s time to slow things back down again (55-60% of your maximum) for a minute to catch your breath. After that minute, it’s time again to switch things up again to full throttle for another minute. Basically this cycle repeats until 25-30 minutes have elapsed. One minute – low intensity (50-60% of your maximum heart rate) to warm up, then one minute – maximum intensity (85-90% of your maximum HR), one minute low intensity, one minute maximum intensity and so on. If you’re new to cardio, don’t even attempt a thirty minute session, you won’t even last ten! Just take it easy to begin with, working up to a good twenty-five to thirty minutes after a few weeks. Incorporate these HIIT sessions to any form of cardio and try to switch things around as much as possible with various equipment. Remember these sessions will be exhaustive and require a great deal of inner strength to make it work effectively.

The timing of you cardio sessions is vitally important for maximum results. The best time of all is without doubt first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. The idea here is to burn body fat, not your last meal, so it must be stressed that cardio should always be performed on an empty stomach, which means no carb foods within 1.5 hours of a session. Scientific research has shown that if you eat right before a workout, you burn less fat, where as a cardio session performed in the morning will burn three times as much. Not only does a good morning session wake you up, but it sets you up for the rest of the day. Once you make the exercise part of your lifestyle, it will feel more natural to do, than not to, you just have to push yourself that little bit further a make a new exciting step forward to a better body. To stimulate fat loss even further with a HIIT session we suggest supplementing with a thermogenic fat burner 30 minutes before performing you workout. The rate at which fat is burned during the workout will be dramatically increased.   For a step by step introduction to HIIT click here

How much, How Often?

We recommend complete beginners to work their way up over the course of 12 weeks. Begin with 10 minute sessions four times weekly, adding one minute to your sessions each week. Intermediate trainees can begin with 15-17 minute sessions, adding one minute to each session over the course of 12 weeks. Advanced trainees can begin with 20-25 minute sessions four-five times weekly, increasing to 30 minutes over a period of 6-12 weeks.

HIIT should not be performed for more than 30 minutes in one session. If results remain slow after six weeks you can increase the duration of your sessions or drop your carbs slightly lower. The great thing about HIIT is that you can mix it up, try three minutes fast, one minute slow, 2 minutes fast, 30 seconds slow or even 30 seconds slow, 30 seconds intense. It does take a little experimentation, so try it over the course of a few sessions. You do want to be pleasantly fatigued but not "exhausted" to point of not being able to complete entire session.

We recommend a cool down period of two minutes at the end of your session, a slow jog or walk is fine.

In conjunction with the HIIT cardio it is important to keep as active as possible in your everyday life. Walking and other outdoor activities will help considerably in keeping lean, so where possible try to maintain and active lifestyle. If you have a non active job (desk job) it is recommended that you add additional cardio (10 minutes, 3 times weekly) after your weight training sessions.

OTHER GREAT FORMS OF HIIT

· Walking/jogging/treadmill/elliptical
· Cycling/stationery bike · Rowing
· Skipping
· Aerobic classes

As mentioned above the best time to perform your cardio workouts is first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Whether you run, jog, walk, swim or do an aerobic class, this is by far the most effective time for maximum fat loss. When you wake up first thing in the morning, you eat breakfast, eat lunch later that day and lets say for instance you do your cardio late afternoon. All you will be doing is burning calories from the food you ate. Where as if you perform your cardio first thing in the morning your body has no food to burn, therefore burns stored body fat and any stored body fat is fat on your body which is what we are try to eliminate. You may be unable to get to a gym first thing in the morning, so a very good investment is to purchase a treadmill or stationery bike, this way you can wake up and jump straight on your equipment.

Beginners to the program who have not exercised consistently for the past 12 months should begin your workouts for a duration of approximately 10 minutes, adding an additional 2-4 minutes every week until you average a 20 minute workout. Don't rush into things. We will customize your HIIT workouts in your Personalized Diet Plan.

BETTER BODY = BETTER ABS

It’s a fact that resistance placed on all muscle groups such as the biceps, triceps, chest, legs and shoulders will actually benefit your abdominals. A good balanced weight-training program will actually burn fat cells, speed up the metabolic rate and of course create a well-proportioned physique. You can have great biceps, a chiselled chest and toned legs, but if you don’t have the abs to compliment them, somehow you will just look incomplete. Weight training is a great all round body conditioner and is an integral part of the SixPackNow Program. We strongly encourage all trainees to incorporate a weight training program atleast three times weekly. Beginners and Intermediate trainees are encouraged to embark on our 12 Week Lean Muscle Plan



NUTRITION

Nutrition and supplementation accounts for as much as 70-80% of the equation when sculpting abdominals, losing fat and creating a leaner physique. You’ve probably heard the saying “Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym” This couldn’t be more true. Knowing exactly which foods stimulate the body and those that in effect destroy it is something that we will help teach you. The importance of correct nutrition is without doubt the core element of this program and the more you learn about correct eating and balancing, the greater abdominal definition you will achieve. The key is basically to know which foods will feed your muscles and starve the fat. Good eating habits become part of a new lifestyle and it’s this new lifestyle, which will determine your overall success. This is certainly not a quick fix nutritional system, this is a plan you can implement throughout your life. With you being vegetarian you will of course be eliminating some of the best forms of protein, however there are many other alternatives and supplementation available. Let’s take a look at the key ingredients to form your vegetarian nutrition program.

 

THE MAIN NUTRIENTS

There are five main nutrients: Protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins. None of these can function without water.

Protein 

What is protein? In simple terms protein is the building block for muscle, however, that's not all it does. Protein builds the entire framework of your body, the muscles, the organs, the bones and connective tissues. Protein helps your body digest food effectively. As a hormone, it tells your body when to use food as energy and when to store it as fat. And finally, Protein protects you from illness, both viral and bacterial.  

Every single meal you consume from now on should contain some form of quality protein. Finding protein in foods is not difficult, some of the best sources are of course meat, fish and poultry, but the alternatives that offer good protein are Tofu, soy products, beans, nuts, legumes, Low Fat Cottage, whey protein shakes, soy protein shakes and bars. Protein also contains essential amino acids, which work together to help you build leaner, stronger muscles.

Your body can only absorb protein in limited quantities, therefore a consumption of protein should be included in every meal of the day (5-6 smaller sized meals). It is very important for a vegetarian to consider adding a Whey or Soy Protein supplement which will provide not only good serving of protein, but all essential amino acids.

 

Amino Acids

Proteins are made up of 22 amino acids which have to be present in certain combinations for the protein to function properly. If protein is to build and repair, it must have the right amino acids in proper quantities. Without the right amino acids in the correct proportions, almost every physical process in your body will grind to a halt. In some cases, the amino acids need to combine with certain vitamins and minerals and if these are lacking, that particular body process will be impaired.

Also a lack of amino acids to provide the right protein structure will make your body burn muscle for energy and store fat. If you find that you are eating and exercising a great deal and making no apparent progress your problem may lie here. This is why we strongly recommend a Whey Protein Supplement to use in conjunction with the program. Without such a supplement your results will be limited. You can order a Whey Protein Supplement from our carefully selected range by visiting our supplements page.


Carbohydrates - Energy provider

Your body must have carbohydrates in sufficient quantities to be able to assimilate the protein. If your diet does not contain carbohydrates, your body will start using proteins for the purpose to provide energy - which means that protein will not be used to build muscle and tissue. Using protein for energy is also a slower process than using carbohydrates and you will be left feeling drained and often depressed and irritable. A low Carb/High Protein Diet is not the key here, but a carb rotation method, where you consume more carbs on days you train and less on days you don't. This method will produce the very best results. More will be explained in a moment.

Carbohydrates supply energy. They are broken down to produce glucose (blood sugar) and stored in the muscle and liver as glycogen. 

 

Simple and Complex Carbs

Carbohydrates are divided into two main categories: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Basically, the simple carbs provide quick energy and the complex carbs sustained energy. This type of Carbohydrate is generally found in processed foods like breads, pasta, pizza, bagels, candies and all snack foods.

Note: A predominance of simple carbohydrates in your diet will cause sharp fluctuations in blood glucose levels -  and when that level suddenly drops - your energy levels take a dramatic dive. Recovery time after a workout will be longer and you will feel edgy and worn out. To make it simple avoid simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs add body fat!!

 

Complex Carbs - The preferred Choice

The best sources of carbohydrates are 'Complex Carbs' and come from whole wheat and grain products, brown rice, fruit, potatoes, vegetables, legumes and beans. Complex Carbs provide long lasting fuel for work and exercise, they will give you constant energy throughout the day. 

Your pre workout meals should all supply a serving of complex carbohydrates. Your last meal including carbs should be no later than 8.30 pm , all meals after this time should be protein only. If you workout late in the evening and don't finish till 9 or 10pm, you may have a moderate amount of carbs within 45 minutes of finishing your workout. The very best complex carbs sources are: Whole wheat breads and products, Brown Rice, Whole wheat pasta, Shredded Wheat and other wheat based cereals, Grapes, Berries, Carrots, Potatoes, Vegetables and Lentils. 

 

Carb Rotation Explained

It's a fact that an intake of too many carbs will make you add body fat and too few will make you tired. So what is the answer? How can I lose body fat effectively while holding on to muscle?Answer: Carb Rotation

For years, we were taught that carbohydrates were the food of choice for high energy and optimum athletic performance. We were taught that fat made us fat and carbohydrates made us lean and energized. Then everything seemed to change. Low carbohydrate diets have been with us for decades, but from the late nineties into the first few years of the new millennium, there has been a huge resurgence of interest in the low carbohydrate diet. Everywhere you look today there are low carbohydrate drinks, low carbohydrate meal replacements, low carbohydrate frozen dinners – even low carbohydrate pasta! Low carbohydrate dieting has definitely gone mainstream. Unfortunately, this has created a torrent of confusion and controversy. For every “guru” who says low carbohydrates are the ultimate fat burning diet, there is another “guru” with the opposite opinion. Who is right?  Because of metabolic individuality, no single diet program is the best for everyone. At certain times, for certain purposes, a low carbohydrate diet – done with a new approach you are about to learn - can accelerate fat loss beyond anything you’ve experienced before. This type of diet is not for everyone and it’s also not for people who haven’t mastered the nutritional fundamentals first.

Before you proceed with the Carb Rotation Method you should be training consistently for a couple of weeks and you should have your diet in good order. It’s pointless to try to use these advanced carbohydrate-manipulation strategies unless you’ve mastered the eight fundamentals of a fat-loss diet:

1. Eating fewer calories than you burn

2. Properly balancing your macronutrient ratios (Protein, Carbs and Fats)

3. Eating five or six meals per day, properly timed

4. Eating protein with every meal

5. Eating the right types of carbohydrates and avoiding refined sugars

6. Eating low fat and choosing the right types of fat

7. Drinking plenty of water

8. Eating natural, unrefined foods

 

A totally new approach to the low carbohydrate diet

There are two secrets to getting all the benefits of low carbohydrate dieting without all the side effects it might cause such as dramatic reduction in energy levels, affecting your mood and mental state, muscle tissue loss etc. The first is carbohydrate tapering, which is the practice of eating more carbohydrates early in the day and fewer later in the day. The second is carbohydrate cycling. When combined, the results of these techniques can increase fat loss beyond your wildest dreams and expectations! Let’s take a closer look at each one.

1) The carbohydrate tapering technique for maximum fat loss

If you want to get leaner quickly, a simple way to accelerate fat loss is to reduce the size of your late day meals (meals 5 & 6). This technique is known as “calorie tapering” or “carbohydrate tapering.” Simply cut out the starches in your evening and late afternoon meals, leaving the green fibrous carbohydrates, lean proteins and essential fats. Examples of late day fibrous carbohydrate and lean protein meals include; (1) broccoli or other green veggies/salad with tofu or Quorn meat, (2) Quorn Burger with a green salad with olive oil & vinegar dressing, (3)  Homemade vegggie sausages with legumes/beans. When you drop the starchy carbohydrates from your last two meals, your ratios will automatically shift towards less carbohydrates and higher protein. It’s an incredibly simple and easy technique to use, yet it can cause dramatic fat loss.

2) Carbohydrate “Cycling”

A low to moderate carbohydrate and high protein diet will cause much faster fat loss than a high carbohydrate diet. However, it may seem like the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. Fortunately, there’s a solution to these problems and it’s called “carbohydrate cycling.” or "carb rotation" as we like to call it at SixPackNow.com. Some people refer to carbohydrate cycling as “zig zag” dieting, “Hi-low” dieting, “carbing-up” or carbohydrate “re-feeding.” Regardless of what you name it, carbohydrate cycling is probably the most powerful fat burning strategy on the planet. Nothing else even comes close. It is the only guaranteed way to overcome the body’s starvation response when calories and carbohydrates are low. Not only do you avoid a negative response, but you also invoke many positive responses that do not occur when holding your carbohydrates and calories at the same low level day in and day out. That’s the main problem with conventional low carbohydrate diets – they suggest that you drop your carbohydrates and keep them low. What I am suggesting is that you drop your carbohydrates for a few days, then increase them again before your body figures out what the heck is going on! Carbohydrate cycling has been a well-kept secret of bodybuilders and fitness models for decades, but anyone can use it to accelerate fat loss or break a plateau. The beauty of this method is that it allows you to get all the fat loss benefits of low carbohydrate dieting without the low carbohydrate side effects. Most important, it keeps your metabolism elevated and prevents you from going into starvation mode.

Why you shouldn’t stay on low carbohydrates for more than three days in a row

After three days in a row on low carbohydrates (less than 75g), your glycogen levels will be almost be completely depleted. If you were to continue on low carbohydrates for a fourth day, fifth day, or beyond, you would notice your energy and training intensity begin to diminish. You would also notice that your muscles would “flatten out” and become softer. Your metabolic rate would begin to slow down and your thyroid gland would decrease its output of thyroid hormone. Basically, your diet would become less and less effective the longer you stayed on low carbohydrates beyond the three day period. Your body is so “smart,” it simply makes changes in physiology and metabolism to compensate for the prolonged lack of carbohydrates (which it interprets as starvation). That’s why you have to keep your body guessing, by throwing in a high carbohydrate day every fourth day.

 

High Carb days and Low Carb Days

Carbohydrate cycling is based on the concept of rotating low carbohydrate days with high carbohydrate days instead of keeping carbohydrates low all the time. Every fourth day your glycogen levels are restored with a “carb load” or “high carb day”, your energy stays up, your muscles fill out and tighten and your metabolic rate gets a dramatic boost. The high day also makes your entire diet easier to stick with because no matter how difficult it is to get through those three low days, you have a “high carb day” to look forward to. The “high carb day” also bypasses all the side effects. You get noticeably leaner with every three-day low carbohydrate cycle as your body dips deeply into stored body fat without the carbohydrates readily available for fuel. Surprisingly, you may even continue to get leaner even on the high carbohydrate days because of the boost in metabolic rate. Carbohydrate cycling also prevents your body from becoming inefficient at using carbohydrates for energy. When you cut your carbohydrates out for a long time, your body begins depending on fat for fuel and it learns how to use fat for fuel more efficiently. You often hear low carbohydrate diet proponents say that the low carbohydrate diet turns you into a “fat burner” while a high carbohydrate dieter turns you into a “sugar burner.” This may be true, but there’s a huge downside to staying on low carbohydrates all the time and becoming an exclusive “fat burner:” Your body becomes lazy and inefficient at burning carbohydrates. When you eat them again after a long absence, your body doesn’t know what to do with them. This is one of the reasons you will simply blow up overnight and gain weight back the minute you re-introduce carbohydrates after a long absence. Unless you plan on never eating a carbohydrate ever again, you’d better think twice about long-term carbohydrate restriction. Low carbohydrate diets are not lifestyle programs. What’s the alternative? Carbohydrate load every fourth day. When you carbohydrate load a depleted muscle, the carbohydrates are quickly soaked up by the muscle on that fourth day because the muscles are “hungry” for carbohydrates. By repeated cycles of depletion and re loading, your muscles become extremely efficient at storing carbohydrates as muscle glycogen rather than partitioning them to body fat.

 

Fine tuning the carbohydrate cycling method

As you get leaner and leaner, you may find that you lose weight too quickly on the carbohydrate cycling plan. Furthermore, it’s not a wise idea to lose more than 2.0-3.0 lbs of body weight per week. If you lose more than two pounds per week, you are much more likely to be losing Lean body mass with the fat. If you lose lean mass or drop weight too quickly, you should adjust your high to low day ratio by increasing your carbohydrates (and calories) overall or by keeping your low days the same and adding more high days. You can do three low carbohydrate days followed by two or three high carbohydrate days. You can even throw in a moderate carb day if you like. Taking two or three high days after three low days will not only help reduce muscle loss, it may allow you to gain small amounts of muscle as you lose body fat. A little bit of experimentation and fine tuning will be necessary to discover what amount of carbohydrates works best for your high and low days. It’s absolutely essential for these types of advanced diets to be customized and we will do this in your Personalized Plan. Here are examples of what “typical” high-low cycles would look like on a fat loss program for the average person:

Calories: 

1 gram protein = (4 kcals) 1 gram carbs =(4 kcals) 1 gram fat (9 kcals)

Men/1860 calories/3 days low carbs:

Protein 45% = 800 calories = 200 g                    

Carbs 30% = 700 calories = 175 g                         

Fats 25% = 360 calories = 40 g       

Men/2350 calories/1 day high carbs

Protein 30% = 810 calories = 202 g

Carbs 50% = 1000 calories = 250 g

Fats 20% = 540 calories = 60 g

Women/1400 calories/3 days low carbs

Protein 45% = 630 calories = 157 g                    

Carbs 50% = 900 calories = 225 g                         

Fats 20% = 360 calories = 40 g     

Women/1800 cal/1 day high carbs

Protein 30% = 810 calories = 135 g

Carbs 30% = 420 calories = 105 g

Fats 25% = 350 calories = 39 g

These are just averages, as every person is different. The Team will have advised you or will be advising you in your Personalized Plan. On your low carbohydrate days, eat protein and starchy carbohydrates in your early day meals (meals one through three), then in your late day meals (meals three to six) eat protein with only fibrous carbohydrates like wholewheat products, green vegetables and salads – no starchy processed carbohydrates! On your high days, you can eat starchy carbohydrates with your meals (and if you’re going to have a “cheat day” do it on a high day). So that’s it! These are some very powerful techniques, but remember; carbohydrate cutting taken to the extreme will do more harm than good. Never cut your carbohydrates out completely and never stay on low carbohydrates for a long period of time. It's usually not wise to go to extremes in anything and this is as true for dieting as with anything else in life: Moderation is the key. For the Carb Rotation method to be successful you need to be strict, this doesn't mean you need to count carbs, gram for gram, definately not, but you do need to familiarize yourself with our Carb Lists below. The idea is to just keep your intake low on non weight training/cardio days and increase consumption on weights days (days you need the energy). So how many carbs should I eat?

Low Carb Days - as low as 0.5g - 0.8g per pound of bodyweight 
Moderate Days (light exercise or light activity) – approx 1g
High Carb Days - approx 1-2g per pound of bodyweight

*There are 4 calories in 1g of carbohydrates

and fat?

You should aim not to consume more than 7g of saturated fat per meal. Your intake of Un-saturated (healthy fats) can between 1-5g

Let's take a 150 pound individual. This is how your daily protein/carb/fat requirements should be split up:

150 x 1g of protein = 150g of protein required per day divided between 5 meals = 30g of protein in each meal.

150 x 0.8g of carbs on low carb days (non training days) = 125g divided between 4 or five meals = approx 25-30g per meal

150 x 1.5g of carbs on training days = 200g divided between 4 meals = 50g per meal or 40g in five meals

5 meals x 7g of fat = 30g of fat (including intake of healthy fats can take this figure upto 50-60g)

Note:

You should try to avoid all foods with artificial bleaching, coloring and preserving agents. Make sure you always read the wrapper or packaging of any foods before you consume them. You must go easy on 'fast foods' and 'junk foods'. The fat and simple carbohydrates contained in them will have a devastating effect on your progress. Allow yourself one treat day a week.

 

FATS

Fats are a source of long term energy and since they contain vitamins A, D, E and K are vital for building lean muscle tissue. Fat provides more than twice as much potential energy as protein and carbohydrates, but if your intake is high, it will be stored as body fat and not used as energy since the body will first use carbs and protein to produce energy first. The body can store as much as 100,000 calories of energy in the form of fat, compared to 2,000 in the form of carbohydrates. The fat content of your diet must not exceed 10%


Fats are divided into two categories - saturated and unsaturated.

Saturated fats, in practical terms are fats that will solidify at room or body temperature. They are present in animal products like lard, non-skimmed milk products, meat and egg yolks. Fats are dangerous when they solidify in the blood. This causes cholesterol build-up which the body cannot properly metabolize and can lead to heart disease later on on life. These fats are also found in pizzas, hamburgers, snacks, candies and all other processed foods.


Unsaturated fats are rapidly consumed and are found in fish, vegetable fats, skimmed milk products like edam cheese, low fat cheese. These fats are preferred.


Don't be fooled into purchasing products advertised as low fat without checking the calorie content. To be effective, low fat products should have a low calorie content.

Regular training on a diet moderate in carbohydrates, about 45%, with 45% Protein and 10% fats will give your body a lean, hard appearance with good muscle separation and definition. Remember your carb intake must be reduced on non weight training days. Ensure you are not consuming more than 7 grams of saturated fat per meal.


* We strongly encourage supplementation of Omega 3 oils with this plan. These can be purchased from all good health stores. Another excellent source of healthy fats are nuts (peanuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts & pine nuts).

 

MINERALS - MULTIVITAMINS

Almost every chemical and physical process in the body requires one or more of a combination of minerals. They are vital components of the muscles, blood cells and soft tissues. They are essential in the production of digestive gastric juices and improve muscle elasticity. The better known minerals are, calcium, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iodine. A Multi-vitamin supplement would be beneficial.


5-6 SMALLER SIZED MEALS/NOT THREE LARGE ONES

If you want to be at the top, get strong, get lean, and look and feel great, then eating five to six small meals is a nutrition strategy that you must not overlook. This strategy has been used by athletes for many years and it's really caught on amongst active lifestyles over the past decade, especially so among people who simply want to improve their health. So what are the benefits of this?

Eating 5-6 small meals a day boosts your body's basal metabolic rate (BMR). A higher basal metabolic rate means that your body's resting metabolism allows you to burn more fat, even while you are not exercising. By boosting your metabolism (BMR), you can be burning fat while driving your car and even while sleeping!

Eating 5-6 small meals a day improves protein utilization and muscle growth.

Eating 5-6 small meals a day reduces insulin levels. Insulin plays a very important role in fat metabolism by increasing the uptake of fat from the bloodstream and into body cells. When insulin levels are low, your body is less likely to convert calories into body fat.

Surely eating more will make me add weight/fat?  Not necessarily, because you are basically dividing your traditional three large meals by half; thus, the 5-6 meals contain the same total amount of food. However you can actually eat more and still lose body fat, as the increase in your metabolic rate from eating these smaller meals will still occur.

It should be remembered that once you pass the age of 30 your metabolism does begin to slow down, meaning that you cannot get away with eating the kinds of foods you did when you were 18 and still keep lean. It is essential that you do as much as possible to elevate your metabolism and this can be done by the carb rotation method and sticking to the 5-6 smaller sized meals per day. A slow metabolism causes weight/fat gain, a faster running metabolism causes fat loss!! worth remembering!

 

Whey Protein Shakes - The perfect meal Replacement if you lead a busy schedule.

Eating these smaller more frequent meals may not be possible for everyone so those who may have restraints should supplement with a meal replacement or Whey Protein shake/bar, these will provide you with a small sized meal quickly and conveniently and are essential if unable to eat whole foods. We recommend supplementing with a Whey Protein shake mid morning and mid afternoon, therefore you only need to account for three-four other meals.

You can purchase nutritional supplements for your program from our carefully selected US & UK/Europe Stores. Visit the Supplements Section here

 

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

We all know that excessive drinking has no positive effects on our body. Alcohol gets stored easily by the body due to its empty calorie content, which can be depremental to any fat loss diet. Our guideline is to avoid alcohol if you can. Preferred alcoholic beverages are Red and White Wine, Straight Spirits with Juice or Coke and Lite Bottled Beers or Non-Alcoholic Beers.

So there we go, these are the fundamental aspects of the SixPackNow Program, it's time to summarize the key elements:

 

AN OVERVIEW OF THE VEGETARIAN PROGRAM

·    Perform Cardiovascular training atleast 4 times per week preferably first thing in the morning.

·    Eat 5 or 6 smaller meals per day

·    Reduce your carb intake towards the latter part of the day

·    Increase your Protein intake to approx. 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight

·    Eat more fibrous carbs, like vegetables, salads, wheat products, brown rice, legumes and beans.

·    Supplement with a good whey protein supplement

·    Make sure each meal contains quality protein, moderate carbs (according to your high/low carb days) and low in fat

·    Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep you hydrated

·    Avoid all junk foods and processed foods/snacks

·    Eat fresh/whole foods

·    Avoid table sugar e.g. adding to hot drinks/cereals or desserts

·    Avoid Sodium/Salt where possible or foods that contain high amounts

·    Look at product packaging and nutritional labels

·    Keep a training log or fill out the nutrition planners

·    Incorporate our 12 Week Lean Muscle Plan (If you goal is to add muscle work your way through the entire program. If you goal is to tone up your muscles, follow Week 1 through to 6 of the program)

·    Remain focused and committed throughout

·    Start the day with a good breakfast

·    Never miss meals, if you have a busy schedule supplement with nutrition/protein bars/shakes

·    KEEP POSITIVE and BROWSE THE SITE FOR MORE INFORMATION


So what next?

Now you have the information on your cardio and nutrition program, it's time to take a look at the abdominal exercises. Click here, you should then begin planning your program. We recommend printing of some Nutrition Diary (Right Click and SAVE AS). As mentioned above we strongly recommend incorporating our 12 Week Lean Muscle Plan, so now would be a good time to familiarize yourself with the plan.

Full Member? if you've not already done so you should request your Personalized Diet Plan. This will give you more in depth information on precisely what you should be eating as part of the program. Click Here