6 Week Summer 6 Pack 6 Point Plan of Attack

*Limit Sugar Intake
*Count Calories, And Make Your Calories Count
*Engage in 30-60 Minutes of low intensity cardio every day
*Engage in Weight Training 1 at most 2 days a week
*Practice a mental/physical discipline daily for at least 15 minutes
*Practice Visualizing the acheivement of your goal

This is my personal summer diet plan, I don't mind putting on a few extra pounds durning the winter, but come spring I want to look and feel awesome. I'll post before and after pictures in six weeks. For me, dieting contains 3 important areas nutrition, exercise, and mindset. Each of these areas are equally important, and each is covered in two of the points in the plan of attack.

*Limit Sugar Intake:
Jose Cruz author of the Belly Fat Solution recommends getting less than 15 grams of sugar daily. That eliminates milk and fruit unless you carefully portion it out. Low sugar doesn't mean low carb, or low fat. Just think of sugar as the tiny little shards of glass your cells see them as. From a dieter's perspective the biggest reason to avoid sugar is how it spikes your insulin, and leads to an increased appetite. I'm always amazed at how when I limit sugar that nagging type of hunger disappears. You don't need to look far to find reasons to avoid sugar; try googling "78 reasons to avoid sugar."

*Count Calories, And Make Your Calories Count
It isn't the funnest thing in the world to write down your calories daily, but its a great way to keep on track. I like to keep it simple, and average about 10-12 calories per pound of bodyweight when I'm dieting. It's important to eat a balanced diet, and keep a balanced mindset about it. Fat is burned by the body very slowly. It's like daily taking a sheet off a roll of paper towels, you might not notice any change from day to day, but after a month or so you can see a huge difference. When dieting, leaning out, or cutting fat, it is important to be as precise as possible. Bodyfat is an effect, work on the cause. Measure, weigh, and track you foot intake meticulously and you'll gain greater control over your results.

*Engage in 30-60 Minutes of low to medium intensity cardio every day
The key word is every day. It takes a daily calorie deficit of 500 cal. to burn one pound of fat in a week; 1000 cal. a day to burn two pounds a week. The leaner you get the tougher it becomes to create a deficit through diet alone. Pick a type of cardio you enjoy, or can at least make enjoyable, and not something thats going to burn you out. Doing cardio on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning is best.

*Engage in weight training 1 at most 2 times a week
It's important to build lean muscle, but while dieting I think it's vital to focus on maintaining what you've got. Always avoid overtraining, but be particularly careful when dieting.

*Practice a mental/physical discipline daily for at least 15 minutes
Yoga, tai chi, martial arts, or sports; find something you like that requires the full concentration of the mind and body. Praciticing a discipline makes you more present in the moment and aware. It's easy to be distracted nowadays. We are alive in this moment, you have no power over the past, and the only power you have over the future is in this moment..

*Practice Visualizing the acheivement of your goal
Goal setting is vital. Without a target your efforts could land you anywhere. Figure out exactly how you want your body to look and daily remind yourself as to why you're eating a little less, and doing cardio a little more. It's important to make peace with where you are, so you can get to where you want to be. You can't get rid of excess fat by complaining about it, that'll just keep it around, or ready to come back quickly. Focus on your goal until you have it, it may take longer than expected, or even shorter than expected. As Wayne Dyer says," You'll see it when you believe it."

Hay House

I've just posted a link to Hay House, the most inspiring publishing company on the planet. If you're not familiar with the works of Louise L. Hay, and other Hay House authors like Wayne Dyer, and others, you should do yourself the favor.

You may be wondering what self-help, new age, or conciousness theory has to do with weight training. I would say everything. All strength comes from within. Bodybuilding is not just a physical activity. We create our bodies with our thoughts, words, feelings, and emotions. You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay will teach you more about healthy living than any other book I know of. I've found it fun to combine her ideas on mirrorwork with those suggested by Arnold in his Bodybuilding Encyclopedia.

http://www.hayhouse.com/details.php?id=4371

Healthy Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding has gotten a bad rep over the years. Some think of drug taking muscle-monsters whenever they hear the word. Bodybuilding, however, is a healthy hobby, and a lifestyle that delivers huge returns. I think it's important to seek a balance. It doesn't have to be about bicep peaks, and washboard abs, competition, or corporate sponsorships. You can lift, because you love life, and want to stick around the party as long as possible in a healthy body. Like yoga, it has more to do with feeling than appearance.

Growth is the ultimate goal. Pumping the 'ol iron can help you grow physically, spiritually, and emotionally, just be safe. Bodybuilding is a great tool for enhancing one's life, but it can also consume it. Weighttraining can become an addiction and turn a good thing bad. I knew a guy once who was seriously overtraining and eventually left the gym in an ambulance. Consequently, he couldn't use his right arm for about eight months. Don't be like that guy.

I see bodybuilding entering a new age. An age where mystique will be replaced by simple, effective strategies. Watching the champions of old grow older is partly responsible. Role models like Frank Zane are proving that bodybuilding, proper mindset, and nutrition are an effective fountain of youth. Growing older is a gift, and growing is what it's all about right?