Yoga is good for you!

3 Day Detox

Try this 3-Day detox!

More reasons to eat fruit!

The Best Green Tea You Will Find

Why is YerbaMate so good for you

Primarily, YerbaMate serves as a great substitute for coffee by providing great levels of energy without causing the usual jitteriness and thus reducing the amount coffee you are used to drinking. It helps to keep you alert and suppresses your appetite yet provides your body with all the nutrients needed to sustain life including 24 vitamins and minerals and 15 amino acids. If that is not enough for you, here are just a few of the documented health benefits of Yerba-Mate Tea.

• Great Diet Aid
• Increases Focus
• Increases Strength, Energy, and Endurance
• Reduces Blood Pressure
• Reduces Cholesterol
• Reduces Fatigue
• Contains Antioxidants
• Contains 15 Amino Acids
• Contains 24 Vitamins and Minerals
• Strengthens the Immune System
• Best natural remedy for constipation by softening the fecal mass
• Increases Creativity
• Rejuvenates
• Breaks Down Fat (Lipolytic)
• Balances Sleep Patterns
• Increases Libido
• Delivers Oxygen to the Heart and Lungs During Exercise
• Diuretic
• Is a Whole Body Tonic

Doctor / patient illustration

Cute illustration of doctor /patient convo...

The Virgin Diet - What to Eat and Foods to Avoid

The Virgin Diet by JJ Virgin (2012)

What to eat and foods to avoid

www.chewfo.com

 

The Virgin Diet (2012) is a book about losing weight by avoiding food intolerances that affect you personally.

• Eliminate gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, corn, peanuts, sugar and sweeteners
• Eat unprocessed, whole, natural foods that are humanely and naturally raised
• 1-2 meals a day are shakes – Virgin Diet Shakes
• Challenge (reintroduce and check reactions) with dairy and eggs to see if there are any reactions and how frequently you can reintroduce them into your diet
• Challenge with gluten and soy to see if you should avoid them completely
• Continue to avoid foods you’re intolerant to and regularly check your intolerances

Below is a detailed outline of the food recommendations in the book – but the book suggests much more than just what to eat and what not to eat!
Buy a copy of the Virgin Diet to get the full details.

The reasoning behind The Virgin Diet

This book advises that the key to weight loss is avoiding and overcoming food intolerance – food intolerances stress your system and give you negative symptoms including weight gain.
Some people’s bodies simply have difficulty tolerating certain foods, such as gluten, lactose, or MSG. Usually, this is because the intolerant people are lacking a specific chemical or enzyme that they need to digest the food. This is simply a genetic problem, and there isn’t much you can do about it except to avoid the foods.
Another issue is food sensitivities, which affect at least 75% of us. They’re a type of immune reaction, but they mobilize a different type of antibody than food allergies do – not IgE, but immunoglobulin G, or IgG. The symptoms don’t appear until hours or days after you’ve eaten, and if you continue to eat the offending foods, food sensitivities keep your immune system fired up on a chronic basis.

Virgin Diet plan food list - what you can eat, and top food intolerance foods to avoid

This diet has 3 stages:

• Cycle 1 – elimination – 21 days – cut out all the top 7 FI (food intolerance) foods; eat healing foods and healing supplements
• Cycle 2 – reintroduction – 28 days – every week for 4 weeks, test one potentially healthy high-FI food. Based on your responses, determine whether each food should stay or go
• Cycle 3 – lifetime – avoid corn, peanuts, and sugar and artificial sweeteners 95% of the time, rechallenge the potentially healthy high-FI foods that your reacted to in Cycle 2 after 3 to 6 months to see if you can now tolerate them; every 12 months repeat the program

Do not count calories.

Virgin Diet cycle 1 / elimination – food list

Cycle 1 of The Virgin Diet – what to eat

• Week 1 – jump week – each day eat 2 Virgin Diet Shakes, 1 meal, optional snack.
• Weeks 2 and 3 – healing weeks – each day eat 1 Virgin Diet Shakes, 2 meals, optional snack (you can do 2 shakes if you prefer)
• Virgin Diet Shakes consist of vegan pea-rice protein, fiber (fiber blend, chia seeds, hemp seeds, freshly ground flaxseed meal or nut butter), organic frozen berries, liquid (water, unsweetened coconut milk or coconut water); optional extras
• Keep a food journal of everything you eat
• Eat a substantial, balanced breakfast, generally around 400-500 calories
• Meal timing
  • Drink your Virgin Diet Shake within an hour of waking up. If you’re working out first thing, you can have half your shake before and half after.
  • Eat only every 4-6 hours, 3 meals a day (less ideal option – 2 meals, an afternoon snack, then a final meal). If you are an athlete and actively increasing your muscle mass, eat every 4 hours and have a meal 4 times a day instead
  • Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed
• Plate proportion
  • Percentages not given in the book, here is an approximation of what’s shown
  • 25% clean lean proteins, 30% nonstarchy vegetables, 25% healthy fats, 15% high-fiber, low-glycemic carbs, 5% nuts
• Fiber
  • Eat at least 50 grams of fiber per day – slowly increase your fiber so your body can adjust to it
  • Soluble fiber is great
  • Top sources: Raspberries, lentils, nuts, seeds (especially chia seeds and freshly ground flaxseeds), kale, quinoa, avocado, apples, winter squash, broccoli
• Drink plenty of water
  • When you get up: 16 ounces
  • 30-60 minutes before each meal: 16 ounces
  • During a meal: limit to 4-8 ounces
  • Start drinking water again 60 minutes after each meal
  • Before bed: 8 ounces
  • Daily total: 64 ounces minimum, more if you are in a hot climate, exercise heavily, or are heavier. You should be drinking approximately half your weight in ounces.
  • Green tea is a good option
  • Limit coffee to 1 or 2 cups per day
  • Green drinks / virgin shakes should be all green – no fruits, beets, apples, carrots, or other high-glycemic vegetables or fruits
• Clean, lean proteins
  • 4-6 ounces for women, 6-8 ounces for men per meal
  • Grass-fed beef, hormone-free free-range chicken and turkey, pasture-fed lamb and pork, pea-rice protein, wild cold-water fish, wild game
  • Enjoy lean red meat 3 or 4 times a week, focusing on game and lamb. Get the rest of your protein from chicken, turkey, fish, and Virgin Diet Shakes
  • Enjoy 2-3 6-oz servings of lowest-mercury fish per week – anchovies, butterfish, calamari/squid, catfish, farmed caviar, clams, king crab, crawfish/crayfish, flounder, Alaskan halibut, herring, spiny/rock lobster, oysters, pollock, salmon, sardines, scallops, shrimp, sole, tilapia, freshwater trout, whitefish
• Healthy fats
  • 1-3 servings of healthy fat per meal; 1 serving = 100 calories. 1 tablespoon of fat, 1/3 avocado, or the fat in grass-fed beef, pasture-fed pork, lamb, or wild cold-water fish
  • Avocado, coconut milk or oil, extra-virgin olive oil (don’t cook it at medium or high heat) , olives, palm fruit oil, sesame oil, wild cold-water fish
  • Rock stars: red palm fruit oil and coconut oil
  • Raw nuts (no peanuts) and nut butter, raw seeds (chia, hemp, freshly ground flaxseed meal), Nuts – soak them overnight to reduce issues from lectins, phytates and other enzyme inhibitors. Limit of 1-3 servings a day (5 brazil or macadamia nuts, 10 walnuts, almonds, or cashews, or a tablespoon of nut butter, not peanut butter)
  • You can enjoy ghee, or clarified butter, ideally from grass-fed cows, even in Cycle 1 as it has no milk solids
• High-fiber, low-glycemic carbs
  • ½ cup for women, 1 cup for men per meal
  • Legumes including: Adzuki beans, black beans, chick peas / garbanzos, cowpeas, great northern beans, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, split peas, white beans. Whenever possible, consume soaked, sprouted, or fermented
  • Non-gluten grains including: Brown rice, brown rice pasta or quinoa pasta, brown rice wraps, millet, oat bran, quinoa. Whenever possible, consume soaked, sprouted, or fermented
  • Starchy vegetables including: Beets, carrots (raw only and along with other foods), french beans, jicama, okra, pumpkin, squash (acorn, butternut, winter), sweet potato or yam, tomatoes, turnip
  • Grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables can be incorporated into a healthy diet if they are not eaten in excess – 1-4 servings a day, where a serving is approximately ½ cup
• Non-starchy vegetables
  • 2+ cups raw or 1+ cups cooked per meal, the more the better
  • Arugula, beet greens, cabbage, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, endive, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, radicchio, spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens, watercress
  • Artichokes, asparagus, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bell peppers*, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cassava, cauliflower, celery, chives, coriander, eggplant*, endive, fennel, garlic, green beans, jalapeño peppers*, kohlrabi, mushrooms, onions, parsley, radishes, shallots, spaghetti squash, summer squash, tomatoes*, zucchini (*nightshades, may cause issues for some people)
• Low-GI to moderate-GI fruits
  • In moderation
  • Low-glycemic index fruits – favor these – blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, elderberries, gooseberries, loganberries, raspberries, strawberries
  • Moderate-glycemic fruits – eat in moderation – apples, apricots, cherries, grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, limes, melons, nectarines, oranges, passion fruit, peaches, pear, persimmons, plums, pomegranates, tangerines
  • If you have issues with insulin resistance or high triglycerides, you should only have one fruit per day or maybe even none
• Low-FI foods – the least reactive foods
  • Proteins: Hormone-free free-range chicken and turkey, pasture-fed lamb, pea, rice, and/or hemp protein, wild cold-water fish
  • Nonstarchy vegetables: All, but especially focus on: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, deep green leafy vegetables, kale, spinach
  • Fruit: Apples, blueberries
  • Fats: Avocado, chia seeds, coconut oil and coconut milk, extra-virgin olive oil, freshly ground flaxseed meal, palm fruit oil
  • High-fiber starchy carbs: brown rice, lentils, quinoa, sweet potatoes
• Fermented foods
  • Soaked, fermented, sprouted, or pickled – not commercially
  • Pickled cabbage – traditionally prepared sauerkraut, kimchi
  • Fermented fish sauces without gluten
  • Kombucha without added sugar
  • Dark chocolate – up to 2 ounces per day
  • In cycle 3 if you can handle some dairy – greek-style yogurt or kefir
• Healing foods and spices
  • Aloe juice, apples, artichokes, avocado, beets, blueberries/berries, broccoli, cabbage, chia seeds, cilantro, cinnamon, coconut / coconut milk, curcumin/turmeric, dandelion greens, extra-virgin olive oil, flaxseed meal, fresh garlic, ginger, green tea, lentils, oregano, palm fruit oil, pomegranate, red onions, red peppers, rosemary, sauerkraut, sea salt, seafood (especially salmon, sardines, sole, scallops), sweet potato, xylitol

Cycle 1 of The Virgin Diet – what not to eat

• The top 7 high-FI foods – completely avoid even the smallest traces of these foods:
  • Gluten – in all brans, baked beans, biscuits and cookies, blue cheeses, bread and bread rolls, breadcrumbs, brown rice syrup, bulgur wheat, cakes, cheap brands of chocolate, chutneys and pickles, couscous, crispbreads, crumble topping, durum, farina, gravy powders and stock cubes, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), imitation crabmeat, licorice, luncheon meats (may contain fillers), malt vinegar, malted drinks, many salad dressings, matzo flour/meal, meat and fish pastes, muesli, muffins, mustard and dry mustard powder, pancakes, pasta (E.g. macaroni and spaghetti), pastry and pie crust, pâtés, pizza, pretzels, Pringles potato chips, pumpernickel, rye bread, sauces (often thickened with flour), sausages (often contain rusk), scones, seitan, self-basting turkeys, semolina, shredded suet in packs, some alcoholic drinks, some breakfast cereals, soups (may be roux-based), soy sauce, spice blends, stuffing, waffles, white pepper, Yorkshire pudding. Make sure you’re only buying oatmeal marked “gluten-free”
  • Soy – in Asian foods, energy bars and shakes, miso, prepared foods, soy protein powders, soy milk, soy sauce, tempeh, teriyaki sauce, textured vegetable protein TVP, tofu, veggie burgers
  • Dairy – in butter and many margarines, chocolate (except some dark chocolate products), cottage cheese, cow’s, goats, and sheep’s milk, yogurts, and cheeses, cream, sour cream, half-and-half, whipped cream, cream soups and chowders, creamy cheese or butter sauces (often served on vegetables and meats), creamy soups and sauces, ice cream, macaroni and cheese, many baked goods (bread, crackers, and desserts), many baking mixes and pancake mix, many canned foods (e.g. soups, spaghetti, and ravioli), many salad dressings (e.g. ranch, blue cheese, creamy, and Caesar), mashed potatoes, shakes and hot chocolate mixes and drinks, whey protein powder. Dairy may be listed on labels as: Butter or artificial butter flavor, buttermilk or buttermilk solids, casein, caseinate, sodium caseinate, cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, lactose, lactalbumin, milk, milk solids, nonfat milk solids, whey, yogurt, kefir
  • Eggs – especially corn-fed – in baked goods, batter mixes, Bavarian cream, boiled dressing, bouillon, breaded foods, breads, cake flours, creamy fillings, custards, egg drop soup, egg replacers such as Egg Beaters, flan, french toast, fritters, frosting, hollandaise sauce, ice cream, macaroons, malted drinks, marshmallows, mayonnaise, meat loaf, meringues, noodles, pancakes, puddings, quiche, salad dressings, sauces, sausages, soufflés, tartar sauce, waffles. Egg may be listed on labels as albumin, egg protein, egg white, egg yolk, globulin, livetin, ovalbumin, ovomucin, ovomucoid, ovovitellin, powdered egg, vitellin
  • Corn – in breakfast cereals, cerelose, corn chips, corn syrup, dextrose, dyno, glucose, grits, high fructose corn syrup HFCS, hominy, maize, margarine, popcorn, puretose, sweetose, vegetable oil
  • Peanuts – in baked goods, baking mixes, battered foods, biscuits, breakfast cereals, candy, cereal-based products, chili sauce, Chinese dishes, cookies, egg rolls, ice cream, margarine, marzipan, milk formula, pastry, peanut butter, satay sauce and dishes, soups, Thai dishes, vegetable fat, vegetable oil. May be listed on labels as emulsifier (uncommon), flavoring, ground nut, oriental sauce, peanut, peanut butter
  • Sugar and artificial sweeteners. Sugar in agave nectar, barley malt, beet sugar, blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, cane juice crystals, cane sugar, caramel, carob syrup, castor sugar, confectioner’s sugar, corn sweeteners, corn syrup, d-mannose, date sugar, demerara sugar, dextrin, dextrose, diastatic malt, diatase, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, galactose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup HFCS, honey, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maltodextrin, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, rice syrup, sucrose, syrup, treacle, turbinado sugar. Artificial sweeteners including diet sodas, other artificially sweetened foods, sweeteners including acesulfame potassium, alitame, aspartame, aspartame-acesulfame salt, cyclamate, NutraSweet, saccharin, Splenda, sucralose. Xylitol and a blend of xylitol and stevia are allowed, although straight stevia is not allowed.
• Processed foods, including gluten-free processed foods
• Proteins
  • Avoid commercially fed animal protein, fed on corn/soy and given hormones
  • Avoid farm-raised fish
  • Avoid fish that’s heavy in mercury and other heavy metals – grouper, king mackarel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish
  • Limit other high mercury fish to 1-2 6-oz servings a month – saltwater bass, bluefish, Atlantic halibut, American/Maine lobster, mahi mahi, sea trout, canned white albacore tuna, fresh bluefin tuna, fresh ahi tuna
  • Eat no more than six 6-oz servings of lower-mercury fish per month – cod, crab (Dungeness, blue, snow), monkfish, snapper, canned chunk light tuna, fresh Pacific albacore tuna
• Fats
  • Avoid rancid, refined, or hydrogenated (trans) fats
• Sometimes nightshades can cause you trouble
  • If you have joint pain, try avoiding: Eggplants, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes
• High-glycemic index foods
  • Fruits: Bananas, grapes, mango, papaya, pineapple, watermelon
  • Any other high-glycemic index foods
• Beverages
  • Avoid coffee and tea (there is contradictory advice in the book on these), soft drinks
  • Avoid alcohol
  • Bottled water in plastic bottles
  • You could have rice, almond, and hemp milks a bit here and there if coconut milk is not available, as they’re loaded with sugars or carbohydrates without nutrients. Fallback is unsweetened almond milk.
• Genetically modified foods / GMOs

Virgin Diet cycle 2 / reintroduction – food list

Cycle 2 of The Virgin Diet – what to eat

• As above, plus reintroduce one forbidden food per week – eggs and dairy (as they’re potentially healthy), soy and gluten (potentially unhealthy, testing to see whether you need to by hypervigilant about them).
• Only use healthy, unprocessed versions of these foods and in moderate amounts. Do not indulge in these foods during reintroduction
• Week 1 – test soy
  • Monday to Thursday, add 1 meal that includes soy to your meal plan, from the recipes in the book
  • Friday to Sunday, go back to your soy-free diet
  • Track your symptoms every day – www.thevirgindiet.com/symptomschecklist (free registration)
  • continue to have at least one Virgin Diet Shake each day, stay hydrated, and follow the meal timing rules
• Week 2 – test gluten
  • Monday to Thursday, add 1 meal that includes gluten to your meal plan, from the recipes in the book
  • Friday to Sunday, go back to your gluten-free diet
  • Track your symptoms every day
  • continue to have at least one Virgin Diet Shake each day, stay hydrated, and follow the meal timing rules
• Week 3 – test eggs
  • Monday to Thursday, add 1 meal that includes eggs to your meal plan, from the recipes in the book
  • Friday to Sunday, go back to your egg-free diet
  • Track your symptoms every day
  • continue to have at least one Virgin Diet Shake each day, stay hydrated, and follow the meal timing rules
• Week 4 – test dairy
  • Monday to Thursday, add 1 meal that includes dairy to your meal plan, from the recipes in the book
  • Friday to Sunday, go back to your dairy-free diet
  • Track your symptoms every day
  • continue to have at least one Virgin Diet Shake each day, stay hydrated, and follow the meal timing rules
  • If you can’t tolerate cow’s milk, you may be okay with goat’s and sheep’s milk in Cycle 2. The best way to consume this type of milk is raw and fermented, in the form of kefir or yogurt. Try a separate challenge for these
• Even if you discover that you can tolerate gluten, soy, or eggs, do not add them back into your diet during the other three challenge weeks
• If by mistake you have one of the forbidden foods in cycle 1, make sure you wait 21 days before you challenge the food you inadvertently ate
• If you show a response on the first day, then that’s not a food that you should be eating. You can rechallenge it again in 3 months if you want to.
• If you notice a symptom by the fourth day, you can put that food into your diet every fourth day – not any more often, or you might start reacting more intensely
• If you show no reaction, especially to eggs and/or dairy, then these are foods that you can work into your diet in cycle 3 – every second or third day, not every day
• If you still have symptoms and aren’t noticing that they’re triggered by these four foods, you might have trouble with the second tier – shellfish, tree nuts, citrus, and strawberries. Give yourself a 3-week period to drop those completely from your diet and see what happens

Cycle 2 of The Virgin Diet – what not to eat

As cycle 1, but the foods listed in Cycle 2 “what to eat” are reintroduced

Virgin Diet cycle 3 / lifetime diet – food list

Cycle 3 of The Virgin Diet – what to eat

• As cycle 1, plus the foods that you can tolerate tested in cycle 2Continue assembling meals as before, using the Virgin Diet Plate (plate proportions) and focusing on clean, lean protein; healthy fats; high-fiber low-glycemic carbs; and nonstarchy vegetables
• At least 95% of the time, avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners, gluten, corn, soy, and peanuts
• Use the 3-bite rule – once or twice a week, you can have three polite bites of something you otherwise wouldn’t eat (including desserts) as long as it isn’t something to which you react badly.
• If you can tolerate them, include healthy forms of eggs and dairy based on how you did in cycle 2: if you had no reaction, you can eat them every other day. If you had a reaction by the fourth day, you can eat them every 4 days. If you reacted immediately, leave them out for at least 3 months
• Follow the meal timing guidelines above
• Substitute 1 meal each day with a Virgin Diet Shake
• Stay hydrated
• You can reintroduce alcohol – limit to one glass of red wine per day for women or two glasses for men. You could perhaps treat yourself to one gluten-free beer per week; choose dark beers
• Use non-food rewards
• If you’re still trying to lose weight
  • Replace 2 meals per day with Virgin Diet Shakes
  • Replace your high-fiber starchy carbs with more nonstarchy vegetables
  • Drink more green tea to boost your metabolism
  • Up your fiber
  • Make sure you drink enough water
  • Shift from higher fat animal protein such as grass-fed beef and lamb, to lower fat chicken breasts, turkey breasts, and scallops

Move through cycles 1, 2, and 3 once a year, every year, for the rest of your life, to recheck what you can tolerate as this may change

Cycle 3 of The Virgin Diet – what not to eat

• As cycle 2
• Any foods that you react negatively to
• Alcohol over 1 glass a day for women and 2 glasses for men; mixed drinks
• 95% of the time avoid the forbidden foods that you don’t react negatively to. Use the 3-bite rule – once or twice a week, you can have three polite bites of something you otherwise wouldn’t eat as long as it isn’t something to which you react badly.

Health benefits claimed in The Virgin Diet

The diet in this book claims to reduce the risks for: abdominal cramping, acne, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, bloating, blood sugar crashes, brain fog, candida/yeast overgrowth, chronic mucus/stuffy nose, congestion, constipation, dark circles under the eyes, depression, diarrhea, dull lifeless hair, eczema, fatigue, food addiction, food cravings, food intolerance, gas, headaches, heartburn/GERD, hyperactivity, inability to lose weight, insomnia, insulin resistance, irritable bowel syndrome IBS, irritable bowel disorder, joint pain, leaky gut syndrome, moodiness, muscle pain, overweight/obesity, poor or unsteady energy, premature aging, psoriasis, rosacea, sinusitis, skin rashes, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth SIBO, throat clearing
As always, this is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. Consult your doctor before starting a new diet. This page describes what the authors of the diet recommend – Chewfo is describing the diet only, and does not endorse it.
Buy a copy of the Virgin Diet to get more information on food intolerance, recipes, and exercise recommendations. See also the diet website at http://thevirgindiet.com, the products store at www.jjvirginstore.com, and the Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/jjvirgin.

How have you found the diet helped you? Please add a comment below.

Surprising Pre-workout Snack

Thanks to Laura Roberson Menshealth.com

Soup up your engine.

Is chicken noodle soup the food of champs? Eating a salty snack before your cardio workout may help prevent dehydration, says a new study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

Men who ate chicken noodle soup containing 1,362 milligrams of sodium before cycling in the heat drank and retained more water during the ride than those who just downed H₂O beforehand.

“They lost less water through urine, even though they drank more,” says study author Neil Johannsen, Ph.D., of Iowa State University. This suggests a hydration-promoting change in kidney function.

Hate the idea of soup in the summer? Sip on tomato juice instead.

If you liked this story, you’ll love these:

• What’s the Right Workout Fuel for You?
• How to Improvise a Soup
• Tips for Staying Hydrated

Sex Positions That Double as Exercise

Contributed by Jocelyn Voo 

Missionary

In a way, the missionary position is the physical equivalent of the old "I'm busy washing my hair" excuse -- it's the brush-off used when you're lazy, tired, or just not that interested. But despite being one of the most passive contortions for a woman, man-on-top can still provide a pretty good workout.

"It depends on how enthusiastic you are about it, but missionary can be great for the core muscles," says Stacy Berman, a New York City-based certified fitness trainer and founder of Stacy's Boot Camp. "If your partner is thrusting toward you, you want to have an equal and opposite thrust back, and that requires a lot of core strength. It actually will start burning."

Patti Britton, author of The Art of Sex Coaching and immediate past president of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, agrees that you'll definitely be feeling it in your abs. "You can strengthen your core by focusing on pelvic lifting using your core, not your lower back. That's where women tend to get stuck -- they tend to rely on their lower back to give them propulsion." (The risk of which isn't a joke, either. Worst-case scenario, you could throw out your back or sustain some other injury -- not exactly a bedroom turn-on.)

Missionary position can also provide a good butt workout. "The more she does buttock squeezes, the more she could accentuate her riding toward him to give herself a good glute workout," Britton says.

Doggy-Style

Like with the missionary position, penetration-from-behind sex engages the woman's core because she has to stabilize herself on all fours, says Berman. You'll also be working your quadriceps and glutes to help brace yourself against the impact.

However, you can use a modified position to get a good arm workout, too. Rather than having your hands flat on the bed, "if the woman has her hands on a wall in front of her and sort of uses her upper body to help thrust, that would be a good shoulder and upper body workout," Berman says.

Cowgirl

With a standard cowgirl position, the lower part of the woman's legs are braced on the bed or floor, which will engage her butt and core.

"Much like riding a horse, she's going to flex her lower abs and pelvic muscles," says Yvonne K. Fulbright, a certified sex educator and author of Touch Me There! "Pressing into the man's abs and sides with her quads or calves can engage those muscles as well."

Modifying the cowgirl position can work additional muscle groups. "To make it even more intense, she can come up onto her feet, almost like a squat over him. That's all butt, legs, and hips," says Berman. "If she gets up onto her feet and leans onto her hands, she'll also have to use her upper body to balance."

Lotus

Like the missionary position, the lotus sitting position is one of the more passive sex positions. However, many of the same muscles worked in the cowgirl position are going to be used in this contortion: the core is engaged to stabilize the body, and the glutes are worked during thrusting.

Standing

Standing is one of the more challenging positions because often the woman has to allow her partner to lift her in some way, says Britton.

If the man and woman are facing each other, core and upper-leg strength comes into play: if she's standing on one leg, those leg muscles are worked to keep her upright, and core muscles are engaged to keep her balanced. If she's wrapping both legs around her partner, she'll need good arm strength to hold onto her partner. And regardless which one of these contortions she's in, "she has to have stamina if she's standing," says Britton.

If the man and woman are facing the same direction, the same muscles engaged in doggy-style are used: she'll work her core for balance, and her arms can be worked if she's bracing herself against a wall or headboard and using them to help thrust.

Scissors

According to Britton, the scissors position is the least strenuous of all -- there's no suspending of body weight, and it generally makes for gentler and slower penetration (which would explain why it's often recommended for pregnant women). "Scissors is for when you're tired, not for being an acrobat in bed," she says. Still, that's not to say you won't still be engaging muscle groups.

With your legs intercrossed with your partner's, there's limited movement for both the man and women, so a lot of inner-thigh strength and core stabilization will be at work. "When you squeeze your inner thighs, the core will naturally contract as well," Berman explains.

10 Best Protein Bars

Special thanks to askmen.com

Nutrition bars were originally designed for serious athletes but are now perceived as healthy, nutritious snacks or meal replacements by consumers. They may be better choices, but they are not necessarily good choices. Most contain hidden sugars, low-quality protein and a lot of additional ingredients that may not be healthy if consumed regularly.

The fact that protein bars are extremely convenient is a godsend for active people who are looking for something to tide them over between workouts and meals. With sales of nutrition bars skyrocketing tenfold to $1.7 billion over the past decade, there are literally thousands of brands to choose from. As long as they are eaten occasionally, they can be beneficial to your fitness goals. But eat too many of the poor-quality bars, and they might actually sabotage your efforts. Here’s what to look for.

Make sure it’s a protein bar

To be called a “protein” bar, it should have at least 15 grams of protein per bar. Although carb content is variable, you should choose a bar that is relatively low in carbs to avoid blood and insulin spikes that will hinder your fat-loss efforts. Energy bars are at the other end of the spectrum: high-carb, low-protein. Energy bars such as PowerBars® or Clif® Bars are useful for intense aerobic exercise that lasts more than an hour.

Meal replacement bars like Balance® Bar, or Nutribar® have a more balanced ratio of carbs, proteins and fats, and usually contain more calories than other types of bars. Despite what they sound like, these can never replace a properly balanced meal. Organic and raw bars like Lärabar® provide energy in as natural a method as possible. They are made with whole foods and are devoid of artificial sweeteners and inserted protein. They are, nevertheless, relatively high in sugars and low in protein.
Look at the source of protein

Most protein bars will have a “propriety protein blend” as one of the first things listed in the ingredients list. Choose bars that use high-quality sources of protein, such as hydrolyzed whey, whey isolates and micellar casein. Whey or soy concentrates are fine but are frequently used as fillers and shouldn’t be listed too high on the ingredients list. Gelatin (or collagen) is often added to protein bars to improve texture. Since it is a type of protein, it contributes to the total number of grams in the bar. Careful, though: It’s a low-quality protein, and some unscrupulous brands use it to artificially boost their protein content. Check the ingredients and ensure that gelatin and collagen are not listed too high up on the list.

Look at the carbs

Just because a bar is high in protein doesn’t mean it’s low in carbs. First off, avoid protein bars that list refined sugars, such as sucrose, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and chocolate, as the first or second ingredient. These are no better than candy bars. To make a protein taste good without using too much refined sugars, manufacturers often add artificial sweeteners (acesulfame potassium) and sugar alcohols (or polyols) such as xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, glycerol or glycerine. Sugar alcohols should be listed along with sugars and dietary fiber under the total carbohydrate listing on the nutrition label. These are hydrogenated forms of carbohydrate that are colorless and odorless, and give the bar a pleasing moist texture. They are not as sweet as sucrose, have fewer calories and don’t cause tooth decay. However, they may cause bloating and intestinal discomfort in some people since they are not completely absorbed by the gut. They do contribute calories and affect blood-sugar levels, so they need to be accounted for by the low-carb dieter.

Nutrition bars are not subjected to any quality testing prior to marketing. In 2001, the supplement-testing group ConsumerLab.com analyzed 30 brands of energy bars and found that 60% failed to meet their labeling claims. Among the highest failure rates were protein bars (92% failed), often because they were under-reporting the amount of carbs and sodium contained in the bar. So even if you’re super-skilled in reading nutrition labels and ingredient lists, you may not actually be consuming what you think you’re consuming.

Look at the fat

Ever since manufacturers were pressured to remove trans fats from their products, they’ve replaced them with palm oil and palm kernel oil. Although not all saturated fats are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, palm oil is. Be careful not to consume too much of it. Modified triacylglycerol (SALATRIM, brand name: Benefat®) is appearing as a lower-calorie fat replacer in many products. SALATRIM is approved by the American Dietetic Association and the FDA. It has no known side effects and it does not affect blood-cholesterol levels or absorption of fat-soluble vitamins or other nutrients.

After evaluating more than 30 brands for their macronutrient composition, quality of nutrients and taste, I’ve come up with the 10 best protein bars (with No. 1 considered the best) on the market.

10. Myoplex Carb Control Bars (Peanut Butter-Chocolate) by EAS
A 70 g bar contains 260 calories, 25 g protein, 8 g fat and 27 g carbs (2 g from sugar, 20 g from sugar alcohols).

Formerly known as Myoplex Sense Bars, these bars use a high-quality proprietary protein blend that consists of hydrolyzed whey, whey isolates and casein. Like most nutrition bars, vitamins and minerals are added to boost its nutritional content. Although the bar is trans-fat free, it contains some palm kernel oil and soy oil. For those who are on a cutting diet, consume this bar occasionally or while traveling.

9. PowerBar Protein Plus Reduced Sugar (Peanut Butter-Chocolate) by PowerBar Inc.
A 78 g bar contains 270 calories, 22 g protein, 9 g fat, and 30 g carbs (1 g from sugars, 17 g from sugar alcohols).

PowerBar improved its Protein Plus bar by substituting its sugar, fructose and fructose syrup content with sugar alcohols. This reduced-sugar version has less of an impact on blood glucose and insulin levels, which helps to avoid fat gain. The company's TriSource™ proprietary protein blend consists of whey, casein and soy protein isolates that are digested at different rates. These are pretty high-quality proteins that are ideal for in-between and post-workout meals.

8. Nitro-Tech Hardcore Protein Bar (Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip) by MuscleTech
An 80 g bar contains 270 calories, 30 g protein, 6 g fat, and 31 g carbs (4 g from fiber, 1 g from sugar and the rest from sugar alcohols).

MuscleTech has its own propriety blends in this bar (Nitro Infusion Complex™, Insulogen® and Nitroxen®) that might be considered an all-in-one supplement dream for the serious weightlifter. You have your amino acids, your fat burners and your muscle builders in one bar. Quite a bit of the carb content comes from sugar alcohols, so be careful if you’re sensitive or you may have some intestinal discomfort. Use this bar to its full potential and eat it only before or after a workout.

7. OhYeah! (Peanut Butter Crunch) by Integrated Sports Science
A 45 g bar contains 190 calories, 13 g protein, 10 g fat, and 19 g carbs (4 g from sugars, 4 g from sugar alcohols).

Using real caramel and peanuts, this delicious protein bar has a great blend of high-quality proteins consisting of whey and milk protein isolates and casein. The bars are sold in small portion-controlled sizes of 45 grams that contain only 190 calories. The downside is that they contain quite a bit of sugar, including corn syrup, and unhealthy partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Eat them as a very occasional snack.

6. Protein Plus (Creamy Peanut Butter Twist) by MET-Rx
An 85 g bar contains 310 calories, 30 g protein, 10 g fat, and 33 g carbs (3 g from sugars and 26 from sugar alcohols).

MET-Rx’s proprietary protein blend Metamyosyn® contains some very high-quality protein, including whey protein isolates, hydrolyzed whey, egg white and casein. When a bar is this high in protein, it needs a bit more sugar and fat to avoid having a hard chalky taste. Sugar alcohols (mostly maltitol) and invert evaporated cane juice is used to make this a delicious protein-packed bar.

5. Pure Protein (Peanut Butter-Chocolate) by Worldwide Sports Nutrition Supplements Inc
A 50 g bar contains 200 calories, 20 g protein, 6 g fat, and 16 g carbs (2 g from sugars and 6 g from sugar alcohols).

A delicious tasting bar that is relatively low in sugar and contains high-quality whey protein hydrolysate and isolate. However, hydrolyzed collagen, a lower-quality protein, and glycerin are listed before the protein blend.

4. 2:1 Protein Bar (Oatmeal) by MetraGenix
A 74 g bar contains 265 calories, 30 g protein, 5 g fat and 25 g carbs (5 g from fibers, 3 g from sugar, the rest from maltitol and glycerol).

The original 2:1 bar is now available in protein-to-net-carb-ratios of up to 7:1. Net carbs is a term used to denote carbs that are actually absorbed and metabolized by the body. 2:1 Protein Bar contains a blend of high-quality protein and tastes incredible. The faux-chocolate coating unfortunately contains palm kernel oil and sucrose, so don’t go overboard on them.

3. Supreme Protein (Peanut Butter Crunch) by Supreme Protein LLC
A 43 g bar contains 190 calories, 15 g protein, 6 g fat and 38 g carbs (5 g from sugar, 7 g from sugar alcohols).

Supreme Protein is considered a gourmet protein bar and is one of the most popular brands with weightlifters. It contains high-quality premium whey isolates and healthy fats, including flaxseed oil. Its chocolate coating is listed first in the ingredient list and contains palm kernel oil and sugar. Nevertheless, it’s a delicious bar.

2. Detour (Peanut Butter Cream) by Forward Foods, LLC
A 43 g bar contains 170 calories, 15 g protein, 7 g fat, and 17 g carbs (1 g from sugars and 14 g from sugar alcohols)

Made with high-quality whey protein isolates and hydrolyzed whey, this delicious bar is relatively rich in branched chain amino acids. It also contains real peanut butter and peanuts. Like most other faux chocolate, the outer coating contains palm kernel oil, but it's pretty low on the ingredients list.

1. QuestBar (Peanut Butter Supreme) by Quest Nutrition, LLC
A 60 g bar contains 210 calories, 20 g protein, 10 g fat, and 21 g carbs (18 g from dietary fiber, 2 g from sugars).

This is probably the best quality and most natural protein bar you can find today. The protein blend is made from high-quality whey and milk protein isolates. The carbs in QuestBar come predominantly from peanuts and the fiber comes from isomalto-oligosaccharides, a plant-derived prebiotic that has been shown to reduce hunger and increase digestive health. QuestBar uses lo han guo, an herb-derived sweetener much like stevia.
Setting the bar

It’s almost impossible to make a tasty protein bar without adding something sweet and fatty to it. If you’re watching your weight and want to lose fat, you should look for a bar that uses sugar alcohols and SALATRIM to replace some of the sugars and saturated fats. But these should only be consumed once in while. Remember, nothing can ever replace the nutritional perfection of whole foods.

The Top 5 Men's Trends For Spring/Summer 2013

Special thanks to Blue Carreon #bluecarreon

If you don’t know it yet, camouflage is one of the biggest trends of the season. And Valentino is making a killing on their selling floor with their modern take on the military print — used as panels on clothes with an unexpected shot of color or as a print on sneakers. The Valentino camouflage sneakers with the studs on the back are in fact the hottest item for spring and there are waiting lists for them. Camo also appeared in the collections of Dries Van Noten, Comme des Garcons and Gant by Michael Bastian and it will rule over fashion until the fall 2013 season.

Stripes of every variety — from nautical to pinstripes to rugby, from horizontal to vertical — are also a strong motif for spring. Almost every look that Tommy Hilfiger showed had a stripe of some sort. At Dior Homme there were plenty of nautical-inspired sweaters as at J. Crew. And Michael Kors went graphic with a black and white vertical striped blazer.

If fall 2012 was all about varsity jackets and hybrids of it, spring’s favored topper is the upgraded baseball jacket. Hermes showed one in light white leather and Gucci’s came in ochre colored suede. And Christopher Bailey at Burberry Prorsum showed baseball jackets in electric shades of blues and purples.

The soft gelato colors we’ve come to associate with spring are taking a back seat this season and giving the spotlight to neon colors, brighter and punchier, either as whole ensembles or just as slivers on the soles of shoes.

Navy and gray suits are well and good in a corporate setting but if you work in a creative field or if you want to make a splash on the weekends, why not slip into a lime colored suit? Or perhaps one in fuchsia or traffic light red? It takes balls to wear something that’s not your average blue suit, I know, but if you can master the confidence and the attitude to pull it off, why not?

Eating Disorder Orthorexia On The Rise

Thanks to CBS Boston for reporting

This the time of year when many people are excited to get in shape and eat healthier. The problem is many people are going too far. A dangerous phenomenon called “Orthorexia” is becoming more prevalent.

Personal trainer Bron Volney at Boston Sports Club is just as concerned with his clients’ diet as he is with their workout.

“I monitor a lot of my clients’ weight, and if they are dropping really fast, and it seems they are going to extremes, you’ve got to question them and say, ‘Let’s make sure you are staying healthy,’” said Volney.

Staying healthy means following a balanced diet. A growing number of people, however, are eliminating entire food groups, seeing only negative qualities in things like dairy, eggs, meats, grains, and fats.

Over time, the only things left in their diet are fruits and vegetables.

Taken to an extreme, it’s now treated as an eating disorder called “Orthorexia”.

This is how Boston University Nutritionist Jenn Culbert defines Orthorexia: “What it essentially means is that someone is obsessed with eating only healthy food that they consider to be pure.”

The problem, according to Culbert, is our bodies need those so called bad foods.

“Fat helps us absorb fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, and it also helps us absorb phydo chemicals in fruits and vegetables,” said Culbert. “Whole grains have been shown to be heart healthy. . . Dairy is a great source of protein and a great source of calcium and Vitamin D.”

Orthorexics start with the best motives, really wanting to be in great shape and good health. The problem is their actions have the exact opposite effect.

Caitlyn Bryne is very conscious of her diet when she works out with Volney at the Boston Sports Club near Government Center.

She said when she first started working out and trying to lose weight, she was a bit extreme in her approach. “It’s hard because you have to train yourself to eat well. It was hard for me.”

She added that it wasn’t realistic and certainly wasn’t fun.

Culbert says the warning signs are not hard to spot. “When you are no longer able to enjoy any of the foods that you once did, and you are no longer able to participate in a family meal, or going out with a friend.”

10 sources of vegetable proteins

Who knew?

5 Super Quick Weight Loss Tips

Carry a packed lunch

The one activity you must think saves you time on a weekday is to skip cooking while rushing to work. Eating out is in vogue and let`s you catch up on sleep after a late night. But, do remember that eating out is not a weight-friendly option – The kilos will pile on even with you eating the supposedly safe thali meals. So, wake up every day with your mind set on packing a quick lunch of easy workplace lunches.

Drink plenty of water

It`s two hours since you ate and you`ve been rushing through your report without batting an eye. If you suddenly realise you`re hungry and reach out for a packet of chips or biscuits, it`s time you learnt to distinguish between hunger and cravings. When you think you`re craving to munch on something, plain water should come to your rescue. Keep your bottle filled at all times and sip at it every now and then so that you don`t feel those so-called hunger pangs in-between meals.

Eat more salads

Try to include a couple of salads every day to reach your weight loss goal with ease. Chop veggies like carrots, cucumber and capsicum into large bite-size pieces and add a dash of limejuice and pepper to make a healthy salad. Chewing on the large veggie pieces slowly gives your brain the signals of fullness and keeps you going till your next meal.

Buy small portions

Don`t get carried away by the discounted rates on big packaged foods – be it biscuits or noodles or even the extra large packet of chips. Buying smaller portions is the easiest way to ensure you eat

Change your exercise routine

If walking is your passion, do it every day. Only, remember to break into a jog every now and then so that you are able to include more activity in your workout time. This mix and match routine not only has more impact on your weight loss but also helps you if your weight is plateauing.

What to wear at the gym

Tops

The easiest and most acceptable fashion choice for top wear is a T-shirt. We’re not talking about your stained and tattered Cape Cod tourist T-shirt here, though. You’re going to have to be a little pickier than that. To ensure that you choose a functional and fashionable tee, you should look for a few particular characteristics.

T-shirts should be made of light, breathable material, such as cotton. Avoid polyester. Consider a microfiber material to help keep you cool and dry. Your shirt should also fit properly; T-shirts that are too large or too tight should be avoided.

Don’t: Thinking about wearing a mesh T-shirt? Not unless you have a time machine to travel back to 1985, McFly. Though tempting, you should also stay away from the basic white T-shirt, for three reasons: White does not radiate heat as well as darker colors, making it harder to stay cool; it picks up dirt and stains easily; and we all know what happens to white T-shirts when they get wet. If you sweat through it, everyone will know about your third nipple.

You should also avoid A-shirts, those thin white tank tops often associated with domestic abuse. If you are adamant about having your “guns” show, just wear a sleeveless shirt instead of a tank top. And please, for everybody’s sake, even if you can bench press 350 pounds, don’t wear one of those ridiculous tank tops with spaghetti strap-like pieces of fabric that hold it together and leave your pecs exposed.

Bottoms

A wise woman once said: “Wearing spandex is a privilege, not a right.” For women, that’s probably true. For men, it’s neither a privilege nor a right; it’s a very, very bad mistake. If you have some medical or athletic reason to wear form-fitting spandex shorts, wear longer shorts to cover them up. Your best bet here are simple cotton or mesh gym shorts that don’t extend more than an inch or two below the knees. These shorts should be worn at or slightly below your waist, not hanging off your butt—you aren’t in a rap video.

Don’t: Sweatpants are fine, but probably not the most fashionable choice. There really isn’t any reason to be wearing long pants at the gym, unless you are self-conscious about your legs. In this case, there are more stylish exercise pants sold by Adidas and Nike.

Shoes and socks

With so many versatile and stylish athletic shoes on the market, it shouldn’t be hard to find a pair that is functional and that also appeals to your personal taste. Never wear any kind of shoe other than a sneaker because you won’t get the arch support you need during a rigorous workout. Stick to white, cushiony socks, or a variation on white. Colored and patterned socks do not mix with the gym.

Don’t: Don’t wear socks that come up much past your ankle.

Head

Hats are generally a bad idea. They can get in the way of your weightlifting. They also trap heat coming off your head, making it harder for you to stay cool. Also, most people do not wash their hats as often as they wash their other clothes, so they can develop a less-than-savory odor rather quickly.

Don’t: Headbands are generally ridiculous—unless you’re playing basketball or tennis, and even then, proceed with caution.

Top 10 Ab Exercises

Top 10 Ab Exercises

Year after year, countless men swear that they will work their abs and achieve the elusive six-pack; most of these men fail. The reasons for wanting great abs are simple: you'll feel good about yourself and therefore boost your self-esteem and girls love them. Here are 10 of the all-time best exercises for your abs. They will help you to whip that gut into shape. Just remember that without a proper diet and a fat-burning cardio regime (such as high intensity interval training), you're ab crunches will be in vain.

Number 10
Reaching Crunch On Ball

Instructions: Sit on a Swiss ballwith your feet shoulder-width apart on the floor. Lean back, so that your back is almost parallel to the floor. Straighten your arms and point them toward the ceiling. Contract your abs, as you would for a crunch, while you reach for the ceiling with your fingertips. Hold the contracted position for three seconds. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Number 9
Twist And Crunch

Instructions: Place a mat on the floor and lie down on your back, with your hands by your ears and your legs perpendicular to the floor. Twist your hips slightly by contracting your left oblique muscles; hold that position. Using your abs, bring your right elbow across your body to the outside of your left knee. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on your right side. Do 10 reps.

Number 8
Russian Twist

Instructions: Sit on a decline bench, with your legs firmly under the pads. Lean back slightly, so that your thighs and torso form a 90° angle. Extend your arms in front of you, so that they form a 90° with your torso, and clasp your hands together. Keeping your back straight, your chest out and your arms straight, make a semi-circle with your arms. With your abs flexed, move as far as you can from right to left and left to right, and do the motion as quickly as you can without sacrificing proper form or range of motion. Work your way up to 60 seconds of continuous movement.

Number 7
Hip Raise/Leg Raise

Instructions: Lie down on a flat bench with your legs up and perpendicular to the bench (hold the bench behind your head for stability). Lift your hips slightly off the bench by contracting your lower abs, hold for three seconds, and lower your hips. Keep your back flat on the bench, your legs straight and lower your legs until they almost form a straight line with the rest of your body. Hold for a count of three and bring them back to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Number 6
Woodchop

Instructions: Add some weight (try 25 pounds) to a multipurpose pulley machine and grasp the handle attachment at shoulder height with your left hand. Square yourself to the machine and take a few steps to the right (away from the machine) until there is sufficient tension. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bring your right arm across your body, and clasp your hands together while holding the handle. Keeping your arms straight and at shoulder-height, use your abs to bring your arms across your body, as though you were making a woodchopping motion. Bring them back to the starting position. Do 10 reps on each side for the excellent core workout.

Number 5
Jackknife

Instructions: Place a mat on the floor, lie down on your back and extend your arms above your head. Simultaneously lift your arms and legs toward the ceiling, until your fingertips touch your toes (if you can). Slowly return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Number 4
Windshield Wipers

Instructions: Place a mat on the floor and lie on on your back with your arms in the "T" position for stability. Lift your legs so that they are perpendicular to the floor and rotate your hips, keeping them in contact with the floor, so that your legs move from left to right, in a "windshield wiper" motion. Make sure to move in a slow and controlled manner. Do 10 reps.

Number 3
Reverse Crunch

Instructions: Lie down on a bench with your knees bent and your upper legs at a 90° angle with your torso; grab the bench above your head for stability. Use your ab muscles to pull your knees toward your chest until they reach your elbows. Hold the crunch position for three seconds and return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Number 2
Side Crunch On Ball

Instructions: Firmly place your right hip on a Swiss ball and lean into the ball; ensure that your torso is off the ball. Support yourself by pressing the soles of your feet against the bottom of a wall. Place your hands by your ears, and contract your left oblique muscles, lifting your torso up as far as you can. Hold for three seconds and release. Do 10 reps and repeat on the opposite side.

Number 1
Front Plank On Ball

Instructions: Rest your elbows on a flat bench and the balls of your feet on an exercise ball. Contract your abs so that your body is parallel to the floor and there is no dip in your lower back. Hold the plank position for 60 seconds.

Throw a few sets of these ab destroyers between your other exercises at the gym, and within a few weeks, you'll be amazed at your newfound ripped and rock-hard midsection. Just be cool and don't become one of those guys that whips off his shirt to show them off at every opportunity.