Is it important to diet when you want to get a flat lean stomach? Of course! You are what you eat. If you are eating the wrong foods you are bound to get bad health and bad results in physical appearence. The idea is to eat healthy to look and feel healthy. You don’t have to go on a crazy bodybuilding or fitness model diet either, just make a few adjustments in order to get less calories in your body each day. Although you want to keep the intake of calories pretty high and frequent in order to keep your metabolism high.
When I diet in order to lose fat down to the 10-12% bodyfat range, while trying to keep as much muscle as possible I tend to eat 6 times per day and eat some kind of protein with each meal that I consume. This means a few eggs at breakfast, with some kind of fruit or oatmeal for example. This is healthy and balanced.
I also will supplement with my fish oils and multi-vitamins right away in the morning so that I’m health and vibrant for the day. A few hours, like 2-3 hours later I’ll have a mid-morning snack. This usually consists of either cottage cheese + grapes and some tomato mixed, this tastes good in my opinion, or I’ll have a protein shake and a whole fruit.
Then 2-3 hours later I’ll again eat, but this time lunch and I might have a chicken breast (lean meat/protein) with vegetables (a lot of vegetables), maybe a glas of milk or smoothie, along with olive oil and some feta cheese on top to make kind of a greek sallad.
Then I’ll have another small snack such as a protein shake and an apple or something like that, cottage cheese + apple or whatever. Even a healthy smoothie such as Milk + Banana + Almonds + Cinnamon mixed in a blender – yummy!
Then for dinner I’ll have potato/rice or something like that with vegetables and a big piece of meat, like chicken, ground beef, lean turket or salmon. Usually spice it with lemon or something other natural. I’ll also take another fish-oil supplement if I’m not having fish at this time.
This kind of diet as you can see that it’s tasteful and healthy. It’s frequent and keeps the metabolism high. I will during the day tend to drink as much water as humanly possible to flush out toxins and left overs in the body that doesn’t need to be there, such as sodium (salt).
I stay away from fried foods, junk foods, candy, soda, sugary drinks and things like that to keep my calories in check. Then during the weekends I “bend the rules” and eat pretty much whatever, except I try to keep it as clean as possible, I just don’t bother with portion size to the degree that I do during the weekend.
I combine this with intense weight lifting and cardio training in order to lose fat and build muscle. This got me pretty ripped in just 16 weeks! I only did cardio for the last 8 weeks and the pounds kept falling off and my muscles are more toned and defined. Abs are starting to appear etc. This works like crazy.
Try it and good luck with your diet and exercise programs!