What to eat to get abs for men over 40
As a man over 40 you might be wondering what to eat to get abs, are there any foods you need to avoid?
Should you eat late at night?
Should you avoid carbs, eat high protein and low fat?
At Lean Over 40 for Men we do things differently.
And by differently I don’t mean resorting to some crazy diet plan that makes you miserable in your quest to get abs, but something that’s sustainable, enjoyable but more importantly works!
What I always recommend before starting any diet plan is asking yourself the question, “is this going to be sustainable over the long term?”
If the answer is no, then it’s not worth starting it to begin with as any progress made will be “undone” the moment you revert to your old eating habits.
For example, if you eat high protein and low carb, we all know that method of dieting works for losing weight, but a lot of that weight will be lost from glycogen stores as your body becomes depleted from lack of carbohydrates.
And, who wants to eat zero carbs for the rest of their lives?
Certainly not me!
The point is when looking what to eat to get abs or fat loss in general you should take into consideration foods and a nutrition plan that’s going to keep you feeling full, feeling good AND dropping fat.
Yes, getting abs and staying lean doesn’t need to be a miserable experience!
With that said what should you be eating to get abs?
Let’s break it down into protein, carbs and fat…
To get abs you should be eating a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats without going too low or too high in any macronutrient.
But if you’re wanting to drop fat, being in a slight calorie deficit long enough is the way forward. Eating the correct number of calories and a BALANCE of protein, carbs and fats always works best over the long term.
Let’s break that down a stage further and examine the different macronutrients, protein, carbs and fat.
Protein
When it comes to protein requirements the bodybuilding world vastly exaggerates how much protein we need.
Protein is needed to help you repair and recover from lifting weights which is important for building lean muscle and looking awesome, if you’re getting 0.8 – 1g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight per day then you’re getting more than enough.
At Lean Over 40 for Men I teach men over 40 how to look awesome with the correct amount of muscle mass and low digits of body fat, you could compare yourself to Wolverine or a James bond physique to know what I’m talking about!
Just the right amount of muscle without the bulk!
When it comes to getting protein try and stick to sources that are in their natural state with one ingredient, here are some great protein foods:
Fish i.e. salmon, tuna, mackerel, sea bass etc
- Chicken breast
- Turkey breast
- Lean beef
- Pork tenderloin
- Eggs
- Beans
Carbohydrates
For some reason a lot of people think that eating carbs is a bad idea for getting lean, but they’re essential for the proper functioning of the body, to supply us with energy, keep testosterone at peak levels and keeping us feeling full and satisfied.
If you cut out carbohydrates then you’re going to feel miserable, quickly! Here are some great carb sources:
- Whole grain pasta
- Potatoes
- Whole grain rice
- Oats
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grain bread
Fat
Even for getting abs, fats are very important!
I never let my body fat creep above 12% and when staying lean I make sure I’m getting at least 25-30% of total calories coming from fat.
One of the worst decisions you can make when getting lean is cutting out fats!
Fats are important for a whole bunch of chemical processes in the body, one of which is raising testosterone and keeping it at peak levels.
I can’t stress the importance of eating enough fats in the diet, it becomes even more important as you age because testosterone levels are already supressed.
Simplicity
When getting lean a lot of men over 40 are bewildered when putting a nutrition plan together that’s going to work well.
After reading the above you might be thinking, sounds boring having to eat salmon and chicken every day? But the truth is you don’t!
I have a very contrarian method when it comes to getting in shape, something that goes against the grain of what of the fitness industry is teaching, but something that flat out works!
The truth is, if you’re hitting slightly less calories than what your body burns per day, getting enough protein and a balance of carbohydrates and fats, you’re going to do fine!
Incorporate the 90/10 rule – eating healthy nutritious foods most of the time you enjoy whilst still making room to eat out and enjoy your life.
And by healthy foods, I don’t mean eating every 2-3 hours or eating bland meals like chicken and rice!
You can have a life! I never recommend anyone eating so rigid a diet that they can’t have a social life, that’s NOT what Lean Over 40 for Men is about.
What’s the point of getting in shape if you’re going to feel miserable along the way?
If you follow what I teach using a sensible routine training 3 times per week, moderate cardio and a balanced nutrition program then you WILL lean down fast.
Getting abs doesn’t have to be as difficult as what you think it is.
Body fat percentage
Getting lean is all about the percentage of body fat you currently have on your body! I recommend carrying NO MORE than 15% body fat.
Fat is associated with loads of health conditions, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even cancer so getting yourself under 15% body fat is an important step for your health and to look and feel your best.
Measuring body fat isn’t difficult if you get your hands on some body fat calipers.
A single pinch of the waist and comparing the measurement in millimetres to a chart on the back of the packet can quickly and accurately provide you with your body fat percentage.
Once you have your body fat percentage it’s a case of targeting 1-2 lbs of fat loss per week in order to get lean!
It doesn’t have to be more complicated than this, but you DO need to know where you’re currently at so that you know where you’re currently heading to.
Once you know your numbers and are heading in the right direction then long-term success almost takes care of itself.