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FITNESS


time you eat clean and train hard, while 20 percent of the time you take your foot off the accelerator and live life, have fun and enjoy the things you like, with disciplined moderation. I know that doesn’t sound fun, but you have to decide which is more fun, eating and drinking whatever and whenever, or the elusive abs that once you will want to flaunt with frequency.


3. Vodka/soda: fact or fallacy? A shot of hard alcohol, a


MIKE Z KNOWS FITNESS By Mike Zarraonandia As a personal trainer people


constantly seek my advice on any and every topic related to exercise and nutrition—and the most frequently asked question I get is: “How do I keep my six pack abs and still drink alcohol?” My first and best answer is…. YOU CAN’T. People usually respond to this as if I had just taken their puppy away from them. For many people, their regular cocktail, beer or wine is as important to them—if not more so—than the health benefits of exercise. So, I have to ask them questions that will lead them down a path toward washboard abs. In my last column I posed


the question, When is “fit” fit enough? Are Mario Lopez’s abs important enough to make the lifestyle changes required to achieve that goal? My mom always said that if it’s important enough, you will get it done. At this point I have probably just lost at least half of you, because washboard abs simply aren’t a top priority for most of us. But if you are still interested in getting people to turn their heads and say, “Did you see that guys abs?” Here is my “Dear Abby” solution.


1. Begin with the end in mind. If you are visually motivated,


get a picture of yourself when you had the abs that you want now and put it where you can see it daily. If you haven’t ever seen your inner “Matthew McConaughey ” use a picture of him or someone with your body type to keep you on track. If you are more analytical, have a trainer like me test your body fat. Generally speaking, if you are under 10 percent body fat, you are showing abs.


2. Nutrition is major. You cannot train your way


out of a bad diet. That means one thing and one thing only: consume fewer calores than you burn and you will see your abs pop out at some point. The 80/20 guideline is a rule of thumb you can live by: 80 percent of the


glass of wine and a glass of beer all contain relatively the same amount of calories (depending, of course, on how much you flirt with your bartender). So while mixing your vodka with water is certainly better than using sugary mixers, it is not, however, the “end all, beat all” drink. It might be your choice over feeling beer-bloated, or crashing from the high sugar content in wine, which could leave you vulnerable to going off your plan. If beer is your drink of choice, obviously a light beer is best. The stouts and heavy ale beers are high in calories and will only set you back. My rule of thumb is to limit yourself to two beers. That usually keeps me out of trouble (calorie-wise at least). Even better, be the designated


driver for your friends and see how much fun you can still have without drinking.


4. Cardio! Cardio! Cardio! I trained my buddy Leo for


hisMen’s Fitness cover shoot and he was hitting the treadmill twice a day during the three weeks before his shoot. I really can’t recommend that 14 times a week is what you should do. Aim for five sessions of cardio per week, betweeen 20-45 minutes per session. Work hard enough to break a sweat, and increase your intensity a little each session. Keep in mind that when Leo first met with theMen’s Fitness peeps for his photo shoot at four percent body fat, they still asked if he could get a little leaner. C’mon, really?


5. Pick your battles. Everyone works better with


a due date. Set a specific goal in a manageable time frame. Last month I heard “With Pride coming up, I gotta hit the cardio.” You are more likely to get it done with an impending event such as Pride, a class reunion or beach season (if we ever get one again in San Diego).


6. The little things add up. Anything that can keep you


motivated toward your goal, keep repeating. Expand your network of workout partners, keep a food journal to guide your future success, hire a trainer to accelerate your results and maybe use peer pressure—hang out with guys who have six pack abs and see what they do; pick their brains. As a personal trainer, I’m


July 30-August 12, 2010 GAY SAN DIEGO


19 How do I keep my six-pack abs while drinking a six-pack of beer?


not advocating that you drink. It’s your choice. But finding a balance between the fun of a social life and the discipline of work and exercise can allow you to enjoy the best of both worlds.☭


—Mike Zarraonandia is a


certified personal trainer (CPT) at FIT Athletic Club in downtown San Diego. Have a burning question about your crunch form? E-mail him at mikezarra@aol.com.


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