The Body Fortress Meal Plan for Building Abs

It’s right up there with “no pain, no gain” on the pantheon of overused fitness sayings:
Abs are made in the kitchen.
You’ve heard or read it at least once, probably multiple times. And cliche though it may be, it’s also true: train all you want, but without the proper diet, you’ll never achieve the coveted six-pack look, one of the fitness world’s crowning accomplishments.
But a common saying isn’t Going to get you ripped. To help you do that, we spoke to Body Fortress Ambassador Kirstin Radlinski about the nutrition needed to get a lean, chiseled midsection. Kirstin is a semi-professional soccer player turned NPC bikini division champion with numerous top-5 contest finishes, including first place at the 2016 Lenda Murray VA Classic. After moving to the west coast, she found CrossFit to be a perfect outlet for her competitive nature and to keep her inspired to work hard in the gym.
Kirstin created a five-day sample diet for Body Fortress readers to follow in order to achieve ab definition. While everyone technically has ab muscles, the average person’s abs are covered by a layer of fat. The only way to drop this fat from your body is through a caloric deficit, which is achieved by burning more calories than you consume. The second half of the equation is choosing a workout that targets all muscles in the group we traditionally think of as abs.
Though this plan is programmed for five days, Kirstin stresses that readers adopt a balanced nutritional approach that they can maintain over the long term.
“I want people to think of this as a healthy way of eating, not a diet where you are deprived or setting yourself up for a bad rebound of weight gain once you stop,” she said.
That’s part of the reason Kirstin doesn’t include caloric information about the meal plan; instead, she chooses whole foods that help her satisfy macronutrient requirements, typically known as “macros.”
“There is not one specific diet you need to see abs. You simply need to be in a healthy caloric deficit,” Kirstin told us. “I pick proteins that fit into my personal required intake.”
Here’s what she recommends to help you shred up your abs:
DAY ONE:
Meal 1:
- 5 egg whites
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 slices Ezekiel bread
Meal 2:
- 1 cup 0% Greek Yogurt
- 4 oz. berries
- 12 raw almonds
- ½ cup oats
Meal 3:
- 4 oz. lean meat (99% fat free turkey, chicken, tilapia, lean red meat, tuna)
- 1 cup veggies
- 1 cup cooked rice
Meal 4:
- Body Fortress® Super Advanced Whey Protein shake (1 scoop)
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter/almond butter
Meal 5:
- Large salad with 4 oz. of lean meat
- 50 grams avocado
DAY TWO:
Meal 1:
- 3 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 3 egg whites
- 1 whole egg
- ½ cup green pepper
Meal 2:
- Body Fortress® Super Advanced Whey Protein shake (1 scoop)
- 1 Tablespoon Peanut butter/almond butter
Meal 3:
- 4 oz grilled chicken
- ½ cup brown cooked rice
- 1 cup broccoli, steamed
- ½ large grapefruit
Meal 4:
- ⅔ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 12 raw almonds
Meal 5:
- 4 oz grilled chicken
- 6 oz sweet potato
DAY THREE:
Meal 1:
- 5 egg whites
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 slices Ezekiel bread
Meal 2:
- 1 cup 0% Greek Yogurt
- 4 oz. berries
- 12 raw almonds
- ½ cup oats
Meal 3:
- 4 oz. lean meat (99% fat free turkey, chicken, tilapia, lean red meat, tuna)
- 1 cup veggies
- 1 cup cooked rice
Meal 4:
- Body Fortress® Super Advanced Whey Protein shake (1 scoop)
- 1 Tablespoon Peanut butter/almond butter
Meal 5:
- Large salad with 4 oz. of lean meat
- 50 grams avocado
DAY FOUR:
Meal 1:
- 3 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 3 egg whites
- 1 whole egg
- ½ cup green pepper
Meal 2:
- Body Fortress® Super Advanced Whey Protein shake (1 scoop)
- 1 Tablespoon Peanut butter/almond butter
Meal 3:
- 4 oz grilled chicken
- 1 cup brown cooked rice
- 1 cup broccoli, steamed
- ½ large grapefruit
Meal 4:
- ⅔ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 12 raw almonds
Meal 5:
- 4 oz grilled chicken
- 6 oz sweet potato
DAY FIVE:
Meal 1:
- 5 egg whites
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 slices Ezekiel bread
Meal 2:
- 1 cup 0% Greek Yogurt
- 4 oz. berries
- 12 raw almonds
- ½ cup oats
Meal 3:
- 4 oz. lean meat (99% fat free turkey, chicken, tilapia, lean red meat, tuna)
- 1 cup veggies
- 1cup cooked rice
Meal 4:
- Body Fortress® Super Advanced Whey Protein shake (1 scoop)/li>
- 1 Tablespoon Peanut butter/almond butter
Meal 5:
- Large salad with 4 oz. of lean meat
- 50 grams avocado
Day ONE, THREE and FIVE: 150 grams carbs/150 grams protein/43 grams fat
Day TWO and FOUR: 152 grams carbs/147 grams protein/39 grams fat
Pre-Workout Body Fortress Shred Igniter
During Workout Body Fortress Amino Blast
Using the Body Fortress Meal Plan for Building Abs
The macronutrients calculated here are for someone of Kirstin’s height, weight, and age. Depending on your body type, you may need to adjust them. A quick Google search for a macronutrient calculator will provide multiple tools and formulas that you can use, depending on how advanced you want to get. Simply add to or subtract from the quantity of food she lists in the diet to achieve the fat loss required for your personal macros.
As far as making time to cook, Kirstin is a fan of meal prepping to simplify her eating choices and make it easy to stay on track.
“I meal prep twice a week, once on Monday and once on Wednesday. I make large batches of all of my protein and carbs and place those in separate tubs. I wash and prepare all my veggies and keep those on hand in the fridge. I then use my scale and measure out my meals each morning for the day. If you are stocked up on your healthy meals, it is a lot easier to make better choices throughout the day,” she said.
What about cheat meals or taking a break from your diet?
“I think what everyone needs to do is step away from this idea that you are constrained or can ‘only’ have this much food a day. With that being said, balance is so important…allow yourself the flexibility to have something that you are craving, but don’t Go overboard,” Kirstin advised us.
As mentioned above, she also recommends Body Fortress Super Advanced Shred Igniter before working out and Body Fortress Amino Blast while lifting. Pre-workout helps you perform with explosiveness and endurance, while Amino Blast contains essential electrolytes to help rehydrate and replenish your energy.
For many, the battle to obtain abs is more mental than physical. If you struggle to stay disciplined with your nutrition, keep the bigger picture in mind.
“Remember you are in this for the long haul. If you have a bad meal or a bad day, don’t get down on yourself. Pick back up the next day and keep pushing towards your Goal. Time, consistency and patience are Going to lead you to success,” Kirstin said.