Flat stomach, tight abdominals, ripped
six pack abs - we all dream about that. In fact "
how to get great abs?" is the question
fitness trainers hear most often.
Of course this question is phrased differently depending on the personal situation; men would like to know
how to get a six pack while women are interested in
how to get a tight sexy stomach. Nevertheless, the answer stays the same: strengthen your abdominal muscles and lose your belly fat.
True, it sounds simple. Then how come so many people have problems achieving the great abs they want? So often we hear men and women complaining that they do hundreds of sit-ups and crunches a day, have tried every diet out there and still can't get that great abs. Obviously those men and women are doing something wrong. What they fail to understand is that the secret to a flat stomach and ripped six pack abs is
NOT hundreds of reps of abs-specific exercises.
The Secret to Getting Six Pack Abs
Surely getting defined abs requires working out. You will have to train your abdominal muscles in order to build up their strength and endurance but in order to actually see them defined you will have to lose all the belly fat that is covering them. And that in fact is the harder part because counting solely on abs exercises will not get you there.
The formula for achieving great abs is simple:
proper nutrition + a quality full body training program.
It is very important to understand that you cannot have a flat stomach or a well-defined six pack without any of these two steps.
- The first step you should take is to get control of your diet and clean it up. It is time to realize that no matter how hard you workout, you simply cannot out-train a lousy diet.
- The second step is to stop wasting your time trying to "spot reduce" with abdominal exercises. Focus your workouts on the intensity of your exercises and work the body as a whole. This is the only way to get the best metabolic response and lose the body fat covering your muscles for good.
Two of the most recognized experts in this field - Mike Geary and Tom Venuto have implemented this formula into their own complete programs (respectively "
The Truth about Six Pack Abs" and "
Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle") for getting great abs the natural way, without any supplements or drugs.
Abdominal Exercises - Less Is Better
It is a huge mistake to presume that hundreds of reps of abdominal exercises will remove your belly fat. Sadly, this is a very common mistake to both men and women and one of the reasons so many people fail in their quest for a flat stomach.
If you understand that burning the stomach fat that is covering your abs is what will make them visible, then you should also understand that pumping away with
crunches,
sit-ups, leg raises, twisting exercises, and all kinds of other abs-specific exercises will not do the job. Instead of wasting your time on excess ab exercises, spend that time on more intense weight training for the rest of your body.
When it comes to
ab workout, more is not better. In order to burn fat away from your abs and really get lean, increase the intensity level of your workouts, not the repetitions, and work the largest muscle groups of your body, instead of isolating specific muscles in vain hopes for spot reduction. This is the only true way to increase your metabolic rate and the level of fat-burning hormones within your body.
Now, don't get that wrong, developing a ripped 6 pack abs does require abdominal exercises. But they should constitute just a small amount of your workout routine and you should bet on quality and intensity of exercises rather than endless repetitions.
Nutrition Tips to Lose Belly Fat Faster
A very popular fallacy is that if you workout hard you can afford to eat whatever you want. This is totally wrong! If you don't put your nutrition in order, you can forget about that great set of six pack abs.
Here are some of the basic principles you should follow in order to burn your belly fat faster and carve out your 6 pack abs.
- Forget about low-fat, low-carb, atkins, south beach, high protein, liquid, grapefruit, soup, and any other diets. They may help you lose some weight at first, but they will only make you fatter in the long run by slowing down your metabolism and making you lose lean muscle. The truth is that our bodies need all macronutrients in order to function properly and burn body fat instead of storing it.
- Get enough quality protein with each meal. It is the main building block for your muscles, satisfies hunger for longer, and the body burns more calories while digesting it.
- Avoid simple carbohydrates (such as refined sugar and refined grains) and choose natural, complex carbs instead (such as vegetables, brown rice, oats, yams, beans, whole grains, etc.).
- Essential fatty acids actually increase metabolic rate and assist in fat burning so try to eat enough healthy fats such as fish fat, flax oil, olive oil, virgin coconut oil, nuts and seeds, natural nut butters, avocados, etc.
- Drink plenty of water. Water is involved in every single process in your body. It will help you eliminate waste and toxins, and what is really important, it is essential to the fat burning process.
- Spread your daily intake into 6 smaller meals instead of the usual 3 big ones. Eating frequently will make you burn more calories while missing meals will slow down your metabolism, and thus hamper fat burning.
Remember that you just can't get visible 6 pack abs without proper nutrition. A properly designed ab workout program will focus on both full body training and proper nutrition.
Ab Workout for Men and Women
Good exercises are good exercises regardless of gender.
There is a common misperception that men and women should train differently. Especially when it comes to weight training - women are often afraid that they will bulk up if they use heavy weights. However this is not true. Women just don't have the amount of testosterone that is necessary to build huge muscles.
So when it comes to ab workout, same rules apply to both genders. Strength training using heavier resistance is the key to losing body fat and staying lean. In other words, whether you are a man and want a sculpted six pack abs or you are a woman and want a flat sexy tummy, the way of accomplishing these two goals is the same.
If you want to develop a rock hard six pack abdominals or want to get a sexy flat stomach but don't know where to start, you can get a copy of either "
The Truth about Six Pack Abs" or "
Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" - two of the most recognized and successful programs for getting great abs that we highly recommend.
Everyone knows the keys to losing weight: Eat less and exercise more. Sounds simple enough, but in the context of real life and its demands, it can be anything but simple. So how do successful losers do it? To find out, WebMD asked experts across the country for their best diet tips.
Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.
People sometimes confuse thirst with
hunger. So you can end up eating extra
calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.
"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Best Diet Tip No. 2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.
Start by focusing on getting the recommended 5-9 servings of
fruits and vegetables each day.
"It sounds like a lot, but it is well worth it, because at the same time you are meeting your fiber goals and feeling more satisfied from the volume of food," says chef Laura Pansiero, RD.
You're also less likely to overeat because fruits and vegetables displace fat in the diet. And that's not to mention the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. More than 200 studies have documented the disease-preventing qualities of phytochemicals found in produce, says Pansiero.
Her suggestion for getting more: Work vegetables into meals instead of just serving them as sides on a plate.
"I love to take seasonal vegetables and make stir-fries, frittatas, risotto, pilafs, soups, or layer on sandwiches," Pansiero says. "It is so easy to buy a variety of vegetables and incorporate them into dishes."
Best Diet Tip No. 3: Consider whether you're really hungry.
Whenever you feel like eating, look for physical signs of hunger, suggests Michelle May, MD, author of
Am I Hungry?
"Hunger is your body's way of telling you that you need fuel, so when a craving doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it," she says.
When you're done eating, you should feel better -- not stuffed, bloated, or tired.
"Your stomach is only the size of your fist, so it takes just a handful of food to fill it comfortably," says May.
Keeping your portions reasonable will help you get more in touch with your feelings of
hunger and fullness.
Best Diet Tip No. 4: Be choosy about nighttime snacks.
Mindless eating occurs most frequently after dinner, when you finally sit down and relax.
"Sitting down with a bag of chips or cookies in front of the television is an example of eating amnesia, where you mindlessly eat without being hungry, but out of habit," says American Dietetic Association spokesperson Malena Perdomo, RD.
Either close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself a low-calorie snack, like a 100-calorie pack of cookies or a half-cup scoop of low-fat ice cream. Once you find that you're usually satisfied with the low-cal snack, try a cup of zero-calorie tea, suggests Perdomo.
"I think putting your favorite foods off limits leads to weight gain because it triggers 'rebound' overeating," says Sass.
Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag.
"You can enjoy your favorite foods, but you must do so in moderation," says Sass.
Best Diet Tip No. 6: Enjoy your treats away from home.
When you need a treat, Ellie Krieger, RD, host of Food Network's
Healthy Appetite, suggests taking a walk to your local ice cream parlor or planning a family outing.
"By making it into an adventure, you don't have to worry about the temptation of having treats in the house, and it is a fun and pleasurable way to make it work when you are trying to lose weight," says Krieger.
And for those times you just can't get out? Krieger stocks her kitchen with fresh fruit, which she thinks can be every bit as delicious as any other dessert.
Best Diet Tip No. 7: Eat several mini-meals during the day.
If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. But when you're hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be challenging.
"Studies show people who eat 4-5 meals or snacks per day are better able to control their appetite and weight," says obesity researcher Rebecca Reeves, DrPH, RD.
She recommends dividing your daily calories into smaller meals or snacks and enjoying as many of them as you can early in the day -- dinner should be the last time you eat.
Best Diet Tip No. 8: Eat protein at every meal.
Protein is more satisfying than
carbohydrates or
fats, and thus may be the new secret weapon in weight control.
"Diets higher in protein [and] moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regular exercise, have an excellent potential to help weight loss," says University of Illinois protein researcher Donald Layman, PhD.
Getting enough protein helps preserve
muscle mass and encourages fat burning while keeping you feeling full. So be sure to include healthy protein sources, like yogurt, cheese, nuts, or beans, at meals and snacks.
Best Diet Tip No. 9: Spice it up.
Add spices or chiles to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feel satisfied.
"Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying so you won't eat as much," says Perdomo.
When you need something sweet, suck on a red-hot fireball candy for a long-lasting burst of sweetness with just a few calories.
