The TRUTH: we all have abdominal muscles, every single one of us the only difference would be the layer of fat covering them.
I get it, everyone wants a lean, flat, defined midsection…I am no different than you guys I love feeling lean, tight, ripped, fit or whatever other words you want to use to describe your stomach. Everyone reading this has the potential to get abs, even if you think your genetics suck, you can still strip off belly fat. It just comes down to how hard you are willing to work to make it happen, and time you want to invest into it.
So, the next question becomes, how do we really get visible six-pack abs?
I am not going to estimate on the % of what is diet and what is workouts when it comes to seeing your six-pack. Many people will throw out the 80/20 – 80% is diet and 20% is training. I don’t how you could ever prove that % breakdown, but I will say your eating is crucial. In my opinion, the eating part has a bigger role, however training your abs as well as your entire body makes a major impact as well.
True transformations come through proper diet & quality training plain and simple.
Depending on where you are at body fat % wise most people, if they eat according to their macros for fat loss goals can see visible abs in 4-20 weeks of work. (Again this all depends on your starting position & dedication to the program)
If you want to see your abs, your nutrition has to be on point daily. You need to feed your body only what it needs to turn it into a fat-burning machine.
Step 1 – Understanding your macros – the proper distribution of proteins, carbs, fats that make up your daily calories.
Step 2 – I would place high importance on keeping your insulin levels relatively low daily. How you ask? By consuming low-glycemic foods, I will touch on this in a second in more detail.
Step 3 – Understanding that consuming lower glycemic foods will elicit a slower release of glucose keeping your insulin levels lower. In simple stupid terms, this is important as your body won’t drop fat then your insulin is high, so the goal is to keep it low.
Step 4 – Limiting your carbohydrate intake for most people is the first step. In America we consume carbs at an insane rate, we eat far more than we need hence the reason many of us are so big. While I not saying “never eat carbs” understand which ones to eat, and the proper amount is vital.
Step 5 – Use ahigh-quality fat burner. A good fat burner will suppress your appetite so you eat less throughout the day and therefore take in fewer calories. It will also speed up your metabolism so you burn more calories even when you are aren’t active. This combination will get those abs popping much faster.
Some Guidelines to Get Started:
1- Drink water – at least 100oz minimum per day, more if you can. Trust me being hydrated makes everything work & run much smoother.
2- Protein intake – I suggest starting around 0.8-1g per lbs. of your body weight or lean body mass.
3- Carbs – I have a detailed macro article you can find HERE but we suggest consuming just enough to fuel your training sessions, but no more than that.
4- Fats – The proper type of fats like essential fatty acids via supplements and quality foods like coconut oils, chia seeds, flax seeds, and avocado are vital, again you can find more on numbers based on your goals above.
5- Eating quality real food, packed with micronutrients (vitamins/minerals) that are on the lower side of the glycemic scale – so take it easy on the bread, cookies, pastas, higher sugar fruits and foods that are higher on the scale.
6- Make sure you are eating enough – Don’t starve yourself on your way to a six-pack. Being hungry now and then is fine, but keep your daily calories too low can do much more harm than good.
BONUS – make sure you have a well-rounded total body-training program that includes not only strength training but also some quality legit HIIT training. Last but certainly not least you should be training your abs directly.
While diet is a crucial key to seeing your abs, you should still be giving them their time when you workout.
You wouldn’t just eat right and not train your arms or legs and think your diet will do all the work right? Same goes for your ABS they some love each week.
This simple outline will work for just about everyone if you give it time and stay consistent week after week.
The keys are staying dedicated enough to your proper eating plan while making training your abs a priority while having fun doing it. If you’re not having fun chasing that all elusive six-pack what is the point right?
Until next time, eat well, train hard & be nice to people!
Jeremy Scott is the creator of Jeremy Scott Fitness in North Scottsdale. He is an Olympia Labs Health Advisor, Reebok Athlete, Fitfluential Ambassador and the Co-Creator of Get Lean Gluten Free.
He was voted one of the Top 20 Fitness Blogs in America. He is a nationally published and contributing author for numerous fitness publications and has helped thousands of people across America get into and stay in the best shape of their lives.
