To get six pack abs you spend hours in the gym doing 100-200 sit-ups a day, or you buy exercise equipment that promises to get you six pack , but unfortunately, most of the time you are left disappointed with the outcome.
The fact is that in order to get those six pack abs you need to reduce your stomach fat and get leaner.You need to keep in mind that how much and what you eat, will ultimately determine your progress.
Fat in your stomach is between the muscles and the skin, and if you have fat, then doing crunches will make your waist look even bigger rather than reducing it.
To lose stomach fat and get six pack abs you need a fitness plan that incorporates proper nutrition, ab exercises and cardio workouts.
Steps To Get Six Pack Abs....
Six Pack Abs Step # 1 - Lose Body Fat Percentage
To see six pack abs, women must have body fat percentage lower than 14-16 %, where as for men it should be less than 10-12 % .
Body fat percentage is one of the best ways to measure your excess weight . It helps to determine how much extra fat you have on your body excluding your muscles, bones, blood etc.
If your weight is 90 kilograms (for pounds 90 * 2.2 =198 pounds) and your body fat % is 20 percent, then your......
Body fat =18 kilograms or 40 pounds (90 * .20)
Lean body mass = 72 kilograms or 158 pounds (90-18)
To get six pack abs (for women) you need to lose minimum 4% of body fat percentage (assuming your body fat % is 20%)
= 3.6 kilograms or 7.92 pounds (90 * .04)
To get six pack abs (for men) you need to lose minimum 8% of body fat percentage (assuming your body fat % is 20%)
= 7.2 kilograms or 15.84 pounds (90 * .08)
Note that 0.45 kilograms or 1 pound of fat = 3500 calories
Therefore for women to see six pack abs they need to lose minimum = 28000 calories
For men to see six pack abs they need to lose minimum = 56000 calories
It is generally advised not to lose more than 0.45 kilograms or 1 pound of body fat (3500 calories) per week, to avoid muscle loss. That is deduction of 500 calories every day for 1 week.
You can reduce these calories by 2 ways...
1. By Burning Calories Through Workouts ( cardio, weight training, etc)
2. By Reducing Your Calorie Intake
If your body daily calories expenditure is 2500 calories, then you need to consume 2000 calories, after subtracting 500 calories from the above example(by reducing calorie intake). This example assumes that you want to lose .45 kg or 1 pound in 1 week = 3500 calories.
So taking the above example, for women to see six pack abs it will take approximately 8 weeks and for men 16 weeks (provided your calorie deficit is 500 calories every day).
This does not mean that you opt for crash diets to burn fat, as it can lead to adverse consequences.
Keep in mind that women must consume at least 1200 calories and men should consume at least 1800 calories per day for maintaining proper body function.
Six Pack Abs Step # 2 - Proper Nutrition And Diet
Nutrition plays a very important role in getting six pack abs. Your total calorie intake will make all the difference to reduce your stomach and get you six pack abs.
A rule of thumb is that 40% of your calories should come from carbohydrates, 40% from protein and 20% from fat.
1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories
1 gram of protein = 4 calories and
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
That means If your daily calorie requirement is 3000 calories then it should come from...
carbohydrates - (3000 * .40) = 1200 calories (1200/4 = 300 grams of carbohydrates per day).
proteins - (3000 * .40) = 1200 calories (1200/4 =300 grams of protein per day).
Fats - (3000 * .20) = 600 calories (600/9 = 66.6 grams of fat per day).
Although carbohydrates are important, since it is the primary source of energy for the body, but by reducing their intake your body takes fat as the secondary source for energy.
Try to avoid fast digesting carbs or high glycemic index carbohydrates (also known as simple carbs) because it increases the production of insulin, in order to bring your sugar levels back to normal.
As your sugar returns to a normal level, you will feel hungry, and in order to satisfy your appetite you will consume more calories. Insulin decreases the fat burning capacity and increases the fat storage capacity of the body.
Instead of fast digesting carbs you can choose low glycemic index carbohydrates (also known as complex carbs) which are slow digesting carbohydrates, meaning that production of insulin will be slow and gradual.
Carbohydrates which are Low on glycemic index helps to burn fat because it results in slow conversion of carbohydrates into glucose .This helps in maintaining a steady sugar level, resulting in less hunger and craving for food.
Six Pack Abs Step #3 - Exercises For six pack
You need to combine cardiovascular exercises along with abdominal exercises in your workout routine.Cardiovascular exercises will help you to reduce fat by burning calories, where as abdominal exercises will help to tone your ab muscles.
Running on treadmill, walking, jogging are some cardio exercises which you can incorporate in your fitness plan to achieve six pack abs. Along with these you can also choose cycling and swimming as secondary exercises to make it more interesting and not boring.
Cardio exercises should be done early in the morning, as it helps to keep the metabolism up for the whole day. This will help you to burn calories throughout the day, and it will use fat as the main source of energy
To get six pack abs try do cardio 4-5 times a week for 15-20 minutes a day. If you can't take out that much time, then strive for at least 3 days a week.
Read more
A study shows that the body consumes 30-50 calories to maintain .45 kg or 1 pound of muscle.
The best thing about weight training is that you burn calories even after your workout is complete. This is because, after your workout, your muscles goes into a repairing phase. This increases the metabolism for a longer period which can last anywhere from 24-36 hours. This means that you will burn calories for the next 24-36 hours at rest.
Six Pack Abs Step #4 - Healthy Eating Habits
The way we eat our food also play an important role in getting six pack abs. Factors such as eating breakfast, having 4-5 meals in a day etc, makes all the difference in achieving your six pack goal. Read more
Other factors such as diet, age,genetics also play a vital role for you to achieve six pack abs.
Remember that getting six pack abs is easier, if you understand, that it is not the question of how many sit-ups you perform but how you reduce your stomach fat, that will ultimately determine your results.
related articles
Yoga poses for flat stomach
The fact is that in order to get those six pack abs you need to reduce your stomach fat and get leaner.You need to keep in mind that how much and what you eat, will ultimately determine your progress.
Fat in your stomach is between the muscles and the skin, and if you have fat, then doing crunches will make your waist look even bigger rather than reducing it.
To lose stomach fat and get six pack abs you need a fitness plan that incorporates proper nutrition, ab exercises and cardio workouts.
Steps To Get Six Pack Abs....
Six Pack Abs Step # 1 - Lose Body Fat Percentage
To see six pack abs, women must have body fat percentage lower than 14-16 %, where as for men it should be less than 10-12 % .
Body fat percentage is one of the best ways to measure your excess weight . It helps to determine how much extra fat you have on your body excluding your muscles, bones, blood etc.
If your weight is 90 kilograms (for pounds 90 * 2.2 =198 pounds) and your body fat % is 20 percent, then your......
Body fat =18 kilograms or 40 pounds (90 * .20)
Lean body mass = 72 kilograms or 158 pounds (90-18)
To get six pack abs (for women) you need to lose minimum 4% of body fat percentage (assuming your body fat % is 20%)
= 3.6 kilograms or 7.92 pounds (90 * .04)
To get six pack abs (for men) you need to lose minimum 8% of body fat percentage (assuming your body fat % is 20%)
= 7.2 kilograms or 15.84 pounds (90 * .08)
Note that 0.45 kilograms or 1 pound of fat = 3500 calories
Therefore for women to see six pack abs they need to lose minimum = 28000 calories
For men to see six pack abs they need to lose minimum = 56000 calories
It is generally advised not to lose more than 0.45 kilograms or 1 pound of body fat (3500 calories) per week, to avoid muscle loss. That is deduction of 500 calories every day for 1 week.
You can reduce these calories by 2 ways...
1. By Burning Calories Through Workouts ( cardio, weight training, etc)
2. By Reducing Your Calorie Intake
If your body daily calories expenditure is 2500 calories, then you need to consume 2000 calories, after subtracting 500 calories from the above example(by reducing calorie intake). This example assumes that you want to lose .45 kg or 1 pound in 1 week = 3500 calories.
So taking the above example, for women to see six pack abs it will take approximately 8 weeks and for men 16 weeks (provided your calorie deficit is 500 calories every day).
This does not mean that you opt for crash diets to burn fat, as it can lead to adverse consequences.
Keep in mind that women must consume at least 1200 calories and men should consume at least 1800 calories per day for maintaining proper body function.
Six Pack Abs Step # 2 - Proper Nutrition And Diet
Nutrition plays a very important role in getting six pack abs. Your total calorie intake will make all the difference to reduce your stomach and get you six pack abs.
A rule of thumb is that 40% of your calories should come from carbohydrates, 40% from protein and 20% from fat.
1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories
1 gram of protein = 4 calories and
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
That means If your daily calorie requirement is 3000 calories then it should come from...
carbohydrates - (3000 * .40) = 1200 calories (1200/4 = 300 grams of carbohydrates per day).
proteins - (3000 * .40) = 1200 calories (1200/4 =300 grams of protein per day).
Fats - (3000 * .20) = 600 calories (600/9 = 66.6 grams of fat per day).
- Avoid Carbohydrates And Sugar In Your Diet
Although carbohydrates are important, since it is the primary source of energy for the body, but by reducing their intake your body takes fat as the secondary source for energy.
Try to avoid fast digesting carbs or high glycemic index carbohydrates (also known as simple carbs) because it increases the production of insulin, in order to bring your sugar levels back to normal.
As your sugar returns to a normal level, you will feel hungry, and in order to satisfy your appetite you will consume more calories. Insulin decreases the fat burning capacity and increases the fat storage capacity of the body.
Instead of fast digesting carbs you can choose low glycemic index carbohydrates (also known as complex carbs) which are slow digesting carbohydrates, meaning that production of insulin will be slow and gradual.
Carbohydrates which are Low on glycemic index helps to burn fat because it results in slow conversion of carbohydrates into glucose .This helps in maintaining a steady sugar level, resulting in less hunger and craving for food.
- Incorporate Fat Burning Foods In Your Diet
Six Pack Abs Step #3 - Exercises For six pack
You need to combine cardiovascular exercises along with abdominal exercises in your workout routine.Cardiovascular exercises will help you to reduce fat by burning calories, where as abdominal exercises will help to tone your ab muscles.
- Cardiovascular Or Aerobic Exercises
Running on treadmill, walking, jogging are some cardio exercises which you can incorporate in your fitness plan to achieve six pack abs. Along with these you can also choose cycling and swimming as secondary exercises to make it more interesting and not boring.
Cardio exercises should be done early in the morning, as it helps to keep the metabolism up for the whole day. This will help you to burn calories throughout the day, and it will use fat as the main source of energy
To get six pack abs try do cardio 4-5 times a week for 15-20 minutes a day. If you can't take out that much time, then strive for at least 3 days a week.
- Exercise Ball Exercises
Read more
- Ab Crunches
- Weight Training
A study shows that the body consumes 30-50 calories to maintain .45 kg or 1 pound of muscle.
The best thing about weight training is that you burn calories even after your workout is complete. This is because, after your workout, your muscles goes into a repairing phase. This increases the metabolism for a longer period which can last anywhere from 24-36 hours. This means that you will burn calories for the next 24-36 hours at rest.
Six Pack Abs Step #4 - Healthy Eating Habits
The way we eat our food also play an important role in getting six pack abs. Factors such as eating breakfast, having 4-5 meals in a day etc, makes all the difference in achieving your six pack goal. Read more
Other factors such as diet, age,genetics also play a vital role for you to achieve six pack abs.
Remember that getting six pack abs is easier, if you understand, that it is not the question of how many sit-ups you perform but how you reduce your stomach fat, that will ultimately determine your results.
related articles
Yoga poses for flat stomach
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