How to Get Six Pack Abs & Muscles
Achieving healthy, defined and strong six-pack abs is one of the most common reasons people exercise. Visible six-pack abs are not only strong and healthy, they are very visually desirable. One of the key facets in obtaining six-pack abs is the fact that the calories you consume are equally as important as the calories you burn. The equation is calories in equals calories out. To get healthy and good looking abdominal muscles, you have to work both sides of the equation in a smart and diligent manner.
Instructions
-
-
1
Get aerobically fit. Engaging in aerobic exercise such as running, rowing and cycling for more than 25 minutes a session at a greater than moderate intensity is the most commonly efficient way of burning calories. This makes up a large part of the second part of the calorie in, calorie out equation. The only way anyone will see your abdominal muscles is to minimize the subcutaneous fat that rests on top of them.
-
2
Set up a cardio regimen of three to four sessions per week. Use a target workout zone of 60 percent to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. Keep in mind that shedding calories doesn't magically result in visible abs in two weeks, but maintaining a cardio workout for a long time will get you well on your way to noticeable abdominal body lines.
-
-
3
Work those abdominal muscles. Reducing the fat between your skin and abdominal muscles is critical, but so is getting those muscles strong. Complement your cardio workout with two to three session of strengthening per week. Start out with eight to 10 reps per set, and complete two to three sets for each exercise.
-
4
Eat six times a day. Instead of sticking to a normal three meal a day plan, reduce the amount of food you eat each meal and eat more meals per day. The concept behind this is to keep your metabolism up, reducing your body's need to store every calorie of energy that you take in.
-
5
Eat until you are 80 percent full. This saying is part of the traditional diet of Okinawa, Japan. For the past several decades, middle aged and elderly Okinawans have had the best health records in the world partly because of their motto "Hara Hachi Bu"--eat until you are 80 percent full. This can be helpful in solidifying the dieting element toward achieving six-pack abs.
-
6
Get active in your dieting. While eating six meals a day and only eating until you are 80 percent full will help you reduce the amount of calories and fat your body stores, it is imperative to know what foods to eat. Sticking to a general diet ratio of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat is fine.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Make sure your fat intake is largely unsaturated fat. This means monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, nuts, avocado, corn, soybeans and seafood. According to Webmd.com, you should consider learning and performing the reverse crunch, bent-elbow plank and bicycle exercises, as they are a few of the better abdominal exercises.
Remember to incorporate a resting period of about one minute between sets when exercising.
