A tight, flat abdomen exudes fitness. You must be dedicated to your workout routine and diet to reach a body fat percentage that shows off a six-pack stomach. Train smarter, not harder, to achieve the abdominals and lean body you desire.
Significance
Body fat percentage measures the amount of your weight that is made up of fat tissue. The lower your body fat, the more lean muscle you possess. Lean muscle makes you look defined and "cut." According to fitness expert Anthony Ellis, you must reduce your body fat to about 8 percent for a man or 14 percent for a woman to reveal your abs.
Misconceptions
Some people believe they can crunch their way to flat abs. Strength training exercises for the abdomen will help you develop a strong core and taut muscles. Those muscles will remain hidden, however, if you have a layer of fat covering them.
Exercise
In addition to training your abdominals so they look defined when you do reduce body fat, you should conduct regular moderate- to high-intensity aerobic exercise. The "Journal of Applied Physiology" reported a study in 2005 showing that exercise equivalent to 20 miles of jogging per week led to decreased fat at the belly, while lesser amounts of exercise only prevented participants from gaining belly fat.
Diet
A clean, calorie-controlled diet that eliminates added sugars, refined grains and saturated and trans fats helps you reduce body fat enough to reveal your abs. Some fat in your diet is important to promote hormone production and vitamin absorption, so stick to monounsaturated sources---especially omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Choose lean proteins like skinless chicken, egg whites and flank steak. Round out your diet with limited portions of whole grains and generous amounts of leafy green vegetables. Drink calorie-free water or green tea.
Warning
To change your body composition, you must induce weight loss. Do not overly restrict calories to hasten the process. Your body will turn to the lean muscle you seek to maintain and grow when you go on starvation-type plans. Stick to losing about a half pound per week to ensure you reduce body fat and come closer to revealing those abs.
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