Flat, six-pack abs are the signature of a hard-worked body. This achievement not only takes physical ability, but you also need constant mental strength and discipline. Although ab exercises are part of this game plan, they are not the only part. You also have to pay strict attention to your diet and become more active. If you just build your abdominals and do nothing about the fat that covers them up, you will never see them.
Step 1
Change unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones. Stop eating pies, processed meats, frozen dinners, pork barbecues and any other foods that are high in sodium, sugar or saturated fat. Eat nothing but lean meats, fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. The stricter you are with your diet, the faster you will achieve a six pack.
Step 2
Decrease your caloric intake, especially if you have a great deal of belly fat. Track your calories for three days, add your totals together and divide by three to get your average. Decrease this by 500 to 1,000 and make this your new intake. Use The Daily Plate for assistance.
Step 3
Curb your appetite. Increase your energy by eating more often. Eat a small meal as soon as you get up and continue to eat every two to three hours for the rest of the day. Combine protein and complex carbs with each meal to keep them balanced. A salad with baked salmon and a whole wheat roll is a meal example.
Step 4
Eliminate the liquid calories in your diet. Drinking excessive amounts of calories will cause weight gain in your stomach and all other parts of your body. Replace the soft drinks, processed fruit drinks, alcoholic beverages and sweetened teas with water. Not only is it calorie-free, but it also hydrates your system. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get approximately 2.7 liters a day and men get approximately 3.7 liters a day.
Step 5
Perform interval training to burn the fat in your belly. Interval training is simply alternating bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity, according to MayoClinic.com. Start with a light five-minute warm-up, increase your intensity for 30 seconds, and then lower it for 60 seconds. Alternate back and forth for 30 minutes and finish with a light five-minute cool-down. Use any type of cardio, such as walking, running, swimming, jumping rope or stair climbing. Work out three days a week on nonconsecutive days.
Step 6
Increase your muscle mass to also increase your metabolism. Do weight lifting exercises like chest presses, upright rows, back rows, triceps extensions, biceps curls and lunges to target all your major muscle groups. Perform 10 to 12 reps, three or four sets, and work out three days a week on your non-cardio days. By building muscle, you will burn more calories while at rest and create a six-pack faster.
Step 7
Execute ab exercises that target your lower, upper and oblique areas to ensure full ab development. Hanging leg raises, knee pull-ins, side crunches, bicycle kicks, sit-ups and elevated leg crunches are examples. Perform 15 to 20 reps, three or four sets and work your abs after your cardio sessions.
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