Getting a six-pack isn't just about working hard in the gym. A couple of thousand crunches may tone your stomach muscles, but unless you have change your diet, nobody is going to be able to see that six-pack through the layer of fat. Self-discipline and overall mental strength are important factors in seeing the results you want in this area of your life.
Eating Right
Quit junk food to get a six-pack. Banish foods high in sodium, sugar and saturated fat from your kitchen and replace them with healthy foods like lean meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, whole grain, nuts and seeds. Liquid calories are just as bad, so cut out soda and coffee lattes; instead drink plenty of water. The Institute of Medicine recommends 3.7 and 2.7 l per day for men and women, respectively.
Eating Plan
Break away from the norm of three large meals a day and instead opt for five to six smaller meals spread out every two to three hours. You can work out how many calories you need to consume by using the LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate calculator, located in the Resources section of this article. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, you will need to drop 500 to 1,000 calories off your current daily intake in order to lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week.
Compound and HIIT
Weight training sessions can complement the development of your six-pack if you focus on the big compound exercises like squats, dead lifts, military press and power cleans which will all work out your core. According to MayoClinic.com, cardio interval training, called HIIT also, is a great fat burner. Applied to any form of cardio from swimming to running, it involves short bursts of maximum intensity followed by slightly longer intervals of more moderate work.
Abs
Specific ab work is necessary to help the development of a six-pack. Perform crunch twists, bicycle kicks and Swiss-ball crunches. Once you become more advanced, you will find that you will need resistance, in the form of weight plates or medicine balls, in order to achieve an intensive ab workout.
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