Lets be honest. Just about everyone who has ever set out to get into shape has the desire to get a ripped 6 pack. It is a sure sign of fitness and gives lots of confidence. Some people are so blessed that they don’t have to work for a set of washboard abs.
If you are someone like me who is not as lucky, we have to consciously focus on daily lifestyle decisions that will get us a stomach to be proud of. I think these basic tips are the quickest way to a 6 pack abs. It worked for me and it can work for you too.
First, you have to realize that a 6 pack won’t just appear overnight no matter what you do. Give yourself a realistic amount of time. Next, you must know that everyone has a 6 pack. Often times it can be hard to see because of a layer of fat.
Factors such as age, gender, genes, and daily diet and exercise all play roles in how much fat covers our abs. Those factors will also dictate how easily we can get that fat off. No matter who you are, you can’t change your age, gender, or genes. That is why we’re going to focus on what we have control over. That is, our daily diet and exercise.
Nutrition
Be serious about what you are eating. Your diet directly reflects what your body looks like. If you’re eating fatty non-nutritious food then that is how you will look. If you are eating healthy, lean, nutritious food, then you will look the part as well.
Stay away from extreme diets. Our bodies and digestive systems are not designed to handle only eating one certain type of food, or cutting out carbs completely. Most of the time it will be completely miserable and you will simply want to go back to your old eating habits.
Instead of trying to find a quick fix in an extreme diet, eat a healthy wholesome diet that your body will accept. You won’t feel miserable and the chances of you sticking to it will be much greater.
This diet should consist of many small meals throughout the day. It can be anywhere between 5 and 10 small meals. Literally whenever you get a chance you can eat something. You don’t have to starve yourself. More numerous smaller meals will give your body a prolonged energy that is spread throughout the day. You will have less chance of feeling hungry and your metabolism will be able to handle the calories better than 3 enormous meals.
When I say small meals, you don’t have to make it difficult. A meal can be something as quick and easy as peeling an orange and eating it. They should be more like snacks than full meals. If you do happen to get a full meal somewhere, for example, a restaurant don’t be scared to ask for a to go box so you can get more than one meal out of your order.
Your daily food intake should consist of at least 5 whole fruits or vegetables. Eat lean proteins like chicken or turkey. Switch your carbs to whole grains. Bread, pasta, cereal, etc., should all be whole grain instead of refined carbs. Refined carbs have almost no nutritional value.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Your goal should be at least 8 big glasses. If you sweat a lot then maybe even more. Water flushes out the toxins that your body doesn’t want anymore. If you have a choice between soda or water, always go with water. That decision will help your wallet out a little as well.
Last but not least, stay away from the junk food. This one will take some will power, but it’s worth it. Junk food is processed and can be super high in bad fats and sugars. It’s bad for your teeth and your gut.
Exercise
Your core consists of numerous muscles starting under your chest, and ending about mid-thigh. What we call a 6 pack is your rectus abdominis muscle showing through. In order to remove the fatty layer that covers the ab muscles you have to make your body use it as energy.
To expend the most energy do resistance training and cardiovascular training. Resistance training involves lifting weights and cardiovascular exercise includes running, biking, swimming, and playing sports.
Concentrate on full body movements when you are doing resistance training. The number of calories (energy) that you expend depends directly on how much movement and work that you produce. Some full body movements are squats, cleans, snatch, front squats, sprints, swimming, etc.
To get abs you have to do ab exercises. For a 6 pack to show through your stomach you have to get your rectus abdominis muscle toned and strong. In order to do this, add crunches, sit-ups, and other core exercises into your workout.
Be patient with yourself. A toned stomach takes time and effort. It will not happen overnight. In our society almost everything has a quick fix so it’s easy to have that same outlook on getting ripped. That’s not the case. This is a long term deal. View it as a journey and a test of your physical and mental strength. When you get to the end you won’t be disappointed.
I have been using these simple guidelines for a long time and they work. If you are looking for the quickest way to a 6 pack abs, then I know this will work for you too. Stick with it and don’t expect changes overnight. Leave us comments on your progress. If you ever need some ideas about core exercises go check out the SteadyStrength YouTube Channel.
About Adam Pegg
