No plan on how to get abs, as detailed as it may be, is guaranteed to get you six-pack abs. There are too many external factors at play. In addition to all of the things you can control-like your diet, training, and sleep schedule-your genetics, gender, and stress levels also play a role in looking lean.
We all know one guy that can guzzle sports drinks and chow down on Big Macs while staying ripped, and it’s because he’s genetically lucky. Along with giving the majority of us a reason to curse like drunken pirates over their genetic gifts, those cases also highlight why it’s so difficult to offer hard-and-fast rules for getting a six-pack.
Offering step-by-step instructions for a shredded midsection can be tricky because things like genetics, gender, and stress can all play a part in weight loss (or weight gain), so. However, adhering to myths and hearsay on your quest for visible abs will absolutely hold you back.
That lucky guy could follow a plan, and probably slip up along the way, and still see results. Some of us, however, aren’t as lucky. Even if you see a plan through, there’s a chance those cover-worthy washboard abs will elude you. So throw your current expectations out the window and let’s start over.
We’re not going to promise you a six-pack in some ridiculous amount of time, like four or six weeks. Instead, we’re going to debunk seven six-pack myths-some you’ve may have heard, some you haven’t-to give you a better foundation for losing fat for good.
Read up and then begin integrating these lessons into your current routine. They are simply guidelines for how to eat and train if abs are your goal. With that said, remember that these tips will only work if you do, and though it may take longer than you want, you’ll eventually see the results if you put in the time.
So whether you’re a workout Jedi or a padawan looking for “abs 101 tips,” allow us to dispel fact from fiction when it comes to achieving those washboard abs.
Consistently feast on garbage foods and your stomach (and arms, and teeth, and legs, and arteries, and skin, etc.) will look like garbage.
Building abs starts in the kitchen with a clean diet. But even when your food choices are on point—including cutbacks in sodium intake to reduce bloat and water retention—your portions sizes are vital since it’s still possible to overindulge on healthy foods.
This is a universal truth: Consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. Read: No six-pack for you!
Carbohydrates are an essential nutrient that your body uses for fuel. So, no, carbs don’t destroy abs. However, fast-digesting carbs like white bread, sports drinks, and potatoes can initiate an insulin spike that can hinder fat loss. (Consuming those types of carbs is best reserved for post-workout because they’ll aid in recovery.)
Instead, get your carbs from sources like fruits, veggies, legumes, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, beans, and oatmeal. When possible, omit lab-created mutant foods with ingredients you need an interpreter to pronounce.
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Per Bernal
Myth #3: Crunches and Sit-Ups Are Must-Dos
They’re the two most popular abs exercises, but they’re far from your only options.
Vary your exercises and reps, and add resistance and weights to create a stronger midsection and more defined abs.
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Jason_V
Myth: #4: Supps Will Cover My Abs Shortfalls
Supplements like caffeine and green tea do have fat-burning properties to them, but they won’t go all Criss Angel on your belly fat and make it vanish.
Sadly, for most of us, there are no shortcuts to acquire head-turning abs. We need a rigorous training regimen, low bodyfat, and adequate rest.
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Syda Productions
Myth #5: Consistent Speed is the Key
According to a Spanish study, faster reps enabled the muscle activity in the recutus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and spinal erectors to increase.
Abs are a muscle, so treat them with the same respect you would after torching your biceps, or deltoids, or quadriceps, or—you get the idea.
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Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock
Myth #7: Stress is Good For You
Doing crunches from here till the Rapture won’t guarantee your abs will show when Judgment Day arrives if there’s a layer of fat covering them. As mentioned, a strict diet paired with steady training is an excellent way to reduce bodyfat. But keep in mind that outside factors also come into play.
When you’re stressed, for example, cortisol levels rise. That can impede your ability to lose weight. Also, a recent study that appeared in the Journal of Sleep involving 225 adults found that people who stayed up later were found to eat unhealthy foods during those late-night hours. This, not surprisingly, led to weight gain.
