To get that rock hard midsection you not only need to watch what you eat, you also need to make sure and get some cardiovascular work in too. Everyone has a six pack, it's just a matter of showing it through the fat or skin. Your abs are like every other muscle in your body, you work them out and break them down and they'll be repaired and come back stronger. The stronger your abs are, the more ripped you'll look.
Some musts for a perfect six pack are:
1. Cardiovascular exercise:You can achieve this by making simple lifestyle changes. You can get some extra steps in every day by choosing a farther parking spot at work and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. You can also get some cardio in by doing chores around the house or even yard work. The best for you though is making a plan like walking, jogging, running, biking, or an aerobic class at least 3 times a week for a period of 30 minutes or more. This is the most crucial step to getting a six pack because you can have a really strong stomach, but without removing the fat over it, you won't have anything to show for all your hard work.
2. Weights:Another very important part for a rock-hard body. If you just perform ab exercises without weights or some kind of resistance, then you won't be tearing down the abdominal muscles, but just conditioning them. I would suggest doing some decline sit ups with a dumbbell for weight and hanging leg raises with weight or someone throwing your legs down, also make sure to do some oblique workouts like bicycle or dumbbell side bends. You need to also do this 2-3 times a week at least.
3. Water:It not only makes up 70% of your body it is also very important in getting a six pack. If you don't have enough water then you'll be dehydrated and your body won't even be able to burn off fat. By drinking more water throughout the day, you'll help in flushing your system of toxins. You'll also help by reducing your hunger, which in turn will help you not eat as much. Usually when you get hungry, you're really just dehydrated, so a good way to tell is to drink a glass of water when you're hungry and then wait 15 minutes. If after 15 minutes you're still hungry, then eat, if not then you were just dehydrated.
4. Low fat:A low fat diet is always good, but make sure it's not one that starves you of carbohydrates (they're essential for your body to run). Low fat diets would include lean meat; this helps because lean meat has a lot of protein, protein takes longer for your body to break down than fat. So more protein equals longer processing, burning more fat. You want to make sure to get about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. You do this by dividing your weight by 2.2 then multiplying it by 0.8. You want most of your protein to come from lean meats, fish, legumes, and soy. You also want to stay clear of trans fats and try to limit saturated fats because those are the ones that clog your arteries leading to heart disease. Instead go for monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. These good fats get rid of cholesterol in your arteries, a good source of mono- and polyunsaturated fats is in fish and nuts. You must have your fruits and vegetables as well, the more colorful the better! The more colorful they are means that they're rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals; these help in fighting off cancer and diseases. As stated earlier, you must have carbohydrates! You get these through whole wheat or whole grain products; try to stay away from flour and starchy foods. Whole grains are so good for getting that six pack because they usually pack fiber. Fiber helps in cleaning you out and suppressing your hunger. It is also very good at lowering your cholesterol and weight.
5.Sleep:Without enough sleep you'll only continue to gain weight. You need at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night to give your body time for growth and repair of your new muscles on your midsection. Also without enough sleep your body will store whatever you eat near bedtime as fat.
You can see that a good diet and exercise are absolutely imperative for a ripped midsection. By changing a few of your daily habits and diet habits you can achieve that washboard perfection just in time for swimsuit season!
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