6 Tips For A 6 Pack

“Fitness begins with initiative and continues with consistency. The six pack abs is a byproduct of being healthy.” - Hrithik Roshan

Most people think of the 6 pack abs as the ultimate symbol of fitness and visual appeal. It’s not an easy feat but you can achieve it if you set your mind to it and have the patience to see it through.

It takes a lot of consistency and dedication but it’s yours if you want it. I truly believe anyone can get a 6 pack regardless of the body type they currently have, a new one can be built. So here are 6 tips to help you get started.

1. Control your calories

This doesn’t mean you need to be on a strict diet that’s depriving yourself for months on end, because the truth is diets don’t work.

Whenever you make a change to any of your daily routines or lifestyle habits consider the rule of 6’s. Can you see yourself doing these new behaviors 6 days from now, 6 weeks, or 6 months?

If you can answer yes to all three then really focus on making it a lifestyle choice and not a temporary pursuit. Diets inevitably fail because they are too intense and restrictive from the very beginning.

Eventually, it will become too difficult to maintain and the old way of eating comes back, but this time the metabolism is not ready for the increase in calories.

It can’t burn it all as quickly as it used to and more gets turned into fat, making people heavier and more fat than before the diet.

So give yourself 6 months to slowly start eating less and less week by week and month over month until you eventually reach the ideal body weight. Taking it slowly will teach you more about yourself and your body while increasing the chances of maintaining the results you’ve worked so hard for.

Crash dieting puts the priority on the result, which is less valuable than the lessons you learn from focusing on the process.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “abs are made in the kitchen,” or “you can’t outrun a bad diet” then you’re probably already aware of what that means.

The most important variable you should be constantly aware of is your calorie consumption. Exercise is necessary and will really accelerate your progress but it can be canceled out very quickly by mindless eating habits.

Getting lean is all about losing weight primarily from body fat. If you want your abs to show then you have to keep your body fat percentage low enough for the muscle underneath to peak through.

Even if you have very strong and well-built muscles they won’t be very visually appealing if they are covered with layers of extra body weight.

You can keep your body fat percentage low by being in a calorie deficit the majority of the time. This means you’re eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

So if you eat less energy than what you burn on a daily basis you will naturally lose weight over time. When you do this at a slow pace and plan for the long term it’s more likely that you will be losing weight from fat rather than muscle.

This is important because you want to maintain as much muscle as possible as you slowly lose weight.

• See articles in Health for more information about diets and calories

2. Build muscle

For both the aesthetics and the increase in metabolism, having more muscle on your frame will make your abs show more clearly.

Just like any other muscle in the body, they need to be worked out in order for them to grow and become more visually apparent. The best bet is to lose weight and decrease your body fat percentage until lines start to appear in the torso.

While you’re working on decreasing body weight adding more core exercises will be a necessary addition to your routine. The bigger you can make your abdominal muscles the more they will poke through the skin.

As I mentioned above you can have very well-developed muscles but if your body fat percentage is too high they will not be very visible.

The same goes for your obliques which tighten up the sides of your torso and give more definition to the outside of your abs.

As more muscle is developed it creates more lines and shadows that give the appearance of an even more muscular physique when you’re in the sun or under good lighting.

I should also mention the benefits that come from adding muscle throughout your body. While it’s important to train specifically for the 6 pack you will want to add as much lean body weight as you comfortable can.

Muscle is very demanding on the body and it takes a lot of energy to recover and repair from lifting weights. Once the recovery process is complete it’s still burning more calories than it used to in order to sustain extra muscle that was built.

As stated above the amount of calories you eat is very important to know so that you can consume less than you’re burning each day. This means you should be training hard on your upper body and lower body because having bigger legs will also help increase the metabolism.

3. Stay hydrated

This should not come as a surprise as everyone knows how important water is for every cell and organ system. Over 60% of our body is water, and every reaction that takes place happens in a water-based solution.

Our blood, the medium that transports all vital components necessary for basic functions is about 50% water.

It also aids in the breakdown of nutrients and in the combination of proteins that make up every aspect of our body. Additionally, it provides cushioning for our joints and plays an important role in maintaining our internal body temperature.

As a dietary tool, the more water your drink means the more calories you’re saving yourself by avoiding high-calorie liquids that are very easy to overlook.

For example, a venti white hot chocolate Starbucks drink has 540 calories. If you are on the average 2,000 calorie diet then 20oz of this drink will account for just over 25% of your daily target.

The National Academy of Medicine suggests Men over 19 should consume about 100 ounces per day while women over 19 should consume about 70 ounces.

As it relates to exercise the National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends 14-22 ounces 2 hours before training, 6-12 ounces every 20 minutes of exercise, and 16-24 ounces for every pound lost.

I don’t expect most people to weigh themselves before and after as I don’t do that either. Instead, I’m just highlighting the importance of fluids for both training and non-training days.

As the length and intensity of your workouts increase so does the need for consuming water, electrolytes, and sugar post-workout.

Drinks like Gatorade have a combination of sodium, potassium, and chloride along with sugar to help transport these minerals into our cells for optimal recovery and rehydration.

4. Don’t overtrain

While it may seem like there is a positive correlation between more exercise and better results it can come at a cost.

Whether it be from overuse injuries or burnout and fatigue more is not always better. Especially when you factor in the depleted state your body will be in due to cutting calories and continuing to exercise as you were previously, and maybe even more intensely.

When most people think of building muscle and getting fit they think of the gym and training hard. While this is a requirement for getting in better shape and improving your physique it’s not where you’re getting in shape.

You build muscle and become more fit while you sleep, that’s where all the recovery is taking place and your muscles are growing.

In the gym you are breaking down muscle and putting your body into a state of depletion. It’s not until you rest, eat, and digest that you begin to become more fit and improve your shape.

An analogy I’ve always liked is when you exercise intensely you are digging a hole, when you go home to eat, recover, and sleep you are filling that hole back in.

If you are training too hard and too often without ever getting proper rest you will not completely fill the hole. By stringing together too many days of intense training without recovering well in between the hole just gets deeper.

To really maximize muscle building as well as fat burning it’s important to not only fill the hold completely by to have some left over that creates a mound where the hole once was.

This is how muscles are built, you need to provide the body with the proper building blocks along with enough sleep to optimize muscle repair.

When these factors are consistently present after strenuous activities then the body can rebuild itself into a bigger and stronger version of itself than it was previously.

However, if you are always exercising intensely without adequate nutrients or rest then the body is never fully recovering and instead remains in a state of breakdown.

For someone who is dieting harder than usual to drop body fat it’s important to be very mindful of the stresses being introduced.

If this is something new then it will already be putting your body in a stressful state, adding intense weight lifting on top will further stress the system.

While this is necessary and beneficial for the body in short periods of time don’t let your training progress consistently for too long.

After 3-4 weeks of hard training give yourself a lighter week where you’re adding some calories back in to optimize the recovery process before hitting another tough cycle of 3-4 weeks.

5. Prioritize balance

Achieving a 6 pack physique is no easy task, it takes a long time and requires commitment and consistency.

Really those last two variables really provide the formula for success because you can be doing all the right things, but if you only do them for a month it won’t get you anyway long term. This is why creating balance in your life during this pursuit is key to achieving your goals and keeping them.

Burnout is very real and it can quickly happen if we don’t engage in any forward thinking or pre-planning. The quickest way to fail is to stop, pretty obvious but most people overestimate what they can do in a month and underestimate what they can accomplish in a year.

If your pursuit is causing other areas of your life to suffer and create negativity then it’s more than likely going to increase the chances of burnout and giving up. Setting a lofty goal is meant to enhance your life through the challenges you will face that force you to grow and develop.

When it becomes something that is draining you from the inside out then you’re no longer on a positive path. Don’t lose track of the purpose behind your why, the reason you feel inspired and motivated to change.

Protect it during this process because there are going to be many times you want to stop and give up altogether.

Just don’t quit.

When you do encounter those situations take a step back and allow yourself some space to regroup and refocus on your why.

If it’s your nutrition take a break for a week, there is evidence to support the idea that taking diet breaks intermittently will not only allow you to achieve the same results in the long run but can also help keep you on track.

When you’ve been consistently monitoring your food for weeks at a time the one week you take off will not undo all your progress up to that point. The same holds true for your training, if you feel beat up and exhausted then it’s a good idea to take some time off.

This will benefit both the mind and the body while simultaneously reducing your risk for overuse injuries. A week of recovery does not mean you’re going to lose all your gains, in fact, you may actually feel stronger when you go back.

This brings up the final point, you have to go back in order for your breaks to remain effective. Don’t let one week turn into two and so on, your return to the gym and your previous way of eating should be pre-planned when the break starts.

Lastly, it would be most productive not to schedule a training or diet break at the same time. Meaning if you plan on eating freely without tracking then you should be using those extra calories to fuel some intense workouts.

On the other hand, if you’re not exercising be aware of your intake so you do not overconsume calories during periods of less expenditure.

6. Plan for a lifestyle, not a season

Having balance and staying on track will lead to a lifestyle change that will become less of a conscious act and more of a natural behavior.

Spending too much time stuck in patterns of yo-yo dieting and fluctuating body weights only makes your life harder. Everyone knows how crowded the gym gets at the beginning of the year and before summer.

Without fail by the end of the year it’s empty again, freeing up extra space for the people who are still getting their work in. However, it’s worse for those who have the desire to feel proud of their bodies.

If the goal is to lose weight and lean up for the summer there’s usually a lot of energy and attention exerted in a short period of time to achieve it.

Usually leading to burnout at the end of the summer once their target was reached and they no longer have the drive to sustain the workload. Then once summer is over then it’s back to the old habits until next year.

One thing that makes getting in shape easier for summer or any other event you’re trying to look good for is not keeping your body lean all year round.

Of course, there will be times when you fluctuate between heavier and lighter weights throughout the year. Especially if the goal is to add some muscle mass or strength, however staying consistent will make getting back on track much easier.

Keeping your body fat percentage and muscle mass consistent throughout the year allows you to go up or down without much difficulty. Plus, the longer you keep your body at a certain weight for extended periods of time the less likely it is to gain it all back.

For people who are naturally skinny and want to gain body weight the same idea holds true. So while there’s nothing wrong with wanting to get in better shape for a summer, wedding, or other event use that initial motivation to create a routine you can stick to.

Once you’ve reached your goal and that time has come and gone don’t stop. Maintain the gains you’ve achieved as long as you can so when next year comes around you can build on the progress from the year before.

You can continue this same mindset to progress year after year for decades. Bodybuilding is one of the only sports or hobbies you can do that you will actually get better with age. Up to a certain point of course but you may be surprised how long you can continue to make progress.

One of my clients started working out in her 50s after she had two partial knee reconstructions and complained of repeatedly throwing her back out. After two years, she reached her goal weight, performed one bodyweight pull-up, a push-up with 45 pounds on her back, and deadlifted 200 pounds.

All from consistent and repeated behaviors that became a lifestyle. Let time serve as an advantage to your consistent daily, weekly, and monthly progress.

• Summary of main points

  1. Keeping your nutrition and calories in check will give you the visibility you need to show off your muscles.
  2. Add muscle to your core and entire body, it will help with both your metabolism and making those abs pop through your skin.
  3. Water plays a vital role in every process that takes place in our bodies. Consume 70-100 ounces daily for women and men with a little extra as you exercise.
  4. Having a balanced lifestyle will be the most important factor for avoiding burnout.
  5. The best thing you can do for yourself now and for the future is to plan for the long term, don’t get caught up in needing it now.

• Call to action

  • If you have the desire to tone up your midsection and achieve the symbol of physical fitness and aesthetics then start with number 1. Become mindful of the amount of calories you’re eating on a daily basis. Don’t worry about anything else at this point because having that nailed down will provide the best advantage you can get. Be mindful of prioritizing balance while making it a lifestyle. Once you have consistently tracked your calories then you can begin changing your food choices to slowly bring down your body weight.