Summer Body: Beat the Flab for Six Pack Abs

Disclaimer: Before I begin, let’s get this right out of the way. I’m not a doctor, neither am I a fitness trainer. I don’t have a Sports Science degree, diploma or NVQ. What I do have is experience, and I’m willing to share it. Think of me more as a gym buddy without all the awkward undressing-in-front-of moments. As such, anything you read from here on in is offered purely as is and any hernia you develop from following my suggestions is purely your own doing.

Never has the human obsession with the body beautiful been greater than it is today. On the catwalk, in magazines and on television, anything other than a ten is a supporting role at best. The propaganda emanating from the cosmetic and cosmetic surgery industries is all pervasive, insisting that, along with pearly whites and clear, unwrinkled skin, the pinnacle of is human perfection is attaining those six taut muscles in the middle of your stomach.

Unlike perfect teeth or flawless skin, the six pack is something that every human has. Unfortunate then that the abdominal muscles in most people never see the light of day; hidden behind a rounded mound of fat and covered, like a dirty secret, by a t-shirt or top. It may seem hard to believe as you look down at your paunch – could that plump, fluff covered gut really look like the washboard abdominals seen on the front of Men’s Health or Men’s Fitness? The simple answer is yes.

If you can’t see your abs right now, chances are you’re carrying a tad too much around the middle. To lose weight is simple if you follow the rule calories in < or = calories out. There are no magic tricks to weight loss and no shortcuts – liposuction aside. Anybody who argues with this is arguing with medical fact – if you restrict your calorific intake, you will lose weight; people who claim that dieting does not work are, consciously or not, deciding to ignore the calories in a portion of their daily consumption. Ignore fads or crazes, just follow the calorie rule. If you really feel that you have to follow a commercial, structured diet, try Weightwatchers as it’s points system is basically a simplistic way of keeping within the bounds of the above formula.

If you are willing to accept the above, and if you want a stomach that could be used in a skiffle band, read on.

Rule 1: There are no rules in Flab Club. Actually, that’s a lie. There are a lot of rules and the first thing to realise is that this will be hard work. As mentioned above, the first step is to follow a diet low in calories and saturated fats. Men should aim for 2500 calories per day; women 2000. For anything above that, you need to make sure that you compensate with the appropriate level of cardio exercise. Running is the easiest, no-equipment-required example; 30 minutes at a moderate pace can blast 300 calories.

Rule 2: Help your muscles to help themselves. Certain components of you diet will aid your muscles abilities to repair and grow. Don’t resort to expensive supplements; just ensure that you are eating enough high quality protein (from poultry, fish, eggs etc) and foods containing healthy, unsaturated fats (like fish, seeds and olive oil).

Rule 3: Ditch one six pack for another. Know your enemy, and your enemy is alcohol. Not only is it choc full of calories, alcohol has a negative effect on muscle conditioning. It can deplete minerals that are critical to muscle growth and reduce levels of testosterone, effectively undoing your hard work. It’s not called a beer belly for nothing.

Rule 4: A structured exercise program. Exercise doesn’t make six packs; it can only help sculpt and define them. Once the six pack is exposed, exercise can help it’s definition. Build a routine which suits your needs, alternating days of intensive cardio exercise (running, swimming, cycling) with days including, but not confined to, targeted abdominal exercises. These should include multiple sets of twenty repetition crunches. As well as the basic crunch, perform reverse crunches (where the legs are brought up to the body), decline crunches (where the crunches are performed on an inclined plane) and bench crunches (where the feet are raised on a bench). Make sure that you allow the muscles adequate rest between sessions. To add some variety, invest in a Swiss Ball, allowing you to add additional crunches and lifts to your routine. Make sure that you are also including some basic core exercises such as push ups and some weights work as it can be unhealthy and counterproductive to focus solely on one muscle group.

Follow this, and you can only succeed. See you at the beach, you beautiful, beautiful ’sixer’!

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