For a lot of fitness lovers, having toned, ripped abs is the ideal. They proclaim to the world that you are thin and powerful, and that lasagna cannot defeat you. And obtaining them is not simple.Most people, except athletes, have fat covering their abdominal muscles. Subcutaneous fat is the portion of it that is found close to the skin's surface. Visceral fat is part of it that is kept deep within the abdominal cavity.
Gaining six-pack abs and losing fat can take longer if you are overweight.
What’s a six-pack
The main abdominal muscle responsible for the washboard appearance is the rectus abdominis. It is a vertical band of fibers that is long and flat and extends from under the ribcage to the pubic bone. It covers the internal organs and aids in maintaining their proper alignment.
It is made up of two parallel-running muscles that are divided into half. Each half has connective tissue dividing it into three sections. The unique "six-pack" appearance of the abdomen is attributed to these six bands of connective tissue.
No matter how toned your rectus abdominis is, if it's hidden under layers of fat, you won't be able to see your six-pack.
Approximately 90% of body fat is subcutaneous, or found beneath the skin, according to Harvard Health. It's a form of bodily fat that you can hold in your hands and is the gooey substance that makes up your belly.
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Lowering your body fat level
Reduced body fat percentages can be difficult and time-consuming to achieve.A research that was published in the journal ObesityTrusted Source estimates that men and women in the US have around 28% and 40% of body fat, respectively. Because of the hormone estrogen, women frequently carry more fat than men do.
Most men and women need to lose at least half of their body fat in order to show off their abs. A healthy and attainable objective is to reduce one percent of body fat every month, according to the American Council on Exercise.
By such reasoning, it may take a woman with average body fat 20 to 26 months to shed the fat required for six-pack abs. A typical guy would require fifteen to twenty-one months.
What you should do to get abs
The good news is that you have abs. The bad news is that there’s no quick and easy way to unearth them. Exercising your abdominal muscles with targeted exercises will help to strengthen and shape them.
Reduce calories
If you want to lose one pound every week, cut around 500 calories from your regular diet.If you exercise, you may be able to burn less calories. If you burn 250 calories per day from exercise, you may just need to reduce your calorie intake by 250.
Increase protein intake
When you lose weight, you lose lean muscle. Protein, the building block of muscle, is essential for maintaining muscle mass.Aim for about 1 to 1.5 grams per every two pounds you weigh.
A study published in Nutrition Reviews (Trusted Source) found that individuals who consumed more protein (1.2 to 1.5 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight) were able to maintain lean muscle mass and improve body composition compared to those who consumed the average amount (0.8 grams per 2.2 pounds).
That equates to more than 90 grams of protein—30 grams every meal, per day for a 150-pound individual.Protein-rich foods include chicken, beef, turkey, lentils, nuts, and some dairy products, such as Greek yogurt.
Read also: Strength Training: A Beginner's Guide to Fitness.
Choose high-intensity intermittent exercise
Examples of high-intensity intermittent exercise include:
- sprinting for 20 seconds followed by walking for 40, and repeat
- cycling at an all-out pace for 8 seconds followed by a low-intensity pace for 12 seconds
According to research published in the Journal of ObesityTrusted Source, women who performed that type of cycling exercise for 20 minutes, three times a week, for 15 weeks, lost more body fat than those who performed steady aerobic exercise.
Add resistance training
Cardio combined with weight training appears to be the golden bullet for fat loss.A study of overweight teens found that combining cardio and strength training three times a week for a year resulted in greater body fat loss and waist circumference reduction compared to aerobic exercise alone.
The takeaway
Achieving six-pack abs is not a simple or quick process. It calls for self-control, a dedication to eating a clean, healthful diet, and consistent exercise, including strength and aerobic training.Six-pack abs are a fitness objective that those who are dedicated to the process may achieve, despite the fact that the journey can be drawn out and the labor intense.
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