Flat 6 Pack Abs

There are many words and terms to describe tight, toned and healthy looking abdominals from six pack abs to ripped or washboard abdominals. Regardless of the words you want to use to describe healthy looking abdominals the fact is that they can be hard to obtain. Many people strive for years to achieve amazing looking abdominals but they are not able to. In this article I will briefly look at how both men and women can lose their belly fat and tighten, tone their abs.

Let’s face it, toned abs look amazing and are necessary for a strong core. A big belly or unnecessary belly fat will put a strain on your back, not to mention the various negative health effects. To achieve toned abs Mike Geary of The Truth About 6 Pack Absrecommends from his extensive experience 10% body fat or lower for men and about 16% to18% body fat for women.

The key to losing belly fat and achieving flat abs is through staying active and proper nutrition. Getting the flat stomach you desire, does not lie in solely doing abdominal exercises. You should continue to do a moderate amount of exercises for your abs to strengthen them, but more importantly, you should focus on full body workouts to really help you lose the belly fat. Basically you want to keep your body fat % really low and this can be achieved by being active and exercising on a regular basis.

Full Body Workout and Your Abs

Let me point out that cardio exercises alone are not necessary for fat loss. For six months of the year I don’t do any cardio, yet I can maintain a body fat ratio of around 9% all year long and my endurance and cardio levels remain high! I can pick up a pair of rollerblades after six months and go out rollerblading for 90 minutes and not be tired or sore. The reason is that I tend to focus more on resistance training and full body workouts. In fact, resistance training workouts will get people to work out much more, give them more of a cardiovascular workout than any boring cardio workout on treadmills and elliptical machines ever will.

Some very basic body weight exercises that you may consider doing include squats, lunges, inverted body rows and basic dumbbell exercises like rows.

Exercises that can be a little more complicated and challenging include body stabilizing exercises like planks, side planks, a few stability ball exercises which engage the entire core area in stabilizing the body. Still more exercises include renegade dumbbell rows, front squats with barbell and mountain climbers on the floor.

Nutrition and Abs

Nutrition plays a very important role in keeping the belly fat off your abdominals. If you eat unhealthy foods, you can exercise all you want, but you won’t get those six pack abs you desire. Plus eating unhealthy foods will have health ramifications down the road for you.

So what types of foods should you eat to get those toned abs?

• You want to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. I am talking about whole and unprocessed foods.
• Choose foods that are high in nutrients.
• Consume at each meal moderate amounts of high quality protein.
• Choose plenty of fruits and vegetables for your main source of carbohydrates instead of grains which is so prominent and recommended in our food supply these days.
• A consistent and daily intake of Omega 3 will help boost your metabolism, energy levels and your body’s natural fat burning capabilities. Just be careful of the source of your Omega 3 and that your source is free of contaminants like lead, PCBs, mercury, etc... The best sources of Omega 3 comes from sardines and anchovies.
• Consume foods high in fiber to help control your appetite control and for glycemic control (maintaining a more balanced blood sugar level).
• Consume a healthy amount of fat from seeds, nuts, wild fish or fish oil and olive oils which helps with appetite control and hormonal balance.

By eating healthy, your body will not crave sweets or junk foods because your body will be getting all the required nutrients and energy from the above-mentioned foods. Also, by eating healthy foods you will naturally obtain the proper amount of calories you need each day without having to count calories or anything like that.

In this article I have tried to point out in very simple terms the keys to losing belly fat and achieving beautiful abs.

For more information on abs and losing belly fat, visit The Truth About Six Pack Abs.