Author: Tom Gifford
Article:
If you are training for six pack abs then there are a few things
you need to be aware of that will be absolutely vital to your
success.
First, you should understand the differences between developing
six pack abs and losing body fat. Getting six pack abs is a all
about having extremely low levels of body fat. For men, the
optimal body fat percentage is around 8% and for women it is
around 15%. Training and eating to get body fat levels this low
is much different than someone who just starts a diet and wants
to lose 20-30lbs.
If you are just trying to lose a lot of weight, then making
small changes to your diet will help you make a lot of progress
very fast. For example, if you were to only drink water,
unsweetened iced tea, and green tea, then you will not be
consuming any calories from beverages. For someone who just
wants to lose weight, a small modification such as this can make
a big difference.
For someone who wants to get six pack abs, the process is much
more detailed. These are two common mistakes that people make
when trying to developing six pack abs.
Six Pack Abs Mistake #1: They try to do too many crunches and ab
exercises.
While crunches and other ab exercises will help to build a
stronger core, they will not help you get down to a low level of
body fat. Trying to use endless reps of ab exercises simply does
not build enough muscle or work your body hard enough to burn
significant calories.
The myth of "spot" reduction is where a lot of people get caught
up. The concept of spot reduction basically states that if you
want to lose fat in a certain part of the body you should work
the muscle underneath it. Our bodies do not store fat in one
specific place, therefore you cannot lose fat in one specific
place either.
You simply will never see a person with a ripped six pack and
flabby love handles. If spot reduction actually worked this is
what would happen. In the real world however, you need to
concentrate on losing fat all over your body in order to develop
a toned and sexy six pack.
Six Pack Abs Mistake #2: Trying to use infomercial ab gimmicks
When you see an advertisement for an "miracle" piece of ab
equipment, the people who are using them usually have great
bodies, low body fat, and a great six pack. However I can
guarantee you one thing, and that is they did not get that way
to using one single piece of abdominal exercise equipment.
Like we just talked about with why lots of crunches do not help
you get six pack abs, the same holds true for any ab crunch
machine or anything else you see on an advertisement.
This all goes back to the false concept that working the abs
with lots of exercises will directly lead to a six pack. All the
people with the best abs got them by training their whole body
and making very smart food choices. Not by using some ab crunch
gimmick for "two easy payments of $29.95." Six Pack Abs Mistake
#3: Eating too many calories.
Sounds overly simplistic doesn't it?
This is one of the most important core concepts that is crucial
to understanding how to lose body fat and develop six pack abs.
So many people try to eat healthy and still have trouble losing
weight. Sometimes they think they have something physiologically
wrong with them and their bodies simply cannot lose weight.
Before you fall into this trap and start seeking "miracle" quick
fixes, you need to know that not being able to lose body fat is
simply a matter of taking in too many calories. If you try
keeping a food journal for a week and counting the calories you
consume you will be amazed at the insight it will give you.
Even if you eat 400 extra calories a day from little snacks here
and there (which is not difficult at all), you will be taking in
an extra 2,800 calories per week. For some people, taking in an
extra 500-1000 calories per day can easily come from foods that
are extremely calorie dense but do not help you feel full. Such
foods include bagels, donuts, muffins, potato chips, soda, any
kind of fast food, and more.
So before you think that getting six pack abs or simply losing
body fat is impossible for you, try taking a few days to really
track what you are eating. You will be surprised that losing
weight can really be as simple as cutting out small calories
dense foods from your diet.
A wise man once said that having sexy six pack abs feels better
than the best tasting food in the world. Remember this concept
and start taking action today. Good luck!
About the author:
Interested in learning more? If so, there is good news for you.
My name it Tom Gifford, Certified Personal Trainer, and I would
like to extend to you a personal invitation to stop by my
website at http://www.TheGreatCardioMyth.com and check out the
first two chapters of my brand new book! You will get lots of
great tips you can start implementing today. Looking forward to
seeing you there!
