A six pack is the envy of many, both men and women alike. Though there are many six pack abs diet(s) that will help you get there, we have consolidated all approaches so that you can have that beach body look that you always wanted!
Let’s face it. The six pack is the ultimate sign for a well defined physique. Whilst a six pack does not in any way, shape or form indicate that you are healthy, it is definitely going to get you attention. The problem however lies in our eating habits. It’s no surprise that abs are indeed made in the kitchen and therefore one needs to have a systematic and regimented diet plan for the abs to show. Indian’s however eat three big meals with dinner being the biggest meal. An Indian diet for six pack abs will have to be changed dramatically.
Although meal frequency is not helpful in helping you lose weight, it does affect your metabolism and insulin levels. Therefore in your illusive pursuit to get defined abs, your six pack abs diet will need to have 4-5 smaller meals spaced out evenly; every two to three hours. Also it’s recommended that before you start cutting down the fat for your abs to show, it’s also important that you do exercises to develop your abs.
There are many factors that can hamper your abs to show. Firstly as discussed above, if your abs aren’t developed, no matter what your body fat percentage is, your abs won’t be defined. Secondly you need to have a lower body fat percentage for those abs to show. This means cutting out on certain foods, and most importantly being in a caloric deficit.
The worst food for weight loss and furthermore for your abs to pop, is sugar. Flat out, you will need to eliminate sugar from your diet to see your abs, with the exception if you are genetically gifted. This might seem simple at first, but sugar creeps up in many foods. Milk, Fruit, and Cereal are generally described as healthy but constitute of hidden sugars that will keep your six pack at bay. Sugar is all encompassing. In fast food, alcohol and other unhealthy foods. Here’s the real shocker. Your body can only process 3-6gms of sugar per sitting. That’s only 1TBSP of sugar. The rest, will be stored as fat!
Your body only processes 3 to 6 grams of sugar in one sitting. The rest is stored as fat
Juices or juicing can provide certain benefits over time, but not in the pursuit of a six pack. 1 cup of blueberries will contain as much as 12grams of sugar which as you know by now will be turned into fat if consumed in one sitting. Simply put, if your goal is to lean out and make the perfect diet plan for 6-pack abs, then you need to eliminate sugar. The exception here is that you can indulge in sugar as part of your post workout foods to replenish the glycogen that is lost during a strenuous workout.
1. Determining your calories
Before understanding what one should eat, you should know how to count calories. Why? Because unless you are in a caloric deficit, which means you are eating lower amounts of calories than your body is using, you can’t lose body fat for your abs to show. While there aren’t any specific foods for revealing your abs, understanding how much of the food to eat, is the first step to attaining those abs. To count calories you must first do the following:
Calculate your BMR from an online calculator
Reduce that by 200-300. This is how many calories you need to eat in a day
Space those calories out into Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats. Out of those calories, keep 40% for Protein, 40% for Carbohydrates and 20% for Fats. The kind of proteins, fats and carbs will be discussed later
Do this for 2 months and reduce the number you got earlier by a further 100 calories if needed
Add cardio to further reduce the calories if needed
2. Protein
Protein is the most important macronutrient that you will need to consume to get that six pack showing. What’s important to remember here is that many self proclaimed ‘fitness experts’ think you need to cut down on protein as well while cutting. Unfortunately for them, the opposite is true. Keeping your protein high, while slashing your calories will ensure you keep muscle mass on while losing fat. The best foods for six pack abs usually come from Protein. Don’t forget to keep the red meal usage low, while indulging in foods like chicken breast, turkey breast and fish like tuna and salmon.
3. Carbohydrates
Popular belief states that carbohydrates are a menace when seeing your abs. However they are an essential macronutrient because they give you energy. Our body prefers to use the energy of carbohydrates meaning your rice and sweet potatoes are essential foods to sculpt your abs. Do remember to limit your carbohydrates and all but eliminate fast digesting carbs with the exception of post-workout nutrition.
4. Fats
Fats on the other hand are essential due to the importance they have in hormone control. The trick with fat is that you should avoid trans and saturated fats like butter, cheese and red meat. So next time you’re going out, remember what oil they use to cook your chicken breast! Foods to sculpt your abs, in regards to fat include coconut oil, olive oil and omega-3’s.
5. Importance of Fiber
Of all the foods that make up a six-pack diet it is important to consciously intake fiber. Fiber is soluble with water and thus leaves you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. The opposite is true as well. Thus foods high in sugar and low in fiber will make your hungrier, faster.
It is recommended that you intake around 25-30 grams of fiber per day
While working on a six pack abs diet strategy one should not discount the importance of cheat days. This doesn’t mean that you lose your mind and go invade the local all-you-can-eat buffet; rather you should increase your carbs and/or fats, depending on what macronutrient you are constricting. Do note, that re-feeds and cheat meals are only be meant to be used when you see your progress stalling. Don’t just cheat if you are seeing consistent results.