How to get six-pack abs is always a trendy topic. Isn't it? Having six or eight pack abs make you an icon, and everyone quickly gets impressed. Almost 8 out of 10 people start working out solely to have a six-pack. Everyone wants a six-pack, be it a bodybuilder, physique athlete, model, actor, or the guy next door.
We've all heard how difficult it is to get six-pack abs because you need to reduce your body fat percentage, preferably to a single digit, and its way beyond just doing thousands of crunches in the gym. If you want to see your abs, you must make significant nutritional changes.
Therefore, we will provide you with 10 golden rules of nutrition in your diet to get ripped six-pack abs in this article.
Abs are made in the gym but revealed in the kitchen.
Follow in a Caloric Deficit Diet
This should be your first and foremost step towards losing body fat to have those visible abs. Being in a calorie deficit means you need to burn more calories than you consume in a day. Doing this, you put your body in a state where it uses extra fat present in your body as the energy source to perform daily functionalities. Start with a minimal deficit initially and then marginally increase the deficit as you progress in your journey and start hitting plateaus. You need to consistently follow a caloric deficit diet for a few weeks or months, depending on your current body fat percentage. For your abs to pop out, you need to dial down to somewhere in a range of 10-14% body fat percentage.
Inculcate a Protein-Rich Diet
Protein provides amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle protein. It helps you to achieve an ideal body composition by helping you to build muscles and also help in fat loss. Protein is very satiating, which means it takes more time for our body to absorb it properly. This makes you feel full and stop you from overeating. Protein also has a relatively higher thermogenic effect which means our body burns more calories to break down the protein. Beginners should try to get in about a minimum protein of 1.5 g/kg of body weight, whereas fitness enthusiasts and athletes should get in at least 1.8-2.2 g/kg of body weight for best results.
Eat Your Veggies
We Indians eat a lot of carbohydrates in almost every meal. We don't mean to say that carbs are bad for you or will not let you see your abs, but you need to remember that it's best to take carbs in moderation if your activity levels aren't much. You don't have the privilege of consuming the same amount of carbs as an athlete who's into rigorous multiple training sessions every day or someone whose activity levels are high. If you work out 3-6 days a week in the gym for 40-60 minutes and spend the rest of the time at your desk, you need to dial down your carbohydrates intake throughout the day. This is where vegetables can help your stomach stay full and you, guilt-free. Vegetables are very high in volume and have significantly fewer calories. This means you can include a lot of veggies in your daily diet to stay full without fear of going overboard with your calories. And yes, don't be that guy who measures calories from vegetables.
Drink Plenty of Water
Research suggests that the more hydrated you are through the day, the more efficiently your body performs every task, ranging from working on an excel sheet to burning body fat. In addition, research suggests that water can help with fat loss in a variety of ways. It helps suppress your appetite, boost your metabolism, and make workouts easier and more efficient, all of which could contribute to results on the scale. And the biggest reason to gulp down plenty of water is, of course - it is calorie-free.
Watch Your Sodium Intake
Excess sodium intake with snacks or foods retains water in the body. It is the reason you will see bodybuilders and models who are preparing for a photoshoot completely cut down salt intake in the last few days before any competition or photoshoot, to achieve a dry and attractive look.
Sodium retains water in the body. Therefore, control your sodium intake to cut down water from the body, and you will be closer to achieve your six-pack abs easily.
Cycle Your Carbs
Carb cycling is based on the idea that when your body receives a limited amount of carbs, it relies on fat as its primary fuel source, which can benefit fat loss. The idea is that by planning when and how you eat carbs (your body's preferred fuel source for exercise), you can power your workouts more efficiently and achieve better results in terms of both performance and body composition.
Eat Healthy Fats
You need to grow out of the myth that eating fat makes you fat. Research suggests that diets higher in fat (monounsaturated and saturated) appear to maintain testosterone levels better than low-fat diets. Maintaining optimal testosterone levels is paramount for building strength and muscle mass. In addition, it will help to get achieve a better body composition. You have plenty of options to go for in saturated fats like meat, avocados, flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds and many more.
Avoid Liquid Calories
The best way of avoiding too many calories is to avoid any liquid calories through the day. The beverages that you consume also add up to your calorie count. Excess liquid calories could result in you going overboard your calorie intake and can result in weight gain. A smart and wise move will be to choose solid food full of nutrients over drinking calories.
Adding Supplements Might Help
Sometimes giving your 100% isn't enough, and you might need a little push to reach your goals. Supplements like potent Fat Burners or L-Carnitine might help you reach your goal of having six-pack abs quickly and efficiently. Check out Epicvita Ripcut Thermo and L-Carnitine 500 if you are looking for genuine and potent fat burning supplements.
Have a Planned Cheat Meal
A weekly cheat meal has been shown to boost your metabolism and reduce feelings of deprivation, improving not only your ability to lose weight but also your ability to stick to your diet plan. Cheat meals can help your metabolism by increasing leptin levels, the "anti-starvation" hormone responsible for sending hunger signals to the brain.
Cheat meals can also help reset hormones involved in metabolism and insulin regulation, replenish glycogen for increased energy, and keep calorie burning and fat-burning mechanisms active.
Planning ahead of time is essential for cheat meals. Preferably a time when you're likely to crave fatty foods, such as the weekend or a special occasion. This way, you can schedule it around your daily calorie intake, and it's nice to have something to look forward to, giving you that extra motivation to do well during the week.
The Bottom Line
Getting six-pack abs is not rocket science. If you want six-pack abs, changing your diet is the key. You just need to follow these golden steps and be patient and trust the process. Your abs are already there, you just need to reveal them.
So that was on your eating habits. Let’s take a closer look at the some of the best & authentic practices to achieve well defines Abs. Read our blog - The 9 Golden Rules for Ripped Abs and say Hello Six-Pack!
