Experts recommend a three-tiered approach to get defined abs: proper nutrition, full body strength training, and consistent cardiovascular exercise. Eating a balanced diet, including complex carbohydrates and lean proteins, is key to reducing body fat. Regular strength training exercises and a variety of abdominal exercises are also important. Regular cardiovascular exercise is essential for burning body fat, but should be balanced with strength training to maintain a high metabolism.
To get defined abs, experts recommend a three-tiered approach. The first is to practice proper nutrition to remove the layer of fat that can hide the rectus abdominis muscle. The next thing is to practice a regular regimen of full body strength training instead of just performing crunches. Finally, experts recommend consistent cardiovascular exercise for the extra calorie-burning activity needed to shed body fat.
Perhaps the most important step to achieving defined abs, eating a balanced diet is considered the fastest way to reduce body fat that hides the abdomen. Proper nutrition is key to maintaining a lean midsection because certain types of calories, namely sugars found in simple carbohydrates and alcohol, are believed to be stored as fat in the body if not burned through activity. Although any number of excess calories can contribute to stored fat in the abdomen, avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol, sweets, and refined flour products is the first step to flattening the abdomen.
Instead, it is recommended to eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, brown rice, and oatmeal, and plenty of vegetables and legumes such as beans. Other recommended foods for ripped abs include lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy and unsaturated fats, the kind found in fish, olive oil, nuts, and avocados. This last part is especially important: Studies show that eating plenty of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) can help prevent fat from accumulating in the abdomen.
The next step toward defining your abs is to engage in regular strength training exercises; Experts recommend lifting weights a minimum of two days per week. They also emphasize full body training over isolated abdominal exercises alone. This isn’t just because a total-body strength workout burns a lot of calories, but also because having more muscle overall increases metabolism and increases your ability to burn body fat. Also, it is recommended to include a variety of exercises for the abdominals, not just crunches, which primarily work the rectus abdominis or six-pack muscle, to get defined abs. Yoga planks, reverse crunches, and core rotations are examples of exercises that work a variety of muscles in the abdomen.
Regular cardiovascular exercise also stands out as a key component of burning fat, particularly for sedentary people. While cardio is primarily intended for exercising the heart and lungs, it is an important means of increasing daily calorie output and is therefore essential for burning more body fat. However, it can also backfire if overdone, as this increases the risk of overtraining injury, as well as burning precious muscle, which is essential for maintaining a high metabolism. Experts suggest engaging in regular cardio sessions, ideally five days a week, lasting about 30 minutes, as well as balancing these sessions with regular strength training to achieve lean, defined abs.
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