by Michelle Homan

Created on: June 20, 2009

Often signifying the epitome of fitness, six pack abs remain elusive to many dedicated fitness enthusiasts. Six pack abs require a committed regime that includes abdominal exercises, as well as careful attention to nutrition. Only with both pieces of the puzzle perfectly in place will those six pack abs come to fruition.

Nutrition

The most challenging aspect of attaining six pack abs is reducing the amount of fat that covers them. In addition to a regular cardio routine to burn calories, attention to food is a must. The number one goal is to reduce overall body fat, but we also want to avoid foods that can cause bloating. Sodium is one of the main culprits when it comes to retaining extra water, so avoid frozen entrees and other high sodium foods. Avoid drinking alcohol which dehydrates the body, and often adds hundreds of excess, empty calories. Drink plenty of water. Keeping your body adequately hydrated can curb hunger and bloating.

The overall diet for six pack abs is similar to any healthy, weight loss diet. Consume a diet of whole grains, lean protein, and vitamin rich fruits and vegetables. Know how many calories you should be consuming each day, and then plan meals accordingly. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, and snack (if necessary) is a plan that will keep your metabolism burning, and keep your hunger satisfied. Portion control is also crucial. If you are eating too much of all the right foods, you will still end up with excess calories that will be stored as fat.

Exercise

Six pack abs are created when the abdominal muscles are tight and toned. This means to achieve those six pack abs, you need to be working out the entire abdominal region on a regular basis. The rectus abdominus muscle, (the six pack), the external and internal obliques, and the transverse abdominus all need to be toned to get the entire six pack look. Varying your exercises, as opposed to just doing crunches, will help you work the entire region.

Many people believe the only road to six pack abs is hundreds of neck straining sit ups. However, there are numerous other effective exercises that will tone and tighten all areas of the abdominal region. Planks, side planks, and bicycles are just some alternative exercises that require your abs to work.

Isolating the abdominals takes focus on each and every repetition. When performing any abdominal exercise be sure to concentrate on tightening only the abdominal muscles. The most common complaint of neck strain often occurs because people are struggling to get through the movement. It is more effective to do 10 perfect, ab burning crunches, than 20 neck straining ones. Soon those 10 will turn into 15 and those 15 will turn into 20. Focus on form and let the six pack abs come to you.

Six pack abs require careful attention to nutrition as well as exercise. With a little bit of dedication in those areas, you too can achieve the elusive six pack abs.

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