10 tips for a perfect six-pack

Do you dream of six-pack abs? Then it's something you really need to train for. Moreover, you'll have to give up a lot of things to get there. These 10 tips will make it easier to achieve your goal and develop a perfect six-pack.

Many men and women who exercise dream of a flat stomach and six-pack abs. They can't get there fast enough. Yet, achieving a perfect six-pack isn't that easy. You won't achieve your goal by doing ab exercises alone.

Three Ways to Get a Flat Stomach

You'll only get a flat stomach if you've burned enough fat. You can do this in the following ways:

• - Lots of sports
• - Do specific abdominal exercises
• - Adjust your diet to increase fat burning.

It's not just the first two points that are important for getting a six-pack. Your diet also plays a major role.

Tip 1. Avoid processed foods and refined sugars

Ready-made meals, canned products, and packaged foods are processed and often loaded with sugar, artificial flavors, and colorings. These products are therefore not very beneficial for your body. Therefore, choose whole foods. Natural food products are unprocessed and contain no sugar.

Tip 2. Eat every few hours

Eating every three or four hours keeps your fat burning going. Once your body gets used to receiving food every few hours, this results in higher fat burning and lower fat storage.

Tip 3. Make sure you eat enough protein

Eat a protein-rich meal or snack every three to four hours. Examples include dairy products, fish, chicken, lean steak, eggs, or a protein shake .

Tip 4. Have a good breakfast

Start your day with a good, satisfying breakfast. After a night without food, your body needs food to get going. Choose a breakfast that contains enough protein and carbohydrates. For example, start your day with oatmeal, consisting of 40 grams of rolled oats, 30 grams of peanut butter, and milk, or an omelet.

Tip 5. Eat enough fats

Make sure you get enough fats between breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, choose "healthy" fats, such as a handful of almonds, a drizzle of olive oil, or a few spoonfuls of peanut butter.

Tip 6. Choose a simple dinner

Choose a simple dinner that's not much different from your lunch. Just make sure this meal contains fewer or no carbohydrates. Cook mostly vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach.

Tip 7. Prep some meals

A white sandwich with chocolate sprinkles is, of course, full of sugar and fast carbohydrates. These don't stimulate fat burning. Choose slow-release, healthy carbohydrates, such as brown rice, quinoa, or sweet potato, and combine them with vegetables and meat, chicken, or fish. Prep some meals in advance so you always have a healthy lunch or dinner in your fridge.

Tip 8. Plan a cheat day

Did you know that you can stick to your diet much better by cheating occasionally? Plan a cheat day or indulge in a less healthy snack. Eat things you wouldn't normally eat, like a piece of cheesecake or a Big Mac, or double your carb intake for a day. Cheating helps you mentally stick to your strict diet and boosts your metabolism, which in turn is good for fat burning.

Tip 9. Vary with carbohydrates

Varying your carbohydrate intake is a good way to promote abs. This concept is also known as "carb cycling" and consists of low, medium, and high days. On a low day, for example, you might start your day with a breakfast of 40 grams of oatmeal, on a medium day you might choose 55 grams, and on a high day you might choose 80 grams. You do the same with the carbohydrates in your lunch. By doing this, your body can't predict how many carbohydrates you'll consume that day and you keep your metabolism running smoothly.

Tip 10. Drink plenty of water

To develop that coveted six-pack, it's essential to drink enough water. Doing so will burn more calories, hydrate your body, and suppress your hunger. Avid athletes drink more than three liters of water a day, but you can, of course, drink a little less. On days you don't exercise, one and a half liters of water is enough.

Compound exercises

Of course, it's impossible to achieve a six-pack by dieting alone. You also have to train for it. This includes compound exercises. These work multiple muscle groups and engage your abdominal muscles. Examples of compound exercises include squats , shoulder presses , and bench presses .

Squats

Squats often look easier than they are. Many people perform them incorrectly. Here's a good explanation:

• - Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
• - Bend your knees until you reach a 90-degree angle or lower.
• - Make sure that your knees remain pointed straight ahead.
• It's important that your feet remain flat on the floor. Your knees shouldn't bend beyond your knees.
• - To make it a bit harder, you can place a bar or weights on your neck.

Shoulder press

You can perform a shoulder press with dumbbells .

• - Grab two dumbbells and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
• - Slowly raise the dumbbells to shoulder height.
• - Then press your arms up until they are straight and then lower your arms again in a controlled manner.

Bench press

For a bench press you need a weight bench .

• Lie on your back on the couch. Place a foot on each side of the couch.
• - Make sure your glutes and lower back remain in contact with the bench. Grab the barbell with both hands, shoulder-width apart.
• - Press the barbell out of the rack and lower it to the center of your chest. Then press the barbell back up.

Specific exercises

In addition to compound exercises, it's also necessary to perform specific abdominal exercises. These will make your abs bigger and stronger. If your body fat percentage is low enough, you'll quickly see a six-pack. Examples of isolation exercises include the bicycle crunch, planking, and leg raises.

Bicycle crunch

The bicycle crunch is also known as the cycling exercise. This exercise targets your upper and lower abdominal muscles.

• - Lie down on a soft surface, such as a mat
• - Make a cycling movement in the air
• - Move your shoulders alternately towards the opposite knee
• - Make sure you train both sides in a balanced way

Planking

Your back muscles play a vital role in training your abs. Performing the plank engages your abs and back muscles.

• - Lie with your forearms on the floor and your toes on the floor. Lift your hips off the floor and form a straight plank with your entire body.
• - Make sure your elbows are in line with your shoulders
• - Keep your glutes and abdominal muscles tight so that you perform the exercise correctly.

Leg raises

Leg raises are a very effective way to train your lower abs.

• Lie on your back on the floor or a mat. Keep your legs straight and together.
• - Place your arms straight out next to you and place your hands flat on the floor.
• - Keep your head straight.
• - Slowly and controlledly raise your legs off the ground until they are perpendicular to the air and form a 90-degree angle with the ground. Exhale during this movement.
• Now lower your legs slowly and in a controlled manner, letting them hang about 5 cm above the ground. Hold this position for 1 to 2 seconds. Breathe in during this movement.
• Repeat this exercise five to ten times. When you find it easier, you can increase the number to ten to fifteen times.