Paul Miller Havelock North Personal Trainer shares – Five Steps to a Six Pack!
You may have come across advertisements for products such as weight machines or diet shakes that claim you will have a six pack in as little as 21 days by following their simple method of 5 minutes a day or a shake for breakfast followed by a shake for lunch. Let me clear this up right now, there is no miracle pill, potion or any kind of secret that will get you abs in 21 days.
If you want abs quick then the only way to do it is by working hard. You will have to put yourself through a number of physically demanding workouts and both your nutrition and lifestyle will have to be in check.
So without further ado, here are 5 steps to a six pack
1. Resistance training.
Resistance training must be the foundation of your gym workouts. The easiest way to burn more fat is by increasing your metabolism. For every pound of lean muscle you gain, you will burn an extra 30-50 calories a day doing nothing more. Focus on doing 3 full body workouts a week, incorporating multi-joint exercises that have the biggest bang for your buck, such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, push ups and pull ups.
2. You have to do interval training.
Research has shown us that interval training burns significantly more fat compared to steady state cardiovascular training. Aim to do 3 sessions a week for 20 to a maximum of 40 minutes. The key to interval training is getting the intensity right. It is imperative that you push yourself out of your comfort zone and make each workout as challenging as you can. The higher the intensity, the better the results.
3. You must eat the right foods.
First off it is important to note that a calorie is not just a calorie. Don’t think that if you eat fewer calories than you burn then the fat will just drop off. It doesn’t work like that. The food we consume has a direct relationship with our hormonal environment. For example if we eat too much sugar we spike our insulin levels and ultimately this will result in fat storage. Eat plenty of high quality protein, lots of vegetables and some fruit and don’t be scared of eating fat. Good fat is fantastic for keeping your hormones happy and you will find fat will keep you fuller for longer. Include fats such as avocadoes, nuts, coconut oil, butter and ghee into your diet.
4. Get more sleep.
Sleep is one of the most ignored however vitally important factors in dropping fat. While you are sleeping both your body (physical) and mind (mental) recover from the day. When you train you push your body hard and tear it down. When you sleep you heal your body and build it back up. In order to continually progress you must have an equal balance between pushing hard and resting. Aim to get 8 to 9 hours sleep a night in a pitch black room.
5. Track your progress.
Different people react differently to both foods and training. Journal down what you eat daily. Ask yourself ‘how did that meal make me feel? Tired, energised, full, still hungry or bloated. On the same note keep track of your workouts. Are you getting stronger? Are you still making progress? If for whatever reason you’re not moving forward closer to your goals then you must change what you’re doing.
You may have noticed not one abdominal exercise was mentioned. Yes that is correct, abdominal training is not an effective way to get a six pack. Trust me, if you could get a six pack from just doing a few hundred sit ups each day then there would be a hell of a lot more people out there with wash board stomachs.
Following the 5 strategies I have outlined are your quickest ways to a six pack. Now I am not going to promise you a six pack in 24 hours or even 7 days but I do promise you this. If you are constant and consistent with training, nutrition and proper sleep then you will get that six pack. To ignite your fat burning potential check us out at Personal Trainer Havelock North and see how we can help you
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