Eat Your Way to a Six Pack: Your Body and the Kitchen
Do you want to eat your way to great abs? Well, there’s good news as well as bad news.
Let us start with the bad news first: no-one is able to see your efforts to sculpt six-packs abs through squats, cardio, crunches, HIIT, and planks if they are covered by layers of flab. Now, we’ll move on to the brighter side - you can surely learn how to get six-pack abs by eating nutritious and healthy food.
“Abs are made in the kitchen.” Yes, you read that right! It is said that what you eat is more critical than how much you exercise if you really want to see defined six-pack abs. While this is true, it is not the complete truth! Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand when it comes to a great physique.
Let us start with the fundamental aspects of sculpting a six-pack:
Targeting belly fat
Targeting belly fat is important, but it depends on which kind: visceral fat or subcutaneous fat. They both exist for different reasons, and require different methods to be lost quickly.
Visceral fat
Visceral fat refers to fat that lies deep within the torso. It primarily builds up around the stomach, liver, and intestines. Also referred to as “deep belly fat”, visceral fat is the kind that surrounds the organs and is associated with many health complications.
Like any kind of body fat, it is fine in small quantities. However, it is associated with many health complications, and excessive levels can contribute to increased risk of organ damage over time.
Anyone can have high levels of visceral fat; it doesn’t necessarily correlate with how someone’s weight appears on the outside.
Those who live sedentary lifestyles, or who have a high metabolism but eat poorly, are particularly prone to becoming “skinny fat”. That is, they are of a BMI that is labelled healthy and they do not appear overweight, but they carry a lot of invisible visceral fat.
A “skinny fat” person is just as susceptible to health issues as someone of a larger build with the same amount of visceral fat: just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Visceral fat most often surrounds the digestive organs, such as the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines, and kidneys.
Getting rid of visceral fat
You can target visceral fat by eating fewer carbs and more fibre. High-fibre foods might include: wholemeal grains and cereals; pulses such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas; nuts; potatoes with their skins on; and fruit. Leafy greens are also packed with fibre and much less calorie- and carb-dense than some of these options.
Through simple swaps and being more mindful of your diet, you really can eat your way to a six pack - though of course there are other important factors.
Quality sleep is also integral to healthy fat loss. Exercise and nutrition tend to be shouted the loudest when it comes to fitness advice, but allowing your body time to recharge is vital.
Regular, intense workouts are of course an important part of losing visceral fat. Any exercise will contribute to your overall health, but cardio-focused work is widely considered the most effective.
Using SARMs for visceral fat loss
There is also research to suggest that SARMs, specifically those such as GW-501516 and S-4, can play a part in reducing visceral fat in combination with a healthy lifestyle. However, they are not a quick fix and if misused can even cause more harm than good.
If you’re considering SARMs, you must receive prior authorisation from a medical professional, through a thorough check of your medical history. SARMs may drastically push you towards your fitness goals, but they are not for everyone. Also, legislations on SARMs vary from country to country - so you should always comply with the laws where you live.
If you decide to look further into SARMs and you have full approval, it’s imperative that you buy from a reputable supplier. Dishonest suppliers are out there, who forgo their customers’ health for cheap and dangerous substances. Getting your hands on these at best will leave you out of pocket and at worst could cost your life.
The SARMs UK store is a trusted source which tests their products in the UK with Bodybuilt Labs.
Subcutaneous fat
On the other hand, subcutaneous fat refers to the jiggly fat that is visible under the skin.
Losing visceral fat is the most important when it comes to overall body health and mitigating the risk of long-term illnesses. However, subcutaneous and visceral fat share many contributing factors - so you may be carrying both.
Since subcutaneous fat is visible, you might be looking to lose it to meet your physical appearance goals. This is the fat we lose to get slim and lean, or to build muscle.
If you’re looking to eat your way to a six pack, consider targeting both visceral and subcutaneous fat:
Losing subcutaneous fat
Most current smart scales are able to give you an indication of your visceral and subcutaneous fat levels. Personal smart scales are available to buy online, but there are often body composition scales available for use in gyms and pharmacies.
Subcutaneous fat is best lost through cutting down carbohydrates and sugar, and replacing them with protein-rich foods. This can boost metabolism, reduce fat storage, and keep you fuller for longer; reducing the need to reach for “empty calories”.
Burning subcutaneous fat also requires burning calories - so a regular exercise routine is important. Cardio, aerobic, and HIIT workouts are most effective in burning calories.
Muscle mass and overall body strength can contribute, too. Those with more muscle tend to have a higher metabolism, and burn more calories even when they are not exercising. Strength training specifically targets muscle building, making it a great way to shift subcutaneous fat and keep it away.
Using SARMs for subcutaneous fat loss
As with visceral fat, SARMs can speed up the loss of subcutaneous fat. Once again, this must only be considered with full legal and medical backing - and it’s important that you do your own research on top of this.
Eat Your Way to a Six Pack: More Tips to Get Your Diet Right
- The most critical elements to develop great abs are muscle gain and fat loss that are stimulated by eating enough protein. For this, you must start your day with a healthy mix of proteins that will also help you prevent those snack binge dips and keep blood sugar steady. Adding a daily protein shake is a great option if you don’t get enough protein in your diet.
- This may come as a surprise, but the biggest offender when it comes to belly fat is actually processed and refined carbs. The best way out is to keep blood sugar levels at healthy and steady levels.
- For this, you should stick with unprocessed carbs that include fibre, such as the grains, nuts, fruits, and pulses discussed earlier.
- These don’t have to be boring: you can include savoury stews, fresh fruits and berries, chewy whole-grain bread, roasted vegetables, and crunchy salads. These can be broken down much more slowly than their processed, “empty-calorie” counterparts.
Moreover, you should focus on healthy, unsaturated fats, such as those found in salmon and avocados.
- It is always a good choice to include yoghurt and fermented foods that include probiotics in your daily meals. These help in reducing belly fat. Moreover, a moderated amount of calcium-rich foods such as dairy products may increase overall weight loss.
- Cutting down on liquor consumption is another way to stay fit and in the best shape. This is simply because alcohol can impair the body’s ability to absorb, digest, and store the critical nutrients from the food you are eating. Sadly, there is some truth behind the “beer belly”!
- Alcohol also reduces your inhibitions and stimulates your appetite, which can result in overeating. However, you may enjoy a drink or two once in a while if alcohol is something you just cannot miss out on.
Know Your Core
There is no denying the fact that a set of solid abs is a strong core that helps in the stabilisation of the entire body. The core - lower back, abdominal muscles, and pelvis - is a comprehensive system of muscles that help the body walk, stand, run, work out, and perform routine daily activities.
The point is: you should focus on all these muscles and not just the abs. You can eat your way to a six-pack with help from your exercise routine and lifestyle, but it shouldn’t be the only goal. Don’t just emphasis on the crunches: focus on the entire core.
If you follow these tips for great abs, you’ll surely notice improvements in your midsection. Stay informed, and stay healthy!