Abs are Made in the Kitchen

One of the goals I constantly hear from challengers is “I want 6 pack abs!” And I LOVE when I hear this because then I get to talk about nutrition, my most favorite fitness topic! The truth is, you already have 6 pack abs. Anatomically speaking, your abs are there, they have always been there, but you just can’t see them. So your goal has to be, make my 6 pack show! Shine through 6 pack, come on!

You can squeeze that little section of tummy and say “I just want to work on THIS today!” as much as you want. But it doesn’t matter how you target a section of your body, you can’t out exercise a bad diet. Nutrition is 80%, EIGHTY PERCENT. You cannot really pin point a specific area of your body and work it, you have to focus on your entire lifestyle. You can do a thousand crunches a day, you aren’t going to get your 6 pack if your diet isn’t on point. You've heard that little saying "abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym" it's 100% true.

Recent studies have found that as a country, we are exercising more. Great! However, as a country, we are becoming more obese. Wanna know why? An hour on the elliptical does not erase the Frappuccino you just inhaled. To see your abs, that are in there, you have to eat clean. Truly, there isn’t one fitness goal you can reach without a clean diet. You may think you eat healthy, but you need to be real with yourself. Is your healthy food outweighed by your unhealthy food? If your protein shake each morning is Starbucks, I implore you to rethink that plan. Does your nutrition plan include things like foods labeled “diet,” soda, artificial ingredients, soy protein drinks, processed foods? If so, kiss those sweet abs goodbye. Do you not eat enough? You cannot starve yourself! Your body needs fuel to build muscle.

So what I’m saying is, get on a clean eating regimen (at least 80% of the time, if not more!) Couple that with your workouts! Remember, 20% is a big piece of the puzzle, don’t skip the workout. You will start to see the results you are seeking and you will feel better overall.

How to eat clean? In short form, eat 5-6 small meals a day of a balanced diet including lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, stay away from processed foods and refined sugars and flours, stay away from artificial ingredients.

To really get a 6 pack, you have to eat very clean and have a low body fat percentage. But a strong core and a tight tummy, anyone can have that!