Forget fitness fads or influencers (ahem, Chloe Ting) who promise abs with their two-week workout routines. Sure, all those crunches and dips can help you get in shape, but many of these routines assume you already have a low body-fat percentage. The real secret behind how to get a six-pack: you need a good diet, combined with certain exercises (which we’ll get to in a bit).
You are what you eat
Heard of the phrase “abs are made in the kitchen”? That’s because it’s much easier to cut down on calories than it is to burn them off. Just think — working off an extra 500 calories requires you to run at moderate to high intensity for nearly 40 minutes!
The good news is your body fat percentages do not have to be as low as you might think they need to be in order to get a six-pack.
For visible abs, body fat has to be at 10-15% for men and 15-20% for women. If you’ve been wondering how to get abs in a month, you can achieve this by eating at a caloric deficit to cut fat while engaging in regular cardio sessions. You’ll need to have a deficit of 500 calories per day from your maintenance calories to shed about 0.5kg a week.
Track your calories burnt with some of the best fitness trackers or use a calorie counter like MyFitnessPal. If you want to go the extra mile, you can also calculate macronutrients like carbs, protein and fat (a good start in percentages would be 40:30:30). Here are some tips on how to eat clean!
1. Cut out processed foods
Cutting out junk food can go a long way to reducing overall body fat when you’re thinking about how to get abs in a month. Processed and refined foods usually have high levels of sodium and fat, which will throw your diet overboard. Stay away from cakes, potato chips and ice cream!
2. Eat complex carbs
A rookie mistake is cutting carbs out of your meals completely. Carbohydrates are an essential source of energy and is a key factor in how to get a six-pack. The trick is to skip refined carbs (white rice, pasta, white bread), and to go for complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa and whole wheat bread that will keep you fuller for longer and provide you with a lasting source of energy.
3. Consume protein right after workouts
If you’re familiar with seeing friends chugging protein shakes after a workout, here’s why: Drinking protein shakes or eating meals with lean proteins (like poultry, greek yoghurt and lentils) will aid muscle tissue regeneration and balance blood sugar levels. Simply put, this helps in muscle recovery and growth! Check out some of the best protein powders for a tasty post-workout meal!
4. Have healthy snacks ready
Embarking on a change in diet may cause you to feel hungry in between meals. Turning to healthy snacks that are high in fibre, protein or healthy fats will leave you satiated without going off-course from your diet plan. Check out some of the best healthy snacks in Singapore for ideas!
5. Hydrate regularly
Don’t get dehydrated in your pursuit of the six-pack! Drink plenty of water, and cut out sugary beverages like soda. Not only is water good for cleansing your system, it also helps eliminate those hunger pangs! Fun fact: many often mistake being thirsty for being hungry!
6. Schedule cheat meals
I’m a huge advocate for cheat meals and the wonderful benefits that it has for your body. Plan for one cheat meal every 10 days — this is when you can go all out and have your favourite foods! Cheat meals will not only act as motivation but have also been proven to reset your metabolism and jumpstart insulin regulation to recharge the fat burning process. So don’t feel guilty for getting that upsized McSpicy meal or char kway teow you’ve been craving for!
How to get a six-pack: follow this 4 times/week killer ab routine
Six exercises, four times a week. This workout is designed with rest days in between for you to also fit in some cardio or HIIT!
You only need to do the entire circuit once through with a 15-second break between each set and workout type, so go all out and work up a sweat! Aim for quality over quantity — get your form right to get the full benefits of each workout!
1. Reverse Crunch
Sets: 2-3
Duration: 45 seconds
How to:
- Lie on your back, place your hands by the side of your thighs
- Keep your legs close together and as straight as you can
- Lift your legs towards the ceiling and bring them down slowly without touching the ground
- Pretend you’re stomping the ceiling with your heels for maximum effectiveness
What this achieves:
The reverse crunch primarily works the lower abs but also engages your core entirely
2. Cross-Leg Mountain Climber
Sets: 2-3
Duration: 45 seconds
How to:
- Start off in a push-up position
- Drive your right knee to your left elbow, before touching your toes back to the ground
- Drive your left knee to your right elbow, before touching your toes back to the ground; this alternate movement is one rep
- Do this at a moderate speed while maintaining good form (tighten your core and keep your body in a straight line) until the timer sounds
What this achieves:
The cross-leg mountain climber works the entire core and is an excellent exercise for building abs and enhancing core strength.
3. Butterfly Sit-ups
Sets: 2-3
Duration: 45 seconds
How to:
- Lay on your back with your feet together and arms raised above your head
- Contract your abs and use it lift your torso to sit up; that’s one rep
What this achieves:
Butterfly sit-ups rely on momentum and are a more explosive way to work your midsection.
4. Plank Hip Dips
Sets: 2-3
Duration: 45 seconds
How to:
- Start off in a plank position
- Lower your hips to the left and right in succession
- Make sure your butt isn’t too high or too low by actively contracting your abs and glutes. Be careful not to arch your back as well!
What this achieves:
Plank hip dips are a great way to work your obliques so that you develop a nice V-line. This also helps trim down your waist and improves your balance and overall posture during this journey on how to get a six-pack.
5. Levitation Crunches
Sets: 2-3
Duration: 45 seconds
How to:
- Lay on your back with your feet slightly off the ground and your hands at the back of your head
- Lift your shoulder blades off the ground until your abs are fully contracted
- Hold that position and squeeze for two seconds before lowering back down; that’s one rep
What this achieves:
Levitation crunches contract the upper abs by only moving the upper torso.
6. Bicycle Crunches
Sets: 2-3
Duration: 45 seconds
How to:
- Lay on your back with your head and shoulder slightly off the ground with hands cupping your ears
- Lift the right leg off the ground and extend it out
- Lift the left leg and bend your knee towards your chest
- Twist your body to the right so that your right elbow touches the left knee; that’s one rep
- Extend your left leg and repeat
What this achieves:
Bicycle crunches are a great way to finish off the routine as they target all your ab muscles and will work your core to its max capacity.
Achieve the elusive six-pack in just 4 weeks
If you’ve always wanted to know how to get a six-pack, try this killer ab workout routine! Remember that diet plays a role too so have a look at some meal prep ideas to make it easier for you. Complement it with our easy home workout routines and the best Nintendo Switch exercise games to burn those calories in a fun way!
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