Visible six pack: how long until you have one? – GOOD SHAPE

It’s not news that the search for a visible six pack requires a lot of dedication and patience. The time it takes to reach this goal, however, will depend on the percentage of body fat you are starting your project with.

Therefore, conquering a defined abdomen can take from three months to two yearsdepending on each person’s body composition, lifestyle and dedication.

LET’S GO TO THE NUMBERS

The ideal body fat percentage to show belly muscles is 14-19% for women and 6-13% for men.

This, however, is not at all easy to achieve, since it is possible that the body itself tries to make you eat more, because it “thinks” that you are starving.

It’s also important to note that unless you’re a professional bodybuilder or an elite athlete, you don’t need to be below 10% for your ripped abs to show. After all, some body fat is good, and we actually need it to survive.

Also, it’s worth remembering that women naturally require more fat than men, especially on account of the hormone estrogen and to support fertility. Men need less body fat and naturally have more lean muscle tissue, which helps them lose weight faster.

That said, are you really committed and ready to get a visible six pack? Then see how long it might take for this to happen based on your starting body fat percentage.

Men: 10 months to 2 years
Women: 1 to 2 years

People with 30% body fat, whether male or female, are considered obese.

So, in addition to having no apparent muscle definition, this stage also carries the risk of a number of chronic health conditions.

From this starting point, your journey to visible abs will likely take about 1 to 2 years. Men may be able to cut a few months off and achieve that in 10 months, but 8 to 12 months is a reasonable amount of time to focus on if you’re around 30% body fat.

Add another year if you have more than 40% body fat.

Men: 3 to 6 months
Women: 1 to 3 months

If you are starting at 20% body fat, it will take from 3 to 6 months to start seeing your defined abs.

For men, up to 20% body fat is considered healthy, but the fat to muscle ratio can still be skewed.

Women, however, are close to the body fat percentage range that allows revealing the six-pack. This, however, will depend on the nutrition and physical conditioning routine, in addition to the amount of initial muscle mass.

Men: 4 to 6 weeks
Women: may already be visible (or need a few more weeks)

At 15% body fat, you’re in a very healthy place, where muscle is starting to show and you can see definition in your arms, legs, and soon your belly.

At this rate, men are probably 4 to 6 weeks short of its target. The women, on the other hand, must have already reached the goal and be seeing their squares.

Depending on your specific body type, you may see more or less of them, but you should definitely see evidence of all your hard work and dedication.

Men and women: the abdomen must be visible

At 10% body fat, the squares should be showing for both sexes.

For women, however, this percentage falls into the “essential fat” range, and it will probably be difficult to have a lot of strength and energy.

Unless you’re gearing up for a competition, it’s okay to relax and allow a few pounds to come back to ensure you’re not undermining your health by a six pack.

DOES A VISIBLE TANK COME FROM THE DIET?

Unfortunately, it’s true that you won’t get such visible results from training if you don’t maintain a balanced diet.

In reality, we all have the coveted six pack – it just sits under a protective covering called body fat.

So, to let it show, you need to remove this whole layer, associating physical exercises with good eating habits.

Here are some things to consider.

1

reduce calories

Losing body fat means losing weight, which means reducing caloric intake. Generally, you can cut 500 calories a day to lose about a pound a week.
This can equate to consuming 250 fewer calories per day while increasing activity to burn an additional 250 calories. There are many ways to look at it, but a calorie deficit will help you lose body fat.

two

Focus on Whole Foods

Aiming for minimally processed, whole foods is the number one recommendation for healthy eating. Regardless of the six-pack focus, putting whole foods on your plate ensures you’re getting plenty of nutrients, preventing cravings. A diet focused on whole foods will include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins like eggs, fish, lean meats and poultry, and healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds.

3

eat complex carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the necessary fuel, and you should include so-called complex ones in your daily diet. They are: fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains. For now, ditch the pasta and focus on sweet potatoes, quinoa, squash, and oatmeal.
In the quest for ripped abs, most carbohydrates should come from vegetables, but all so-called high-quality complexes have their place.

4

eat more fiber

Fiber-rich foods are great for weight loss. In addition to the large number of nutrients, they also take a little longer to digest, contributing to satiety.
Fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains.

5

eat less sugar

Not all sugar is bad, but to define the abdomen, you must reduce it as much as possible in your diet.

6

drink more water

Water is an essential nutrient for turning food into energy and helping nutrients get to your muscles, as well as supporting vital organs.
Without it, dehydration saps anyone’s energy.
If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. So, to avoid this, drink water throughout the hours and focus on ingesting at least 2 liters per day. Also, add a liter for every hour of exercise.

7

increase the protein

Protein is needed to maintain and build muscle.
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that increasing protein intake to 15 to 30% of total daily calories resulted in increased satiety, decreased total calorie intake, and greater weight loss.
When it comes to eating, it should come from high-quality sources such as omega-3-rich fish, lean red meat and poultry, nuts, seeds, eggs, low-fat dairy products such as Greek yogurt, beans and legumes, and high quality grains.

WORKOUT FOR A VISIBLE TANK

It would be great if there was a tried and true exercise to ensure a visible six pack, wouldn’t it?

Unfortunately, this is not yet possible. Some movements, however, work this region a lot and help to make it stronger and more toned.

“There are several exercises that are excellent for strengthening this region, which is very important for stabilizing the spine and avoiding overloading the lumbar region”, explains personal trainer Manoel Rangel, from São Paulo.

Aerobic exercises, in turn, also work together with others in the goal of getting a defined belly.

See below which are the best options for this purpose!

Done in short bouts of intense activity, followed by a period of rest or lower-intensity movements, high-intensity interval training has one of the best returns on results.
That’s because it helps you burn a lot of calories, not just during your workout, but for up to two hours afterwards, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Abdominal-specific movements

Abdominal-focused moves alone won’t make your muscles look more defined, but they’re just as important. That’s because they need to develop and strengthen before they start to show up.

The good news is that you don’t have to do hundreds of sit-ups to work on getting a six pack! Many compound movements, including those mentioned above, target the abdominal muscles while also working other parts of the body.

Below, Rangel points out which exercises focus on which areas of the abdomen:

rectus abdominis: suspension plank, sit-up on the wheel, squat, Bulgarian squat and sit-up on the bosu;
internal oblique: kettlebell swing;
Transversus abdominis: retriever;
external oblique: plank on the pilates ball, standing unilateral development, in addition to free and unilateral exercises that need strength to not laterally flex the spine and stabilize the core;
Spine erectors: front plank in suspension and free exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, stiff and curved rows.