People always ask me, "what is the best exercise for my abs?"
There is only one exercise for your abs that will make a difference – eat smart. Most people have so much fat covering their abs that no amount of crunches will make any difference for your abs at all.
You can't spot reduce fat. You reduce the fat all over your body by eating right, or you don't lose any fat at all. Crunches do not do anything about the fat around your midsection. You want proof? Look at all the people on the crunch machines at your gym.
Losing fat is 70% eating smart, and 30% working out smart. Do the math on that. If you want abs, 70% of it is going to be eating right. I don't care if you can do hanging leg raises with an elephant strapped to your ankles – If your food plan sucks, you'll never see your superhuman abs underneath that layer of fat.
Eat smart – This is the best exercise for your abs.
By Josh Hillis
author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds: Take Your Body from Good to Rockstar.
National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES)
Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor (RKC) and Combat Applications Specialist (RKC/CAS)
Hi,
I am in college and a large portion of our food is loaded with salt, and we have chicken about 15/21 meals a week. You say to eat smart and i try m best to balance out everything between the bread, rice and meat. Any suggestions if one doesnt ahve alot of options on food. I have been in the gym for about 6 months now and cant get my lower abs to begin showing or my upper as o bulge out. I take protein supplements, will that help all over or target area or specific area.
what do you mean eating smart? is it we should lessen the rice, etc? i’m 27 years old and i don’t drink beer. i have this a little bit fat in my mid section of my stomach but i’m thin. the problem is how will i diet if i’m thin? so can you explain how is smart eating.
70% is way too high. Working out hard enough allows you to burn fat without having to pay too close attention to your eating.
Wow, real helpful.
Eat right. Gee, thanks.
Josh,
I would agree with your advice but was wondering if you could elaborate a little more on the who “eat right” thing. I’m 6’2″ 185 lbs and do sit-ups and ab workouts like crazy and run but I still have the bit of fat on my lower abs that won’t go away! I would love to get rid of it.
Thanks for your help.
Hi
Iam 21 yrs old and an Industrial Design student. Is there anyway on god’s earth to get the Xena the warrior princess look without the usual having to go to a gym and blow money, to lift weights…
I am from India and the concept of going to a gym here, especially
when your a woman means, that you’re just trying to lose a few kilos because your
parents got your wedding fixed to some guy who lives and works in the US of A and
expects you to look like Pamela Anderson!
So my question to you… Is it possible to achieve stamina and strength without
subjecting yourself to the gym routine. I do not ask for the perfect body…just
the stamina and strength levels…to help you get through the day and feel like a
better person.
If it is any help at all my surroundings are that I have a field where I can run
(safely alone). I live on the fourth floor of a buliding, without a lift. I work
long hours in a workshop, which has the usual cutting and grinding machines builts
to suit the needs of ‘men’. I am 5ft 1inches and weigh 60kilos and my bone density
is high.
I would really appreciate reply from you, no matter how long it takes. I need some
hope at this point in life.
Thank you,
Eshaa
Wow, somehow I missed all the comments on this article!
Ok, 70% food may be a little high. These days I’d probably say that getting abs is a game that’s 50% food and 50% workouts.
The first step in eating smart is just keeping a food log and tracking your calories. If you aren’t losing at least 1lb of fat per week, you’re probably eating too much.
When you track your calories you’ll notice all kinds of interesting things. Hey for the same calories as a cup of spaghetti, I can have six cups of spaghetti squash! Hey for the same calories as dinner at a fast food resturaunt, I can have two dinners at home!
This is all making the assumption that you are already lifting weights 3x per week and doing short really intense cardio sessions 3x per week.
If you don’t have a gym, you can “lift weights” with just your bodyweight. But you need to start practicing “heavy” bodyweight movements, like one legged squats. But ideally you’d just shake off the stigma and let everyone think you got a fixed wedding with some American who wants you to look like Pam Anderson =) Thanks for sharing that, totally made me laugh.
For the dude that does a million crunches and can’t get abs – it’s all about bodyfat percentage. If you don’t get down to 9% or under, you won’t have abs no matter how many crunches you do.
The question about how to diet if you are thin – if you are thin, then really the game is about how can we hold on to muscle. Too many people who are “thin” are “skinny fat”, they burn too much muscle in their workouts. I recommend adding more weight training and adding more protein. Do shorter, faster cardio.
6’1″ 210. I’D LIKE TO LOSE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT TO BRING OUT MY ABS. I CONSIDER MYSELF A DECENT EATER (I KNOW I COULD BE BETTER), BUT I LOVE TO DRINK BEER. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU SUGGEST IN MY EATING HABITS THAT WOULD ALLOW ME TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY MY BEER? I PRETTY MUCH WOULD JUST LIKE TO BE TOLD HOW MANY CALORIES AND FROM WHERE I CAN HAVE. I FOLLOW DIRECTIONS WELL, I JUST NEED SOME TO GET WHERE I WAS WHEN I KICKBOXED 10 YEARS AGO. ALSO, I’VE GOT SOME SERIOUS CHICKEN LEGS, BUT I CONSIDER THEM QUITE STRONG RELATIVE TO THEIR SIZE. ANYTHING THERE? SOMEONE PLEASE JUST TELL ME WHAT TO DO, I’M EMBARRASSED TO RETURN TO THE BOXING GYM IN THIS SHAPE AND GET MY ASS KICKED, BUT FOR MY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, I WANT TO HAVE WHAT I HAD AND LOST.
I’m about 6′ 0″ 200 lbs in decent shape. About a year ago I weighed 15 heavier. I decided then to do some regular exercise in the office gym, mostly machines, rowing and some running but very little free weight lifting. I made a big change to my diet, cutting out completely rice, potatos, pasta and bread (incl. all pastries). I try to eat whole grain type of cereal for breakfast. For dinner I eat mostly beef, chicken, fish and veggies. I don’t drink beer, but do enjoy a glass or two of red wine every night.
What I need now is to get rid of that small layer of fat covering my abs. What am I missing?????
IM 17 years old, 6’4″ and 205 pounds. My goal for this year is to lose fat and make a huge gain in muscle. I am in pretty good shape and I am also strong, I just want to get rid of my fat especialy in my stomach. How can I get better definition and ABS? Please Help me!
Who is the model in the picture?
i am 19 years old and really do just want everyone here has written some clearly defined abs. Well it mainly is defined at the top but comin to the bottom thats when things start to get messy. I mean not well as defined and seem to not be able to get rid of the extra fat at the bottom. I have no idea of what having a diet is and i love my food. well i do have what may be called an unnatural craving for sugar, especially tomato sauce which i have on practically on all my foods. Is something wrong with that? well hope to hear your words of wisdom. thanks
Rex Worthen
I agree food is definitely an important part of ab workouts, if not any workout plan. I did everything to change my stomach, from 1500 crunches a day to those 8 minute ab workouts, and nothing helped until i changed my meal plan – im 6’2″ and 215 now, and i try to take in at least 200 g of protein a day and limit my carbs and fats. I also started running a mile a day on a steep angle on the treadmill to burn off trans and sat fats, and combined with the diet, that cut my stomach into 8 pieces within the past 7 months.
abs yes you need to do loads of c.v work and reduce the fat in your deit but at the end of the day you can get good abs but some times it is in your genis some people put weight on there hips some on there abs.
abs yes you need to do loads of c.v work and reduce the fat in your deit but at the end of the day you can get good abs but some times it is in your genis some people put weight on there hips some on there abs.
I think Josh is dead on in his assesment of abs. He’s right, you can’t lose fat from a certain section by just hitting that section over and over again.
You have to lose your overall body fat in order to see a difference. Eating right is about 70 % of everything.
If you’re eating mcdonalds every day, I don’t care if you’re doing 3 miles of cardio a day, it ain’t gonna help.
I deal with this with my clients every day and it’s the absolute truth. My clients that see the best results are the ones that start eating smart.
I think Josh is dead on in his assesment of abs. He’s right, you can’t lose fat from a certain section by just hitting that section over and over again.
You have to lose your overall body fat in order to see a difference. Eating right is about 70 % of everything.
If you’re eating mcdonalds every day, I don’t care if you’re doing 3 miles of cardio a day, it ain’t gonna help.
I deal with this with my clients every day and it’s the absolute truth. My clients that see the best results are the ones that start eating smart.
Importance of food in loosin fat is 80%. Absolutery we cannot loose weight only by exercise if we eat too much. Gaining 4 pounds of lean muscle mass will only increase daily calorie consumption only by 50cal. That’s nothing. So eat smart!
Shes Right,Watch Your Diet!
I’m only 14(yeah I’m young) but I’ve always stayed fit. Somehow during the summer, my abs had less definition. I eat with my mother who is on a diet, so my eating is fine. I’m very athletic, doing basketball, track, softball, cross country and swimming. What else can I do??
okay so all youre saying is eat right…im already thin…i just want abs but you didnt give any exercises?
Hi
I’ve lost a lot of weight recently,most if it due to stress. I have started gymming about an hour a day,20 min on treadmill,medium incline level and mid high speed level,10 minutes cycling,5 minutes on fitness trainer and 20 minutes swimming. I prefer cardio as it helps to get rid of frustration and stress.Is there anything I can do to be more toned and still use the weight machines instead of free weights?
Hi,
I am in college and a large portion of our food is loaded with salt, and we have chicken about 15/21 meals a week. You say to eat smart and i try m best to balance out everything between the bread, rice and meat. Any suggestions if one doesnt ahve alot of options on food. I have been in the gym for about 6 months now and cant get my lower abs to begin showing or my upper as o bulge out. I take protein supplements, will that help all over or target area or specific area.
Posted by: Levi Smoak |
That is the first post I saw. I am in the EXACT same boat. I’m in college and I go to the gym and I can tell I’m strong but I think my diet is just workin against me. I have limited options but if I could know what is good or bad I could have more of an idea of what could help. It would mean alot if you would get back to me
Eating: Eat anything that a caveman could hunt or gather: Fish, chicken, buffalo, beef, fruit, veggies and nuts.
Workouts: Squats, lunges, deadlifts, dumbbell bench presses, dumbbell rows, standing shoulder presses, pullups. Your biggest focus workout wise should be getting stronger.
Cardio: Sprinters are lean and toned. Marathon runners are skinny-fat. Choose your style of cardio from that reality.
Abdominal Exercises that will compliment the Trilipono weight Loss System for a
toned and slender body that you want with minimal time..
Abdominal exercise. Get strong, firm, toned abs in just four to eight weeks…Guaranteed!
This is just so needed to be aware off.Thanks for this post and all. Fitness in general and muscle building and weight loss issues are so often presented in non complete and just unprofessionally so THIS is WHY we need to have more places Like yours here. Respects , Sasha http://www.advice-masters.com/
The best way get flat abs is to have proper abs diet plans to burn fat and gain muscle.
Here are 3 tips lose belly fat and accelerate your road to flat abs:
1. Avoid hunger pangs during fat loss diet -this will cause you to lose muscle mass and water instead of losing love handles.
2. Eat the right food combinations to burn fat – with carbohydrates, protein and fibre to provide your body with all the nutrients it to renew your body.
3. Plan your fat loss diet – planning what you need to eat, and pre-cooking it will ensure that you keep to your abs diet plan and minimize your temptation for snacking on unhealthy food. It’s also good to keep records of your progress.
Hi, I don’t eat very healthy, and I’ve already gotten the top portion of my abs very defined by doing a random six minute workout I found via a Google search. I do eat breakfast, drink plenty of water, and have at least one apple every day, but I still eat sweets and carbs (spagetti as a main dish, eggrolls, etcetera). I’ve actually heard of girls at my school who got six packs just from jogging every day.
You hit it spot on! I remember reading that Tom Ventuo (Burn the Fat) experimented with just doing cardio and diet and not working his abs directly. His abs still looked outstanding. He did say they looked slightly better with ab exercises, but not a huge difference. Good call!
100% correct, great article, great advice. I don’t care how many crunches you do a day, if you don’t eat properly you will never see your “abs”. They will always be covered by that layer of fat that comes from eating the wrong foods.Nutrition is the single most determining factor in our appearance.
Yes I agree with this post. It is right on target. I have found that the more I eat natural unprocessed foods the easier it is to find your ideal weight. Skip the sausage biscuit sandwich and instead have a slice of melon or pineapple for breakfast. Lose the potato chips and bring some raw cashews or brazil nuts to work with you to snack on.
I have a friend that did an experiment where he ate a “caveman” diet, That is, he tried to recreate a diet that mimicked what we probably ate 500,000 years ago before the invention of white bread and fast food. He would eat mono meals like berries and fruit, raw nuts and seeds, dark greens etc. Pure natural unprocessed food almost all of it raw. (after all the invention of fire is rather recent in our history) He droppped 22 pounds and said he had more energy than he ever had in his life. Now he said he is disgusted when he looks at fast food. The only bad thing about the diet is at first it is a bit daunting because your body goes thru an uncomfortable period of detoxification.
Like mentioned above no shortcuts for top fitness. If you really want to look amazing you need to put in the long effort.