Best Way To Get Six Pack Abs

Summer is around the corner, and one of the most common questions that is e-mailed to me as swimsuit weather approaches is: "What's the best way to get six pack abs?"  In this post, I'm going to clear up some confusion about six pack abs and how to "get them".  What I'm going to write is probably going to go against everything you've ever believed about achieving six pack abs.

First of all, everyone has six pack abs.  Your abs (abdominal muscles) don't come or go away.  They're always there, and they're always working.  Instead of thinking of how to get six pack abs, the real question should be: How can I reveal my six pack abs?  Getting the answer to that question is what will help you close in on your goal of achieving visible six pack abs.

Most people's abs aren't showing not because they lack ab exercises or because they're not spending enough time working out abs, they're not showing because there's body fat covering them.  Now you probably smell what I'm cookin'!

If you really want six pack abs, stop using most of your exercise time on your abs!

Now you probably think I'm a bit crazy.  But let me explain.  As I've mentioned before, you already have abs, the most important thing to do in order to reveal them is to burn/lose the layer of body fat covering them.  So if you want six pack abs, the next question that needs to be answered in order to get closer to you goal is: What's the best way to lose body fat? 

Before we get into the best way to lose body fat, it's important to understand where body fat is stored. Body fat is stored in fat deposit areas, usually, closest to the center of your body.  You'll usually notice fat loss from outside of that area first. The last body fat deposit hold outs being in the center area (belly, love handles, butt etc.) Those areas usually get labels as the "problem areas".

Most people have been lead to believe that you can spot reduce body fat, meaning you can exercise one body part, and fat from only that area will disappear or go away.  That's not how losing body fat works!

Body fat is lost, or decreased, by your body breaking it down for energy.  You can't personally choose what area it will break down the fat first, your genetics will determine that. Like I wrote above, you'll probably notice it most, first, from outside of your body's center area (abs, love handles butt etc.) with the last hold outs being in that "problem zone". 

So now that I've briefly covered fat loss and six pack misconceptions, you should understand that one, you need to lose body fat to reveal your six pack abs, and two, that you can't spot reduce body fat. Now we can get back to discussing how to best lose body fat so that you can reveal your six pack abs. 

The best way to lose body fat is to boost your metabolism.  The best way to boost you metabolism is with short intense workouts that cause an afterburn effect.  These workouts will also help build lean body tissue (a.k.a muscle).  That lean body tissue (muscle) will also keep your metabolism boosted or revved up. A boosted or revved up metabolism will burn a high amount of calories even when you're at rest.  If you're following a healthy diet, like the Fat X diet, there isn't going to be a lot of excess junk calories to burn off, so, your body will be forced to break down fat from it's body fat deposits.  If you break down in enough  body fat, you will reveal your six pack abs!

Here's another important concept to understand.  Intense workouts are workouts that will push your body's metabolic processes to high levels creating an afterburn effect.  Don't confuse this with long duration, low intensity typical cardio workouts.  If you haven't done the Fat X Program, try Fat Burning Workout 1 (FX Workout 1) using the heaviest weights you can handle for your particular fitness level and you'll know what a true intense workout that will create the afterburn effect is. 

While the Fat X Workouts, either from the Fat X Program or the Bonus Series are short, they create the afterburn effect, a metabolic enhancing environment, essential to building lean body tissue and losing body fat short and long term.  So if you want six pack abs, get away from spending hours a week exercising them, and spend more time with metabolic process challenging, afterburn effect creating, fat blasting workouts that will help reveal your abs.

If you want to learn more about the afterburn effect and how it will help reveal your six pack abs, check out this video. 


Now that you know the best way to get six pack abs (reveal six pack abs), take action!  Set your plan, execute, and be ready to show off your six pack abs this Spring and Summer!  If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me, or you can contact me on the Fat X 101 Facebook page.

Click Here to read more about my 12 day fat burning program.  

Feed the Muscle, Burn the Fat	Measure Progress With A Body Composition Analyzer

Foods That Burn Fat and Tips To Pick Them

I'm going to get right to the point with this post and get into a long list of foods that burn fat, while also adding tips on how to pick them and tips on what foods to avoid.  Now, before I do that, here's the reality: there is no food that will burn fat directly, but, these foods will greatly enhance your fat burning/fat loss and fitness efforts. Add as many of these foods to your diet as possible in a consistent manner, while doing the Fat X Program, and you'll burn fat (a.k.a lose body fat) in a very noticeable way. 

By noticeable way, I mean you'll look leaner, more toned, and generally have a more athletic look.  By adding these foods that burn fat, not only will you look leaner, more toned and athletic, but you'll also be healthier and you'll perform better in sports and athletic / fitness endeavors. For a more detailed explanation of why these types of foods help to burn fat (lose body fat), check out a previous article, Fat Burning Foods.

OK, with all that out of the way, here's the long list of foods that burn fat and tips to pick them: 

Dumbbell Workout Routine Video- Bonus Fat Burning Series

One of the question I get asked a lot when it comes to fitness and workout routines, is: "What workout routine can I do with only two dumbbells?"  My Pasadena Workout is one, but I decided to add another workout routine to the Bonus Workout Series you can do with only two dumbbells and a place or object to do step ups on. 

For this workout, I asked a friend of mine, NickiJean Alex to help me model the exercises and routine. We set out for a scenic location near the famous "Suicide Bridge" in Pasadena.  Unfortunately the sun wasn't exactly where I needed it for the video, but I went ahead and shot it anyway as you can still get a good idea of how to accomplish the exercises and the workout routine.