Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a six-pack! And nobody cares.
Seriously, not even my wife comments on it (maybe she will after reading this article which I’ll print out and hand to her).
For many, having a chiseled abdomen is a lifelong goal because that’s what the magazine covers have been showing us is the ideal. Let’s be honest, we’re not going to pick up the magazine that shows a guy with an unimpressive flat stomach which says “How to Get Rid of your Big Belly in Just 1 Year by Being Consistent”. Country Living is more exciting.
Put your shirt on, mate. It’s winter.
Should I Aim For a Six-Pack?
In reality, how often is someone going to see your abs? How often would you be walking around shirtless showing everyone your abs in England? You’ve seen Michael Fish’s forecast right? Does a stranger in Turkey notice on your yearly summer holiday? Guess what, he couldn’t give a shish. Does having a six-pack add to your quality of life and improve the things you actually care about, like being able to tie your shoelaces without having to ask one of the kids for assistance – they’ll eventually ban you from Clarks.
Is Having a Six-Pack Healthy?
I’d argue, no. Unless you’re on the genetically lucky side, most of us will have to work super hard to get a six-pack, and it will come at a cost.
- You have to eat a lot less, which means it’s really hard to recover from workouts and you’ll feel fatigued, meaning you’ll have less energy to do the things you care about
- Your training is going to have to be very consistent and intentional, no skipping workouts and no going easy
- Your stomach rumbles a lot and you find yourself mishearing people
“Did you say doughnut?”
“What? No, I said take the bins out, what’s the matter with you?” - You are more likely to have nutrient deficiencies when you’re in a large caloric deficit, meaning we’re going to lose muscle, which is not something we want as we get older
- If you do achieve a six-pack, you may turn into the six-pack guy who you can’t stand because his whole identity is wrapped up in his physical attributes and how awesome he thinks he is
Aiming to have a goal of reducing your “abdominal adiposity” is a good one, as having a flatter stomach means you’ll be able to feel good in your clothes, perform better at your hobbies like golf (not Warhammer), keep up with the kids and grandkids and reduce your chances of obesity-linked diseases.
The stock photos website doesn’t know what Warhammer is
What Should I Aim For?
A flatter stomach, which doesn’t mean a snowboard stomach (I don’t know what a washboard is so I went with something more contemporary). Not everyone’s abdomens will look the same, because some people have larger organs, a propensity to store more body fat in that area, or they may have an excessive curve in their lower spine which means they push their bellies out which gives the illusion of a belly being bigger than it actually is.
How Do We Get Flatter?
Not by sit-ups. Sure, nothing wrong with working on your abs with deadbugs and planks, but that’s not going to shift any belly fat. We need to incorporate things like:
- Full body workouts – bicep curls won’t cut it
- Eating smaller portions – if you’re feeling uncomfortable after a meal, you’ve eaten too much
- Keeping our protein intake high – let’s support our training, muscle mass and strength
- Walking – yes, even when it’s grey and wet (I’ll let you off if there’s a hurricane)
- Drinking less alcohol – saving it for a nice meal on the weekend instead of with your morning eggs and toast
Yes, we all feel this way during a plank
Boring, but as I said, this is the magazine you’re not going to buy. Still, it works. I’ll take the 12 month subscription please.
Best of luck in getting there, and if you need any help, drop me a message.