Diet and exercise go hand in hand, whether you’re on a weight loss program or you’re building six-pack abs! Think of these two aspects as the relationship between your payment of the Anytime Fitness prices for membership and fitness classes on one hand and your access to the gym and these classes on the other hand.
Think about it, too: If you perform a hundred crunches and sit-ups a day but you’re still eating several bowls of pastas, plates of pizzas, or boxes of cookies, then you’re on a slow road to nowhere. Indeed, your six-pack abs are made in the kitchen as much as these are made in the gym!
With that being said, here are the things that we think are important in building six-pack abs through proper diet habits.
Track What You Eat
Keep in mind that the first step in getting six-fat abs, especially if you don’t have a toned physique yet, is fat loss. You must then aim for calorie deficit, a term that means consuming less number of calories in comparison with the number of calories burned through daily activities and strenuous.
For example, you consumed 1,500 calories for the entire day and your activities allowed your body to burn 2,000 calories. You have then created a 500-calorie deficit for the day. But keep in mind that for fat loss to occur, you have to accumulate considerable calorie deficit for a week and the succeeding weeks afterwards.
Tip: You have to burn 3,500 calories more than the calories you consume so as to lose a pound of fat.
You must then track what you eat and compare the number of calories consumed to the number of calories burned during the day. You can either use the pen-and-paper method or you can use the fitness trackers; Anytime Fitness has an app for its members that you can use for this purpose, among others.
You don’t have to be gung-ho about tracking your diet, however. Just go for a healthy balance between healthy carbs, proteins and fats as well as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, among other foods.
Tip: Cook your own meals and snacks. If you don’t have the time or the skills, you can subscribe to a service that delivers healthy meals.
Aim for Moderation
There are two misconceptions about dieting in relation to building six-pack abs. First, a low-carb diet is a must – and it isn’t! Keep in mind that when you’re training hard, you have to consume carbs since these are important for energy production, muscle building, and overall performance. Just stick to the healthy carbs sources, such as sweet potatoes and vegetables.
Second, alcohol and sugar are completely off limits but it isn’t so, too. You can still enjoy desserts and alcoholic beverages but only in moderation. You have to remember that if you completely cut out these foods, you will likely binge later on or stop with your training plan. Think of them as your reward for sticking to a healthy diet but make them as small, infrequent rewards.
Of course, exercise is a must for getting and maintaining six-pack abs! You should keep your gym membership updated – and it’s easy enough considering the reasonable Anytime Fitness prices – and use your membership privileges starting with regular workouts at the gym.