{"id":8024,"date":"2023-12-01T15:49:50","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T22:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/howtobefit.com\/coach-blog\/?p=8024"},"modified":"2024-10-04T16:54:05","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T22:54:05","slug":"how-to-get-abs-that-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/howtobefit.com\/coach-blog\/2023\/12\/01\/how-to-get-abs-that-show\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Abs That Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

In order to get abs that show, men need to be below 12 percent body fat and women need to be below 22 percent. Find out what\u00a0Grant Stoddard<\/a> did to get his body fat measured in this post from the BODi Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got some great news for you. You\u2019ve got a killer six-pack. Really! It\u2019s what enables you to flex your spine, hold vital organs in place and lift heavy weights.<\/p>\n

Chances are, though, you\u2019d actually like your abs to show. There\u2019s only one thing standing in the way: adipose tissue, a.k.a. fat.<\/p>\n

This led me to wonder: How low does my\u00a0body-fat percentage<\/a>\u00a0have to be for my core to be tight? How long does it take to get abs to show?<\/p>\n

To find out, I visited the\u00a0Metabolic, Body Composition and Sport Performance Clinic<\/a>\u00a0at Mount Sinai St. Luke\u2019s Hospital in New York City.<\/p>\n

What I learned is that there\u2019s no easy answer, and that getting abs to show will require a long-term commitment.<\/p>\n

How to Measure Body Composition<\/h2>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

I\u2019m met by clinic coordinator Kate Bishop. She has offered to help me with an accurate body composition reading using an intriguing piece of equipment called the\u00a0BOD POD<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A certified exercise physiologist and strength and conditioning specialist, Bishop explains that there are\u00a0several standard ways to measure body fat<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, the more accessible and less expensive the equipment, the less accurate the readings tend to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalipers are by far the cheapest and easiest way to get a body comp measurement,\u201d she says, adding that they\u2019re best when used to test frequently by the same technician under the same circumstances every time.<\/p>\n

According to the\u00a0American College of Sports Medicine<\/a>, this method ends up having a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.<\/p>\n

As I was to find out, this can mean the difference between abs being revealed or remaining covered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalipers are less accurate when measuring obese or extremely lean individuals,\u201d Bishop says.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of bioelectrical impedance scales \u2014 they look a lot like regular bathroom scales \u2014 on the market for less than $50.<\/p>\n

But a\u00a02008 study<\/a>\u00a0by researchers at McMaster University in Ontario showed that while this quick and simple method can be accurate for measuring body fat in some populations, it\u2019s not so reliable for others, and therefore less useful in broad epidemiological studies.<\/p>\n

Bishop describes two methods as \u201cthe gold standards in body composition assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first is called hydrostatic weighing and involves being dunked in water.<\/p>\n

The second, a trademarked contraption called the BOD POD, uses air displacement plethysmography to measure body volume.<\/p>\n

Both methods operate on the same basic principle \u2014 the BOD POD simply uses air displacement rather than water immersion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe BOD POD, in combination with normative formulas based on age, gender, weight, and race, helps estimate body fat and lean mass with a high degree of accuracy,\u201d says Bishop. \u201cHydrostatic weighing provides similar data but requires much more work.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was hungry. I was caffeine deprived. I counted myself lucky that I didn\u2019t also have to be submerged in a swimming pool.<\/p>\n

The previous evening Bishop had sent me a set of instructions.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d been told to arrive at the clinic with a Speedo, be clean shaven, and not eat or take in caffeine in the hours leading up to my appointment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is to ensure that the reading is as accurate as possible,\u201d Bishop says, handing me a swim cap to put on. \u201cIf you\u2019re ready you can get into your Speedo.\u201d<\/p>\n

I do as I\u2019m told.<\/p>\n

Everyone Carries Fat Differently<\/h2>\n

Sightly self-conscious in the Speedo, I suggest we each take a guess at how much of me is fat. I go with 18.2 percent.<\/p>\n

My guess is based on photographs and drawings of what 10, 15, and 20 percent body fat look like. I added the 0.2 just for fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually think it might be a little lower,\u201d she says, pinching a spot at the back of my armpit with her thumb and forefinger. \u201cI would guess around 15 percent, but everybody carries their weight differently based on age, gender, ethnicity, and other factors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGenerally, body composition can be affected by genetic predisposition for\u00a0muscle fiber type<\/a>\u00a0and where the body more easily stores adipose tissue. That\u2019s why having the BOD POD is so helpful in getting us an accurate assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that, she invites me to sit in a white, bean-shaped pod that looks like something George Jetson might use to teleport to work.<\/p>\n

I climb inside and am told to sit still and not speak for 30 seconds. The door is closed and the machine does its thing. There\u2019s a large window at eye-level, so I don\u2019t feel claustrophobic.<\/p>\n

After a moment Bishop opens the pod and takes a reading. \u201cWell, your guess was closer,\u201d she says, showing me the report. \u201cAgain, everyone carries their fat differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

It turns out that 17.8 percent of me is fat. In other words, at 154.38 pounds, 27.437 pounds of me \u2014 equivalent to more than six two-liter bottles of soda \u2014 is blubber.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Body Fat Percentage Needed for Abs to Show?<\/h2>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

\u201cHigh body-fat risk\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0starts with a body-fat percentage greater than 30 percent in men and more than 40 percent in women.<\/p>\n

Get that reading and you\u2019ll also get a recommendation to see your doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcess fat\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0is a category for which I\u2019m only 2.2 percentage points shy of qualifying. This is a range that indicates \u201cexcess accumulations of fat\u201d: Twenty to 30 percent for men, 30 to 40 percent for women.<\/p>\n

\u201cModerately lean\u201d:<\/strong>\u00a0Though 17.8 percent seems like a lot, my body fat percentage puts me in the \u201cmoderately lean\u201d range, which, according to the clinic at St. Luke\u2019s, is anywhere between 12.1 to 20 percent for a man in his early 40s.<\/p>\n

This is described as a fat level that\u2019s \u201cgenerally acceptable for good health.<\/p>\n

For a woman, the \u201cmoderately lean\u201d bracket is higher, 22.1 to 30 percent. \u201cWomen need a higher proportion of fat on their bodies to aid in hormone regulation,\u201d Bishop explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cLean\u201d:<\/strong>\u00a0According to the clinic\u2019s report, if I can get below 12 percent body fat, I will be officially described as lean.<\/p>\n

Bishop says at that threshold I\u2019d have the makings of a six pack. This feels doable. At 17.8 percent, I can count the top four abs if the lighting is just right and I squint.<\/p>\n

\u201cLean\u201d for women is slightly more forgiving at anything below 22 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cUltra lean\u201d:<\/strong>\u00a0In the unlikely event I get into the 5-8 percent range I\u2019d be in this category, as would a woman with 15 to 18 percent body fat.<\/p>\n

This is the fat level often found in elite athletes. Brad Pitt is\u00a0said to have been<\/a>\u00a0around the 5 to 6 percent area when he showed off his physique in\u00a0Fight Club<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Getting below 5 percent for men or 15 percent for women is considered a health risk characterized by gaunt faces, popping veins, and muscles that look shrink-wrapped in skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what does my body comp need to be like to see my abs?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could only have a very rough idea about that seeing as everyone carries their fat differently,\u201d she says. \u201cIt might be 15 percent, it could be 11 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Fat Loss Works<\/h2>\n

\"woman<\/p>\n

Now that I know where I\u2019m at with fat, I ask Bishop what I can do to start driving my body fat down\u00a0while not losing too much muscle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re working to get that number down, it\u2019s likely there will be some combination of both fat and lean muscle mass lost,\u201d she says. The appearance of that loss will depend on how I go about it.<\/p>\n

Nutrition for abs<\/a><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Eat more protein:<\/strong>\u00a0Consuming enough\u00a0lean protein<\/a>\u00a0promotes fat loss and muscle gain. Pack enough of it into your breakfast, and you can head off the dips that result in late-day snack binges. Adding a daily shake to your regimen is an easy way to fit more protein into your diet.<\/li>\n
  • Ditch cheap carbs:<\/strong>\u00a0Trade refined and processed carbs for the high-fiber variety.\u00a0Simple carbs<\/a>\u00a0like pretzels and soda are quickly broken down into sugars that, if not burned promptly, can be converted to body fat. Meanwhile,\u00a0high-fiber foods<\/a>\u00a0like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains keep you fuller with fewer calories and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.<\/li>\n
  • Consume the right fats:<\/strong>\u00a0Similar to the sustained satiety you get from high-fiber food, healthy fats, like the unsaturated ones found in avocados and cold water fish, help you feel full for longer and slow the absorption of the aforementioned carbs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    A healthy caloric breakdown that should leave you full and fortified is roughly 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat.<\/p>\n

    Read more about how to eat your way to great abs\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Exercise for abs<\/a><\/h3>\n

    It\u2019s a drum that bears re-beating:\u00a0You can\u2019t spot-reduce fat<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    All you can do is perform exercises that efficiently burn it all over your body, and hope the process gets to your stomach\u00a0sooner than later<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Science shows that\u00a0cardio plus resistance training<\/a>\u00a0is the best way to burn fat, and any regimen dedicated to revealing your abs should incorporate both.<\/p>\n

    High-intensity interval training<\/h4>\n

    HIIT<\/a>\u00a0is any workout that alternates between periods of high intensity and low intensity or rest, and\u00a0has been found<\/a>\u00a0the most effective protocol for losing fat.<\/p>\n

    Core training<\/h4>\n

    The most effective thing you can do to reveal your abs is lose fat, but it also behooves you to\u00a0develop the muscles of your abdomen<\/a>\u00a0in order to maximize the pop.<\/p>\n

    The following three moves are a good place to start building a stronger, more muscular core while burning fat by the bucketload.<\/p>\n

    1. Plank jacks<\/strong><\/p>\n