Diet for a Six Pack

Overview

Some people will go to extremes to develop a solid core and show off a six pack. Under normal circumstances, it takes great discipline and a bevy of sacrifices to bring this to fruition. With that being said, it takes even more of a sacrifice to bring a six pack to reality in one month. But that doesn't mean it is impossible; it just takes a lot of discipline, and you have to be willing to take it to the extreme.

Step 1

Clean up your diet. The diet is a major factor when it comes to developing a six pack in a month. Avoid deep fried foods, processed foods, refined foods and foods high in saturated fats. Instead, eat foods that are nutrient-dense, high in fiber and low in fat, such as lean meats, low fat dairy, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and legumes.

Step 2

Get rid of the liquid calories. If you want to get a six pack in a month, eliminate useless calories in the form of alcohol and heavily sugared beverages such as soda, sweetened teas and coffee drinks. Instead, drink water, as it hydrates the body and has zero calories. The Mayo Clinic recommends that women consume 2.2 liters a day and men consume 3 liters a day.

Step 3

Work your ab muscles. Instead of just working the upper abs, do exercises that focus on the whole core in order to promote symmetry. Some exercises include leg raises, jacknifes, Swiss ball side crunches, side bends, Swiss ball crunches and hanging leg raises. Using the Swiss ball will recruit more ab muscles. Do each one of the exercises consecutively for 15 to 20 reps with no rest in between. Then take a 60-second break and do them all again. Repeat the whole circuit four to six times.

Step 4

Engage in cardiovascular training. If you intend on seeing your six pack after one month, you'll have to incorporate cardiovascular training to burn the layer of fat that covers your ab muscles. Perform cardiovascular training three times a week on alternating days. Some examples are running, biking, stair stepping, swimming and rowing. Do 45 to 60 minutes of cardio in an interval format. For example, after a 15-minute warm-up, do 15 30-second sprints with 60-second rest intervals in between, then finish with a 15-minute cool down.

Step 5

Put it all together. Do your cardio on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Do the ab exercises on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. On Sunday, go for a light jog or bike ride for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Step 6

Get enough sleep. Being that this is a pretty intense workout, you'll need to get an adequate amount of sleep for proper recovery. It is during sleep that the body releases hormones and goes into repair mode. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep a night.