Right up there on the list of fitness goals for most girls is crafting amazing abs. Whether you’re all about a flat stomach with that coveted line down the middle, or are going for the full six pack, it’s all possible with this guide on how to get abs fast.
If you’re anything like us, you’ll want results and you’ll want them now. Luckily for you, we know what it takes to make your fitness goals become a reality. At SMG we’ve got the know-how to put you on a fast-track to abs for days.
Follow our guide on how to get abs fast for game changing results.
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- Find a calorie deficit
- Smart cardio
- Work your abs in the right way
- Eat more protein
- Prepare your food in advance
How to get abs fast – everything you need to know
We’ve pooled all our expertise and experience to help you learn how to get abs fast. We found six key pearls of wisdom to share with you girls. Here’s what we came up with:
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Put in the hard work
Disclaimer time.
Let’s lay down the fact’s girl, when we say ‘fast’, we’re not talking straight after your session, or even a week later. No one squats their goal weight on the first attempt and you need time to grow your abs and shred down. You still have to put in the hard work for a fair amount of time.
If you trust the process, follow our advice and be consistent, you’ll be in the slip stream to enviable abs.
There are a few things you need to get to grips with to learn how to get abs fast. Stick to these and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have the stomach of your dreams.
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Find a calorie deficit
Ever heard the phrase ‘abs are made in the kitchen’? That wasn’t a joke girl.
You need to hit around 16-20% body fat to see your abs. If, like many of us, you’re not there, you’ll need to be on a calorie-restricted diet. By that we mean, you have to figure out how many cals you burn on a daily basis and eat less than that.
Not only do you need to drop fat to reveal your abs, which usually involves a diet change, what you eat plays a huge part in fueling your workouts and helping you grow muscle.
The best, and healthiest way to lose weight is to embrace a calorie-controlled IIFYM diet. By using a food tracker you can hit your macros, keep tabs on your food intake and allow yourself a little flexibility with what you eat.
A high protein, calorie restricted diet with plenty of carbs and a good portion of fats is a great place to start.
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Smart cardio
Diet is key to helping you lose weight and once you have that nailed, you’re definitely on track. However, to give your fat loss journey a boost and help you get abs at lightspeed, you’ll need some smart cardio too.
We say smart cardio because, a lot of the time, people try running on the treadmill to lose weight. While this isn’t dumb, it’s not the best way to get the job done. Don’t worry girl, we’re not gonna leave you hanging with some second-best fat-loss cardio routine.
We recommend you use HIIT to complement your calorie restricted diet. Research shows it burns 25-30% more calories than weight lifting, running on a treadmill or consistent cycling. Sports Med Open also discovered that this form of cardio focusses right in on fat as an energy source, rather than using carbs. That means you’re getting more bang for buck with this form of exercise.
On top of that, they’re much quicker to do than spending hours plugging away on the treadmill. Although we love squeezing in an extra ep of Grey’s Anatomy during LISS, we’re busy ladies. We’ve got other things to do, which makes this one perfect for us.
To recap, you’ll have to work out for less time, you’ll target fat and burn more calories. It’s the dream, girls.
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Work your abs in the right way
It’s all great burning away stomach fat, but if you don’t have the muscle beneath it you’re going to struggle to achieve your goal.
To get the abs of your dreams, you need to be working those muscles in the right way. Say goodbye to crunches, because these movements just don’t work the full area.
Working your big lifts, like your back squat and your deadlift, puts every part of your core to work for more balanced strength. Without a strong core these movements would just flop. Although it might not feel as hard as a dedicated core day, lifting weights really is the key to ripped abs.
By picking up weights and performing big compound movements, you’re running resistance through your whole core, helping to build all the muscles involved. That’s your ticket to that sought-after aesthetic.
Complement this type of work with more targeted movements for added progress: Check out this crunch free guide.
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Eat more protein
If you’re working on building up your ab strength, you’ll need to eat enough protein to build muscle and help you recover more quickly and efficiently.
Protein is like the building blocks of muscle. Every time you work your core, you’re breaking down the muscle fibers, so your body can adapt and grow back stronger. Protein is what helps you repair those broken down muscles and turns them into powerful, defined gains.
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Prepare your food in advance
Treats and temptation can put a stop to your dreams of a shredded stomach. If you’re stuck for food and you’re feeling the effects of your calorie restricted diet, it’s easy to slip up and treat yourself.
This is fine every once in a while. But, if you find yourself giving in on the regular, it might be time to think about food prep. By having your meals ready to go and prepared in advance, you’re less likely to give up on your diet and go for something unhealthy.
This won’t directly give you abs, but it’s a preventative measure that can improve your adherence to your food plan.
No doubt, carving out chiseled abs is a tall order, but we’re here to tell you that it’s not impossible.
Losing belly fat to reveal shredded muscle is hard work and takes a lot of dedication, but with these top tips you can accelerate your way to gorgeous abs.
Find more top tips and life hacks from your girls at SMG:
- What Body Fat Percentage is Healthy for Women
- Normal Testosterone Levels in Women
- Using the Mediterranean Diet for Body Building
