Having a six-pack is widely admired and heralded within modern society. Millions of people globally add obtaining a perfect physique, which always includes a six-pack, to their new year’s resolution lists. Having a six-pack is not uncomfortable and feels like a stomach does typically; however, achieving a six-pack is an enormously painful mental and physical process.
Living with a six-pack is not physically uncomfortable, often leading to people gaining significant self-confidence regarding their body image. While obtaining a six-pack is possible for anyone with the required dedication, it is not always a healthy process, and there is no quick fix.
While a six-pack is the ultimate physical and fitness goal for most people, others question if the mandatory sacrifices are worth it. Achieving ironing board abdominals is no easy feat, requiring a consistent calorie deficit and a monotonous workout regime. The decreased general life quality necessary for acquiring a six-pack is not healthy for everyone and can lead to severe mental declines.
Is Having A Six Pack Comfortable?
Physically, having a six-pack feels like a relatively normal part of a person’s stomach. However, those with six-packs have substantially enhanced self-confidence and body image even with their shirts on.
While having a six-pack feels normal, you don’t feel the fat roll over your pants line when slouching over. This feeling alone is often worth the constant sacrifices required to obtain and maintain a six-pack, with the associated confidence boost being undeniable. Even everyday actions such as changing in a locker room, removing your shirt, or walking around feel amazing.
Millions of people globally feel self-conscious when taking off their shirts at random times due to their lack of perfect abdominals. Although, those with a six-pack are often made uncomfortable with the intense glances they undoubtedly receive from the opposite sex the moment their stomachs are visible.
Many people with perfect abdominals seem to be enormously satisfied with their achievements, strolling around with enhanced self-image and confidence. The constant boost in confidence can lead to the person achieving higher in other areas; however, most fail to admit that the daily dietary sacrifices within their general life likely decreases their overall happiness.
What Does It Take To Get A Six Pack?
To acquire perfect abdominals, it is necessary to be in a constant caloric deficit. A person can do as many abdominal exercises as is humanely possible, although you will have to lose the sticky fat layer over your stomach for them to show.
A constant caloric deficit is required to reveal a desirable midsection, which means your body will have to go through more calories throughout the day than what you consume. However, another crucial component of the process is maintaining muscle mass while in a calorie deficit, which is significantly challenging.
To maintain muscle mass while on a strict diet, it is essential to consume enough protein throughout the day. Adequate protein intake is often misunderstood, with industry professionals recommending you should consume 0.07 ounces per 2 pounds of body weight.
The amount of daily protein intake necessary for maintaining muscle mass is difficult for most people to sustain, leading to many giving up on their goal of obtaining a six-pack before the first month is over. While a strict diet is the most critical aspect regarding washboard abdominals, it must be combined with an intense workout schedule and regular cardiovascular activity.
A theory known as spot reduction has recently been widely promoted throughout the fitness world. This theory orientates itself around the thought that you can reduce fat levels within specific body parts by directly training them. While this deduction has become a popular theory within global fitness circles, there is no scientific evidence to support it.
To successfully reveal those hidden abdominals necessitates a strict diet over any form of specific exercise.
Is A Low Body Fat Percentage For A Six Pack Healthy?
Industry experts agree that achieving perfect abdominals requires a low body fat percentage. Such minimal fat reserves are not considered healthy as humans need above six percent body fat to survive long term.
Fat is utilized by the human body to maintain sufficient heat and energy reserves. In addition, healthy fat is critical to protecting our joints, muscles, and organs from serious injuries. Decreasing your body fat percentage to an unhealthy level is detrimental to the body over a long period. When body fat reserves dwindle, the body does everything to fight back.
At such low-fat levels, the human body assumes that it is starving, which increases cortisol levels leading to a constant feeling of unnatural fight or flight modes. The human body wants to be at a stable weight that improves holistic health, meaning that suboptimal fat levels will decrease other critical areas of your public life.
Crucial functions to human survival such as breathing, concentration, temperature regulation, energy levels, and menstrual cycles will be damaged at suboptimal fat levels. In addition, women require more fat reserves compared to men. Sufficient body fat percentage levels for women are
nearly 15%, while this is closer to 5% for men.
What Role Does Genetics Play In Gaining A Six Pack?
Inherited genetics is crucial in body fat percentages and general body composition.
Various scientific studies have revealed that some people find obtaining a six-pack far more challenging than others due to genetic mutations. Due to DNA variants, it is widely suggested that abdominal fat retention is inherited since your genetic makeup directly impacts the distribution and maintenance of body fat or overall body shape.
Moreover, scientific studies indicate that people carrying the FTO gene are almost twice as likely to be obese over their lifetimes compared to those who don’t. However, unfortunate genetics can’t take all the blame for your unnecessary stomach fat as with the correct diet and training regime, achieving a six-pack is possible for everyone.
Conclusion
Having a six-pack is not uncomfortable and is broadly associated with increased self-confidence and personal body image. However, it should be noted that successfully revealing your six-pack will require significant commitment, a constant caloric deficit, and a strict workout regime. Compounding the difficulty of obtaining a perfect six-pack is that the process takes a long time.
Genetics, diet, body fat percentage, and general fitness play a critical role in whether your six-pack can emerge under that sticky layer of stomach fat. Achieving and maintaining a perfect six-pack will require daily exercise and a well-balanced diet that does not lower your body fat percentage below a healthy level. Suboptimal fat levels aren’t healthy and should be avoided at all costs.
References
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/what-you-should-know-about-getting-abs/
- https://greatist.com/fitness/six-pack-abs-eight-weeks#2
- https://www.theactivetimes.com/5-reasons-six-pack-abs-are-overrated
- https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-26330/what-you-need-to-know-if-your-fitness-goal-is-6pack-abs.html
- https://www.myprotein.com/thezone/nutrition/awkward-truth-six-pack-abs/
