Can it be possible to do so much cardio for 6 pack abs that you reach a point of diminishing returns?
Sadly, the answer is yes. If you’ve been in or around health clubs for any amount of time, you’ll see both men and women alike doing minute after minute, hour after hour of cardio for weeks and even months on end in their quest to burn fat and get 6 pack abs. The point at which the benefits begin decreasing with each additional minute of cardio is a thin line and many variables determine whether you’re making progress or actually expending additional energy with little or no return.
If you feel like you’ve hit a wall in the fat loss department, don’t ramp up your cardio efforts until you’re sure these 5 variables are in check:
1. Check Your Nutrition at the Door – Many people think eating less equals weighing less and looking better. It’s only partly true. Chances are that you will have to eat less to lose weight, but if your goal is a flat sexy belly, then dramatically decreasing your food consumption while simultaneously increasing your energy expenditure is a recipe for disaster.
2. Frequency of Weight Training – When you’re attempting to achieve 6 pack abs, weight training is all but essential. Before you adjust your cardio, make sure you’re training with weights at least 3 days per week. If you’re only training 1-2 days per week, you may only need to increase the frequency 1-2 days to kick your fat loss into a higher gear.
3. Sleeping Patterns – Are you getting enough sleep? To ensure your cortisol levels don’t jump sky high and kill your efforts in the gym, make sure you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep at night.
4. Drink More Water – Water isn’t a fat loss supplement, but if you’re not getting enough, it can “hide” your weight loss progress. Drinking plenty of water will regulate the amount of water your body retains in its muscles, organs, and fat cells. The more water you drink the more it will be flushed out of your system preventing a “smoke screen” leaving you to believe you’re not losing weight.
5. Watch Your Alcohol Consumption – It’s true, you can lose fat and still drink alcohol, but it can wreak havoc on your mental state. Alcohol consumption causes dehydration, so you may retain more water than normal the following days after a night of drinking. It usually takes 2-3 days for the effects to subside. So if you’re drinking frequently, try cutting back a bit. If you don’t want to give it up all together, integrate it into your overall nutrition program to minimize its effects.
Todd Scott is a training advisor to Men’s Fitness magazine and author of the internationally best selling book How To Get Six Pack Abs. To learn more go to the ab workout homepage.
Also, grab a free report on the truth about losing belly fat and abs workouts at the Ab Workout to Lose Weight Quickly homepage.
