How to get a six pack

Want to know how to get a six pack? Read on to find out…

With more and more girls achieving six-packs so ripped they’re rivalling the boys’, and with the #StrongNotSkinny hashtag finally eradicating the thigh gap movement, it’s clear our aesthetic goals are changing. No longer chasing the smallest stomach or lithest limbs, women all over are now (finally!) realising the importance and beauty of a strong body. But perhaps one of the hardest feats to achieve is the holy-grail six-pack, and many people – despite seemingly doing and eating all the right things – just can’t quite get those six little abs to pop. We caught up with Callum Melly, personal trainer and body transformation specialist, to talk tips and myths when it comes to the big six.

Tip 1: Abs are cut in the kitchen

‘You are what you eat and if you really want to get a six pack (which, just to highlight, is a possibility for anyone) you simply need to follow a healthy balanced diet,’ explains Callum. ‘That doesn’t mean it has to be boring, you can eat tasty nutritious food with the odd treat thrown in and still promote fat loss and lean muscle growth.’ But how do we know we’re on the right track? ‘Providing you are eating clean 80 per cent of the time over a period of a week, the odd treat won’t kill you,’ says Callum. ‘In fact, after four to five days of clean eating, I like to have a ‘re-feed meal’ – often referred to as a ‘cheat meal’ – to shock the system and kick-start my metabolism.’

Myth: Carbs make you fat!

‘I hear this a lot: ‘I’m not eating carbs because they make me fat”,’ says Callum. ‘This is possibly one of the most ridiculous myths of all! Like any macronutrient, if you eat enough to create a calorie surplus of course you are going to gain weight in the form of fat!’ But eaten correctly, they’re a vital part of our diet. ‘They are important for both brain and muscle function and if you want to get a six pack you’re going to have to fuel your workouts with carbohydrates!’ continues Callum.

So how do we incorporate them effectively? ‘The key is balance and timing when it comes to carbohydrates.’ Callum explains. ‘It is important to avoid sugary foods and try to stick to nutrient-dense carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables and low GI complex carbohydrates like sweet potato and oats.’ When should they be eaten? ‘Fruit is rich in fructose and is best first thing in the morning and pre-workout, whereas starch carbohydrates such as potatoes and rice are best post workout to replenish muscle glycogen.’

Tip 2: You are what you repeatedly do every day

‘Let’s get real, you aren’t going to change a lifetime of bad habits overnight, but you can in six to eight weeks,’ says Callum. ‘In fact, that is a realistic amount of time to see visible changes to your body, as a result of persistent external stimulus in the form of exercise and following a healthy balanced diet.’ Callum’s top tip? ‘I always get my clients to record their morning weight and take pictures in the same place and time each week to monitor their progress,’ he says. ‘You have to manage your personal expectations, hold yourself accountable for your actions or lack of them and be realistic with your goals.’

Myth: Crunch to a six pack

‘It doesn’t matter how many crunches or sit-ups you do – you aren’t going to crunch yourself to a six pack!’ says Callum. ‘You may certainly increase lean abdominal muscle mass, but it’s not going to burn away stubborn abdominal fat that is covering your six pack.’

Tip 3: Challenge your body

‘It’s important to challenge your body both physically and mentally with every workout in order to keep you engaged, prevent plateaus and promote constant change,’ Callum maintains. This is key for those who are confused as to why change isn’t occurring, despite working out regularly and eating well. If you’re unsure about how to mix up your current training, online plans and guides can really help. ‘My Body in 8 programme is the world’s first virtual personal training programme and has allowed me to PT people worldwide, five days a week, for eight weeks, offering a variety of stimulus engaging training systems and exercises,’ explains Callum.

Myth: Six packs are for life

‘Once you have a six pack that doesn’t mean it’s there for life!’ says Callum. ‘It’s all about the calories in versus the calories out. Don’t get me wrong, once you have a six pack it is far easier to maintain it than getting one in the first place, but you know how the saying goes… ‘a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips’!’

Tip 4: Supplement success

Callum also swears by supplements to aid and benefit his training and diet. But what are the best ones? ‘A six pack really is as simple as you are what you eat, and by no means am I going to fuel my workouts and recovery with junk; neither am I going to promote junk to my clients,’ says Callum. ‘I have personally used The Protein Works for several years now and the results I have achieved from using their products speak for themselves!’ One of Callum’s favourites is Diet Whey Isolate 97. ‘It’s an extremely fast-absorbing whey protein isolate that is perfect for post-workout nutrition,’ Callum says.

Tip 5: Walk your way to a six pack

But it’s not all weight training and a good diet. ‘Cardio is a great way to burn off extra body fat and I recommend that all my clients do 30-60 minutes of LISS (low intensity steady state) cardio three to five times per week,’ explains Callum. ‘LISS cardio can be done anywhere by anyone and providing you are working at 60-70 per cent above your resting heart rate, you will primarily be tapping into stored body fat as an energy source.’ Still not satisfied? ‘If you are physically able to perform at a higher intensity, I would also integrate HIIT training into your cardio regime, two to three sessions per week, but you MUST take a 48-hour rest interval in-between each session in order to fully recover from EPOC (energy post-exercise oxygen consumption) and maximise recovery as well as promoting fat loss!’