Men’s Fitness: Your Essential How-To Guide on Gaining a Six-Pack

Even though it's the end of April, many of us are still clinging to our New Year's resolutions, or we've decided to make some positive life changes. No matter what the reason might be for you, incorporating a fitness routine is not only healthy, but it's a smart choice overall. Working out is an easy way to release endorphins in the brain, which are feel-good chemicals that improve your mood. It's nice to know that while you work out, you're not only changing your body for the better but also your mind.

One common reason why many of us work out is to obtain the ever-attractive six-pack – and no, we're not talking about beer! If you want a firmer abdomen area, we're here to help. With summer only two months away, there are very high chances that you will be basking in the sun shirtless while standing on some soft sand at the beach. If you want to be looking good while you're enjoying the sun, working out to gain a six-pack is definitely a good goal. Don't worry about the workload: getting a six-pack is actually much easier than you think, as long as you're ready to commit! Here is a helpful how-to guide on getting started.

1. Focus on Nutrition and Caloric Intake

That's right, folks – you're going to have to focus on your nutrition to get that six-pack. This isn't such a bad thing, since you'll be paying careful consideration to what you put into your body and how much of it you consume. This will ultimately make you a healthier person, after all. If your diet consists of grease, carbohydrates, and excessive calories with little to no nutritional value, you're not going to see results. It's a sad but necessary truth. However, with a little bit of dedication and awareness, you can make smart nutrition choices.

Let's focus on the basics: according to Healthline.com, men need to eat an average of 2500 calories a day to maintain their weight. Of course, this can change depending on your current weight and height, but it's a good starting point. Try not to exceed this amount of calories a day. If you are overweight, it's best that you consult with a nutritionist or doctor on how many calories a day you should eat. In the meantime, here are some good diet pointers to consider for when you're trying to get that six-pack.

Eat at least six times a day. Yep, you read that correctly! You can eat up to six times a day, with three hours in between. Try to stock up on some healthy snacks and look into diets that include protein for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Delicious snack options include avocado, olives, and nuts.

Speaking of breakfast, you'll want to start off this important meal with some oatmeal or rye bread, accompanied by a piece of fruit. For lunch, you can choose a potato served with brown rice or quinoa, just to get an idea of your available options. Also, make sure to eat your vegetables, but avoid any veggies that are starchy. You can enjoy healthy food options such as chicken, fish, and eggs as you typically would. Additionally, you're going to want to become familiar with post workout shakes as well. These will help with tissue regeneration and can stabilize your blood sugar.

Whenever you're at the gym, make sure to bring plenty of water with you as well to stay hydrated. Water is important to drink throughout the day, so don't forget to stock up!

2. Dress for Fitness Success

Healthline released an article about how it pays to dress well for the gym. In the article, it mentions that nine out of ten people feel motivated to work out simply by putting on their workout gear. According to the article, wearing "good" gym clothes helped the health-conscious achieve their weight loss and bodybuilding goals. The article also suggests that performance-based workout attire helped gym-goers push themselves harder. Our fitness shorts selection can help you to get to work on the six-pack you're after. You'll look and feel good when you're working out, which is very important when it comes to achieving your fitness aspirations. Since it's warmer out, don't forget how important it is to wear weather-appropriate clothing! You'll want to wear something like our bodybuilding fitness shorts so that you don't overheat while you're lifting those weights.

3. Become Familiarized with Six-Pack Enhancing Workout Routines

Now that you're ready to work out and see the results of your hard labor, you'll want to focus on the essential exercises that will help you to gain that impressive six-pack.

Push-ups are one of the best exercises you can do to gain a six-pack. These can even be completed in the comfort of your own home. You can do push-ups to get yourself started before working on other exercises at the gym. It's a good way to stretch your body before a long workout session.

Once you're at the gym, a good idea is to head over to the barbells so you can get yourself started on some overhead squats. This exercise focuses directly on your midsection, making is stronger and firmer. Hold your hands at the ends of the barbell and lift it up to your chest. Then raise it over your head as you retract your shoulders to hold the weight. You'll want to keep both your arms and your back straight while bending your knees as you lift. Repeat this exercise ten to fifteen times for three to four sets. This exercise will definitely take some time to get used to, so don't push yourself too hard if you're a beginner!

Another good go-to workout is the trusty treadmill. If you want to get a nice six-pack while going on the treadmill, make sure to go on it with the highest possible incline. Having the treadmill set to a high incline will target your abdomen area. Try to work out on the treadmill for a total of thirty to forty-five minutes at least three times a week for best results.

Believe it or not, a six-pack is easier to gain than you thought! As long as you're dedicated to fitness and you're ready to commit, you're good to go! Another easy way to learn how to obtain a six-pack is by going to your local gym and consulting with a personal trainer. Just make sure to stay away from empty and excessive calories, such as a six-pack of beer.