Column 59 | Training for the six-pack

ANSWER

If your goal is to define your muscles, it is unfortunately not enough to just do excessive abdominal training. You have to approach the matter holistically, i.e. "attack" it on different levels. First of all, you should try to go on a diet. This means you should eat fewer calories than you burn in a day.

For example, if your daily expenditure is around 3,000 calories and you are neither gaining nor losing weight, you should reduce this amount by 500 calories in order to ultimately lose weight, especially in the form of body fat.

IN THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE ENERGY BALANCE you will receive further information on why a negative calorie balance is so crucial for diet success!

Unfortunately, you didn't tell me your body weight, so I can't explain the calculation of your basal metabolic rate and your energy expenditure explicitly. However, in the article on energy balance, you will find a clear calculation method that you can use to calculate your energy expenditure quickly and reliably.

I would suggest that you should consume an average of about 2500 calories to lose body fat. Make sure to limit carbohydrates, especially sugar and those with a high glycemic index.

The amount of protein consumed in a diet should be about three grams per kilogram of body weight per day, and the amount of fat about one gram per kilogram of body weight per day.

One and a half to two hours per training session is definitely too much of a good thing. It has been proven that after 60 minutes of strength training, the body releases cortisol to protect the organism. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone, i.e. a hormone that breaks down muscles. The release of this hormone should be prevented if possible, otherwise muscle loss will occur. Stick to the BASICS OF EFFECTIVE TRAINING . The training should last a maximum of 60 minutes. The rest time between each set should be about one and a half minutes. If you stick to ten sets for large muscle groups and six sets for small muscle groups and divide the whole body training into four units per week, an efficient workout in under 60 minutes is easily possible.

Unfortunately, abdominal muscle training in itself does not contribute significantly to fat loss. For example, I rarely train my abdominal muscles, but I still have a defined and well-developed midsection. A negative calorie balance and regular aerobic training are particularly important for fat loss!

To accelerate fat loss, you should definitely do regular cardio training. Start with 2 x 30 minutes per week and increase from week to week to a maximum of 5 x 60 minutes. Your pulse should always be between 140 and 160 beats per minute to ensure a significant increase in metabolism and fat burning.

The still often touted "fat burning pulse" of about 120 to 130 beats per minute has long been disproved and is far less effective (see: ?AEROBIC TRAINING & FAT LOSS? ).

As good as these products are, don't rely too much on nutritional supplements! As their name suggests, they should only be seen as a supplement and not a replacement for targeted training and adequate nutrition.

However, if you follow a diet-specific diet and do regular endurance training, supplements are even more effective and efficient for fat loss. Just try it out for yourself and you will agree with me! With that in mind, I wish you much success in losing fat.