Weight Loss Guide: Surprising Truth About a Flat Stomach

Recently I was asked this question, "I have been working on my abs for years and cannot get the six-pack I want. My diet is very healthy. What am I doing wrong?" This question made me pause and think. Many of us continue on a path even when it's obvious that things aren't working out as planned. Sometimes it's not our approach, but our goal that needs change.

Most people believe that abdominal exercises are key to achieving a flat stomach. When results are not immediate, they think their approach is flawed. The truth is, a six-pack is not the same as a flat stomach. And a six-pack is very difficult to achieve. If you have been doing all the right things and aren't seeing the results you want it's possible that your technique is not to blame.

The Myth

Perhaps the biggest myth regarding fitness is this: simply target a specific problem area with enough exercise and you will be able to get rid of the body fat in that spot. If you have been crunching yourself silly in search of perfect abs you might have been caught up in this trap.

This myth is so widespread partly because there is a lot of marketing behind it. Browse through workout videos and check out the titles: you will see mentions of thighs, butt, legs, and several synonyms for stomachs. Popular fitness magazines perpetuate the myth by offering "5-Minute Ab-Busting" workouts and "10 Moves for Trimmer Tummies." These keep us believing that if we work harder, we can eventually get the results we want.

But the truth is that getting a six-pack is very difficult. I'm in great shape now, and I have been working out for many years but have never had a six-pack. It's not for lack of trying! After years of struggling and too many crunches to count, I finally came to realize that the goal of a perfect six-pack was not right for me.

Whew - that realization was very liberating!

What it really takes to get flat abs

Are you ready for more hard ab truths? Not only is abdominal exercise not the best way to achieve flat abs, but getting them requires a lot of determination and also something might be absolutely impossible for some people.

One secret ingredient to achieving perfect abs is heredity and some of us simply don't have the gift of good genes.

Losing lots of body fat is the real key to getting flat abs. We already know what losing fat requires:

Eating a healthy diet low in caloriesHaving a regular cardio routineStrength training for the whole body

Flat abs means doing all of these things on a very regular basis for an extended period of time. If you have done all of these things, lost body fat, and still aren't seeing the results you want, there is a reason.

For some, the level of body fat required for our bodies to function in a healthy way is a higher rate of fat than would allow for perfectly flat abs. And for others, our lifestyles or schedules simply cannot sustain the amount of fat loss required to achieve a 'six-pack'.

So what does this mean? If you have done all of the right things and still aren't seeing the results you need, should you stop? Not necessarily. You shouldn't stop exercising and living a healthy lifestyle, but perhaps it is time to reevaluate your goals. If a six-pack isn't feasible, redefining your idea of perfect abs may give you some relief. Work on what you can change rather than getting sidetracked by what you simply can't achieve.

The Truth

A six-pack isn't a reasonable goal for everyone. Here's why:

Genes: for some, six-pack abs are not genetically feasible! But a flat stomach is within the reach of everyone.Diet: for some body types it's necessary to sustain an improbable level of fat loss to make a six-pack possible.Exercise: achieving a six-pack might require more exercise than is practical for a busy schedule. Sound familiar, moms?

It's time to reexamine your goals and ask yourself some difficult questions.

Do you really want a six-pack? Is that what you're really after?Can you work as hard as needed to achieve this goal? Do you have the time to put into getting your abs ripped?What if you do everything right and still don't achieve this goal? Are you willing to accept this?How will a six-pack benefit you? Will it change your life?What if you decide let go of this goal? What would happen if you focus on other pursuits?

You are not a failure if you don't reach a goal that was arguably impossible from the start. The real truth is, our bodies work as part of a whole, not as independent pieces. If we can accept this fact, it is a big step toward letting go of the impossible ideal and working toward a more realistic idea of perfection. It's okay to redefine what perfection means to you.

In fact, folks that have 'perfection' as one of their standards really doesn't have a standard at all, since there's no such thing as perfection!

So I repeat: is a 'six-pack' what you're really after? Or does being fit, healthy, and vital for long-term sound better to you?

So many moms get caught up in the marketing campaigns of advertisers and images of air-brushed twenty-somethings that they forget that it is they are truly after. Are you going to be a better mom with a six-pack?

Or will you be a better mom if you are healthy, fit, and vital, with enough energy to chase your kids around the park and have more than enough energy for your husband after the kids are asleep? How will it feel to know that you've got this part of your life totally handled?

Remember first outline what you want, and then figure out why you want it. What will it give you? Your reasons come first, and actions come second. Don't get sucked into someone else's ideas of what a 'perfect mom' should be, because the minute you do that, you're sunk. If you don't have an agenda for your life, your kids, your health, I guarantee someone else will.

And that someone else will be not only running your life but raising your kids and after the dream of 'someday'. I have news for you - the road to someday leads to a town called 'nowhere'. So define what you want now, and make it a believable goal for you that you can really see yourself as achieving.

From one mom to another - I want you to succeed in making your dreams come true, because I know we often put the needs of our kids and husbands ahead of our own. The trick isn't to devote every minute you have to getting yourself into shape - that's ridiculous! Moms simply don't have the time, energy, or ability at this stage in their lives. Rather, the idea here is to implement a couple of easy strategies that you can quickly incorporate into your usual routine so that you take consistent action everyday toward your goal. We're not going to rearrange your life and create this enormous upheaval - you've already got a number of things in your life that are working great. Why mess with that? We're just going to set up a couple of simple things that if you do them consistently will have a lasting impact on your weight goal.

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