Debunking the Six Pack Myths
Reality
You’ve probably heard (or realized) that we all have a six-pack, but that it’s covered by a layer of fat. And that washboard won’t reveal itself until you drop the weight—but does that means hours on the treadmill? Cardio can no doubt be valuable in burning extra calories, but more importantly is creating a caloric deficit with your diet. To lose fat, you’ll need to burn more calories than you ingest each day. “Cardio definitely holds some value for people who want to drink beer, eat pizza, and not worry about calories quite so much,” says James Fell, author of Lose It Right. “But if you hate cardio, don’t do it. Just don’t expect to reveal your abs if you’re not creating a caloric deficit.”
Myth
You Can Spot-Reduce Fat Around Your Midsection
Reality
Why won’t this mistruth die? “This is just wishful thinking,” says Shirley Archer, a fitness and wellness educator with the American Council on Exercise. Fat reduction—in the midsection and elsewhere—will happen with a combination of healthy eating, cardio and strength work, she says. Unfortunately, you don’t get to pick one body part or another.
Myth
It’s All About Crunches.
Lots of Crunches.
Reality
A recent ACE study found that crunches are the most effective exercise for activating the rectus abdominus, which is the main, outermost core muscle. But this is only one of the muscles you need to tone when sculpting your midsection. No single ab exercise is going to address all that you need. There are other abdominal muscles, such as the external obliques that play a powerful role in spinal and core stability. Other exercises, like side planks, are much better at activating those muscles. So the key is to combine moves that target your core from all angles—and don’t forget your lower back.
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