Almost everybody wants to have a flat stomach. But few people are willing to put in the work to make it a reality. A flat stomach is the most coveted goal in the fitness game.
I’ve trained thousands of people, and virtually all of them tell me some version of “I’m trying to lose this big gut.”
There are multiple different routes that many lifters will take that don’t get them anywhere closer to getting a flat stomach. The “ab” workouts, the magical supplements, and tummy teas all promise the vaunted flat stomach, but they all fall short. Obtaining a flat stomach comes down to how much energy you take in compared to how much you use.
1) It’s All About Energy
Many lifters train their abs frequently, but here is the reality: you could possess the strongest abs in the world, but if you are carrying too much body fat, your stomach will not be flat.
In order to get rid of body fat, you must use more energy than you consume. This practice is called creating an energy deficit. You can create an energy deficit by either reducing your caloric intake or by doing more activity to burn more calories. Just so you know, it’s significantly easier to remove 200 calories from your diet than it is to burn 200 calories in the gym.
Reducing your caloric intake will require you to make better food choices. When you choose to eat higher quality foods, your overall caloric intake tends to go down dramatically. Eating a meal consisting of baked chicken thighs, jasmine rice, and broccoli possesses significantly fewer calories than a greasy value meal from your local fast-food joint.
But that does not give you license to overeat those healthy foods. Because eating too much food will not allow you to lose body fat. Nobody can outwork a bad diet.
2) Control Your Intake By Counting Your Calories
The fat loss process is much easier if you know exactly how much food is coming into your body.
I’ve had many clients who were training hard, but were still eating too much throughout the day. They got stronger and more fit. But their bodies did not truly change until they committed fully to tracking their food intake.
One statement that many lifters who are struggling to lose body fat make is, “I eat good.” But the reality is that if you are not making progress with your physique, that statement is simply not true.
To ensure you are not overeating, I highly suggest you purchase a food scale. The food scale is an objective tool that will show you exactly how much food you are eating. 4 ounces of chicken thighs will always be 4 ounces of chicken thighs.
You do not have to measure your food and count calories forever. And you obviously cannot measure your food if you go out to eat. But if you begin to get an idea of exactly how much food is coming in, you will make the fat loss process much more predictable and successful.
The Last Rep
A flat stomach isn’t a magical thing reserved for athletes and natural bodybuilders. You have 100 percent control over how flat you want your stomach to be. And the ideal starting place for you to start your fat loss journey is with my 21-Day Fit program.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer & Barber,
Fitman x Fademan
