This is what you have to eat if you want to have a six-pack

This is what you have to eat if you want to have a six-pack. Many men want a rock-hard six-pack. And we have the necessary know-how for the right six-pack diet: This is how you melt the last layer of fat over your abdominal muscles.

Is having a six-pack your long-held dream? Then stop dreaming and start training. However, tough workouts and abdominal exercises alone are not enough, because the right diet plays a crucial role in achieving your fitness goal.

But how should you eat if you want to have a six-pack? Are carbohydrates taboo? How much protein do you need? Do you have to take additional protein supplements? Questions upon questions – and we have the answers! Here are the best tips on the topic of “Eating for a six-pack” in question and answer format.

How important is protein for six-pack training?

Proteins are the most important building blocks in the human organism. Our muscles, ligaments, antibodies and many other structures are made of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins . These vital substances are also what supply the muscle fibers after a hard workout and promote their recovery. If you consume too little protein or use too much of it, your muscles will be attacked and broken down.

Ready for the ripple look?

That’s why it’s absolutely necessary that you support your six-pack training with a high-protein diet and at the same time reduce the amount of carbohydrates a little. This is the only way to strengthen your abdominal muscles and achieve the six-pack abs you want.

In the table we show you the optimal amount of protein per day for you:

Recommended daily doses of protein for muscle building according to fitness level

fitness level	daily dose
beginners	0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
advanced	1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight
professionals	1.5 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight

Which foods contain a lot of protein?

There are many protein-rich foods . A balanced mix of animal and plant protein sources is ideal. This increases the quality of the protein and ensures that you consume all the essential amino acids every day that you need for muscle protein synthesis (the formation of new proteins in the muscle cells).

The following foods should therefore have a regular place in your six-pack diet plan:

• low-fat curd cheese and skyr
• cottage cheese
• turkey and chicken
• chickpeas / lentils / beans
• tuna (canned / fresh)
• Salmon
• tofu
• nuts
• eggs

For vegan or vegetarian people who want to get a six-pack, pulses are a must: pulses contain a lot of protein and can be a good substitute for animal products. Tofu is also a top source of protein. Nuts and seeds are also rich in protein, as are sunflower and pumpkin seeds, sesame and linseed. When it comes to grains, regular variety ensures optimal nutrition. Buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa provide relatively high levels of protein.

Do I have to drink protein shakes?

Try to cover most of your daily protein needs through food. Protein powders and protein shakes simply supplement your diet, hence the name “food supplements”.

Protein shakes are not a “must”, but they are definitely recommended to provide your body with the optimal and targeted supply of amino acids. Whether you want whey or whey isolate is up to you. With ESN’s bestseller “Designer Whey”, your muscles will be well supplied.

Protein powders offer the following benefits:

1. They can be dosed very precisely and used at a specific time.
2. They provide protein in its purest form, i.e. almost without carbohydrates or fats. They also do not contain undesirable accompanying substances such as cholesterol and purines, which are mainly found in the skin and innards of animal foods and can trigger gout.
3. They protect your calorie balance because the targeted protein intake gives your body exactly the muscle-building material it needs to build a six-pack.

How many carbohydrates can I eat daily?

You should temporarily reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat if you want to have a six-pack. The reason: every gram that is not burned ends up in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscles. When the stores are full, all excess carbohydrates go into the fat deposits.

So limit your daily intake to a maximum of 100 to 150 grams and give preference to complex carbohydrates. These only lead to minimal fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

And that’s important because when carbohydrates are consumed, blood sugar levels rise and the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin. This promotes the body’s own fat deposits and inhibits fat loss. To get a visible six-pack, it’s therefore important to keep blood sugar levels low.

The best carbohydrates are those that have a low glycemic index (up to a maximum of 40), such as oatmeal, whole grain products, rice and of course vegetables. To reveal your abdominal muscles, it is also important to consume the lion’s share of carbohydrates with the meal after training. This is the only time they are properly metabolized. The fat cells are left empty-handed.

Vegetables should not be missing as a side dish from your main meals. Broccoli, green beans, peas, peppers or zucchini are ideal with fish, meat, eggs or tofu. Snack on low-sugar fruit , such as berries, as a snack.

Is fat taboo if I want to have a six-pack?

Although fat is the most energy-rich nutrient, it does not raise your insulin levels. Choose primarily healthy unsaturated fatty acids, such as cold-pressed olive, rapeseed or linseed oil, nuts, nut butter without sugar, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon or herring. Mainly saturated animal fats, such as those found in eggs or beef, are also part of the six-pack diet.

You need an energy-rich replacement for the limited amount of carbohydrates. Because too few calories are not good for a six-pack either. If you save on the wrong things, you will waste protein, the muscle-building substance, as fuel. The 6 most common causes of itching in the genital area

Which foods should I avoid?

There are numerous unhealthy foods that can sabotage your six-pack training goal. First and foremost, alcohol. Whether it’s beer, wine or whiskey: alcohol is a neurotoxin, deprives your body of energy and nutrients and also contains a lot of calories that can blow your daily balance.

You should also cut down on sweets and chips in the near future. They send your blood sugar and insulin levels on a rollercoaster and cause, among other things, cravings.

How many calories can I consume?

In order to be able to proudly show off your six-pack in the future, you need to enter a catabolic metabolic state and use more energy than you take in. A moderate calorie deficit of 200 to 300 calories is the basis of your definition process. Your daily calorie requirement is made up of your basal metabolic rate and your performance metabolic rate.

For example, if you are 25 years old, 1.80 meters tall, weigh 90 kilograms, work at a desk and exercise 3 to 4 times a week, you have a total calorie requirement of around 2,500 calories per day. If you want to reveal your six-pack, you should reduce your calorie intake by 200-300 calories, which means you should consume around 2,200 to 2,300 calories per day to ensure a “negative energy balance”.  How to get a six-pack in 8 weeks

How often should I eat a day?

It is important to eat a protein-rich meal approximately every 2 to 3 hours. This way, you will always have a good amount of protein in your blood. With frequent, smaller meals, the nutrients are also better utilized by the body than would be the case with 2 or 3 large meals a day.

Low-fat quark or skyr, which you can pimp up with flavor powder as desired, are particularly suitable protein-rich snacks , as well as a handful of nuts, a cup of cottage cheese or a boiled egg. A protein shake or a protein bar can also be a good snack.

How much water should I drink?

Water is the solvent and transport medium for nutrients in the body and is also an important building block for muscles. In addition, high water intake stimulates the metabolism and supports the kidneys, which in turn have to work harder due to the increased protein intake.

For your six-pack, it is therefore important to drink 3 to 5 liters of water every day. It is best to keep a full bottle wherever you spend a long time, such as at work or in the car. Do you find it difficult to drink enough water in everyday life?  Also make sure that the water you choose is low in sodium – sodium leads to water retention and obscures the view of your washboard.

This is what a good six-pack diet plan looks like

Every last bit of fat is gone: With this example six-pack diet plan, you can melt away the fat on your stomach and reveal your six-pack. We have given you 4 different options to choose from. You can switch freely between the options. In other words: just because you chose option 1 for breakfast, the rest of the meals of the day don’t have to be option 1 as well.

Please note: This is just an example meal plan with a daily calorie requirement of around 2000 kcal. Goal: Build muscle while simultaneously reducing body fat. This is because it hides the attractive rippled look of your stomach. We recommend that you adapt the meal plan to your individual requirements with the help of an expert. These can be optimally tailored to your needs and goals, so that your six-pack is not far away!

During training: Drink 1.5 liters of water.

1st breakfast: Protein fruit quark made from 500 g low-fat quark or skyr (mix with water until smooth) plus 1 handful of berries of your choice, linseed and almonds on top

2nd snack (morning): a boiled egg or a glass of buttermilk

3. Lunch: large salad with vegetables of your choice + protein source, such as 150 g poultry, salmon fillet or 1 can of tuna (in its own juice)

4. Snack (afternoon): 1 handful of nuts, e.g. almonds or cashews (ideal as a small pre-workout snack)

5. Dinner: Omelette or scrambled eggs made from 2 eggs plus 2 egg whites , 100 g shrimps, with vegetables of your choice, such as mushrooms

If dinner is your post-workout meal, add carbohydrates: 150 g beef or poultry + vegetables of your choice (e.g. broccoli, beans) and 50-60 g brown rice (raw weight)

6. Evening snack (only on training days, 1 hour before going to bed): 1 cup of cottage cheese or 250 g low-fat quark (mix with water until smooth) plus 1 tablespoon of linseed oil

Immediately after training: Protein shake made from 1 scoop of protein powder dissolved in water. This is what the ideal warm-up for every workout looks like

How do you keep your six-pack permanently?

Is there a trick to keeping your six-pack permanently? Yes and no. Basically, if you go too radically against your previous eating habits, there is a great risk that you will soon fall back into old patterns. The body interprets a drastic calorie deficiency as starvation: the metabolism switches to low flame, burning as little as possible.

It makes more sense to introduce your body to the new diet with more protein and fewer calories step by step. This way, your body can adapt better to the changed circumstances and you can enjoy your six-pack for longer.

Can’t wait to finally reveal your six-pack with the right diet and ideal training? Then get started right away: With our tips and a well-thought-out diet plan, your belly fat will melt away and your six-pack will appear. If you’re in a hurry and are already in good shape, just download our last-minute combo.