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When I was in the best shape of my life, where I would run 8 miles everyday after work following a 1 hour weight lifting session where I could lift a solid amount of weight for my size ( to put it in quick perspective I was up to 28 pull ups and benching around 265 as a 155 lbs male) I still didn't have a six pack. People that have six packs probably get paid to work out or look good. Unfortunately most people dont have the time after work to workout for 4 to 6 hours per day. I have no idea how a working person could get six packs without resorting to an extreme diet. I have things to do and life to enjoy rather than worry about every single calorie I put into my mouth. There are things you are missing when you restrict your diet so much so you can obtain a six pack.
Don't forget, a lot of it has to do with genes as well. Not every person with a defined mid-section is working out 3 hours a day everyday and eating salad for lunch and dinner. I'd say I have pretty defined abs and I work out maybe 2 or 3 times a week, no more than an hour at a time. I have never solely focused on attaining them either. I played soccer growing up (and still do quite a bit), and I've noticed that 6 packs for soccer players is quite common. I also don't pay attention to my diet really. I mean I'm not eating McDonald's everyday, but I don't count calories, and will snack on junk food whenever I feel like it. I would have to go out of my way to consume more calories than I burn in a single day just from sitting and doing nothing.
I won't be able to get away with this forever I know, but I think it's pretty obvious that the key is diet, exercise, and genes. Without a somewhat monitored diet along with moderate exercise, it might be pretty difficult. Without decent genes, potentially impossible.
As a woman, when I was in the best shape of my life at 15-16% bodyfat, I still didn't have abs.
I just don't have the genes. No big deal though cause I still enjoyed the muscles I did have.
Diet and exercise are important (of course). The people with the best abs, in my personal life, worked hard but had awesome genetics. They were disciplined like others but got far more bang for their buck.
I admit to not reading the whole thread. Long story short, there's a lot of pieces to this.
To OPs question, it's entirely possible to be healthy without a six pack, and unhealthy with one. You could have a six pack and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and any number of risk factors. Or not have one and be healthy as a horse. While being lean is good for health, the six pack specifically is purely aesthetic.
All it indicates is low body fat. Certainly that's more healthy than being obese, but beyond that, it doesn't say all that much about health.
As to how attainable it is -- that depends on a lot of factors, including genetics. For most (not all) women, it is hard to obtain absent a crazy exercise program and regimented diet. A good friend of mine is incredible shape -- she is a yoga instructor, she runs, she lifts weights, and looks fantastic -- but does not have a six pack. She could certainly get one if she wanted but to do so, she'd probably have to change from being careful/eating healthy, to eating some crazy diet where she weighs chicken breasts and spinach for each meal. Something that's not sustainable for most people in real life for long. In any case, personally, I don't find a six pack necessary or all that attractive on women anyway -- it's impressive, and I don't mind it, but it's hardly a necessary deal. Not that my opinion matters! :P
For men -- I do think a basic six pack (not super ripped striated 8-pack abs, just a visible six pack) is somewhat attainable / sustainable depending on genetics. Many men can see their abs starting around 12% bodyfat. 10-12% is a level that is certainly sustainable if you are a serious fitness buff and eat healthy most of the time. There are plenty of guys with six packs who still go to happy hour, eat pizza now and then, and so forth. You just have to be healthy most of the time, watch your cheat days, and so forth.
Below 10% is when you start getting into the striated category, and that's where men too start to have issues maintaining if they want any semblance of a "normal" food life. Not all -- some just have incredible genetics -- but most. Most guys you see sub-10% aren't there all the time -- they just diet down to that for a specific purpose (beach trip, modeling engagement, a BB contest), then go back up to a low double digit bf%.
I personally am aiming for 10-12% bodyfat. I have "big abs" -- meaning, the muscles are well developed -- so I'm fairly certain they'll be visible at that level -- which is what I'm going for. And regardless of abs, I'm a muscular guy anyway, and work hard in the gym, and I feel that's a level that shows it off well. I work too hard to hide it all under fat :P. I'm not too interested in going under that though, I like beer and chicken wings too much!
Its a visual way of saying you have great will power and work ethic.
Exactly.. a lot of people in society today cannot handle discomfort and whine all the time about trivial crap. A person who is lean and athletic likely had to go through some discomfort to get there which helps with their character so they are willing to take on more, whine less.
I don't understand this. It's like some feel that achieving this is the pinnacle of health or sexual prowess. I don't really see why some think that in order to be "not fat" they have to have visible abs. Like they consider themselves as "having a gut" when they don't have visible abdominal muscles. Where does this stem from?
Healthy body fat levels in many adults don't correspond with even having visible abs. For some people (not everyone), abs are visible only at very low body fat percentages, and in fact these body fat percentages can at times be too low an unhealthy. I'm not saying that people with visible abs are unhealthy at all, I'm just saying that some people (especially men) have this weird idea that if they can't see their abs, they have failed at physical fitness. Why is this?
Idk....I find that some things are Universally sexy--
Like a 6 pack on a guy is probably one of the hottest things, ever.....
Just Google 6 pack abs- w/ Wolverine, or Brad Pitt or Sawyer from LOST....
Abs like that are irresistibly sexy, lol
Not everyone can attain a 6 pack obviously-
But I do appreciate the physiques of the guys that can
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