Can you get abs in 30 days? Experts unpack the TikTok claim

Health

By Brooke Kato

Absolutely not!

As people rush to the gym in a bid to sculpt their “beach body” before the summer vacation, it may already be too late, experts say. Despite what fitness gurus on social media promise, there is no quick fix for building muscle or losing weight, so you can skip the 30-day abs tutorial.

In fact, according to experts, it is almost impossible for most people to build visible abdominal muscles in a month.

“Depending on your current body weight, your genetics, and your diet and exercise methods, burning excess fat alone may take 6 months or more than 1 to 2 years, even if you follow a strict diet and exercise routine” said Dr. Michael Fredericson, a Stanford Medicine sports physician and director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. USA Today.

While core-strengthening exercises like squats, lunges, mountain climbers, planks, crunches, and more can build muscle, diet, stress, and genetics are a big factor in determining whether washboard abs are in. its future, experts told the outlet.

The trick to making your abdominal muscles visible (composed of the external obliques, internal obliques, rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, and piriformis, which stabilize the spine and pelvis) is to build the muscles and reduce body fat.

For men, body fat percentages should fall below 10% to 15%, and for women, 15% to 20%, for the abs to show through. To determine your current body fat percentage, you can consult a registered dietitian or use an online calculator, although the latter is less accurate because it cannot take into account other health factors.

When losing body fat, Fredericson cautioned that only 1% of body fat loss per month is safe.

“If one starts with an average body fat percentage and follows a disciplined diet and exercise plan, it can take 3 to 6 months to begin seeing noticeable changes in abdominal definition,” said licensed psychotherapist Austin “Ozzie” Gontang. , director. from the San Diego Marathon Clinic, told USA Today.

“However, if you start with a higher body fat percentage, it will take longer to reduce the fat to the level where the abs are visible.”