I’m sure you’ve heard the common phrase, “Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.” I have been giving this sentence a lot of thought lately. While the premise is right, the saying is actually incorrect. It does get the right idea across. Which is probably why it is such a popular saying. However, I feel the need to change it. I prefer, ” Abs are made in the kitchen and the gym.” ‘And’ being the key word change. Here’s why.
Abs are muscles. Just like any other muscle in your body, they need to be worked in order to grow bigger and become more defined. The difference between your abs and other muscles is that if you aren’t eating clean, you’ll never see all the hard work you put into them because they will remain hidden under a layer of fat.
You still need to put in the hours at the gym sculpting your abdominal muscles so that when you eat clean you can see them. If you never worked out a day in your life, yet ate clean, you might have a flat stomach, but you certainly wouldn’t have those coveted, sculpted abdominal muscles.
And you’d definitely never have a six-pack. So really, abs are made in the kitchen AND the gym. There’s a reason they are the hardest, most sought-after muscles to obtain. They’re one of the hardest. All the more reason – and motivation – to go for it!
If you’re looking for some new exercises to help you sculpt those abs, check out this post on Tabata exercises.