Time and time again I see people who are completely clueless about the truth to getting a flat stomach or 6-pack falling for the same old scams. The truth behind getting that desired look is that there is no quick or easy way; nothing substitutes a clean diet and a good exercise routine.

All these fad diets, magic pills, and machines/gadgets don’t really do anything but drain your pockets and leave you frustrated in the long run.

Fitness industries bank on your ignorance and keep you hoping that their new super magical device or supplement will make you the person you wish to be without having you put any effort in the process. This is far from the truth and you are being duped. It’s time to wake up. I will expose each scam and why it doesn’t work.

1.) Ab machines and waist wraps

When it comes to building and sculpting abs, these machines do help, but they do not, and I repeat, DO NOT and CANNOT melt fat around your abs. Why? Because there is no such thing as “spot reduction”. Spot reduction is the idea that you can focus on a certain area of fat and by doing exercises designed to hit that area, reduce the fat in that location (example: crunches).

This is impossible. Doing crunches or using ab machines cannot cause the body to choose where to burn fat. This same fact exposes the scam involving waist wraps, body suits, or other devices that claim to reduce body fat in certain areas by wearing them. These inventions may help you shed excess water weight but they do not help you lose body fat.

Some people have a metabolism which allows them to have abs all their life, even without doing any abs or following a clean diet. Others store fat around their stomach while some people naturally have flat stomachs but store fat in other areas (arms, legs, etc).

The human body breaks down fat cells in an overall manner, it does not care which body part you are training. If you are predisposed to having belly fat, then unfortunately that is the LAST place you will see fat loss occur while other parts of your body will be quick to shed the weight. So what good is buying an ab machine that can sculpt your abs if you can’t even see them under your layers of fat? No good at all.

2.) Magic Pills and Creams

The supplement industry is flooded with all kinds of magic fat burning pills or creams that guarantee you will lose weight no matter what. Granted, fat burners can help increase your metabolism but are completely useless if you are not following a clean diet.

Creams may be able to give the illusion of a tighter stomach, but they cannot penetrate the skin and melt fat off. These creams are filled with skin tightening ingredients that tighten skin, but do absolutely nothing to the fat cells beneath the skin.

Neither product on its own can melt off fat and expose your ab muscles, but of two, the only one that can do anything are the fat burners which can help speed the process of fat loss while you are following a healthy diet and exercise routine. But taking fat burners alone without at least following a clean diet will do nothing but help you lose weight in your wallet.

3.) Miracle Diets

These are probably the most dangerous and ineffective method of fat loss. Your body needs carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in  a certain ratio so it can function properly. Any diets that tell you to restrict a certain macro-nutrient can cause severe side effects.

I have heard of extremely ridiculous diets where people do anything to shed some pounds as quickly as possible,  and they do, but the question is, what have they actually lost? Some diets will help you lose water weight, which is when your body excretes water and causes you to lose excess amounts, but that isn’t fat loss. People step on the scale and see lower numbers but still look fat in the mirror.

They are confused because they thought that less weight on the scale means less fat, but unfortunately, in this situation it is not the case. Most of the time, when people stop following these diets, their body rebounds and causes them to gain all the weight they lost back again.

Other diets restrict calories to the point that your body actually begins to lose muscle. Muscle is heavier than fat, so the body actually loses a good amount of weight but it is not from fat loss. In fact, when calories are severely restricted, the body will go into “survival mode” and prevent itself from losing its precious fat reserve which is its most densely packed source of energy. Severely restricting your caloric intake will cause all of your bodily functions to be less effective and this can cause many serious health issues.

So how do you get a flat stomach or abs and keep the weight off? Well like I said earlier, nothing substitutes a good clean diet and exercise routine. Having a clean diet doesn’t mean you eat healthy for a period of time and stop, following a clean diet is a lifestyle – day in and day out. The same goes with exercise.

There is no short cut to a healthy flat stomach and definitely no easy route to achieving shredded abs. You must remove the idea of “short cuts” when it comes to any health goals and especially when it comes to abdominal fat loss.

Getting a flat stomach will take less effort and sacrifice than getting a solid, ripped 6 pack. If you follow a healthy clean diet and workout program, over time, your body will naturally begin to reduce fat and balance itself out. If you want to get a shredded 6 pack, that is another story.

Getting a shredded 6 pack will take not only a good clean healthy diet and workout routine, but a great amount of cardio as well. You will also have to make a lot of sacrifices such as: less partying, less alcohol, less junk food, and less sugary beverages.

Unless you happen to be blessed with a super fast metabolism or a body type which you don’t have much fat on your stomach to begin with, getting a 6 pack won’t be easy, but it is possible if you are willing to dedicate yourself.

Below are some guidelines to help get that flat stomach or 6 pack.

1.) Follow a clean diet, composed of 5-6 meals daily. NEVER miss breakfast and stay clear of processed foods. Protein to carb to fat ratio should be: 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fats.

2.) Follow a workout routine, and hit the gym or do some sort of physical training 3-5 times a week.

3.) Implement a cardio program, 30-45 minutes, 3-5 times a week, in the AM on an empty stomach or after your workout.

4.) Take protein shakes along with vitamin and mineral supplements. If you are a busy person, utilizing protein shakes will ensure that you don’t miss your important meals during the day. Sometimes you won’t have the time to cook foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals so it would be in your best interest to make sure you get your daily intake by supplementation.

5.) Take a fat burner if you want to maximize your body’s metabolic potential. Fat burners are not shortcuts, they just help speed the process. This does not mean you can start slacking on your diet or exercise  because they will not work on their own.

6.) Drink one gallon of water a day. Drinking water keeps you hydrated and allows optimal metabolic performance which will increase fat burning capability. Stay away from sugary drinks and alcohol. Limit drinking these beverages to the weekend if you can’t resist yourself.

Follow these guidelines consistently for a three weeks and you will definitely  begin to notice change when you step on the scale and look in the mirror. It takes time to change the body so you must stay the course. There is no shortcut.

The difference from getting a flat stomach to getting a 6 pack is really how much time and energy you put in. The you more do of the 6 steps listed above, the more you will be leaning toward a nice 6 pack of abs; the less you do, the more you lean to just having a flat stomach. It is really up to which look you want to achieve; the foundations are the same, all you have to do is make it happen.