Forget what they tell you on TV infomercials, there are no ‘off the wall’ exercises or weird machines that will magically give you 6 pack abs without needing to do anything else. But you’ll be glad to know however, that to get 6 pack abs is still actually very straightforward.

There are really only three things you have to get right to get 6 pack abdominals. These all might appear as common sense, but what is crucial is that you apply discipline and consistency.

The basic concept of achieving 6 pack abs is the combination of exercise and losing body fat, (more importantly the layer of fat that is covering/hiding them). Ok simple in theory, “but what’s the best and easiest way to do this?” you ask.

Abdominals are like any other muscle group and in order for muscles to show, you have to keep your body fat low – for men this means below 8%, and for women below 14%. So here are the 3 key steps to achieving this:

1. Follow the Right Diet:

This is the most important step to achieving a lean body that will allow your abs to show in all their glory. Your meals should be well balanced and avoid eating processed foods as much as possible. Try to consistently include high protein intake, moderate fat, and moderate levels of complex carbohydrates. Avoid fatty foods and those with excessive sugars.

2. Cardio Workouts:

You must perform some form of cardio exercise at least 3 times a week to keep the fat off and help sustain good metabolism. Anything from 20 – 60 minutes a session is adequate. This can include – walking, running, cycling, skipping. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as it means you are raising your heart rate sufficiently.

3. Abs Exercises:

This is the least important of the steps but does contribute to further defining (sculpting) your abs. Research has shown that the most effective abs exercises are swiss ball crunches, lying bicycle crunches, and Roman Chair leg raises but that does not mean you are limited to just these. So find the exercises that work for you and perform them at least 2-3 times a week.

So there you have it! – No magic pills or potions, machines or tons of ‘abs specific’ exercise. – Just common sense and discipline.