Happy Friday Tribe!Last week we discussed Hollywood Bodies, Olympic Athletes and reality. Thanks for all the great feedback!This week I’d like to dive into the rectus abdominus muscle or what we normally call “abs”.They look great. They’re super sexy on both women and men. So how do I get the elusive trophy of fitness???Well the good news is that you already have ab muscles. Yes, you heard me right. YOU have abs. You just can’t see them.Many people confuse the lack of visible muscle definition with lack of muscle. The MAJORITY of muscle definition comes from your body fat percentage (not to be confused with B.M.I. or body mass index). The lower your body fat percentage, the more defined all your muscles become.As a Coach, I constantly try to change my clients perception of what it takes to have visible ab muscles. There’s no secret to this. You need have body fat percentage lower than 22%. The lower the percentage, the more definition you’ll see. See the graphic below.Please note that lack of defined ab muscles does not mean you’re unhealthy. The American Council on Exercise give a good idea on what different percentages represent. (women only)Essential Fat 10-12% (this is the min amount of fat your body needs to sustain life and not recommended)Athletes 14-20%Acceptable 25-31%Unhealthy 32% and upSo when fitness clients tell me they want work on their abs, I immediately talk about diet. Just working on one area to have more visible muscles is called spot reduction, and it doesn’t work (we’ll dive into the spot reduction myth next week!) The most effective way to lower your body fat % is through sustainable nutritional changes. (Notice I didn’t say the four letter word “diet??")So if your goal is overall health and fitness, don’t worry about showing those abs. If your goal is to have rock hard bikini abs, learn your body fat percentage and work towards getting below 20%. If you have any questions or would like to put together a plan to help you achieve your goals, please contact me at www.fitgirlfit.comAs always ladies, let's focus on being a Fit, Fierce & Fabulous Fit Girl!-Katie
