Are ripped abs actually healthy for women?

If Instagram were a person, it would tell you abs are the new black and that to be ‘healthy’ you need a rippling six-pack. But is that actually correct? And just because every man and his dog wants in on the abs action, does that mean every woman should be striving for a washboard stomach too?

If you ask me, the answer to both questions is… nope.

I mean, there’s no doubt you need a strong core to support your body and particularly your back through various forms of daily movement. And a flat tummy free from bloating or excess body fat is an awesome goal for sure, but to crave the kind of seriously defined and muscular abdominal muscles that create a carved, six-pack look? Well, hate to tell you but a lot of the time that’s not a sign of health for a woman of reproductive age.

Abs are fun and all, but in order to score a set most women will need less than 14-15% body fat and unless you’re genetically predisposed to that, or have dedicated your life to athletic pursuits, it’s pretty tough to achieve.

Go too far and drop to 12-13% (or less) and you risk losing your cycle, suffering from bad skin, destroying your energy levels or metabolism, and potentially putting yourself at risk of low bone density, particularly if you lose the weight too quickly.

So it’s a pretty fine balance to get it right and in the end, are visible abs really worth that much to you? Just remember that abs don’t automatically equal fitness, or health. They simply mean you have a low body fat percentage.

I guarantee you can be fit, lean, super healthy and energetic without a muscle-bound belly hiding under your blouse.

However, if abs of steel are on your bucket list, maybe even just once, that’s certainly still a valid desire and there are ways to create them… but depending on your genes, it might take a little longer than you were hoping, if you want to do it in a healthy way that doesn’t mess with your cycle.

The secret is not doing anything drastic – slightly decrease calorie intake over time, slowly increase your workouts, be consistent, take it slow, don’t give your hormones a shock!

To get you started here’s a little Q&A interview with me, originally published in Women’s Fitness Magazine, which will help you get abs if you crave them or be OK with another kind of shape if you’re willing to go against the, erm, excellent advise of the instagram #fitspo queens.

 

Here we go…

 

WF Mag: If we all have abs, why can’t everyone see them?

Libby: It’s true – we all have abs! However, you either have to have really well developed abs, or really low body fat, or for some people a combination of both to score a visible six-pack. Your genetics will determine how easy it will be for you to develop a ripped midsection, but hard work and a clean diet will get you over the line.

 

WF Mag: What’s the difference between abs and core?

Libby: Achieving a ‘strong core’ and getting ‘flat abs’ are really two different things. The abdominals may get a lot of attention because they’re the superficial muscles you see just under your skin, but the core is everything else that makes up the central structure of your body and supports your back, improves posture and increases athletic performance, as well as ‘pulling in’ your waistline. To get the best of both worlds, it’s important to include exercises that strengthen your entire mid-section, front and back, from your shoulders to your hips and everything in between.

 

WF Mag: If you work out regularly and you’re a healthy weight but still don’t have abs, how lean do you have to be to see muscle definition on your belly?

Libby: When it comes to making your stomach look lean and defined, unless you’ve got great genes then it’s almost all down to diet and lifestyle – and even then there’s no guarantee! I honestly don’t believe everyone ’needs’ to have abs on show – as long as you’re healthy, you probably look gorgeous and feminine and just perfect as is! However if you’re determined to score a six pack, here goes…

The truth is, all the crunches in the world won’t reveal that six-pack if your nutrition isn’t up to scratch, your training’s not consistent, your digestion is out of sorts and your life’s one big stressful rollercoaster.

The 3 magic bullets I think give you the biggest chance of a lean tummy are:

• A diet low in carbs, sugars and processed foods, while being high in fresh vegetables, fruit, quality proteins and healthy fats, particularly those containing Omega 3s
• Reduced cortisol levels via quality sleep (at least 7hrs), low coffee intake, plenty of exercise (some high intensity, some very slow and longer in duration, like weekend walks), mixed in with plenty of downtime and perhaps a magnesium supplement to reduce bloating and help you doze off to sleep
• A smart workout plan that contains a mix of strength sessions, HIIT cardio, functional and rotational movement, as well as some quality core shaping exercises and flexibility work.

 

WF Mag: Do women need to take a different approach to men when sculpting abs? What’s the main difference?

Libby: I never like answering a ‘women vs men’ question because at the end of the day, it’s more about individual genetics and experimenting with what works for your body type – and it also depends on the kind of look you want! If you love a ripped, muscular look, definitely take the same approach as the guys and if you want a softer look, cut down on the big weights and do more cardio, functional circuits and flexibility workouts. I personally don’t like to look too ripped in the abdominal region – been there, done that and I didn’t really like the look of it on me, so I gained a few kilos and changed my approach. Each to her own!

 

WF Mag: What’s your fave abs move?

Libby: Fork put-downs… I mean it! Seriously though, when it comes to exercise, I prefer to think of the body as one system that looks and feels best when you work it as a whole, with full-body moves that have me lifting, rotating, bending, jumping and shifting in multiple directions. That said, I do still love a cheeky ab/core workout – most girls just can’t resist them! I love plank variations for the deeper core muscles, boxing and rotating movements for my obliques and basic 45-degree or straight-leg crunches for those 6-pack muscles. I also love sprinting, skipping and dance cardio for HIIT work that torches calories and excess fat. Listen to your body and don’t over-train – the stress hormone, cortisol can wreak havoc with your hormones and actually encourage fat storage on your belly if you overdo it.

 

WF Mag: What abs moves shouldn’t you bother with?

Libby: Anything on a machine or piece of equipment you ordered online 😉

 

WF Mag: Are sit-ups bad for your neck or back?

Libby: They can definitely be bad for you if you get them wrong and to be honest, aren’t really necessary if the rest of your workout is on point. But if done correctly, crunches can be a useful tool to shape the abs, so here are a few tips to get them right;

• Make sure you’re not straining your neck or pulling it forward, it’s better to work with your arms crossed over your chest than behind your head to avoid the temptation to use momentum.
• If you do need to rest your neck in your hands, push your head back into your hands with just a little pressure to take the stress off your neck muscles.
• Pick a place on the ceiling and keep looking at it as you lift your shoulders and chest off the ground by flexing your abs to shorten the distance between your lower ribs and hips.

 

WF Mag: Advanced trick for helllloooo abs?

Libby: This may be a little controversial, but I’ve seen short-term intermittent fasting work wonders for a lot of women who’ve tried everything else and just need a little something extra to make their abs visible – I use it myself with really good results in the lead up to special events too.

Simply pick a few days each week to perform a 14-16 hour fast (no longer!). I make this really easy by eating dinner early at 5-6pm, then waiting until about 9am the next day to have breakfast. Try and do this on mornings you’re not working out early, so you don’t overly stress your system.

And a little warning: only try intermittent fasting under medical supervision, and if you are not an obsessive personality. It’s a subtle art and requires you to monitor your health, wellbeing and mindset along the journey. It’s easy to go too far if you’re not sensible about it.

 

The BUF Girls; our ab-netics (that’s ab-genetics hehe)

We have the full genetic spectrum in the BUF Girls, when it comes to abs. It’s interesting because we’re all super fit, eat clean food and train just hard enough, on a consistent basis. We barely drink booze, stick to a max of one coffee a day and mix up our workouts. But here’s how our abs roll…

Leash – no matter what size Leash’s body is, she’s always got abs! A typical pear-shaped body type with a super ripped upper bod and a curvy bottom half, Leash rocks abs and a teeny-tiny waist year round.

Libby – an athletic, square-shaped body that’s straight up-and-down, with plenty of natural muscle. Something like a two-and-a-half pack when it comes to abs! There are definitely a few on show but those bottom two only peep out when body fat drops dramatically… at which point skin goes spotty and cycle stops completely. Hmm… maybe stick with the two-pack!

Cassey – an hourglass figure with softly defined abs; not ripped but certainly a flat, sleek tummy shape. This is something she’s had to really work for over a few dedicated years – and the hard work has paid off!

Sian – talk about legs for days and a super-toned booty! Sian’s a dancer and her legs are always lean, with a strong core being super critical to her movement, so there’s lots of planking and core strength work each week. Sian doesn’t have ripped abs and says because of her genes, it’s unlikely she ever will unless she ditches dance and takes up body building (which will NEVER happen if we know anything about this girl!) but she certainly does have a beautiful, lean, strong and flexible shape that she (and we!) love.

 

Happy six-pack hunting girls… or not. Either way we hope you know you’re just gorgeous as you are, and you don’t actually need abs on show to be sexy, or healthy!