The process of getting a six-pack involves reducing body fat and building strong abdominal muscles. To have six packs, there is a maximum amount of fat you should have in your body.
The first step to getting a six-pack is reducing your body fat so the abdominal muscles can be revealed.
In this article, we will explain how our ‘How Long Does it Take to Get a Six-Pack Calculator’ can help you to determine how long it may take to achieve your six-pack dream.
How much Fat should you have in your body to get abs as a Woman?
There are several opinions about the percentage of fat a woman needs to have for her abs to be visible. Here are some prominent findings.
A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that female athletes with visible abs had an average body fat percentage of 15.3%. While another review article published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, claims women need to have a body fat percentage of around 16-20% to achieve visible abs.
The American Council on Exercise agrees with the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research recommending that women need to have a body fat percentage of around 16-19% to achieve visible abs.
For this calculator, women can set a body fat goal of between 14% to 19%.
But this is not the case for men.
How much Fat should you have in your body to get a six-pack as a Man?
To obtain a well-defined six-pack as a man one crucial factor to consider is your body fat percentage. The amount of body fat you carry significantly affects the visibility of your abdominal muscles.
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, men need to have a body fat percentage of around 6% to have visible abs.
Another study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine claims that men need to have a body fat percentage of around 10-12% to have visible abs.
In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, men need to have a body fat percentage of around 8-10% to have visible abs.
For this calculator, we have allowed a range of 6% to 15%.
How can Body Fat be Calculated?
Generally, there are different methods and formulas for calculating body fat. Some of which are:
1. The Use of Body Fat Scales
Body fat scales make use of a low-level electrical current that passes through the body to estimate body fat percentage. The electrical current measures the resistance encountered as it travels through different tissues, including fat, muscle, and water. By analyzing the impedance data, the scale calculates an estimated body fat percentage. While body fat scales are convenient and easily accessible, their accuracy can vary.
2. Skinfold Calipers
Skinfold calipers are a widely used tool to measure body fat percentage. This method involves using specialized calipers to pinch and measure the thickness of skinfold folds at specific sites on the body, such as the triceps, abdomen, midaxilla, and others. These measurements are then plugged into an equation to estimate body fat percentage.
3. Body Fat Calculators
Lastly, the use of body fat formulas. Various body fat formulas are available that estimate body fat percentage based on factors such as height, weight, age, and gender. These formulas, often derived from research studies, provide a simple and accessible way to estimate body fat levels. For example, on this site, we have a Body Fat Calculator that uses the US Navy Formula. The US Navy formula has been seen to be the most accurate. You can estimate your body fat percentage, with the calculator here.
How Long Does it Take to Lose Weight?
How long it takes to lose weight can vary greatly from person to person. Several factors come into play, including starting weight, caloric deficit, diet and nutrition, physical activity, and individual characteristics.
Your weight during the time you want to start your weight loss journey is an important consideration when determining the duration of weight loss.
Secondly, you have to create a caloric deficit. This means consuming fewer calories than your current body weight needs for daily activities as the size of the caloric deficit will affect the rate of weight loss.
Also, you’ll have to incorporate regular physical activity into your routine to accelerate weight loss. If you follow a balanced and nutrient-dense diet that includes a variety of whole foods, your weight loss journey just got easier too.
Due to individual genetics, hormones, and even age and gender, it’s best to focus on your journey and not compare yourself with others. While we are aware that you might be keen on losing weight as fast as possible, it’s best to follow the speculated amount of weight that should be lost to avoid negative effects on you.
So, you must remember that the journey is unique to each individual and may take longer than expected. With patience, consistency, and discipline, however, a six-pack can be achieved.
What is the Safe amount of Weight to Lose per Week?
About determining a safe and healthy rate of weight loss, reputable organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provide valuable guidelines. These organizations emphasize the importance of sustainable weight loss to promote overall health and well-being. Let’s explore their recommendations:
According to the CDC, a safe rate of weight loss is generally considered to be 1-2 pounds per week. This gradual approach allows for consistent progress and helps to ensure that weight loss primarily comes from fat rather than muscle loss. Losing weight at a moderate pace also reduces the risk of nutrient deficiencies and other adverse health effects associated with rapid weight loss.
The AHA and NHLBI echo the CDC’s recommendations, suggesting that aiming for a weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is a realistic and sustainable goal. They emphasize that a slow and steady approach is more likely to result in long-term success and maintenance of weight loss.
How Does the How Long Does it Take to Get a Six-Pack Calculator Work?
First Step: Calculate Body Fat Percentage
In the calculator, you can easily input your body fat percentage if you know it. If not, the calculator can do that for you by requesting your age, height (feet and inches), neck circumference (feet and inches), waist circumference (feet and inches), weight (pounds), and hip size (inches).
We use the Navy Body Fat Calculation formula to determine your body fat percentage. Here’s the formula for male: 86.010 x log10 (abdomen – neck) – 70.041 x log10 (height) + 36.76. For females: 163.205 x log10 (waist + hip – neck) – 97.684 x log10 (height) – 78.387 [10].
Second Step: Set a Goal
To set your goals, all you need to do is input them in the areas provided. As we’ve stated earlier, we follow the per week body weight loss recommendations of (CDC) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (AHA) the American Heart Association, and (NHLBI) the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute which is one to two pounds per week. You can decide to change that using the slider however you like.
There are different goals for males and females. While men could go as low as 6% of body fat in their weight loss journey, women can’t. For the female body, we recommend 16%. We can’t diminish the facts that they are general guidelines provided by medical bodies and are not cast in stone.
Result
After carefully entering your goals, the calculator tells you how much weight you should lose. It does that by providing the estimated number of months (s), days, and weeks.
You should remember this is an estimate, it may take more or less days because of other factors which we’ve discussed above.
You should as well take note that the time is usually rounded up, for example, if the number of weeks calculated is 5.4, we will suggest 6 weeks.
Cheers to Abs
Remember that the ‘How Long Does it Take to Get a Six-Pack Calculator’ is just for estimation. The success you achieve will be dependent on how committed you are, and your specific body composure.
We wish you success in your abs-building adventure.