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Many of us believe that six-pack abs are only meant for the genetically blessed.
But the truth is, everyone is technically capable of getting abs because we all have ab muscles naturally, it requires time, discipline, and hard work to reveal them.
Curious how long it will take you to uncover your abs?
Here is roughly how many weeks, months, or years you’ll need to dedicate to the process to get abs. Plus, expert advice on how to adjust your eating and workouts to see your abs faster.
How to Get Six-Pack Abs
Technically, everyone is capable of getting six-pack abs because we all are born with this particular muscle.
Some of us just have a bit more belly fat than others which can cover them up. And based on genetics, health conditions, and lifestyle factors, losing this fat can be incredibly challenging for some and easier for others.
Doing ab exercises can help strengthen and sharpen your ab muscles, but the only way to get abs is to lose belly fat and reveal them.
It is also important to understand that “having abs” isn’t the right motivation for everyone, and a good-looking core doesn’t mean you are automatically healthy.
Achieving and maintaining a six-pack is no easy feat. Even some of the most shredded, in-shape athletes in the world fluctuate between having a ripped core and a less defined midsection throughout the seasons because that is how their physique naturally fluctuates.
Changes in water weight, muscle mass, hormones, stress, lifestyle, etc. can all impact your ability to maintain visible abs
If you find it incredibly hard to maintain a leaner body fat percentage or the discipline required to achieve abs, it might not be the healthiest lifestyle for you.
What % Body Fat Percentage is Needed to Reveal Your Abs?
Having a six-pack requires a leaner physique - typically within the athletic range.
The body fat percentage needed to see your pack of abdominal muscles falls somewhere around 14 to 20% for women and 6 to 13% for men.
However, the ideal body fat percentage for abs can look slightly different per person, depending on how you carry weight, where you typically store fat, and your fitness routine.
Some will see their abdominal muscles at a higher percentage, while others may need to cut further to achieve a shredded look and show their abdominal muscles.
| Healthy Body Fat Percentage | ||
|
Description |
Male |
Female |
| Athlete | 6-13% | 14-20% |
| Fitness | 14-17% | 21-24% |
| Average | 18-24% | 25-31% |
| Above Average | >25% | >32% |
How to Get Lean
Getting lean means losing fat and this almost always means weight loss.
It is possible for some people to reveal their pack of abdominal muscles without losing weight just by changing their body composition, however, this is likely only possible for already lean individuals who do not have a lot of belly fat to lose. Additionally, recomping can be a really slow and challenging process.
Fat is a form of stored energy. When you eat a surplus of calories, your body stores this energy for use later - typically as fat.
And when food calories aren’t readily available for fuel, such as in between meals, while sleeping, working out, or any time during fasting, you utilize some stored energy to support your needs.
When you burn more calories than you consume (calorie deficit), this results in a negative fat balance and ultimately fat loss. And when you eat more than you burn, this results in weight gain. Thus, focusing on total fat loss or weight loss is required to reveal your abdominal muscles.
So in order to get lean, you need to:
- Reduce your total daily calorie intake from foods and beverages
- Increase your calorie burn through movement or exercise
- Stay consistent
How Long Does it Take to Lose Belly Fat?
When cutting calories, most people can expect to lose roughly 0.5 to 1% of their weight each week, which translates to a 1-2% decrease in fat per month.
Of course, you will also see changes in water weight and likely reduce some muscle mass in the process, so the scale isn’t the best indicator of how well you’re doing.
A body composition analysis test is the easiest way to determine your body fat percentage from the start and track your changes in fat storage over time.
Whatever you do, don’t try to rush the process. Starving yourself and working out for hours on end to see results quickly is only going to set you up for failure right from the start. Choose an approach that is easy to maintain long-term and be patient.
You can help speed up the process by trying to build muscle at the same time by incorporating some strength training into your abs fitness routine.
Lean muscle supports your metabolism and makes it a bit easier to burn fat without having to go hungry.
And remember, getting abs won't happen overnight, and how long it really takes to reach your goals depends on how focused and consistent you can be.
Don't focus on being perfect, aim to be patient and consistent.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Six Pack for Men?
Here's the approximate amount of time it will take to reveal your abs based on the body composition starting palace for men. (Based on achieving a goal of 10% BF). Plus, expert advice on how to adjust your eating and workouts to see your abs faster.
Over 25% Body Fat: 1 to 2 years to see your abs
If you fall within this range, it may take you multiple years to lose enough fat to uncover your abs. It can be easy to feel discouraged at this level, but with enough time and patience, you will eventually get visible abs.
Recommended Approach
Focus heavily on your mindset by staying positive, motivated, and realistic about your approach. Be kind to yourself, embrace failure, take your time, and find a way to love the process. The more you take care of yourself and enjoy the journey, the easier it will be to stick with it long-term.
Don't try to change everything all at once! It’s the small changes that will make the biggest impact - find what works for you by adjusting and reevaluating as you go.
Start with your nutrition, as this has the biggest impact on your success. Core exercises are great, but maintaining a calorie deficit is crucial.
Learn the basics of healthy eating and how to eat for weight loss. Learn which healthy foods match your food preferences and start paying attention to your portion sizes by logging your intake every day. Over time you will start to see patterns in your eating behavior and understand more clearly what behaviors are holding you back or propelling your forward.
Resources and Tools:
- How to Start Eating Healthy
- Best Foods for Weight Loss
- Losing 50 Pounds or More
- How Many Calories to Eat
- Menu Planning and Portion Guide
- 12-Week Workout Plan
- How to Stop Stress Eating
- Motivation Strategies to Try
Between 18-25% Body Fat: 6 months to 1 year to see your abs
If you fall within this range, visible abs can be achieved within a year, but your journey will still require lots of patience and consistency.
Recommended Approach
Take your time and focus on long-term progress by breaking bad habits and building healthier ones instead. This will help ensure you create a lifestyle shift that will stick around and help you maintain your results.
Then create a plan you can stick to for 6 months to a year by starting small with one or two achievable goals at a time and keep building. It might require some adjusting as you go, so get comfortable with slip-ups and mistakes - they are part of getting better!
Find the diet and types of workouts that you enjoy and can stick to - this is typically the meal plan that has the types of foods you enjoy eating on a regular basis. Then learn your unique calorie and macro ranges and aim to stay within these goals consistently by tracking your food and beverage consumption daily.
Resources and Tools:
- How to Break Bad Habits
- Healthy Habits to Try
- Best Diet for Me Quiz
- Custom Macro Calculator
- How to Count Macros
- How to Portion Food to Fit Your Macros
- 12 Week Workout Plan
- How to Stay Motivated to Workout
Between 14-18% Body Fat: 3 to 6 months to see your abs
If you fall within this range, you can get abs in a matter of months. But keeping your results around will require a positive mindset and bulletproof routines that you can stick with for the long haul.
Recommended Approach
Build healthy rituals and focus on taking more control over your nutrition with meal prep. This will help you hit your calorie and macro goals more easily.
Include lots of nutrient-dense whole foods, and aim to get plenty of protein, and tailor your remaining macro intake based on your exercise needs.
Then track everything you eat and drink to make sure you are staying on target.
When it comes to your workouts, you'll want to keep your regime challenging by increasing the weight, and intensity, and/or changing things up as needed.
Resources and Tools:
- Best Macros for Cutting
- High Protein Foods
- High Protein Snacks
- How Many Times to Eat a Day
- How to Meal Prep
- Meal Prep Toolkit
- Meal Prep Recipes
- Nutrient-Dense Foods
- 12-Week Workout Plan
Less than 14% Body Fat: 1 to 3 months to see your abs
If you fall within this range, you likely don't need to drop a lot of pounds to achieve abs and your approach may be more about cleaning up your eating habits and amping up your training.
Recommended Approach
Focus on dialing in your nutrition. At this stage, it is all about staying disciplined and on top of your diet and fitness - small bites and sips can really add up here.
You can add precision by using meal prep for the majority of your meals. Consider measuring your food portions with a scale or measuring cups and spoons to be as accurate with your macros as possible.
You don't need to starve yourself, but you will likely need to adjust your calorie and macros for 4 to 12 weeks. Cut back on eating out, skip the booze, and limit your cheat meals as much as possible.
For your workouts, be consistent and keep things challenging. You can add in more core excise movements to help sharpen and define your abs.
You'll also want to keep self-care top of mind by focusing on sleep and reducing stress where necessary.
Resources and Tools:
- Best Macros for Cutting
- Is Starvation Mode Real?
- How to Diet Without Going Hungry
- Ab Workouts
- Meal Prep Toolkit
- 12 Week Workout Plan
- Alcohol Guide
- Mindfulness Exercises
How Long Does it Take to Get a Six Pack for Women?
Here’s approximately how long it will take to reveal your abs based on the body composition starting palace for women. (Based on achieving a goal of 17% BF). Plus, expert advice on how to adjust your eating and workouts to see your abs faster.
Over 30% Body Fat: 1 to 2 years to see your abs
If you fall within this range, you're in this for the long haul. It may take you multiple years to uncover your abs, but this is no reason to give up or feel discouraged. Mindset is everything at this stage!
Recommended Approach
Focus heavily on your mindset by building a strong “why”, practicing self-love, and not trying to change everything all at once. Be kind to yourself, embrace failure, and find a way to love the process. The more you take care of yourself and enjoy the journey, the more successful you’ll be long term.
Don't try to change everything all at once! Make small changes and find what works for you by adjusting and reevaluating as you go.
Put the most emphasis on your nutrition, as this has the biggest impact on your success. Core exercises are great, but maintaining a calorie deficit is the most crucial component.
Learn the basics of healthy eating and how to eat for weight loss. Learn which healthy foods match your food preferences and start paying attention to your portion sizes by logging your intake every day. Over time you will start to see patterns in your eating behavior and understand more clearly what behaviors are holding you back or propelling your forward.
Resources and Tools:
- How to Start Eating Healthy
- How to Practice Self Love
- Best Foods for Weight Loss
- Losing 50 Pounds or More
- How Many Calories to Eat
- Menu Planning and Portion Guide
- 12 Week Workout Plan
- How to Stop Stress Eating
- Motivation Strategies to Try
Between 25-30% Body Fat: 6 months to 1 year to see your abs
If you fall within this range, visible abs can be achieved within a year, but the process will still require lots of patience and consistency.
Recommended Approach
Don't try and rush it. Focus on long-term success by breaking bad habits and building healthier ones instead. This will help ensure you create a lifestyle shift that will stick around and help you maintain your abs.
Create a solid plan or system you can stick to for 6 months to a year. Choose one or two small, achievable goals at a time and keep building. It might require some adjusting as you go, so get comfortable with slip-ups and mistakes - they are part of getting better!
Find the diet and types of workouts that you enjoy and can stick to - this is typically the plan that has the types of foods you enjoy eating on a regular basis. Then learn your unique calorie and macro ranges and aim to stay within these goals consistently by tracking your food and beverage consumption daily.
Resources and Tools:
- How to Break Bad Habits
- Healthy Habits to Try
- Best Diet for Me Quiz
- Custom Macro Calculator
- How to Count Macros
- How to Portion Food to Fit Your Macros
- 12 Week Workout Plan
- How to Stay Motivated to Workout
Between 20-25% Body Fat: 3 to 6 months to see your abs
If you fall within this range, you can achieve abs in a matter of months. But keeping your results around will require a positive mindset and bulletproof routines that you can stick with for years to come.
Recommended Approach
Focus on taking more control over your nutrition with weekly food prep. This will help you hit your calorie and macro goals more easily.
Find recipes you enjoy that save you time and help you hit your daily macros. Include lots of nutrient-dense whole foods, and increase your protein intake.
Then Track everything you eat and drink to make sure you are staying on target.
You’ll also want to keep your fitness regime challenging. Don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights and add in high-intensity training a couple of times a week.
Resources and Tools:
- Best Macros for Cutting
- High Protein Foods
- High Protein Snacks
- How Many Times to Eat a Day
- How to Meal Prep
- Meal Prep Toolkit
- Meal Prep Recipes
- Nutrient-Dense Foods
- 12 Week Workout Plan
Less than 20% Body Fat: 1 to 3 months to see your abs
If you fall within this range, you likely don't need to drop a lot of pounds to get abs, but your nutrition becomes extra crucial.
Recommended Approach
Depending on your body composition analysis, you may not have very much fat to lose and your approach may be more about cleaning up your eating habits and amping up your training.
Prep the majority of your meals and consider measuring your food portions with a scale or measuring cups and spoons.
You can add precision by using meal prep for the majority of your meals. Consider measuring your food portions with a scale or measuring cups and spoons to be as accurate with your macros as possible.
You don't need to starve yourself, but you will likely need to adjust your calorie and macros for 4 to 12 weeks. Cut back on eating out, skip the booze, and limit your cheat meals as much as possible.
For your workouts, be consistent and keep things challenging. You can add in more core excise movements to help sharpen and define your abs.
You'll also want to keep self-care top of mind by focusing on sleep and reducing stress where necessary.
Resources and Tools:
- Best Macros for Cutting
- Is Starvation Mode Real?
- How to Diet Without Going Hungry
- Ab Workouts
- Meal Prep Toolkit
- 12 Week Workout Plan
- Alcohol Guide
- Mindfulness Exercises
How to Track Your Progress
Tracking your food intake and workouts is one of the best ways to ensure you are staying on top of your nutrition and fitness goals, but you should also track your results. This means logging your daily weight, using progress photos, and checking in with your body composition every now and then to make sure you are seeing the numbers move in the right direction and your abs start showing.
You will notice daily weight fluctuations with changes in water retention, lean tissue, food intake, etc. This is completely normal and will get easier to account for the more you track and pay attention.
We often expect fat loss to be a linear process but in reality, the process of losing body fat and seeing your abs is full of highs and lows. Pay attention to the overall trend instead of day-to-day pounds.
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Progress photos can also be helpful. Because changes can be subtle and take time, it's hard to see just how much is transforming when you are looking in the mirror every day. But if you take a progress photo every so often for comparison, you'll be amazed at how far you've come.
Take a daily progress pic to see your pack of abdominal muscles emerge right before your eyes.
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Lastly, one of the most accurate ways to track your results is through a body composition analysis. But this only works if you get one done at the start of your transformation for comparison.
Track your food intake, take progress photos, and stay on top of your progress with the free Trifecta App.
How Long Should You Be Dieting For to Get Abs?
Diets are hard and oftentimes don't set us up for long-term success because we think of them in time periods that will eventually end. But as soon as you get off your diet and go back to your old habits, you can assume your old results will return.
So instead of yo-yo dieting or jumping from one diet to the next, think of it as a lifestyle change. Find the meal plan and healthy habits you enjoy and want to stick with long term. Not only will the process be more enjoyable, but your results will stick around.
Get abs and stay on top of your nutrition with the same food top athletes rely on with Trifecta meal prep delivery. No more meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, or wasting time. Pick and choose your favorite, already cooked proteins, grains, and veggies, and hit your macros perfectly with our fully customizable meal prep plan.
