Flat Abs Myth: Why Calories Don’t Count

It’s easy to get caught up in the latest, greatest, newest or trendiest ‘flat abs’ fad. The only catch is that it’s pretty confusing to keep up with them all…and that’s without questioning whether the new trick you might be trying actually works.

One of the things we’ve tried to do with this blog is keep it simple.

Having a flat belly does take a bit of work so a large part of our goal has been to try and make that job easier for you. Exercise, nutrition, stress, hormones, lifestyle – they’re all equally important – not only to your flat belly goals, but to your greater health and wellbeing.

One simple rule…

One the simplest, most successfully tried and tested flat ab rules however is the ‘energy in’ versus ‘energy out’ rule.

What this means is simply that if you consume less energy (from food) than what you expend (burn off from exercise, movement, daily life), then you’ll be a lean, mean, ripped ab machine in no time.

It sounds pretty easy doesn’t it? So why doesn’t this work for everyone?

Maybe you’re someone who does all the ‘right’ things, eats ‘healthy’ foods, hits the gym every night and but you just can’t seem to beat the bulge. It’s frustrating, confusing and annoying, isn’t it?

Here’s what they didn’t tell you about energy in vs energy out rule:

The first thing you need to know is that the basic concept is sound. If you expend more energy than what you consume you will lose weight…but here’s where it gets interesting.

1 - How do you define energy? Is it a calorie?

Try counting the calories you eat and weighing them up against the alleged calories burnt on different gym machines. Not much fun, and I bet it doesn’t work. There’s no accounting for how much muscle mass you have – which is actually what dictates how much energy you burn while exercising, as well as after.

What you see on the treadmill or read in a magazine basically means nothing. Energy in vs energy out isn’t about calories.

2 - The way your body uses a calorie from food is completely unique.

What does this mean? Just because fat has 9 calories per gram and carbohydrate 4, does not mean that eating carbs rather than fat is the way to go. For some people, a high calorie diet, rich in natural proteins and fats, will actually keep them lean. Others will look and feel their best on a comparatively low calorie diet, dominant in fruits, salads and grains. Pretty confusing! But simple to figure out.

Your individual nutritional needs are determined by your body and your body’s needs alone. One way that helps you determine this is by finding out your metabolic type.

3 - The amount of energy (body fat) you will expend is determined by your overall health.

Good health is a reflection of balance. So if you’re:

• Very stressed
• Not sleeping enough
• Sleeping too much
• Under or over exercising
• Just having a bad day,

…then you might have an excess of stress hormones coursing through your body. This means your body will hold onto fat regardless of how you eat or exercise. Just another reason to take some serious time out over the festive season.

So what does this all mean ?

Energy in vs energy out is still a great rule to follow. The main thing I want you to keep in mind is that you are unique. What works for your training buddy or partner may not work for you. Listen to your body, try to work hard but also rest hard, and remember that low calories and long training sessions are not necessarily the answer.