21 Cheat Sheets For Getting Superhero Abs

Exercise routines, diet tips, and recipes for people who want a shredded midsection.

So you want six-pack abs.

As BuzzFeed Health has reported, getting those abs to pop is about way more than doing a zillion crunches, or even lightly keeping an eye on your diet. It's actually a lot more labor-intensive, requiring most people to follow a careful diet (aimed at losing or managing body fat) and challenging their core and the rest of their body with exercise. That's a lot. To make it a little more doable, here are some cheat sheets to help you with ab-centric diet and exercise.

1. For when you're cutting down on carbs to lose body fat:

Tashween Ali / Via buzzfeed.com

Getting shredded abs is no joke; it takes a pretty strict regimen, including careful eating to lose or manage body fat. People with six-pack abs spend a lot of time making sure they're eating the amount of carbs, protein, and fat that correspond with their body composition goals, which can entail a lot of shopping, cooking, and portioning out foods for meals and snacks. Why not make it a little easier on yourself?

2. For when you're trying to squeeze in a quick ab-burning workout during the day:

Jenny Chang / Via buzzfeed.com

Make some space in your living room and easily get this workout in right before you take a shower.

3. For when you're looking for a doable program that will push you and help you keep long-term goals:

Jon Premosch / Chris Ritter / Via buzzfeed.com

It can be really hard to keep yourself accountable when setting long-term goals, so that's where BuzzFeed's Strong Core Challenge comes in.

4. For a high-intensity, total-body workout that could burn some serious calories:

Photos by Lauren Zaser for BuzzFeed / Design by Chris Ritter for BuzzFeed / Via buzzfeed.com

If you're goal is to burn body fat, it's beneficial to do high-intensity workouts, as opposed to doing longer sessions of low- to moderate-intensity cardio. Here are more high-intensity workouts for you to bookmark.

5. For when you need some useful hacks for lower-carb eating:

Under Armour / Via blog.myfitnesspal.com

Here are a few things you should know before you decide to limit your carb intake.

6. And for visually understanding what carb portion sizes even look like and how they fit into your overall meal:

bodybuilding.com

It can be tough to manage your portion sizes, especially when you're exercising more and your appetite has increased.

7. For a quick Pilates workout that targets your core:

greatist.com

Because basically everything in Pilates targets your core.

8. For a learning how to cook — and actually eat — way more vegetables:

kidspot.com.au

Voluntarily filling your plate with vegetables can be hard. But knowing how to properly cook them will make it a whole lot more enjoyable. Here are some delicious ways you can sneak more vegetables into your meals.

9. For when you're serious about full-body strength training, which, btw, helps with ab definition.

Lixia Guo / BuzzFeed News / Via buzzfeed.com

Full-body strength training will increase muscle overall, which will improve your metabolism and help reduce body fat, helping with ab definition. Here's more info on that.

Try starting with 10 minutes of each workout above, then progressively add to your time each week. You can find the full 30-day workout plan here.

10. For a meal plan that will help maximize the results of your workouts:

Jenny Chang / Via buzzfeed.com

You can work out all you want, but you're not going to see results if your diet isn't also aimed at your goals. You can go here for more info on what to eat before and after specific workouts.

11. And for not letting added sugars sneak into your diet:

coconutsandkettlebells.com

Sugar goes by SO many different names, so bookmark this list for when you're scanning nutrition labels.

12. For working on your core stability and learning how the hell to use a Swiss ball:

fitwirr.com

A Swiss ball is great for taking any basic bodyweight or weightlifting exercise and making it more challenging, working specifically on your core stability.

13. For high-protein foods that could help you build more muscle:

fitwirr.com

Protein is incredibly necessary for getting ripped abs because it's vital to building muscle and keeping you full and satiated throughout the day — here's more on that.

Here are some high-protein breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for you to try.

14. For a quick core workout you can do in between Netflix episodes.

infitinhealth.com

So much more interesting than bunches of crunches.

15. For an easy way to make bland foods taste delicious:

cooksmarts.com

Trying to get more ab definition can mean limiting delicious stuff like sauces and condiments with added sugar or a lot of fat, which might make your meals sad and plain. Stock up on seasonings so you can make eating healthy flavorful.

16. For a kettlebell routine that will make your entire body feel the burn:

womanista.com

Make sure you use a weight you're confident with and concentrate on pulling off proper form.

17. For putting together a salad that actually tastes good:

health.clevelandclinic.org

Salads are a great lower-carb way to get all the nutrients you need.

18. For when you need new exercises to keep your ab routine fresh:

Lauren Zaser / Justine Zweibel / Via buzzfeed.com

Because there are so many more exercises that work your abs than just sit-ups.

19. For an easy, healthy, make-ahead lunch you can take on the go:

lexiscleankitchen.com

Packing your lunch can help you make healthier decisions throughout the day — as well as save you money. Here are some other healthy lunch ideas for people who can't stand salads.

20. For different ways to make a high-protein meal or snack out of eggs:

Photos by Lauren Zaser/ Graphics by Chris Ritter/ / Via buzzfeed.com

One large egg has 72 calories, 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and less than 1 gram of carbs, making it a great go-to if you're trying to eat low-carb.

21. For a butt-kicking medicine-ball finisher that will make your abs cry:

bloglovin.com

Choose a weight you feel comfortable with and complete this routine at the end of your workout.