Why Your Abs Are Not Visible

Visible and sculpted abdominal muscles are more than good to look at. A ripped set of abs can also make us feel more confident about our own bodies. There is also the benefit of having a stronger core, which is associated with better athletic performance, improved posture, and better breathing.

Getting them to show, however, is not always easy. It involves more than training your abdominals, as there are a number of factors that can affect their visibility. It is important to know what hinders their reveal to figure out what you can do to uncover your abs. Here are the reasons you can’t see your abs.

You have excess body fat.

Your abs will not show through if you have excess fat covering the abdominal area. Hours of sit-ups, crunches, and other ab exercises won’t do so much if your muscles are hidden beneath layers of subcutaneous fat. You need to clean up your diet and maintain a regular fitness routine to unearth your abs. 

You focus on ab exercises.

While crunches and sit-ups can help tone your abdomen, they won’t do so much in reducing body fat. This is because spot reduction or targeting specific areas is ineffective and does not work. Compound exercises or those that involve different body parts (such as squats, push-ups, hip hinges) can help you burn more fat and calories.

Your genes are partly to blame. 

Although being consistent can take you further in getting the body you want, it is not the same for all of us. Genetics play a role in the look and visibility of your abs, as well as your body type and ability to lose weight. If you’re one of those who need to work harder, you just have to be consistent until you reach your body goals.

You’re too stressed.

High levels of stress prompt the release of cortisol, which too much of contributes to weight gain. Elevated levels of cortisol, moreover, hinder fat loss, as they increase your appetite and cause cravings for salty, fatty, and sugary foods. These hormones are also catabolic, which can make it difficult for the body to build muscles.

You overtrain your abdominal area. 

Even though the goal is to get visible abs, you don’t need to train your abdominal area every single day. Just like any other muscle, they need a break too to grow and recover. Two to three times a week of abdominal training is ideal. And as previously mentioned, you can also benefit from other routines that target different muscle groups.

You don’t focus on building muscles. 

If you want to uncover your abs, you need to lift (heavier) weights to build muscles. You need to tire or fatigue your muscles and limit rest periods between 60 to 90 seconds. If you’re new to strength training, start smaller and work your way up. Lifting exercises also should be paired with muscle-building foods like protein. 

What can help: ZField Dual

If you’re at your ideal weight but still have non-existent abs, an aesthetic treatment like ZField Dual is worth considering. This non-invasive body shaping device uses electromagnetic energy to induce involuntary muscle contractions. It can turn flabby areas of the body like the abdominal area into toned muscles without intense workouts.

ZField Dual features two applicators that emit electromagnetic pulses. It generates a strong inductive field, enabling about 27,000 muscle contractions in a single treatment. Exposure to these contractions helps strengthen the muscles, as well as shape and sculpt the body without intense workouts. This nonsurgical treatment can help with:

• Achieving visible abs or a sculpted abdomen 
• Non-invasive buttocks lifting (for a firmer and fuller appearance)
• Fat burning and muscle building
• Targeting the abdomen with a 30-minute ab treatment equivalent to thousands of sit-ups 
• Improving diastasis recti or the partial separation of abdominal muscles (common after pregnancy)

ZField Dual is designed to strengthen abdominal and gluteal muscles. However, it can treat other areas, such as the arms, thighs, lower back, and calves. Ideal candidates are those with less than 2 inches of pinch in their abdomens. A consultation with an aesthetic doctor will let you know if you’re a good candidate.

You may also be glad to know that ZField Dual is virtually pain-free. It has no side effects or tissue damage, except to the fat cells through cell death and lipolysis. You can also combine it with other fat reduction procedures like ZLipo fat freezing, which uses cooling temperature to target, kill, and eliminate fat cells. 

Schedule a consultation and body assessment today

Get help in achieving your dream figure with ZField Dual. Contact Cutis Medical Laser Clinics in Singapore today and schedule a consultation with our aesthetic doctor to learn more about this procedure and our other nonsurgical body shaping treatments.