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If you’re one of the couple billion people currently using social media, you’re likely aware that six-pack abs are a highly coveted physical attribute in the world of health and fitness.
It’s virtually impossible to avoid being bombarded with “fitspo” images promoting perky butts and flat stomachs, or praising “pushing through the pain” to get a better looking body. The pursuit of health perfectionism has become an obsession, and a thin waistline adorned with six-pack abs is at the forefront.
Although the visual achievement doesn’t correspond with increased functionality, having a well-defined rectus abdominus has become a symbol of health, strength, and success, and many equate its existence with certain physical and sexual appeal.
For years, having a six-pack was the end-goal of any sort of movement I put my body through. While I eventually developed a greater passion for fitness, my underlying motivation was always to shrink my waistline, flatten my stomach, and obtain a more chiseled core.
Every day, I went to battle with my physique. Gaining pronounced abdominals promised to provide fulfillment, silence my insecurities, and most importantly, I would finally fit the mold of attractiveness as defined by the world around me.
In the end, chasing a body shaped by conventional standards of attraction and achieving my ideal midsection turned out to be a long and dangerous road – and led to hormonal, emotional, and physical issues, which took me years to overcome.
Now that I’m driven by what’s right for my body, not by what’s attractive according to social norms, I don’t give a damn about having six-pack abs. This isn’t because six-pack abs are inherently bad or unhealthy, it’s because the pursuit and achievement of six-pack abs was bad and unhealthy for me. Let me explain.
Why I Don’t Want Six-Pack Abs
1. They serve no functional purpose.
Having a visible six-pack serves no functional purpose for the human body. This is because defined abdominal muscles are usually the result of extraordinary leanness, not increased functionality and strength. While having a strong, stable core is most definitely necessary to support the body – it doesn’t have to be visible to function properly.
For me, achieving a six-pack was detrimental to my overall strength because of the tremendous effort it took reduce my body fat percentage. Genetically, I am not a “very lean” individual (my booty has been where it’s at since puberty), and becoming that way required eating too little, and working out too much. As a result, I suffered from chronic injuries because I trained intensely without proper recovery or rest.
This isn’t to say that very lean individuals will automatically have six-pack abs, as training is absolutely necessary for abdominal wall definition. However, if your body isn’t genetically very lean like mine, forcing it body into this state can be unhealthy – and entirely miserable.
2. It won’t make me any healthier.
Because having a six-pack serves no functional purpose, it’s safe to assume it also doesn’t provide any added health benefits. There are plenty of healthy, fit and athletic men and women without a six-pack, many of whom are stronger and faster than those who sport abdominal definition. On the flip side, there are also people who have a six-pack, but are unhealthy and/or lack functional strength.
Of course, there are also many healthy, strong and vibrant individuals with a six-pack, but – the six-pack isn’t creating their health. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and is the result of positive inputs such as proper food, training, sleep and stress-reduction. For me, achieving the leanness needed to sport a six-pack compromised the state my health, and maintaining it represented the opposite of what I value about my health today.
3. I want to have my period.
In addition to being cold all the time and struggling with anxiety, I also lost my period while pursuing a six-pack. Amenorrhea, the absence of one or more menstrual periods, is typically caused by hormonal disturbances. Training too much, eating too little, and reducing my body weight eventually caused hypothalamic amenorrhea, a condition characterized by low levels of reproductive hormones needed to kick-start the menstrual cycle.
Because women are genetically designed to carry more body fat, having a “low” body weight can compromise reproduction function. While the root cause may have more to do with absolute energy balance, and the difference between intake (food) vs output (activity), for me, once my body weight dropped below my natural (not-so-super-lean) set point – my period disappeared. Because I value my body’s amazing capability to reproduce, getting lean and sporting a six-pack means just about nothing to me now in the grand scheme of things.
It’s important to note, you and I are not the same person. Genetically, some women are naturally very lean, and others are not. (Hi, that’s me!) Every woman has her own biochemical individuality, and there is no one body weight or set point that represents “health” for everyone.
4. I like to support my body with food.
To achieve the leanness needed see abdominal definition, I had to eat less food than my body required. As a result, I became obsessed with my food intake, and it was all I thought about every-second-of-the-day. I continually had to “coach” myself into eating less, and I avoided social situations that would potentially cause me to eat like a normal person.
Because I was eating below my necessary caloric needs, I didn’t recover well from my training, and I was much more prone to injury. I also went through bouts of depression and anxiety, and eventually developed major disordered eating tendencies that lasted for years.
Now that I have a healthy relationship with food and I’m absolutely in love with how it nourishes my body, nothing is worth returning to my former ways. Continuous food restriction meant going to combat with my body every day, and it eventually lead to a level of self-hatred that crippled my quality of life. Loving the way I look, what my body does for me, and not thinking twice about eating chocolate at 3pm is worth way more than anything a six-pack has to offer.
5. I dig my metabolism.
Metabolism refers to the anabolic (rebuilding) and catabolic (disassembling) reactions that occur in the body. Metabolism is fueled by the food we eat, because our body needs specific nutrients in order for these reactions to occur.
When nutrients are restricted or reduced below what is needed, the body downregulates overall metabolism to adapt to the intake. This beautiful survival mechanism allowed our ancestors to live when food was scarce. Unfortunately, for people who go on restrictive diets, this means any attempt to “unrestrict” food intake usually results in weight gain.
After drastically reducing my caloric intake for a period of time, I eventually stopped losing weight and thought I just need to run harder, eat better and practice more “willpower” to continue being successful. If I increased my food intake (usually due to excessive hunger), I gained weight instantaneously. Now, I am able to listen to my body, eat until I am full, and enjoy a treat every now and then – and I’ve maintained the same weight for years without thinking about it.
6. It’s a poor use of my time.
Achieving six-pack abs is not something that happens overnight. For the majority of people, having a defined abdominal wall takes a lot of work and sacrifice, and the same amount of dedication must be put into maintaining the look.
The amount of time I spent working out and focusing on food in order to change my body could have been put towards so many other incredibly productive outlets, like my career, volunteer work, spreading the love of Jesus – or actually dating. In fact, pursuing the lean dream is partly why I totally blew off Mr. Coconuts for a good five months before we finally started dating. Oddly enough, I was so focus on achieving a “perfect” body to become more attractive that I didn’t have time for people who actually found me attractive.
7. I have other fitness goals.
As we just established, achieving a six-pack takes a hella lot of work. In the past when abdominal definition was the end-goal, almost all of my fitness time was dedicated to becoming lean. This lead to a lot of “junk” miles and boring cardio workouts, and if I missed a workout – I felt guilty and worthless.
Now, I love my relationship with fitness. I workout when I feel healthy enough to, and I only do activities that I enjoy. This has resulted in accomplishing amazing things I never thought my broken body would be able to do, like dead-hang pull-ups and 200 lb deadlifts. I am healthier, stronger, and more fit than I’ve ever been before, and I have no interest in giving that up.
8. I don’t want more attention from people that only give you attention if you have a six pack.
While there are many reasons people desire to have a six-pack, at its core (pun intended), my desire for a six-pack was simply a desire for approval.
Despite having an amazing family, incredible friends, and supportive mentors, I felt it was necessary to achieve a body that would be undeniably attractive to all the people I perceived were judging me. If I looked like a bombshell, I thought I would officially gain some sort of “one-up” on the world around me.
I failed to connect the dots that the people I was working so hard to impress were people I had no interest in including in my life. Those who only found people with six-pack abs “worthy” of attention held none of the same values as I did, and in reality – their approval provided no fulfillment or meaning.
It wasn’t until I honestly answered the question “Who am I doing this for?” that I began to see things in a different light. For years, I convinced myself that pursing a six-pack was for my own health and happiness. Truth be told, I would have never been happy or satisfied with my appearance, and if I hadn’t sustained a serious injury that demanded I reevaluate my intentions – I would have spiraled into a deep dark hole of never good enough.
In reality – while most people find six-pack abs a “nice” feature, only 2% of people actually consider it a requirement of physical attractiveness. TWO PERCENT. So, the majority of men and women pursing a six-pack in order to become more “attractive” are doing so in hopes of becoming acceptable to the two percent of people who consider it a requirement of physical attractiveness.
Only 2% of people actually consider six-pack abs a requirement of physical attractiveness.Because I’m no longer interested in pleasing this two percent of people, and I personally don’t find six-pack abs a requirement of physical attractiveness, pursing a six-pack would be a complete waste of my time.
So you think six-pack abs are BAD?
To reiterate, I do not think six-pack abs are inherently bad or unhealthy. If you’re sportin’ a six-pack and have a vibrant, healthy body and outlook on life – keep at it! I dig your dedication and drive to take care of your temple. High-five!
For me, pursing a six-pack stole my health and happiness, and the significant amount of sacrifice it took to become lean provided little (if any) reward. I have found much more fulfillment in eating and training well, treating my body with love, and appreciating all the amazing things my body does for me each day.
So, next time you’re so inclined to “pin” an image adorned with six-pack abs designed to tell you “your body isn’t good enough unless it looks like this” – I challenge you to ask yourself, “Who am I doing this for?”
Keepin’ it human,
Erika says
Wow Noelle!! Thank you so much for keeping it real with this post and everything else that you have done for the health and fitness industry. I can relate to everything you’ve touched upon in this post, and I wish I had come across it sooner so that I could have avoided the mental pain and suffering that no one else seemed to be able to understand how to clear away. After asking myself, “Who am I doing this for?” I’ve realized that it is time for me to put an end to my restrictive, punishing ways in my approaches to nutrition and fitness, and to take this summer to focus on loving what my body DOES for me, rather than how it LOOKS to others. I love you so much and I hope you know that you’ve genuinely helped me and many others!
Ashton says
I just want to say that I can relate to everything you said and have had familiar experiences. I just started a blog about balanced living, and it is awesome to see some other people out there with the same views as me. It helps inspire me and thanks for posting!
Vicky says
Thank you so much for taking the time to write your story. This is an amazing article. After 20 years of yo-yo ing fitness/weight wise, I have recently eased up on the criticism and have been focusing on health. I was slumping today, though, but your article was a beautiful reminder. I will definitely re-read this when my brain wants to be psycho about being “perfect”.
Frank says
After reading your article I realized that you had put your life and your exercise obsessions on the road to anorexia. I am glad you were able to see clearly how this rigorous exercise program was affecting your personal life and developing bigger problems for you while you were trying to achieve the perfect body.
Anorexia is a subtle disorder and it doesn’t just happen overnight. But once you are trapped in a anorexic lifestyle it can take a long time to overcome it…and if you can’t overcome it it will ruin the rest of your life and even kill you.
I appreciated what you had to say in your article and it was well written. And I am glad your life is now filled with happiness and good health. When you have good health you have a good chunk of having everything. Thanks for sharing.
Noelle says
Hi Frank! Thanks for your thoughts! I actually wasn’t on the road to anorexia, although I was undereating and overexercising in hopes of changing my body. It’s a struggle MANY women deal with—obsessive dieting, trying to eat “clean” (sometimes referred to as orthorexia), and trying to train as much as possible. I thought my worth was somehow tied to my ability to eat perfectly and maintain a perfect workout plan, which drove my actions. While many women do deal with anorexia, which is a very serious eating disorder, all women who struggle with trying to eat clean and workout a lot are not anorexic.
Lauren says
LOVE this post, even if I am two+ years late to the party. You’re also an awesome writer, which helps get your point across. I love dispelling the myth that leanness = fitness. The two do NOT necessarily go hand-in-hand and you’ve vividly demonstrated that leanness can actually mean compromised health for some individuals. Bravo!!
vance says
I always wanted to get abs. and was always depressed of not seeing my abs. But seeing your prospective of abs made me feel a lot better. But you are right about abs are not the end of the world. We have other fitness goals. Thank you for the help.
Stay awesome,
Patricia says
Loved your article. Same here. I workout &. And eat clean robe healthy and fit. No interest in a 6 pack or “summer/bikini body”.
Christie says
I’m sharing this. Thank you so much. ????
Judith says
I think I need to print this and hang it all over my apartment.
So well written and true and made my realize that there are things worth so much more than having abs.
I just started eating Paleo since my Crossfit box is doing a nutrition challenge. So far it works really good. I havent slipped up once and I am actually not craving anything.
Just found your podcast and now I have hours and hours of listening ahead of me:-)
Noelle says
So great to hear! 🙂 Welcome to the community!
Rynni says
Hello, Noelle!
Saw that a lot of comments were older, with the exception of one, and wanted to let you know that your article is still being read! Being a naturally lean female, the natural “pooch” women have is particularly bothersome for me when I look down or in the mirror. However, especially hearing you relate the lack of a period from stress/training too hard, it helped me realize that … Maybe I could work on slimming down as a goal and maybe abs would be fun to look forward to with increased physical fitness, but … it’s okay if I don’t slim down that much. It’s too cold here to lose what fat I have, eh?
I appreciated this a lot. It was a great reminder.
LB says
I was looking for an inspiration picture that was realistic. Something healthy and possible for ME. Not a skinny 20-something with a nipped in waist (which I never had in my life, even when young and insanely fit). Not a 6-pack or even a 2-pack. As a middle-aged woman with diastasis and pelvic organ prolapse, it is hard to keep going when it feels like things just keep getting worse. I stumbled onto your post and adore you for it. You have what I consider an ideal body — just fit and beautiful. I know, I know. There is no ideal. Every Body is different, but this post just made me really happy.
Noelle says
Thank you for your support! I completely understand the struggle, especially being 10-months postpartum with my own issues. I have really surrounded myself with people who are trained in helping women properly rehab those conditions. Please let me know if you need any recommendations or help understanding how to approach fitness again!
Emma says
Great article, Noelle. You write really well!
Grace Webb says
Dear Noelle, I just came across this article and it really helped with my perspective. For two years, I have trained to join the Marine Corps, but I don’t have six-pack abs, and I thought there must be something wrong. I can do countless pull ups, make great run times, get perfect scores on the Marines’ ab test, but my stomach isn’t flat. I have had so many similar thoughts to the ones you wrote: “I’m not pushing hard enough. I’m eating too much. I’m not disciplined enough.”
I am built much like you (NOT naturally lean!). And when I lost 20 lbs while working out for the Marines, I eventually gained 20 lbs of muscle… which is great! But it got into my head that the scale numbers weren’t going down anymore. For some reason, I’ve connected fitness to a lean stomach–like it’s the ultimate proof you are finally in shape. I’ve really struggled to realize that being “in shape” truly looks different for everyone.
Thank you very much for sharing your journey. It really helped.
God bless,
Grace
jenna says
just discovered this article – thank you so much! such an encouraging read. I was curious – how do you know what the proper weight is?
Noelle says
I talk A LOT about this on my podcast. Highly recommend listening to it! Check out topics related to weight loss.
Jenna Kreger says
I know this is such an old post but just wanted to say how encouraging it was to me! I’ve overcome 15 year battle with anorexia and bulimia and I think the hardest part at this point is just learning to love the necessary weight gain. I get upset because i have cellulite even on my tummy but I know this is where my body is healthy and that is what matters!
Noelle says
Thank you Jenna!
Becky says
Hi Noelle! Everything you say here is exactly what I needed to hear. It’s what I preach to the women I coach but I don’t practice it myself. I found this post while searching for a satisfactory photo of six pack abs for my vision board… your writing helped me see the truth for myself: most of my vision board is about moves I want my body to do: strict pull up, unassisted hand stand, pistol squat… the six pack abs photo was anomalous but I didn’t understand why. Thank you for keeping it human. ~Becky