6 pack on a woman

[mamnotmum]

I've joined the gym. I'm slim but want to be more toned and fitter.

I've started doing tums and bums classes and am getting a defined stomach. I'm not sure I want that look though - does a 6 pack on a woman looked weird?!

I love the bum toning but unsure on the tummy?!

Nothing wrong with visible abs on anyone, it's a muscle group all humans have, why would it be only acceptable on half the population?

This being said, are you absolutely sure of your BF%? 10% is VERY low for a woman, for most women anything under 20% would trigger loss of periods, fatigue, headaches etc

I grew up doing competitive dancing from being a child so of course did all sorts of training (millions of sit ups and other core body training) and was always very fit and slim but never had so much of even a hint of a 6 pack.

In my 30s I discovered weight training and loved it, wasn’t trying to look all muscular or anything just trim and toned. Within weeks of starting the weights I noticed my abs were becoming more defined and so long as I hadn’t had a bowl of pasta you could see them, not rippling or anything but you could see the definition.

My point being the despite all the exercise and training in my youth (and I definitely had a better diet back then as I hadn’t discovered wine and couldn’t buy my own chocolate 🙈🤣) a 6 pack was not forthcoming, it took finally weightlifting to see even a hint of them. I think you’ll be fine.

Is it your aim to have such a low body fat %?

I have defined abs - more of a four pack. I'm not ridiculously slim - just naturally more of a pearshape with a very strong core. My bmi is around 21 and my guess is that my body fat is about 20%. That's only a guess though, I've never had it measured.

I want to add that I didn't set out to get abs, it just happened as I did more exercise. I also have quite muscular arms and whenever I have had a negative comment it had been about my shoulders or arms, not my abs. Abs seem to be more acceptable for a woman than biceps 🙄