I’ll tell ya! 13%-18% body fat for women and 6% - 11% for men. It’s that simple. Men, you won’t have a flat stomach until you get below 15%, and ladies below 20%. Now don’t be silly about this - ladies you never want to drop below 12%-13% because you border on unhealthy, and men never below 5%-6% for the same reason. Each body is different, which is why the range variance.

Further, to achieve such a lower body fat percentage (and hence visible abs) can only be achieved by eating the right amount of proteins and carbs at every meal, taken 6 times minimum per day. All of the situps and ab exercises in the world won’t reveal your abs if they’re covered by 5% too much body fat - it’s all about nutrition. You have to be very careful how you approach the fat loss scenario, because if you aren’t getting adequate nutrients, your body will go into fat storage mode to survive and the fat just won’t leave.

Ideally, you want to be getting the adequate proteins, carbs, vegetables at the same time as you are in a 250-500 calorie deficit for a short period of time until you achieve the desired body weight. Once the desired percentage is achieved, then you must be cautious to maintain with the proper caloric intake. For more info on this, see the caloric expenditure formulas in a previous post.

As always however, since counting calories isn’t easy, always remember the hand rule: protein servings the size of your hand or fist, and carbs the same. If you get a grilled chicken sandwich at Wendy’s with a baked potato, you’ve double-carbed yourself.