Life routines to get a 6-pack

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this was taken from Men'sHealth Mag webpage for our reference!

Hard abs are built by habit. Here's a four-pack of simple lifestyle routines that will put you on the path to a rock-solid six pack:

1. Wake up to water
Drink at least 16 ounces of chilled H2O as soon as you rise in the morning. German scientists recently found that doing this boosts metabolism by 24 percent for 90 minutes afterward. (A smaller amount of water had no effect.) What's more, a previous study determined that muscle cells grow faster when they're well hydrated. A general rule of thumb: Guzzle up to gallon of water over the course of a day.

2. Pair proteins with carbs to trigger weight loss
Although you might think that the carbs will slow weight loss, the opposite can be true, says Men's Health weight loss expert Alan Argon. Carbs plus protein help build muscle, especially when you eat the combo just before and just after exercise. More muscle enhances fat loss because muscle is metabolically active tissue that helps burn more calories around the clock.

3. Pack your lunch every day
Fast-food lunches and soda calories will undermine any weight-loss, abs-gain effort. Just take fast and fat food out of the equation. Instead, take a cooler to work every day. Fill it with the following:

• An apple (to eat as a morning snack). Two slices of cheese (to eat with the apple)

• A 500- to 600-calorie portion of dinnertime leftovers (for your lunch)

• A premixed protein shake or a pint of milk (for your afternoon snack)

Eating this lunch every day will keep you well fed and satisfied. You'll also provide your body with the nutrients it needs for your workout, no matter what time you exercise.

4. Hit the feathers by 10 p.m.
Get in the habit of going to bed early enough to ensure 7 to 8 hours of abs-sculpting sleep. University of Chicago scientists recently found that just 3 nights of poor sleep may cause your muscle cells to become resistant to the hormone insulin. Why's that bad? Well, over time, this leads to fat storage around your belly by slowing metabolism, increasing appetite and decreasing number of calories burned.