One day my friends and I were sitting on the beach, watching people, and realized that men come in four basic shapes: 1. Adonis with his amazing muscle abs, and tanned, muscular arms; 2. Average but appealing slim guy who obviously has not lifted a weight since high school; 3. Belly-over-the-belt but wearing a tiny swimsuit anyway guy sauntering around hitting on all the girls; and Mr. Extra-large, this is my first time off the couch in over a year guy.

The truth is most men seem to covet the rippling abs and strapping arms of the fabled Adonis. Men attribute this obsession to women’s love of this attribute. Apparently women have a great deal more power over men than they realize.

If men had ever taken the time to question women about whether or not they really like “6 pack abs” they would have discovered that, while some women do indeed love rock-hard abs, others find them difficult to cuddle with and prefer their men to be a little softer. All women like a guy who is in good shape, looks strong and capable of protecting her, and can see whether or not his shoes are tied.

In their unrelenting pursuit of the right woman, men everywhere are turning to exercise in an attempt to mold those rigid abdominal muscles. Exercise alone, however, won’t get you that magnificent midriff. A flabby cover will hide all your hard work as effectively as a fur coat.

Keeping your metabolism going is very important when building muscle and losing weight. To do this it is best to eat small meals frequently throughout the day instead of two or three large meals. It is also important to eat plenty of protein and drink a lot of water. Also, never skip breakfast – if you’re in a time crunch, eat a protein bar or drink a protein shake.

Cardio exercises will aid in losing weight all over, as it is not possible to lose fat just in your abs. Take part in an activity that elevates your heart rate for at least 30 minutes – go jogging in the park, ride a bike with your dog, or join the neighborhood basketball game. Building muscle mass in other parts of your body by working out with weights will not only make you look better, it will burn more calories.

Sit ups, crunches and leg lifts are common exercises used to start shaping beefy abs. Try adding static holds to your workout – lift your legs about a foot off the ground while lying on your back, and hold them as long as you can. Also, you need to fortify your obliques. As your workouts become more advanced, find new ways to add twisting motions to your sit ups and crunches.

Developing the muscle abs that are so desirable amongst those looking for a healthy and fit physique requires persistence. You can use the Internet to find effective exercises for lower abs.

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