For years I have wondered about how to get a six pack - you know, sharply defined abdominal muscles, or abs. At times I have been quite fit, doing a lot of physical work, sport and exercise. Fit enough, I would have thought, to see some sign of 6 pack abs emerging - but no, a reasonably flat stomach, perhaps, but not showing the muscles, or ripped abs.

I came close at one stage, when I was doing a lot of running and was quite lean, but still couldn't claim to have gained those elusive washboard abs.

After all this time, I believe I have finally found the answer.

Competitive body builders have refined the art of sharply defining their muscles, and not just through pumping iron at the gym, and being fit and strong. A huge component of their competition winning preparation is their nutrition strategy. They set out to reduce their body fat to very low levels, peaking at the time of their competition at uncomfortably low levels - levels that you and I might consider unhealthy, even. What this does is cut back the fat layer over their muscles so that the shape of the muscles is clearly visible; or defined, as they say.

When I found this out, lights flashed and bells rang in my mind - yes, very probably my abdominal muscles were nicely shaped at times, but they were well hidden under a layer of body fat. It was only when I was a little leaner while running that they showed some glimmerings of visibly taking shape as a six pack.

Sadly, I have to admit another form of 6 pack, the kind that comes in cans and bottles and is kept in the fridge, probably contributed to that outer layer of body fat that was concealing the six pack abs within.

The secret to how to get a six pack lies, then, not just in following an exercise program. Yes, you do have to exercise to sharpen up the shape of your abdominals, and some exercises are better than others at doing this. However, if all you are going to do is exercise you will, like me, feel disappointed at how elusive ripped abs can be. What you must also do is couple your exercise program with a nutrition strategy that draws aside that curtain of body fat that is concealing your six pack from your audience.

Exercise by itself does use up energy and burn fat, and raises our metabolism rate, but unless we carefully manage our food intake - both quality and quantity - most of us still end up with more body fat than we would like. A very deliberate strategy is needed, to eat the right kind of foods, avoid certain foods that push up our body fat, to eat smaller quantities more often ... and to have the self discipline to stick to the plan.

That's fine as a strategy, but what are the details? Exactly what foods are the right and wrong ones? How much exactly should you eat and how often? There is such a lot of conflicting dietary advice doing the rounds to confuse you.

The answer is to learn what the body building fraternity has discovered really works to reduce body fat and reveal the structure of your muscles. They probably have more practical experience and have done more research into nutrition and body fat than most doctors.