Can formerly obese people really get fit/abs?

Hezzietiger1

I am super fit after losing 70 plus pounds, but I'm never gonna have abs. I have to much lose skin

Bernadette60614

A good book: Secrets of Skinny Chicks, in which the author profiles 20 plus women with those "hot bodies".

The take away:

You have to train like an athlete to look like that..count every calorie, reduce your body fat to almost a dangerous level for a woman.

I think unless you aspire to be a fitness model, that can of goal is unrealistic.

There's nothing wrong with looking like a healthy adult woman who has lived a life! My pooch is cause I created a whole human being...!

I don't think training like an athlete, counting calories, and reducing your bodyfat is unrealistic if that's what someone chooses to prioritize. It's not that huge of a time commitment (maybe 14 hours per week between 10 hrs training and the odds and ends of planning and keeping track of everything). That's about the time commitment of any hobby, and less than most people spend watching TV.

Agreed, Robyn. During my weight loss phase, I worked out for five hours a week (one hour per day, five days a week), with a combination of strength, cardio and HIIT training. That's not a lot when you think about what you might be doing otherwise, like watching tv or surfing the Internet. Now that I'm in maintenance, I've cut it back to 4x per week.

I hate the above kind of posts that encourage people to just "do nothing." Why are they even here on this site?

Actually, I'm not encouraging anyone to do nothing. What I am encouraging: Be aware of what you need to do to achieve your goals.

To me, a good question is not "Can formerly obese people get, etc." it would be: How does a formerly obese person get fit/abs?

OfficialLilCountryBelle

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That's what the Body for Life cardio session is. Intervals increasing in intensity for 20 minutes.
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Thank You for sharing the Body for Life info. I would like to have abs once I reach my goal weight and I too have over 100 lbs to lose. I do cardio and strength training when I workout. Previously, I was working out 3 to 4 days a week. I decided to tweek a couple of workout challenges to create what I'm calling a 90 Day Fitness Challenge. Now, I'm working out 5 days resting 2 (what I was doing last year). Once I'm done with this challenge I will try the Body for Life Plan. I don't look at photos in magazines or models on tv to decide how I want to be shaped. I pulled out pictures of myself to motivate me. Yes, I was 17 & 18 but I loved the way I was shaped and the size I was. My body may not be able to get back to where it was before but I know it can get close to it. I looked very unhealthy, sick in fact when I was at my published "healthy weight" I have pictures of that too. But, 10 lbs above my recommended weight I was perfect! *Ok I know there's no perfect person, but I was close * So, I think you should follow your own judgement. When you get to a certain size you will know it's time to begin toning and stop losing weight. Good Luck!!

OfficialLilCountryBelle

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Actually, I'm not encouraging anyone to do nothing. What I am encouraging: Be aware of what you need to do to achieve your goals.

To me, a good question is not "Can formerly obese people get, etc." it would be: How does a formerly obese person get fit/abs?

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I totally agree! I know that in order for me to obtain those abs I have to do some serious working out (covering all bases). However, I do believe that it is obtainable. I may be wrong but I will never find out if I don't try to achieve them. My favorite quote came from Rodger and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" The stepmother told her daughters "BEAUTY KNOWS NO PAIN GIRLS!!" I repeat that to myself when I want to stop or begin to reach my breaking point.