Why are abs impossible?!
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hnaquin280
Posts: 26 Member
Hi! I've been on MFP for about 5 months and have lost 35 pounds and hit my goal weight. I'm now focusing on maintaining and strengthening. Overall, I think I've lost a significant amount of weight, but my midsection still bothers me. I eat clean, do all kinds of abdominal excercises that are not just sit ups and crunches, and I do cardio 45 minutes a day 5 days a week. I'm just not seeing any progress in my midsection. I'm not going for a ripped 6 pack, I'd just like to tighten up and tone and see some definition and not flabby lower belly fat ): is this a problem for anyone else?
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Replies
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Having abs or a toned mid section comes down to two factors: low body fat and adequate lean mass.
My suggestion is to eat at maintenance and start lifting. Check out suggestions on programs in some of the lifting threads. You need to add a bit of muscle to continue to get leaner.0 -
Everyone else!! lol Spot training is difficult to see in the mid section when spot reducing is impossible. I would kill for my stomach to be as ripped as my fore arms!! Honestly just keep up the great work and maybe throw in a 30 day ab challenge so when you do drop the fat percentage they are ready to be admired.. My 2 cents0
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What are your current abdominal exercises? Do you have any loose skin?0
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Having abs or a toned mid section comes down to two factors: low body fat and adequate lean mass.
My suggestion is to eat at maintenance and start lifting. Check out suggestions on programs in some of the lifting threads. You need to add a bit of muscle to continue to get leaner.
All of this ^^0 -
wait this isn't an AMA?
idk lift weights0 -
community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
Nice post by usmcmp. She's awesome. You should listen to her.0 -
why does everyone equate clean eating with abs?0
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why does everyone equate clean eating with abs?
Social media. Mostly those bikini competitors who use steroids to get super lean and then tell everyone it was detoxing and clean eating. Because lying about how they got lean is better than admitting to using steroids and starving themselves.0 -
I agree with the weight lifting suggestions. ive switched my focus to mostly weight training with cardio only 2 days a week, the results have been pretty satisfying so far.
and remember the adage... "Abs are made in the kitchen!" maybe you're not eating as clean as you think?
ALSO and lol watch things like sodium intake and certain medications or supplements for water retention. as women, we hold water like CRAZY and for the craziest reasons sometimes. Luck!0 -
I was using her phrasing. She could be futilely doing bodyweight exercises. I wasn't going to suggest she do a progressive lifting program if she had already started one and was just too early in expecting results.
Some people (post pregnancy women, people who have lost a lot of weight) do have loose skin that hangs despite an otherwise lean torso. I'm 70 lbs down and I have weird skin pooling in certain areas that no amount of lifting will undo. It's about expectations.0 -
why does everyone equate clean eating with abs?
Social media. Mostly those bikini competitors who use steroids to get super lean and then tell everyone it was detoxing and clean eating. Because lying about how they got lean is better than admitting to using steroids and starving themselves.
I knew this was the answer....I guess it was a rhetorical question lol0 -
I agree with the weight lifting suggestions. ive switched my focus to mostly weight training with cardio only 2 days a week, the results have been pretty satisfying so far.
and remember the adage... "Abs are made in the kitchen!" maybe you're not eating as clean as you think?
ALSO and lol watch things like sodium intake and certain medications or supplements for water retention. as women, we hold water like CRAZY and for the craziest reasons sometimes. Luck!
If she's already at a healthy weight clean eating won't magically give her abs. She needs more muscle and less fat. She can do that while eating "dirty".0 -
I agree with the weight lifting suggestions. ive switched my focus to mostly weight training with cardio only 2 days a week, the results have been pretty satisfying so far.
and remember the adage... "Abs are made in the kitchen!" maybe you're not eating as clean as you think?
ALSO and lol watch things like sodium intake and certain medications or supplements for water retention. as women, we hold water like CRAZY and for the craziest reasons sometimes. Luck!
so eating more clean = abs?
OP here is what you need to get abs
dedication
patience
hard work
a food scale
accurate logging
a structured heavy lifting program
some cardio (if you want)
micro/macro adherence
note, that clean eating is no where on that list.0 -
I was using her phrasing. She could be futilely doing bodyweight exercises. I wasn't going to suggest she do a progressive lifting program if she had already started one and was just too early in expecting results.
Some people (post pregnancy women, people who have lost a lot of weight) do have loose skin that hangs despite an otherwise lean torso. I'm 70 lbs down and I have weird skin pooling in certain areas that no amount of lifting will undo. It's about expectations.
I have loose skin. I still have visible abs.
She stated she does lots of cardio, but never mentioned lifting.0 -
I feel like there's a Philosophical Raptor for this thread out there somewhere0
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hollydubs85 wrote: »
Yes because if it is on the internet it must be true....right?
Actually "clean" (whatever the f that is) eating is irrelevant to abs...it is the amount of calories you consume combined with the type of training you do.
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