I want abs!!

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  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
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    Your diet could be cleaned up a lot, in my opinion. You are eating a lot of empty calories -- calories that aren't giving you any nutritional benefit besides a shot of quick sugar (donuts, soda, energy drinks, mac & cheese). I would really work on limiting those things to maybe 1-2 "cheat meals" a week. Otherwise, get your calories from more nutrient-dense sources. I'm guessing your sodium intake is really high, too which will cause you to retain water and keep you from being able to see definition.

    I have found that, for me, spreading my calories out throughout the day keeps me from getting so hungry that I get a headache or snap and grab the first candy bar I see. (And I like to eat OFTEN. That's just me. I am constantly thinking about food.) I've also found that a macronutrient ratio of 40/30/30 (carbs/protein/fat) works well to keep me feeling satiated. I try to make sure that all of my meals contain:

    1) a lean source of protein (tuna canned in water, egg whites w/maybe a yolk or two for flavor, chicken breast, lean steak)
    2) a fibrous vegetable (broccoli, green beans, asparagus are good ones -- frozen is okay but avoid canned and any of the sauces because those are just sugar and fat)
    3) a starchy carbohydrate (brown rice, oats, sweet potato, beans, lentils)
    4) a small amount of "good" fat (olive oil, ground flax seed, almonds, sesame oil, avocado)

    I try to limit fruit to morning or right after a workout because it is very quickly digested. So, my meals have typically been looking like this (note, my boyfriend eats basically the same thing just in larger portions for his different caloric needs):

    Meal 1: egg whites w/1 egg, asparagus, black beans
    Meal 2: non-fat cottage cheese with small serving of fruit and ground flax seed
    Meal 3: 1/2 chicken breast sandwich made on sprouted grain bread, 1/8 of an avocado, sliced tomato, mustard
    Meal 4: other half of the sandwich
    Meal 5: (post workout) whey protein shake with half banana
    Meal 6: giant salad with chicken breast, oil/lemon juice vinaigrette

    (You wouldn't have to eat as often as this. I am able to do so with my job. Eating at least 3 times a day would probably be good, though.)

    And yeah, add weight training!

    Best of luck!
  • p8ntballa00
    p8ntballa00 Posts: 16
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    Advice is noted. Thank you. But here is my next question. I'm not losing muscle. I know this for a fact. But if those parts of my diet are so crappy, where is this weight coming from? I'm losing weight like crazy but i can still do all the stuff at the firehouse i need to with no difficulty. So what gives?
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
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    (Heh. I need to up my veggie intake!)
  • maureenjo
    maureenjo Posts: 3
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    After the crunches, turn over and do push ups and planks ( a yoga pose where you just hold yourself up with your arms and feet...get the picture). Then do pull ups on a playground gym. Build up our upper body and the lower will appear slimmer, and your weight will be in our chest and shoulders not your belly. Try it.
  • lwebsmfp
    lwebsmfp Posts: 297 Member
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    Cardio and Bicycle Crunches!!!
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
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    Advice is noted. Thank you. But here is my next question. I'm not losing muscle. I know this for a fact. But if those parts of my diet are so crappy, where is this weight coming from? I'm losing weight like crazy but i can still do all the stuff at the firehouse i need to with no difficulty. So what gives?

    Have you been tracking you body fat % along with your weight loss? Because that would be the only way to know if you are losing muscle. Muscle strength and muscle mass are not the same thing (although they do often go hand in hand). You might not have lost much muscle. Maybe you just need to lower you bodyfat still further. Without knowing your bodyfat % before and now, it is difficult to gauge how what you've been doing has been working other than the fact that the scale is going down.

    Like I said, I can only speak for what seems to work for me and what those with abs I envy have told me. Unless you are genetically gifted, getting a great six pack is MOSTLY proper nutrition followed by cardio AND whole body resistance work. There is a saying "abs are made in the kitchen."

    But I encourage you to do you own research too. Find out what it is that guys with six pack abs actually do and do that.

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