Will i get a six pack this way?

Vixen3000

Hi guys,

So basically im a 5'5" female, i weigh 127lbs and have a body fat percentage of 15%.

Im trying to become toned with the ultimate goal being a six pack to be proud of! Im currently recovering from an eating disorder so i only have knowledge of how to lose fat, not tone up!

I plan on eating between 1200 calories to 1500 calories a day. Its clean eating with a protein shake every day.

As for exercises im stumped so any advice on this whole thing i would love!

VintageFeline

You need to build muscle. if you have a BF% OF 15% and no visible abs then you are lacking in muscle/don't have the genetics for a six pack or a combination of the two.

Your option is to lift heavy and eat a small calorie surplus to build muscle. You could also stand to have more bodyfat as a female, 15% is too low really.

However, I strongly suspect maintenance for you is well above 1500 so why have you set it to that as a maximum? Are you still in touch with your treatment team?

GauchoMark

15% is pretty low for a female not to have abs. How are you checking that?

At any rate, you probably need to do some weighted ab exercises. The idea is to build the abs to be larger so they are more visible. You make them bigger just like any other muscle - heavy weight and proper nutrition.

Here is a decent link to get you started: http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/top-10-ab-splitting-exercises.html

If you are truly at 15% you probably do not have much of a fat layer issue. I don't know what your stats are, so I don't know if 12-1500 cal is good or not. It seems a little low (like you are still in a deficit) but maybe you are short?

Also, some would argue that a protein shake is not "clean eating". I'm not really one of those people, but my point is that clean eating is different for a lot of people, but it means absolutely nothing in terms of losing fat.

Getting enough protein and calories to build the abs a little without increasing fat is probably about where you want to be.

kenyonhaff

Be a little careful about setting such specific goals for yourself, if you deal with eating disorders. (I know what you mean by 'recovering', but eating disorders bring with it a set of problematic mental baggage. Namely, there is a tendency to fall into very specific black-and-white perfectionistic goals.

Saying, "my goal is to have a 6 pack" can be as problematic as demanding a 28 inch waist, or a size 6 dress or the like. I'm not saying you can't have one. The problem is that human bodies can be incredibly molded into shape by exercise and diet, but not all individuals are equally blessed with whatever body type is in fashion. Not all people who go into bodybuilding, for instance, end up being particularly good at being bodybuilders.

And those with eating disorders tend to have an unhealthy relationship with body and body image. There is a strong tendency to try to control the body in unhealthy ways, including putting demands and expectations that are narrow, unrealistic, critical, or otherwise not particuarly condusive to being in harmony with yourself.

Just a perspective from a former binge eater and still trying to get along well with my soul and spirit's vehicle...

malibu927

What does your treatment team think of this idea?

Hornsby

Squats and Deadlifts.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I'm not sure a "six-pack" is a good goal for some one recovering from an eating disorder. I would run that by your counselor.

Rawr619

I'm 5'5 137 lbs and had my body fat percentage recently calculated at 18.1%. My top abs and obliques are visible, but not my lower abs. If I were you, I wouldn't try to lose anymore weight to get defined abs, rather I would start working out and weight lifting to build up your muscle. If you truly are 15% body fat and your abs aren't showing, you need to build muscle. Abs are muscle, and without strong abs they won't be very visible.

D4LB

Agreed ☝️☝️

VeganRaptor

Please talk to your treatment team about this. Having a six pack isn't healthy for many women- and having a goal like this one is exactly the kind of thing that can catapult you back into an eating disorder.
If they agree that it is a good idea, you should do it with the close help of an ED therapist and an ED dietitian. Anything else could be seriously unsafe.

You might also want to increase your calorie intake- you're not eating enough to maintain and you don't need to lose any weight.

Do you have a relapse plan you could look over? Or a therapist you could call to chat about this?

Also, if you're trying to recover and are still engaging in pro ana etc regularly you should try and reduce it. It will never be helpful. There are active recovery forums out there you can go to for support instead- I'm currently using one called We Bite Back and it's pretty good Come along!