Dear people with abs... advice?

doranottheexplorer
doranottheexplorer Posts: 4 Member
edited November 20 in Fitness and Exercise
What does it take to start to see abs? I know I have a long way to go... I'm a 5'9" female at approximately 145 lbs and 20% body fat. My macros average out to be around 45% carbs, 30% protein, and 25% fat.

If you could give one or two pieces of advice to help tone that middle, what would they be? Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    Eh...abs aren't all they're cracked up to be. I start to have visible abs at 22%BF. It's genetic and the level of muscularity I've developed through heavy lifting.

    For me, I need to lift HEAVY and eat at a deficit to start to reveal the abs that I've spent years developing in the gym. Abs don't magically appear...
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    edited August 2017
    I can just about see a line down the middle of my abs having reached my goal weight (126lb/BMI 22.3). I've been following the You Are Your Own Gym bodyweight programme but I'm under no illusions that it's anything other than fat loss that has started to reveal the muscle; I've only been maintaining for a couple of months and so it's unlikely/impossible that I've actually built any muscle up. I think I'd probably need to lose more fat to really start seeing any definition but I'm happy where I am and will settle for a very slow recomp at best!
  • Brabo_Grip
    Brabo_Grip Posts: 285 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen and womb. Diet you have control over, your genetics not so much.
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
    WatchJoshLift wrote: »
    Abs are overrated. Now biceps... that's where it's at! Get yourself some cannons!

    Lol this.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    there is no perfect macro ratio that'll give you abs or make you leaner, or better fuel your workouts.

    you need to maintain a calorie deficit. you need to strength train. and you need to be patient. depending on the first two things, your genetics, and your age, you may see abs sooner rather than later.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Abs are a function of leanness plus muscle mass. If you aren't seeing much at your stats, chances are you need to work on building muscle. Are you doing any resistance training at all? If so, what kind? How are you progressing?

  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    RAD_Fitness wrote: »
    Nutrient dense foods with adequate protein in a calorie deficit. Train your abs hard 2-3 times a week and lift heavy weight in a progressive program. Eating in a deficit will help you get into the 14-16% range which will lower your body fat on your stomach, and eating nutrient dense foods will help eliminate any bloat or water retention which will hide your abs. You can be crazy lean and be holding a ton of water, and abs look super sloppy as if you were 5-7% higher bodyfat. Makes your abs look fuzzy. Everyones body and bone structure is different so you may need to get lower bf then others to see your abs but most women should see some definition if you are truly get to the 14-16% range some earlier though.

    ^This. I can see a 4-pack in the 14-16% range, but I've never seen a six pack. Mostly because my BF gets stored on the lower belly and inner thighs. But cutting carbs and sodium will help lose the water weight and lean up the belly for the short term. I can't eat like that sustainably however. Also, in addition to heavy compound lifts, I find my abs get some of their best workout when doing pullups. I like the ab roller too.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    First off, you have to have the muscle mass...you have to lift. Big, heavy compound movements will help train your abs, as well as some direct ab work. Visible abs also require being very lean...for a lot of women with visible abs, they are pretty close to being at essential BF which often comes with other adverse effects.

    Beyond that, a lot of it is genetics. I know quite a few lean and fit women and only a couple of them actually have visible abs despite all of them being pretty lean...and for those couple, they do not maintain that look year around...one of them is a physique competitor and she only maintains those abs when she's getting ready for the stage...the other is a competitive cyclist...hers are visible in the right light and with the right angle when she's in season because she gets really lean in season...but they aren't very pronounced...also, she doesn't maintain that level of leanness year around...only in racing season.
  • evilokc
    evilokc Posts: 263 Member
    I got down to 10% body fat a year ago and my abs were still not impressive. I abandoned my thought that it was all diet and realized my abs were small. I have been doing weighted crunches for a year and can now see my abs at a bf higher than 10%. So make sure you have the muacular base befor you diet down. Otherwise you might face the same disappointment that i did.
  • Tabbycat00
    Tabbycat00 Posts: 146 Member
    I've always been slim (under 100 lbs) but saw a real difference in my middle when I cut out alcohol. Don't know if that's helpful or if you consider what I have as "abs".
  • Zaria_Athena
    Zaria_Athena Posts: 56 Member
    Ab Ripper X dvd by PX90
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    doranottheexplorer wrote: »
    What does it take to start to see abs? I know I have a long way to go... I'm a 5'9" female at approximately 145 lbs and 20% body fat. My macros average out to be around 45% carbs, 30% protein, and 25% fat.

    If you could give one or two pieces of advice to help tone that middle, what would they be? Thanks in advance!

    okay, well idek if i qualify for advising you - no sixpack and i don't care for that look so i'm not chasing them too hard either. but i weigh 135ish at 5'3", and i don't have to do very much to make it obvious that i have obliques.

    so if that's worth anything, i think it's mostly from doing overhead press and front squats. pullups and chins would be my choice for the rectus abdominus part - i've only ever worked on the negatives but they've always hit me there much harder than planks every did.



  • myfitnessjourneyto180
    myfitnessjourneyto180 Posts: 93 Member
    I was about to talk... then I realized... I don't have abs myself XD gg
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
    Eat at deficit until desired bf.
    I tend to stay lean no matter what. I don't really target them, but compound lifts like squat, bench, dead, ohp do hit them pretty good. Especially if beltless.
  • power0304
    power0304 Posts: 293 Member
    WatchJoshLift wrote: »
    Abs are overrated. Now biceps... that's where it's at! Get yourself some cannons!

    Definitely. The guns are activated :-)
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