Challenge: All I want for Christmas is a six pack....

JasonD334

Abs that is!

Good morning fellow MFP's, it's challenge time again, and this one is gonna be a doozie. Some of you may have participated in my September challenge of 100miles run for the month, which was a great success for me, and now it's time to gear up and get outside of our comfort zone once again. Here's the deal:

We've got a little over 2 months before Christmas, and typically this is the time of year when most of us begin to insulate our abs, not define them, so it's time to buck the trend. I am looking to create a challenge where we'll be happy to take off our shirts and show off our midsection, instead of putting on the loosest fitting sweater we can find...doesn't that idea sound great?

The rules: You've got to be committed to putting in the effort and sticking with it until December 25th. There is no set workout plan required, as everyone has their own opinions on what is best, so just get your core in motion! I personally am going to start out doing P90X ab ripper, and will be transitioning to more gym based, weight based training as the process continues.

I am not an expert in targeted ab work, not in the least, so I am asking that some of you who join help me out with posting tips and weekly suggestions for workouts.

I will promise you that I am a committed workout partner, and I want to see us both succeed in this, so friend me and we'll work through this together. If you've always wanted a flatter stomach or ripped abs, then this is for you. Many of us are at different fitness levels, but core work is essential for everyone, so I hope you will consider this challenge. If you're committed that is

Okay, off to make my abs cry!

nakabi

I'm trying to get rid of my pregnancy belly (second baby was via c-section which apparantly makes it harder to lose the belly) so I'm up for the challenge!
Sign me up!

JennC831

I'll do it! I'm starting 30D Shred today so I'm sure throwing in some ab workouts won't be too bad.. When I was in my early 20's I use to do 1000 crunches/sit ups a day... 500 in the AM and 500 in the PM.. Got married and it all went out the window... LOL.. I would love to get back to that.....

demery12371

Well you know I'm in.... Your Sept challange really made me step it up and I sooo want a six pack... esp after 3 kids and a marriage..

Your on!

CALake

I'm in. I'm currently on week 3 of Jillian Michael's 6 week 6 pack- after that I'd love to get ideas from others on routines or programs to try.

Great challenge idea!

Huffdogg

I'd love to get in on this. It's the one massively stubborn part of my weight loss journey that has continued to resist my efforts to get right.

TreadmillManiac

cool goal. I have my top abs showing out well so should be attainable.
I am using the plank for working my abs directly , it's amazing how a static position can work your whole midsection!
There are a few good video's on YT on how to perform a plank.
Also doing bicycle crunches for that nice tight feeling to my abs!!
Will be aiming to post a pic of my rock hard midsection in december.

marthafox1

I was going to hold off until the new year but seeing as you have asked so nicely.... Count me in.

I am off to buy a small leather strap that I can bite on when doing my increased ab workouts - because by golly they are going to HURT!!

Currently doing a combination of plank, side plank, lying down bike, sit ups, half sits, scissors, leg raises, single leg raises and yogic style stretching. I intend dusting off the stability ball and increasing the intensity and diversity of my exercises.

Huffdogg

So I'm planning on taking photos from front, back, and profile and measurements weekly from here on out. Are we going to check in on each other once a week or so and see how everyone's doing?

starbucksbuzz

Abs are on my short list of what I want more defined... I'm definitely in. So far I've been working mostly with pilates for toning but I'm thinking about throwing in some higher intensity workouts too. For reference my fitness inspiration board: http://pinterest.com/meganwoo/health-fitness/ and the pilates that I've been using: www.blogilates.com I usually do two of her 10 minute focuses after I run, so far I haven't *seen* a lot of difference, but I definitely feel a lot tighter and more core centered even when I run now.

marthafox1

So I'm planning on taking photos from front, back, and profile and measurements weekly from here on out. Are we going to check in on each other once a week or so and see how everyone's doing?

Seems like a good plan to me - I will do the same.

hbart500

I am definitely in! I will start with my jillian michaels 6 pack dvd or the p90x abs dvd and go from there.

Huffdogg

Ok so I took my 3 pics today...but I have to figure out how to get pics linked in a forum post before I can add them to this thread lol. My waist measurement was 36". I considered trying to get into 1/4 inch increments or something, but I'm just going to round to the nearest half inch, I think.

Edit: yeah...so I don't know that I'm ever going to get pics posted. y'all can friend me on Google + if you want or something, but I didn't already establish like 4 different computer-based photo management locations only to create yet another one because MFP cannot handle anything without a specific type of IMG tag.

marthafox1

I was going to do the first set of photos this weekend but in case they are as big a pain as Huff says they are, then for now this is me:

Height 5'6"
Weight 140 lbs
Bust 35
Waist 28
Hips 36

Body fat 23.7% (but this really depends on what website you go on to calculate it, so not actually had my BF measured with a machine).

Goal - reduce body fat to 19%

asyouseefit

I'd love to join!

newbeetler

I'll be in this one.

Although I have to hold off starting for a few more days. Back problem re-ocurred on Monday so Exercise is on hold

I also joined the randomabs.com challenge which sents a different daily workout to your e-mail which I am doing twice a week. 2 days I am not in the gym. And then also doing it the two days I am in the gym while doing cardio and other weights.

Will take some measurements when I get home tonight although my bf% seems to flutuate at the moment. Last few days it was averaging around 31% but this morning it was 29%.

Probably down to water retention etc.

I weighin on Sunday mornins and update here so will update in the challenge and take measurements of waist size etc on Sunday. Hope to be back in the gym Monday but depends on what happens with my back.

Good luck all.

jayb0ne

A 6 pack is the Xmas present I've promised myself so yeah, I'm in.

Currently doing P90x (day 46 today) so I reckon that will go a long way towards getting those chiselled abs I'm after. I can see the outline of the ab section, just need to work on the muscle seperation to see the individual abs.

Remember folks, abs are made in the kitchen so the most important thing you can do towards your 6 pack is to eat clean. For reference, my nutrition targets are as below:

1800 calories a day (minus about 400-600 per day for my P90x workouts which I'm not eating back as I don't have a HRM to figure the burn out accurately)
Macro split of 40/40/20 - carbs/protein/fat
Sat fat at no more than one third of total fats
Sugar (including fruit sugars) at no more than 30% of total carbs
Protein shakes morning and post workout containing whey, maltodextrin/dextrose, L-Leucine & Creatine

Suggestions for ab/core routines:

P90x Ab Ripper X - It's money!
200 situp challenge - http://www.twohundredsitups.com/
Balance ball routines to work the smaller stability fibres
P90x Core Synergistics - awesome for all over core conditioning
Leg raises - Don't neglect those lower abs! Use a pullup bar or a tree branch and extend the legs from straight to 90 degrees and slowly back down.
Some good routines here - http://www.shapefit.com/ab-workouts.html

For posting pictures, upload them to Photobucket and use the IMG code but change the upper case <IMG> at either end to lower case <img >. If you need to resize, do it through Photobucket and set it to 583px wide to fit MFP's forums.

I take 4 body pictures every day - have done for over 120 days now - so I'll post my progress shots as I start to see progress...

Cheers

Jay

jaygee2772

I am in...i give myself mini challenges each week,,,but this will be even better cause it will happen over time. I still have a lot more weight to lose so a six pack is pushing it for me but i am willing to try...I will take a photo and my measurements before i start this challenge. this is going to hurt but it will be cool to see more results...Good Luck everyone.

Huffdogg

Ok so I decided to just upload my pics to my profile every week and make the front (ab) shot my avatar pic for the week until I get a new one. If showing my flabby belly to all of MFP every week isn't incentive enough for me to kick it into gear, I don't know what will. Anyone who wants to friend me, I will accept. etc etc.

bstamps12

I want in! I'm only .5 lb away from my GW of 135 but really want to tone up more. Especially my midsection! I do P90X Ab Ripper X twice per week but I'm looking to add something else to my ab routine. Great group, especially since most groups revolve around "lose x lbs" and I have just been looking for people focused on toning!

Huffdogg

Killing it tonight! How about you...?

jayb0ne

Yeah, I'm rocking it! Eating clean and working out. I can feel some fairly defined abs underneath, just covered by that last stubborn little bit of belly fat! I'm so close to a 6 pack I can almost taste it

Cardio and core work is the order of the week this week to try and reduce overall BF%. Back to resistance and ab workouts next week. I reckon I'm 3 or 4 weeks off seeing my abs.

Here's a tip. Try and have most meals - or at the very least your evening meal- include a protein source (fish, chicken, turkey, quorn, eggs (twice as many whites as yolks), lean red meat etc), a complex carb source (potato, brown rice, bulgar wheat, cous cous, wholemeal pasta) and a veg source (peas, carrots, broccoli, sweetcorn, cauliflower, cabbage) or salad (lettuce, tomato, raw carrot, cucumber, sugar snap peas etc). If you can split your meal into those 3 groups and work on portion control to ensure they're in balance with your macro split and calorie allowance, you can hardly fail!

Jay

TreadmillManiac

i've added my current abs to my profile pic. Looks like i have quite a few more pounds to go.Hoping i am on track for an xmas washboard.

Huffdogg

Just re-measured...lost a half inch off my waist in a week!! Going to take new pics here in a few minutes and see if the difference is visible.

Mimi6389

I'm definitely going to join in on this challenge!

I haven't worked out in FOREVER (since June!) and I am running in a 5K the day after Thanksgiving, so I've got to stay motivated to run every day. And this ab challenge will be perfect!!

I'll be using the p90x ab ripper, and I'm going to take pictures, too.

Good luck everyone

gavini

i think i might need to lose 5 lbs and also make ab work part of my daily routine which are two things i am committing to do btwn now and christmas. i am training for the surf city marathon (feb 5th) so that is my main focus but i can do ab work after my runs and bikes,

do you all think that doing some planks and bicycle crunches would be enough if i start doing them every day after my main workout or do i need to do more than that or vary it more?

appreciate your thoughts on this.

bstamps12

Gavini- planks are awesome for total core workout but if you are talking about getting a defined 6 pack I would think you need a more complex routine with a variety of ab workouts: regular crunches, reverse crunches, scissor kicks, etc. Also, I have heard that it's best not to work your abs every day, that 4 days per week is recommended. Tony Horton (p90x coach) finishes the Ab Ripper X workout by saying "Tip of the Day: Don't do this every day. You don't work other parts of your body every day so don't work your abs everyday."
Anyone else have comments about working abs everyday vs. 4 days per week??

I can't find my body measuring tape and I keep forgetting to buy a new one at the store. I would love to see the inch difference that you guys are, especially since I'm so close to my GW so changes on the scale are minimal at best.

Just a random question for everyone: Do you believe in certain foods making you store fat on your belly? I have seen several threads saying wheat, sugar, ___fill in the blank____, causes your body to store fat around your belly. Not sure if I believe it because there seem to be so many intervening variables, like genetics. What's your take?

Huffdogg

I don't buy it, personally.

RE: taking a rest day...It is quite important to give any muscle group 48 hours to recover after you hit it hard, making every other day the maximum frequency with which you should really do any focused workout on any muscle group. This is especially important with abs because even if you aren't doing side planks and ab bicycles, you are still engaging your core to a certain extent with many other workouts you may be doing. Did you do shoulder presses? You worked your core. Kettlebell swings? Better believe it. Deadlifts? Bent over rows? ...anything at all that involves standing and moving weight at the same time? Yeah...you worked your core.

In terms of a body measuring tape, I found a "one handed operation" one on Amazon for like 4 bucks that I'm really really happy with.

jayb0ne

<< took a new picture. Reckon I'm not too far off seeing them come through. Coming out of 2nd recovery week of p90x, so should be able to kickstart the six pack progress with 4 more weeks of an ripper x!

With regards rest days, I'd certainly take them, just make sure you hit em hard on your ab days! If you have to go every day, at least do a core routine (as opposed to an ab routine) on the off days.

Oh, and the 'x food makes you store fat on your belly', I don't buy either. Certain food types assist your body in storing fat, but only your genetics determine where it's stored. Unfortunately for most of us the first place it goes and the last place it's burnt is the belly.

Jay

JasonD334

Good Monday morning Ab Challengers! I have to start with a confession... I did horribly this past week. I have been stuck in a funk here recently, taking weekends off and the whole bit, but that ends now. Okay, that's out of the way, and this week is going to be much better!

Let's share successes this week, and if anyone feels comfortable doing so, how about posting a few exercises we can be working on this week. I know I would personally appreciate the advice.

Okay gang, let's push each other. If you're a friend of mine, and you don't see any ab work postings for a few days, get on my *kitten* and tell me to quit being so lazy. I want this, and that means I have to work for it!

Phoenix24601

I'm a little late on this, but after seeing my fiance getting ripped I decided to try this too. I, like everyone, go through highs and lows with this. Here goes nothin.