six pack abs!

melissaann262
melissaann262 Posts: 27
in Health and Weight Loss
My goal for the year is to get six pack abs. Do you have them? What did you do to get them? What's your nutrition like? I am making my PLAN and want to hear how you did it :) Thanks!!

Replies

  • loseweightIhope
    loseweightIhope Posts: 19
    I want them too. I would love to hear how people get them.
  • LoonyLovegood8
    LoonyLovegood8 Posts: 78
    bump
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
    I'm getting there!
    I don't do any ab exercises. I just lift weights.
  • pitt85tone
    pitt85tone Posts: 2 Member
    Lift heavy: squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc. all work your core bigtime.

    Wide variety of ab work: planks, situps, knees to elbows (hang from pullup bar and bring your knees up to your elbows), windshield wipers (youtube it), mountain climbers, pushups, russian twists (aka banana boats or kayak twists), bicycles, etc. Target the upper abs, the lower abs, the obliques, and your central abs.

    Run. Clean eating habits. If you have a layer of fat over your midsection, you'll never see the muscle that has developed underneath.

    Most of all, don't forget that your core muscles are anything a corset would cover. Strengthen your back muscles too. Complex movements are best, as they call on so many muscle groups and force you to stabilze with your core. Do NOT just do "ab workouts".
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen. Women need around 15% BF and men need around 10% BF to visibly see abs. If you get your BF% low enough then you'll have visible abs. Working your core a few times a week for about 30 minutes doesnt hurt either.
  • markdavy1982
    markdavy1982 Posts: 109 Member
    Be interesting to hear from people with visible and know there body fat percentage. Was hoping it was around 15% as that is what i was going to aim for thinking they would be visible, time for a re-think.
  • strikerjb007
    strikerjb007 Posts: 443 Member
    Kinda easy.. You need some commitment! Lose weight by eating less and add some cardio if you like. That's it. Lifting heavy and all that does little to help you show your abs. 6 pack abs are all about your eating.y
  • strikerjb007
    strikerjb007 Posts: 443 Member
    Be interesting to hear from people with visible and know there body fat percentage. Was hoping it was around 15% as that is what i was going to aim for thinking they would be visible, time for a re-think.
    Varies.. Some people at 10%, some at 8%.
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
    Core work for me - just crunches and vinyasa yoga. Mine showed up at around 15% bodyfat. (there's a pic in my photos)
  • melissaann262
    melissaann262 Posts: 27
    thanks guys! I'll focus on that BF% number as the main driver... congratulations to those people who've earned them already! I'll be joining you soon :)
  • VictoriaWorksOut
    VictoriaWorksOut Posts: 195 Member
    I need to drop body fat to see mine. Currently I can see only 2 pack.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Another factor for visible abs is, you need enough muscle to have abs. I know several cases where women have had to go through bulk phases to get abs because they were on the low end of an acceptable weight. And genetics does play a part of it. But like others said, it's in the kitchen to where you get abs.
  • lovetolift82
    lovetolift82 Posts: 8
    Strip fat, everyone has abs but they are often hidden behind fat. Good clean diet and exercise. Took me about a year to get them with a strict diet.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Another factor for visible abs is, you need enough muscle to have abs. I know several cases where women have had to go through bulk phases to get abs because they were on the low end of an acceptable weight. And genetics does play a part of it. But like others said, it's in the kitchen to where you get abs.
    This. I got down to 107lbs at 5'8" and didn't have abs (I had some definition, but not abs). I realized I probably wouldn't unless I went on a bulk. I'm bulking right now so hopefully when I cut I'll see some better results.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    women with 6packs are miff ... thats my opinion , unless tthey competing i then understand :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    some people will melt off body fat and have visible abs with little or no work, while other people will have to do more work on them once body fat is down to make them pop.


    Like others said you need a program that revolves around deadlifts, squats, overhead press, barbell chest press, chin up/pull up, etc, and calculate your TDEE and eat in about a 20 to 30% deficit

    I am about 13% body fat and mine are slightly visible...I am in process now of trying to get to ten percent body fat. I probably do about 30 minutes ab work a week, but I do not do much cardio..maybe one HIIT session per week...
  • strikerjb007
    strikerjb007 Posts: 443 Member
    While it is certainly possible to have small abs because of genetics or not enough core exercise, most people can't show them because they have too much fat over them. I never understand why these forums over complicate everything. If your body fat is within the "visible range.." Then yes, you need to do a bit of bulk to show them. If your body fat is not within that range, then don't even worry about that so much. Worry about reducing your BF% through exercise and good nutrition.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    As others have stated, the only thing you need to do is lower body fat %. It's tough to lower body fat enough if you don't lift, since your body tends to get rid of muscle and maintain fat if you lose weight without lifting.

    So, lift weights and eat a calorie deficit. Bam, abs. Squats and deadlifts will work your abs more than enough to maintain the muscle there.
  • DarrelBirkett
    DarrelBirkett Posts: 221 Member
    Yeah, everyone has them, its just getting them to show. They're there, you just need to lower the BF% to see them. Its worth pointing out (for those that dont know)

    - you cant spot reduce fat. You just cant. Fat is burned off the way the body wants. In blokes, the stomach is typically last to come off. In women its typically thighs.
    - Doing ab crunches will not show abs. Why? See above. ab crunches do not remove fat and so on.
    - Do not over do abs. Treat them like any muscle group. Same as obliques, train the same if not less than abs.
    - Compound routines as said (like squats, deadlifts etc) will hit your core and thus your abs. do these!!
    - Eat clean, train hard, drink water :)

    (Do NOT take any magic fat loss pill, its junk and BS, dont believe the hype!)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Yeah, everyone has them, its just getting them to show. They're there, you just need to lower the BF% to see them. Its worth pointing out (for those that dont know)

    - you cant spot reduce fat. You just cant. Fat is burned off the way the body wants. In blokes, the stomach is typically last to come off. In women its typically thighs.
    - Doing ab crunches will not show abs. Why? See above. ab crunches do not remove fat and so on.
    - Do not over do abs. Treat them like any muscle group. Same as obliques, train the same if not less than abs.
    - Compound routines as said (like squats, deadlifts etc) will hit your core and thus your abs. do these!!
    - Eat clean, train hard, drink water :)

    (Do NOT take any magic fat loss pill, its junk and BS, dont believe the hype!)

    Welllll there are many magic fat loss pills, but they're typically illegal and dangerous ;)
  • DarrelBirkett
    DarrelBirkett Posts: 221 Member
    Haha, quite!
  • melissaann262
    melissaann262 Posts: 27
    one more question-- how accurate are scales with BF measures built in? do I need to get my "official" current body fat %, or could I use what my scale says as a rough estimate?

    What's a reasonable time frame to cut 15-17% of body fat?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    one more question-- how accurate are scales with BF measures built in? do I need to get my "official" current body fat %, or could I use what my scale says as a rough estimate?

    What's a reasonable time frame to cut 15-17% of body fat?

    They're not very accurate, but will generally get you somewhat close. They work best as an indicator of progress - they will, generally, reflect body fat losses.

    Give us your current stats and routine so we could tell you about a time frame.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    what have you estimated your current body fat % at?
  • strikerjb007
    strikerjb007 Posts: 443 Member
    one more question-- how accurate are scales with BF measures built in? do I need to get my "official" current body fat %, or could I use what my scale says as a rough estimate?

    What's a reasonable time frame to cut 15-17% of body fat?

    Not accurate at all! According to my scale, I'm at like 24% or something. LOL. Get a cheap pair of calipers. The number is irrelevant but it's the trend that you want to keep an eye on!!!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    one more question-- how accurate are scales with BF measures built in? do I need to get my "official" current body fat %, or could I use what my scale says as a rough estimate?

    What's a reasonable time frame to cut 15-17% of body fat?

    Not accurate at all! According to my scale, I'm at like 24% or something. LOL. Get a cheap pair of calipers. The number is irrelevant but it's the trend that you want to keep an eye on!!!

    agree mine says I am 16-17% but calipers say 13%...

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