3 weeks change in abs... opinions?

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  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    And what is TDEE? :blushing:

    Guess you didn't read the link I included in my post above? :ohwell:

    I am now, and thanks for all of the info you posted :wink: I'm just ploughing through it all
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
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    It's difficult to give a valid opinion on whether there is a difference when the pictures are taken from two different angles. Different angles give different perspectives. :flowerforyou:
  • Lifting_Knitter
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    The change in lighting and body angle make it hard to see a true comparison between the two pictures.

    Agreed, it is difficult
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    Yes i can see it - above the belly button which is generally where mines shows up first as well
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    It's difficult to give a valid opinion on whether there is a difference when the pictures are taken from two different angles. Different angles give different perspectives. :flowerforyou:

    Eh..I thought they were the same angle, but then again it's hard taking a photo with a rubbishy camera phone :laugh: Never mind, the discussion turned into something more interesting anyway!
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

    My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

    septembertiljanuary.jpg
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    I don't see it.. your second photo is darker and has a completely different tone to it (and body position). Take your after photos around the same time as you took your before photo, same lighting, same pose.

    Also 1200 cals a day will make you lose muscle, and you don't want that. Eat more, lift heavy.
  • sarahstrezo
    sarahstrezo Posts: 568 Member
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    You should not be afraid of food or afraid of eating.

    I do agree with the other posters. You most likely should be eating more. Significantly more. For right now, it may be working, but my bet is that...eventually, you will see your energy decrease and your workouts will suffer.

    For the record. I'm eating a net of 2000 cals a day. I've gone from 28% BF to 21% BF eating quite a bit more than 1200 a day.

    You look amazing in your photos. I am looking into upping the calories as my activity level has now changed. I used to be sedentary (as in, literally sitting on my bum all day doing my graphic design job) and now I guess I'm 'moderately active'?

    Thank you!! I think you will be happy with the changes you see once you up your calories to a more reasonable amount!
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
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    Good progress! And sometimes I get bloated after working out, so don't worry

    And on a more serious note....
    Yes, EAT MORE! You will stall if you continue like this, and it is just unhealthy. I was eating that much too, like many others..but so glad I got help on here, and am now eating moreee and seeing results. Also - LIFT !!!

    All the best, and listen to the advice, please! :smile:
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
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    I'm 5'1 or 5' ish. So yeah, pretty short.

    And what is TDEE? :blushing:

    PLEASE watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYi9xjIRvbY
    It explains it all

    And I am only 5'0.5
    Currently re-setting my metabolism by eating at tdee (2000 cals) for 8 weeks, before eating -10% of my tdee (1800 cals)
    You should be eating -10% or -15% or -20% of your tdee, for safe/sustainable/healthy weight/fat loss!!
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    Why such a low calorie intake? Aren't you concerned about catabolilzing muscle?

    Should I be? I really don't know much about building muscle, so any help/advice would be appreciated :smile:

    1200 is the calorie intake suggested by MFP, and I'm not hungry on it... yet...

    Well if you're diligently logging your exercise as accurately as possible and "eating back those calories" so that you net 1200, then it's a wash. But if you're taking in a flat 1200, I would be concerned about muscle loss, fatigue, burnout stuff like that

    Another approach, which is my preferred approach right now, is to find your TDEE, then take out a modest deficit and use that as a fixed calorie target. My favorite TDEE calc is this nice simple one: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html. There are more elaborate ones that take a whole bunch of inputs, but I don't find the particularly more accurate.

    In the end, they should work out about the same with either method; I just find the TDEE approach simpler to manage and simpler to make changes to (for example, you can go 4 weeks then decide you need to increase or decrease cals by 100 or 200; and you don't have itemized exercise as yet another variable to worry about.)

    More info here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    After I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how much to eat, which method to follow (BMR or TDEE- 20%), I finally realized that my fitbit works off the TDEE system and when it syncs with MFP (both set to lose 1 pound per week) it gives me back exercise calories and the two match up pretty well. So, I would set your goals to 1 pounds loss per week, eat back your exercise calories and you will probably be close to what you should be doing regardless of what system you are following. Once you cross over into the 2 pound loss per week though, it starts to get messy. Also, if you are lifting a lot I recommend changing your goals to 30% protein. It helps.
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
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    I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

    My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

    septembertiljanuary.jpg
    when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.
  • sarahstrezo
    sarahstrezo Posts: 568 Member
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    I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

    My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

    septembertiljanuary.jpg
    when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.

    What look would that be?
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

    My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

    septembertiljanuary.jpg
    when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.

    Think about this logically. I am talking about FAT BURNING, not muscle gain.

    You may NOT want that look, fine. Do you think she went straight to that look without burning fat and looking differently in between? When you get to the level YOU want you stop the calorie deficit and good to maintenance.

    Unless you suggesting burning your lean body mass is a good idea and putting fat back on again easily is a good thing by eating 1200 calories?

    Then carry on and gain fat back easily!
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

    My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

    septembertiljanuary.jpg
    when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.

    Think about this logically. I am talking about FAT BURNING, not muscle gain.

    You may NOT want that look, fine. Do you think she went straight to that look without burning fat and looking differently in between? When you get to the level YOU want you stop the calorie deficit and good to maintenance.

    Unless you suggesting burning your lean body mass is a good idea and putting fat back on again easily is a good thing by eating 1200 calories?

    Then carry on and gain fat back easily!

    Your fiancee looks amazing! I love what she's achieved, but I'll probably stop long before achieving that kind of look, I'd prefer to look a little softer.

    There's been some great information on here, but I'm going to see how I go with 1200 calories. If I need to eat more then I do, but most of the time, it's fine, and I can see that I am gaining some muscle.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Your fiancee looks amazing! I love what she's achieved, but I'll probably stop long before achieving that kind of look, I'd prefer to look a little softer.

    There's been some great information on here, but I'm going to see how I go with 1200 calories. If I need to eat more then I do, but most of the time, it's fine, and I can see that I am gaining some muscle.

    8668d1321838695t-mw3-dewxp-please-tumblr_lligcabmox1qcpgnqo1_500.jpg
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    Your fiancee looks amazing! I love what she's achieved, but I'll probably stop long before achieving that kind of look, I'd prefer to look a little softer.

    There's been some great information on here, but I'm going to see how I go with 1200 calories. If I need to eat more then I do, but most of the time, it's fine, and I can see that I am gaining some muscle.

    8668d1321838695t-mw3-dewxp-please-tumblr_lligcabmox1qcpgnqo1_500.jpg


    All I want to do is lose the excess amount of fat that I've got and tone the muscle underneath it. I don't want to look like a body builder.
  • jennifer907
    jennifer907 Posts: 84 Member
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    You really won't gain if you go above 1200. I'm only 5 ft 2 and I have lost all of my weight on 1500 a day. Now I'm eating at 1600 a day and still losing. The idea isn't to eat as low as possible to lose as fast as you can. It's important to take your time and really commit to it so it will stick with you as a lifestyle change. If 1200 is working for you, I guess keep doing it (though a lot of people end up plateauing at 1200), and don't be scared of eating more if it stops working.
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    You really won't gain if you go above 1200. I'm only 5 ft 2 and I have lost all of my weight on 1500 a day. Now I'm eating at 1600 a day and still losing. The idea isn't to eat as low as possible to lose as fast as you can. It's important to take your time and really commit to it so it will stick with you as a lifestyle change. If 1200 is working for you, I guess keep doing it (though a lot of people end up plateauing at 1200), and don't be scared of eating more if it stops working.

    Thanks! That's what I'm going to do. And next time I'll take better photos on an actual camera, rather than a phone :laugh: