Are your abs out of hiding yet?

Supern0va81
Supern0va81 Posts: 168 Member
in Success Stories
I am wondering what it takes to get abs to make a debut - has anyone got any photo evidence and guidance from their experience that they can share?

What did it take to get you to notice a change in your tummy tone?

My weight is going down gradually, and I am getting stronger through cardio and lifting - and watching the calories, but what does it take to get 'bikini fit'? I would love to not feel shy of my body in a swimsuit again but the fat seems glued to my stomache and I would love to be rid of it! I couldn't face liposuction and from all the successes on here it doesn't seem to be necessary.

Thanks for taking the time to read and I look forward to hearing your responses.
- positive constructive feedback only please :wink:

Replies

  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Visible abs come down to body fat percentage, for women this generally means less than 18%. This can occur at a variety of weights/BMI depending on the amount of muscle you have.
  • GeoJenna223
    GeoJenna223 Posts: 68 Member
    I have always been a fan of "abs are made in the kitchen"
    Watch what you eat, not only calorie-wise, but quality wise. Trash in = trash out. Try to eat clean, healthy foods. I can finally see the top two ab muscles and I am very proud of my two pack :)

    Of course, that is not to discount strength training. I love compound movements like squats and squat presses. You have to "keep your abs in" to do the move, and they get a great workout, even though they aren't the primary focus. Also love kettlebell russian twist, as low as you can go feet up! Your abs will be SCREAMING!

    Also, this is a good time to make the point that you cannot target areas for fat loss. Your body will use fat from whatever areas it wants too. Doing crunches, or twists, or whatever will NOT annihilate belly fat, your diet regimen will. This is why watching what you eat is so important.
  • Sunnyjb
    Sunnyjb Posts: 220
    Getting there... going to be posting a thread of photos on May 8th. You'll see then :D
  • donna1432
    donna1432 Posts: 87 Member
    abs are made in the kitchen.. its 80% nutrition.. you can do ab workouts all day everyday but if your not eating properly its not going to get you to the six pack
  • donna1432
    donna1432 Posts: 87 Member
    I have always been a fan of "abs are made in the kitchen"
    Watch what you eat, not only calorie-wise, but quality wise. Trash in = trash out. Try to eat clean, healthy foods. I can finally see the top two ab muscles and I am very proud of my two pack :)

    Of course, that is not to discount strength training. I love compound movements like squats and squat presses. You have to "keep your abs in" to do the move, and they get a great workout, even though they aren't the primary focus. Also love kettlebell russian twist, as low as you can go feet up! Your abs will be SCREAMING!

    Also, this is a good time to make the point that you cannot target areas for fat loss. Your body will use fat from whatever areas it wants too. Doing crunches, or twists, or whatever will NOT annihilate belly fat, your diet regimen will. This is why watching what you eat is so important.
  • donna1432
    donna1432 Posts: 87 Member
    Greatly Said here..... ]
    I have always been a fan of "abs are made in the kitchen"
    Watch what you eat, not only calorie-wise, but quality wise. Trash in = trash out. Try to eat clean, healthy foods. I can finally see the top two ab muscles and I am very proud of my two pack :)

    Of course, that is not to discount strength training. I love compound movements like squats and squat presses. You have to "keep your abs in" to do the move, and they get a great workout, even though they aren't the primary focus. Also love kettlebell russian twist, as low as you can go feet up! Your abs will be SCREAMING!

    Also, this is a good time to make the point that you cannot target areas for fat loss. Your body will use fat from whatever areas it wants too. Doing crunches, or twists, or whatever will NOT annihilate belly fat, your diet regimen will. This is why watching what you eat is so important.
    [/quote]
  • iulia_maddie
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    Not quite yet, but pretty soon. Mwhahahahaha! Just need to cut some fat, but I can already feel them. I am definitely not around 18% BF though, but I don't usually carry a lot of weight around my midsection, so it might happen at higher BF% for me. Fingers crossed!
  • Supern0va81
    Supern0va81 Posts: 168 Member
    Thank you !!! This is really encouraging :happy:

    My diet has been through a complete overhaul in the last couple of months since getting on MFP, controlling the urge to overeat and not bingeing (sp?). The weight is coming off, and the exercise is increasing as I'm getting fitter but it sounds like I need to address the carb:fat:protein ratio closer. Cancelling weekends too would probably help as that's when I seem to go off the rails whether we are at home or off out but maybe that is just one of those things set to test me!

    Does anyone have any guidance on how to work out a suitable balance for the carb:fat:protein ratio? I am currently using MFP's guidelines for nutritional balance. Is this ok or is there a way to work out more specifically what would work for me?
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Not quite yet, but pretty soon. Mwhahahahaha! Just need to cut some fat, but I can already feel them. I am definitely not around 18% BF though, but I don't usually carry a lot of weight around my midsection, so it might happen at higher BF% for me. Fingers crossed!
    Showing at 18% is quite rare. Women typically don't show until 14% and men around 10%.
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
    Mine are gradually coming out of hibernation (also known as bulk time). Like everyone has said though, getting to a low bf% is the key which really comes down to nutrition over everything else. Lifting (compound lift) also helps as it makes the abs 'pop' a bit more which allows them to show more even at a higher bf%.
  • Supern0va81
    Supern0va81 Posts: 168 Member
    Showing at 18% is quite rare. Women typically don't show until 14% and men around 10%.

    Holy smokes that's low (compared to me now!) - what's healthy?
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    I have great abs under the layer of subcutaneous fat on my abdomen. I've been doing weighted crunches, weighted reverse crunches and hanging knee raises, oblique crunch on roman chair, and deadlifts for a long time to work my core.

    Yet working your abs is only a small part of the battle. Without a calorie deficit you won't burn the fat on your midsection. Even then some people have to choose specialized diets to burn the stubborn over the abs (e.g. Ultimate Diet 2.0; Leangains, etc..).

    Bodybuilders use a lot of drugs including insulin, appetite suppressants, synthetic thyroid, clenbuterol, anti-cortisol drugs, anabolic steroids, HGH, and many other drugs to cut down to low bodyfat percentages. Cutting down to a low bodyfat percentage wrecks havoc on your reproductive, metabolic, and immune systems.

    I would say diet down the standard way burning off you visceral and most of your subcutaneous fat stores, and use a specialized diet to remove the stubborn fat deposits that seem immune to standard dieting.
  • Supern0va81
    Supern0va81 Posts: 168 Member
    So what is a healthy fat %????
  • Sunnyjb
    Sunnyjb Posts: 220
    Not quite yet, but pretty soon. Mwhahahahaha! Just need to cut some fat, but I can already feel them. I am definitely not around 18% BF though, but I don't usually carry a lot of weight around my midsection, so it might happen at higher BF% for me. Fingers crossed!
    Is that NOT your abs in your profile pic?
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    So what is a healthy fat %????
    It depends. Elite bodybuilding women get as low as 5-8% for competitions. They don't maintain that low year round though.
  • iulia_maddie
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    Not quite yet, but pretty soon. Mwhahahahaha! Just need to cut some fat, but I can already feel them. I am definitely not around 18% BF though, but I don't usually carry a lot of weight around my midsection, so it might happen at higher BF% for me. Fingers crossed!
    Is that NOT your abs in your profile pic?
    That is my stomach, yes. But i don't exactly call those abs, I want more definition, there is still fat covering my abdomen.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    There is another factor besides body fat % that you need to be concerned with... and that is actually having enough muscle to have abs. People that tend to be on the lower end of an acceptable weight or a lower BMI tend to struggle with getting abs and generally need a bulk cycle or two to get abs.
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
    I have a TWO PAC trying to poke it's head through the fat just below my budding baby pecs...yeahhhhhhh:heart:
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    I have a two pack from core strengthening stretches and diet. The best way to get a bikini body is to put a bikini on your body :)
  • squall88c
    squall88c Posts: 69 Member
    Given the proper light & flexing, I can see two.

    Yay!
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
    No :cry: :sad: :brokenheart:

    Edit: Im sure my BF% is still up there tho..
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    my top ones are more visible since i started insanity... the rest are still too shy and hiding under some fat!
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    Not yet :(

    That line down the middle is getting a little more defined, as well as those two lines on the sides now... but there is still sooo much body fat there!!! Gottaaaa keep lifting!!
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    ... this is so depressing, a month ago my BF% was apparently about 33% which I find so hard to believe when looking at those pics online which show comparisons as well as much high muscle%. But 18% is far off, that's for sure. Would be nice....

    *dreams* :sad:
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
    my partner has all her abbs showing but still hasnt lost what she wants to on the legs and my young son does as he s on the doorstep of teenage yearsand very active...I m obviously the fatty in the house but thats changing and that ackelade will be held by the dog soon !!!!
  • amiaow
    amiaow Posts: 35 Member
    I have a fairly even fat distribution and hold lower ab fat like a lot of women. My abs came out of hiding after months of strength training and some fat loss. I haven't had a DEXA yet but I assume I'm around 17%BF. If you have more of a pear shaped body, you can see abs at a higher body fat percentange than someone with even or tummy-based fat distribution. There's a lot of genetic influence at work!

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