So you want a nice stomach

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Replies

  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
    Well said! :drinker:
  • 04hoopsgal73
    04hoopsgal73 Posts: 925 Member
    It is a well written post especially for beginners like myself. For 3 years I have slowly made adaptions in my life and becoming and being the person I want to be and who I am. There have been plateaus, injuries and illness but I carry forward as I will not go backwards. I have been on MFP for 20 months and appreciate the
    sharing of knowledge and wisdom from those who have persevered. Thanks for sharing and to everyone for the
    helpful websites. (another snowy stormy day so I get to read them!)
  • PLoveElliott
    PLoveElliott Posts: 114 Member
    Thank you OP! Great points and read.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Very well written, I heartily agree.

    The only thing I'd say, is that for those who cannot commit to the time required to do strength training 3x a week AND some cardio, SOMETHING is better than nothing.

    The deficit is key to getting rid of the fat.
    Strength is key to not losing muscle.
    Cardio is great for the heart and for topping up the calorie budget, though too much can eat away at muscle.

    Even if you can't adopt a strong lifts, or heavy lifting platform - even just adding in a few minutes of some body weight exercises (pushups, squats, planks, etc) will help with muscle strength.

    Just my two cents.

    I know when I told my friend I wanted a six pack, he gave me this huge list of all the things I'd have to do - eat clean, train 5 days a week, never have ice cream again... and I decided, screw that, I'll just stay overweight.

    Well... he was wrong. Minor shifts and adjustments, a crazy assed boxing session once a week, and smart calorie picking is what I needed to get my six pack.

    my moral: if I am patient, and stay at a deficit, I CAN get there.

    This is all very true. There were many times during my quest for abs that I didn't even do cardio. There's more than one way to get there, but making small changes (especially when what we are doing stops working) and staying with it will eventually get us there.
  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
    Awesome post, I like no.4. I'm not a mega fan of cardio but it's good to do it at least even once a week. What I do though is a lot of supersets when I lift so to me when I feel my heart pumping for like 20 minutes or whatever, it feels like not only was I doing some strength training I was also doing some cardio.

    Also your abs are fantabulous! Honestly I was one of those who thought you were a guy at first, it wasn't until the other poster said you were a girl I was like woah, awesome. I hope to someday get my abs to show too.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Awesome post, I like no.4. I'm not a mega fan of cardio but it's good to do it at least even once a week. What I do though is a lot of supersets when I lift so to me when I feel my heart pumping for like 20 minutes or whatever, it feels like not only was I doing some strength training I was also doing some cardio.

    Also your abs are fantabulous! Honestly I was one of those who thought you were a guy at first, it wasn't until the other poster said you were a girl I was like woah, awesome. I hope to someday get my abs to show too.

    :laugh: I'm not insulted people think I'm a guy. Thank you! One day you can get there, just keep working at it. Lifting can definitely improve cardiovascular health.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    This is exactly how I got my six packs...but. I am pear shaped and perhaps I was a nose ahead comparing to an apple shaped person as far as flat stomach goes. :)
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I am just glad to see that nobody mentioned "crunches" or "do 8 min ab workout" that sort of stuff. LOL
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    This is exactly how I got my six packs...but. I am pear shaped and perhaps I was a nose ahead comparing to an apple shaped person as far as flat stomach goes. :)

    I was just fat shaped :wink:

    I do tend to hold the most fat in my lower stomach and my thighs. The rest of me will be super lean, but those areas hang on to fat. First to come and last to go.
  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
    Awesome post, I like no.4. I'm not a mega fan of cardio but it's good to do it at least even once a week. What I do though is a lot of supersets when I lift so to me when I feel my heart pumping for like 20 minutes or whatever, it feels like not only was I doing some strength training I was also doing some cardio.

    Also your abs are fantabulous! Honestly I was one of those who thought you were a guy at first, it wasn't until the other poster said you were a girl I was like woah, awesome. I hope to someday get my abs to show too.

    :laugh: I'm not insulted people think I'm a guy. Thank you! One day you can get there, just keep working at it. Lifting can definitely improve cardiovascular health.
    Thanks ^_^ When I pull my stomach in I can see a little mound where they're located haha so I feel something is working.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    This is exactly how I got my six packs...but. I am pear shaped and perhaps I was a nose ahead comparing to an apple shaped person as far as flat stomach goes. :)

    I was just fat shaped :wink:

    I do tend to hold the most fat in my lower stomach and my thighs. The rest of me will be super lean, but those areas hang on to fat. First to come and last to go.

    totally. One thing that annoys me is that I still have a small roll of fat hanging around the oblique area although my front stomach is cleared marked now. I guess I need more patient like your No. 5 :)

    By the way, I wish all my skinny friends could take your write up as advice. They constantly "cry" out about their floppy lower belly but they insist doing crunches was the only way out....
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Thanks this is timely advice! Can anyone suggest any strength exercises that can be done with free weights at home, and would relatively light weights (10 lbs) be sufficient for a small female just beginning strength training?
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Thanks this is timely advice! Can anyone suggest any strength exercises that can be done with free weights at home, and would relatively light weights (10 lbs) be sufficient for a small female just beginning strength training?

    chalean extreme is an awesome program for 12 weeks and you will never get bored. :)
  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
    Thanks this is timely advice! Can anyone suggest any strength exercises that can be done with free weights at home, and would relatively light weights (10 lbs) be sufficient for a small female just beginning strength training?
    Dumbbell rows, dumbbell bench press, upright rows, shoulder press or arnold presses, lateral raises. You could go to the stairs in your house and when you do calf raises you can hold the 10# in your other hand to increase resistance. if you do some sit ups you can hold the dumbbell on your chest to again increase resistance and make it harder. You can get into a V position on the floor and hold the weight in your hands and while you keep yourself stabilized you twist your torso from side to side with the weight to work on the core.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Thanks this is timely advice! Can anyone suggest any strength exercises that can be done with free weights at home, and would relatively light weights (10 lbs) be sufficient for a small female just beginning strength training?

    Look up You Are Your Own Gym. It's a good place to get started. Eventually you may want to invest in a gym membership or heavier weights.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Bumping for the evening crowd.
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    Bumping for the evening crowd.

    Counterbumping for truth, justice, and to multiply the number of people who are achieving their goal physiques.

    Because it's possible.


    ... or so I'm told. :sad:
  • BaDaSsBrUnEtTe
    BaDaSsBrUnEtTe Posts: 518 Member
    :flowerforyou:
  • SirDoctorofTARDIS
    SirDoctorofTARDIS Posts: 113 Member
    Never heard it described as drying out a sponge. I've always had a hard time explaining that to my patients and athletes. It's fantastic!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Never heard it described as drying out a sponge. I've always had a hard time explaining that to my patients and athletes. It's fantastic!

    It's a hard concept for most people to understand.

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