Abs are made in Kitchen?

jcalicott
jcalicott Posts: 103 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been told this over and over again but i dont exactly know what it means. I understand eating healthy and all that but can someone really, really explain it to me? :)

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    It just means that to lose fat, what matters is a calorie deficit, and you can't outrun a bad diet.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    It just means that to lose fat, what matters is a calorie deficit, and you can't outrun a bad diet.

    Yup.

    You can do all the exercises you want to build the strength and endurance of your core muscles, but unless you have a low body fat percentage, you won't see your abs. In order to lower your body fat percentage and lose weight, you have to be in a calorie deficit. :smile:
  • jcalicott
    jcalicott Posts: 103 Member
    whats a calorie deficit?
  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
    If this link doesn't work look at the Getting Started forum - it's there too http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    whats a calorie deficit?

    Eat less than you burn (including daily activity). MFP automatically has your goal at a deficit, don't worry.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    whats a calorie deficit?

    seriously? it means eat less than you burn.
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  • jcalicott
    jcalicott Posts: 103 Member
    good god
    he is good isnt he? im glad you felt the need to get your religious praise on my forum :)
  • lightmouse
    lightmouse Posts: 175 Member
    They really are, and I only just realised the truth of this. The fat didn't start to come off my tummy until I started watching my macros as opposed to just calories. I spent ten years thinking I could out train a bad diet...it just isn't possible :sad:
  • Samby_v1
    Samby_v1 Posts: 202 Member
    good god
    he is good isnt he? im glad you felt the need to get your religious praise on my forum :)

    Seriously?

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  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    crabs are made in the bar's bathroom
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    It means you can can exercise all you like, but until you get your eating right, you won't get abs.
  • LoveMyLife_NYC
    LoveMyLife_NYC Posts: 230 Member
    crabs are made in the bar's bathroom

    :laugh:
  • _Nicklebee
    _Nicklebee Posts: 42
    Working out = shaping your body. Ever seen a guy with arm muscles but a beer belly? To be "fit" you need to eat well. Eating the right kinds of things is the foundation of having a nice body. You can't have abs if you have a big belly!
  • lesteidel
    lesteidel Posts: 229 Member
    To have visible abs, you have to have a low body fat percentage, which means losing fat.

    To lose the calories from one cupcake you would have to run two to three miles to burn it off. It's easier to lose weight by not eating the cupcake to begin with than trying to exercise it away.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    so.. if you eat the same amount of calories all the time and aren't losing weight, congrats. You know what your maintenance/TDEE is.
    Calorie deficit = eating less than that amount.

    in order to SEE your abs, you have to eat at a deficit.

    Doesn't matter if you do 1000 crunches a day.. or complex lifting programs... if you've got flab covering them up, you won't see 'em.

    clear?
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  • _Josee_
    _Josee_ Posts: 625 Member
    To a limit yes they are, BUT:

    -You can have strong core/abs muscles but if they are under a layer of belly fat, they won't show.
    -You can have low body fat, but no strong core/abs muscles, so you'll be slim with no real abs...
    -You need to lose body fat (eat a deficit) AND work your core/abs muscles (that doesn't mean endless hours of crunches...Compound lift and stability exercises can do the trick)
    -Last thing: Despite what some people might say, you can eat carbs and have relatively visible abs. (I eat 65% carbs...)
  • jcalicott
    jcalicott Posts: 103 Member
    so if my thing says i can take in 1930 a day and im under that, ill lose weight?
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    so if my thing says i can take in 1930 a day and im under that, ill lose weight?
    you can take in that and lose. up to that.
  • jcalicott
    jcalicott Posts: 103 Member
    lose as in i eat over than that and then i workout to get in back down?
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  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    lose as in i eat over than that and then i workout to get in back down?

    MFP is giving you 1930 a day to eat.
    This amount, at least according to MFP is already at a caloric deficit... which is what is needed to lose weight.
    You can eat that many calories, and lose weight..
    If you eat more than that, it's okay as long as your average for.. say.. a week is still at a deficit. If you want to workout to bring it back down, that's fine too.

    Now, this is ALL a game of estimates. ALL of it. It takes time, accurate logging, dedication to figure out what's going to work. Doesn't matter which calculator you use, etc.

    Get a food scale. Weigh and log EVERYTHING you eat for 6 weeks.
    Weigh yourself at the first of the 6 weeks. Weigh again at the end of the 6 weeks.
    If you've lost, then you're in a deficit.
    If you haven't lost, and haven't gained, you may be at maintenance. Maintenance = the rough amount of calories that you need to fuel yourself.. but not more.
    ...and lastly, if you gain, you're not in a deficit.

    From that point, it's a numbers game.

    Now. You want abs right?

    Start picking up heavy stuff while you're in those 6 weeks. Starting Strength / Stronglifts are great programs.
  • jcalicott
    jcalicott Posts: 103 Member
    So, if i go over for a day. It wont make me gain weight?
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    So, if i go over for a day. It wont make me gain weight?
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