How to Maintain Abs???
Replies
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Oh and focus on whole foods...as much as possible.
veggies, fruits as well.....veggies cannot be stressed enough.
plan your diet.
I'll keep at it. It sounds like I'm doing many of those things, though not all whole foods. I eat a protein bar for breakfast and eat cottage cheese for snacks. I'll see if I can sharpen those up in the long run.
I do a protein bar on occasion as well as whey protein powder....
But I try for the most part to stick with whole foods, and use the other things for what they are intended for...as a supplement to a good diet or in case I am having a busy day and I cant get a proper meal in....then I will turn to those substitutes.
I eat in an 8 hour window daily....from ~1pm - 8pm.....
First meal is after my workout, whatever that may be...weights or cardio.
So find an eating plan/schedule that works for you and allows you to stay in your caloric/macro goals.0 -
Gee guys, thanks for the insights!
@MityMax96: You are looking SUPER! Apparently, whatever you did, it WORKED! I see a lot of hard work and perseverance in your results!
Ok, now for some stats:
I'm 5'3.5", 105, 18 yrs old. I'm female, having trouble putting on muscle (geesh, what girl doesn't?) So this post is more relevant for the LADIES out there. What did you do to gain them abs and maintain them?
For workouts, I workout six days a week, two of which are upper body strength training (free weights, machines, bench press), the other two are leg days where I do squats, barbell lunges, goblet squats, etc. Every other day I do some sort of ab workout, either pilates, kickboxing, or ab machines. And cardio like jogging or hiit most days.
I'm calorie cycling right now as I've heard it's most effective at shredding that last layer of fat. Will I always have to eat at a calorie deficit if I want my abs to be visible?0 -
Gee guys, thanks for the insights!
@MityMax96: You are looking SUPER! Apparently, whatever you did, it WORKED! I see a lot of hard work and perseverance in your results!
Ok, now for some stats:
I'm 5'3.5", 105, 18 yrs old. I'm female, having trouble putting on muscle (geesh, what girl doesn't?) So this post is more relevant for the LADIES out there. What did you do to gain them abs and maintain them?
For workouts, I workout six days a week, two of which are upper body strength training (free weights, machines, bench press), the other two are leg days where I do squats, barbell lunges, goblet squats, etc. Every other day I do some sort of ab workout, either pilates, kickboxing, or ab machines. And cardio like jogging or hiit most days.
I'm calorie cycling right now as I've heard it's most effective at shredding that last layer of fat. Will I always have to eat at a calorie deficit if I want my abs to be visible?
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Even though I am not a lady, I will throw in my $0.02 regarding your post.
With your stats your TDEE is ~1800 - 1850 calories.
I personally think that at 105 lbs, you are on the small side, but your body, so you can be whatever weight you like.
Your workout doesn't seem too bad....
I would however emphasize that your workouts comprise the basic compound lifts.
So squats, dead lifts, bench press, dips, chin/pull ups, shoulder press.....something along the lines of Strong Lifts 5x5
Do weights 5 days, and then your cardio/ab days 2 days a week.....but again your call here.
Regarding calories and to keep abs or add muscle......sadly if you want to pack on more muscle, that requires a calories surplus and as such abs will prolly go away.
Now while you are in deficit and working out, as you lose Body Fat and develop/train your muscles, they will "pop" so you will be more defined, as well as having abs.
I would say that your calories be in the range of 1500 - 1550, a slight deficit, and stay there til you get to the point you see your body the way you want to....
Then as along as you want to "keep your abs".....you move your calories up to 1600 - 1700...still a slight deficit.
But track things and see how your body responds over the course of 2 - 4 weeks......don't make changes every week.....
So your macros would be like:
Protein == 84 gr / day (I would say go for ~100gr / day while in deficit)
Fats == 42gr / day (minimum)
Carbs == 214 gr / day (now if you bump up protein to 100 gr, then drop carbs to ~199 gr / day)
I would also say that post weight lifting workouts you do, your meal should be high protein and carbs, and low fat....for that meal.
It Will benefit your muscles the most.
So if you are doing 85gr prot/ 200 gr carbs / 42 gr fat
I would try to make the meal post workout be ~20 - 25gr protein / 50 - 70 gr carbs / <10 - 15 gr fat.....
But you can again do what you like there.....but you want your muscles to get the full benefit from carbs and protein, and fats will inhibit some of the uptake process for your muscles.
So for me on a normal meal post work out....
I will try to hit around 200 gr carbs, ~100 gr prot, and fats at 10 - 15 gr or less......0 -
Gee guys, thanks for the insights!
@MityMax96: You are looking SUPER! Apparently, whatever you did, it WORKED! I see a lot of hard work and perseverance in your results!
Ok, now for some stats:
I'm 5'3.5", 105, 18 yrs old. I'm female, having trouble putting on muscle (geesh, what girl doesn't?) So this post is more relevant for the LADIES out there. What did you do to gain them abs and maintain them?
For workouts, I workout six days a week, two of which are upper body strength training (free weights, machines, bench press), the other two are leg days where I do squats, barbell lunges, goblet squats, etc. Every other day I do some sort of ab workout, either pilates, kickboxing, or ab machines. And cardio like jogging or hiit most days.
I'm calorie cycling right now as I've heard it's most effective at shredding that last layer of fat. Will I always have to eat at a calorie deficit if I want my abs to be visible?
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Even though I am not a lady, I will throw in my $0.02 regarding your post.
With your stats your TDEE is ~1800 - 1850 calories.
I personally think that at 105 lbs, you are on the small side, but your body, so you can be whatever weight you like.
Your workout doesn't seem too bad....
I would however emphasize that your workouts comprise the basic compound lifts.
So squats, dead lifts, bench press, dips, chin/pull ups, shoulder press.....something along the lines of Strong Lifts 5x5
Do weights 5 days, and then your cardio/ab days 2 days a week.....but again your call here.
Regarding calories and to keep abs or add muscle......sadly if you want to pack on more muscle, that requires a calories surplus and as such abs will prolly go away.
Now while you are in deficit and working out, as you lose Body Fat and develop/train your muscles, they will "pop" so you will be more defined, as well as having abs.
I would say that your calories be in the range of 1500 - 1550, a slight deficit, and stay there til you get to the point you see your body the way you want to....
Then as along as you want to "keep your abs".....you move your calories up to 1600 - 1700...still a slight deficit.
But track things and see how your body responds over the course of 2 - 4 weeks......don't make changes every week.....
So your macros would be like:
Protein == 84 gr / day (I would say go for ~100gr / day while in deficit)
Fats == 42gr / day (minimum)
Carbs == 214 gr / day (now if you bump up protein to 100 gr, then drop carbs to ~199 gr / day)
I would also say that post weight lifting workouts you do, your meal should be high protein and carbs, and low fat....for that meal.
It Will benefit your muscles the most.
So if you are doing 85gr prot/ 200 gr carbs / 42 gr fat
I would try to make the meal post workout be ~20 - 25gr protein / 50 - 70 gr carbs / <10 - 15 gr fat.....
But you can again do what you like there.....but you want your muscles to get the full benefit from carbs and protein, and fats will inhibit some of the uptake process for your muscles.
So for me on a normal meal post work out....
I will try to hit around 200 gr carbs, ~100 gr prot, and fats at 10 - 15 gr or less......
Thank you for the insightful and helpful post! There's a lot of information here that I think is quite relevant, and I've heard many of your suggestions echoed on fitness websites elsewhere. I am giving StrongLifts 5x5 a try....
You mentioned strength training 5 days a week. What does a typical week of strength training look like for you? As a girl, I find I am sore after almost every strength training workout, so I try to give each muscle group a 1-2 day rest (or until the soreness has passed) before working it again. Do you emphasize training upper body on consecutive days, just targeting different muscle groups?
As for nutrition, I eat very clean. Every once in a while, I have vanilla whey protein powder (Super Body Fortress...the stuff tastes icky :noway: ) I hear all these diet fads out there raving about "low carb diets to shred fat" and what-not. Seriously, do I have to ditch fruits and carbs just to see abs? Doesn't seem healthy to me, that amount of deprivation...0 -
Low sodium diet! That water weight will cover those abs right up.0
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Thank you for the insightful and helpful post! There's a lot of information here that I think is quite relevant, and I've heard many of your suggestions echoed on fitness websites elsewhere. I am giving StrongLifts 5x5 a try....
You mentioned strength training 5 days a week. What does a typical week of strength training look like for you? As a girl, I find I am sore after almost every strength training workout, so I try to give each muscle group a 1-2 day rest (or until the soreness has passed) before working it again. Do you emphasize training upper body on consecutive days, just targeting different muscle groups?
As for nutrition, I eat very clean. Every once in a while, I have vanilla whey protein powder (Super Body Fortress...the stuff tastes icky :noway: ) I hear all these diet fads out there raving about "low carb diets to shred fat" and what-not. Seriously, do I have to ditch fruits and carbs just to see abs? Doesn't seem healthy to me, that amount of deprivation...
On my normal schedule my weight lifting days are usually Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun
I do heavy legs on Sunday usually,
Heavy Chest on Saturday
Arms/shoulders on Monday
And then Wed. is either gonna be full body or just dead lifts....if full body, then it will not be to heavy....
If you do a lot of reps, say >10 per set, then your chances of being sore the next day are gonna go up.
If you go heavy and in the 3 - 6 rep range, then soreness will not be as bad.0 -
Thank you for the insightful and helpful post! There's a lot of information here that I think is quite relevant, and I've heard many of your suggestions echoed on fitness websites elsewhere. I am giving StrongLifts 5x5 a try....
You mentioned strength training 5 days a week. What does a typical week of strength training look like for you? As a girl, I find I am sore after almost every strength training workout, so I try to give each muscle group a 1-2 day rest (or until the soreness has passed) before working it again. Do you emphasize training upper body on consecutive days, just targeting different muscle groups?
As for nutrition, I eat very clean. Every once in a while, I have vanilla whey protein powder (Super Body Fortress...the stuff tastes icky :noway: ) I hear all these diet fads out there raving about "low carb diets to shred fat" and what-not. Seriously, do I have to ditch fruits and carbs just to see abs? Doesn't seem healthy to me, that amount of deprivation...
On my normal schedule my weight lifting days are usually Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun
I do heavy legs on Sunday usually,
Heavy Chest on Saturday
Arms/shoulders on Monday
And then Wed. is either gonna be full body or just dead lifts....if full body, then it will not be to heavy....
If you do a lot of reps, say >10 per set, then your chances of being sore the next day are gonna go up.
If you go heavy and in the 3 - 6 rep range, then soreness will not be as bad.
So I incorporate more weightlifting in my workout sched? I feel like I've hit a wall and I can't push past it...I've become
much leaner, but I feel like the more I'm restricting calories, the more my body is holding onto the fat...what are your
thoughts on calorie cycling? Has it been effective for you, and if so, what calorie cycle did you put yourself on? I'm
still eating clean foods, by the way. :-)0 -
If you have been on a calorie restricted diet for more than 8 weeks.
Try taking 2 days or so, where you eat at or just above maintenance....mostly carbs, little fat. Protein levels where they normally are.
Then go back on your diet. See if that helps you.
I read this article this morning....
So definitely some food for thought.
http://rippedbody.jp/2014/07/29/everything-cardio/
I do calorie and macro cycle.
Works for me, and gets me what I want....0 -
Abs are made in the kitchen, you should be striving to always eat at maintenance, you could have the most defined abs, but a constant overeating patterns can ruin all that.
If you do indulge, make up for it... Have a day of defecit
But its always math, calories in vs calories out !!0 -
Abs are made in the kitchen, you should be striving to always eat at maintenance, you could have the most defined abs, but a constant overeating patterns can ruin all that.
If you do indulge, make up for it... Have a day of defecit
But its always math, calories in vs calories out !!
Yes, just four or five days of bad overeating can set a person way behind! Any foods I should particularly avoid? Any foods you'd recommend for their nutrient value?0 -
Abs are made in the kitchen
.....defined in the gym0 -
Abs are made in the kitchen, you should be striving to always eat at maintenance, you could have the most defined abs, but a constant overeating patterns can ruin all that.
If you do indulge, make up for it... Have a day of defecit
But its always math, calories in vs calories out !!
Yes, just four or five days of bad overeating can set a person way behind! Any foods I should particularly avoid? Any foods you'd recommend for their nutrient value?
You don't need to avoid any foods....
The important thing is calories.
Listen this past weekend, between Sat and Sun, I ate about 5000 calories in brownies alone...not counting my other food.
Between Fri - Sun night, I prolly had about 12,000 - 15000 calories.....
WAY ABOVE my needed calories.
So come Monday I was a lot softer than I usually am......
But back on track eating Monday and Tuesday, I am starting to tighten back up......
So you can eat what you want....
Just stay below caloric needs to get the abs you want, then once you get there, stay around caloric needs.
Hit your macros as well.0 -
Abs are made in the kitchen, you should be striving to always eat at maintenance, you could have the most defined abs, but a constant overeating patterns can ruin all that.
If you do indulge, make up for it... Have a day of defecit
But its always math, calories in vs calories out !!
Yes, just four or five days of bad overeating can set a person way behind! Any foods I should particularly avoid? Any foods you'd recommend for their nutrient value?
You don't need to avoid any foods....
The important thing is calories.
Listen this past weekend, between Sat and Sun, I ate about 5000 calories in brownies alone...not counting my other food.
Between Fri - Sun night, I prolly had about 12,000 - 15000 calories.....
WAY ABOVE my needed calories.
So come Monday I was a lot softer than I usually am......
But back on track eating Monday and Tuesday, I am starting to tighten back up......
So you can eat what you want....
Just stay below caloric needs to get the abs you want, then once you get there, stay around caloric needs.
Hit your macros as well.
So I've been experimenting this past week with calorie cycling... seems to work pretty well for losing those last few percentages of body fat. Another week or two and I will be at the end of the marathon...
Now, I have a new and very real concern: how do I get abs without becoming UNDERWEIGHT? The abs are popping through, but at the same time the number on the scale is dropping. Frankly, it's scaring me. Would it be better for me to bulk up, put on some muscle, then try to cut?0 -
I'll let you know once I'm done removing the layer of mayonnaise I promptly covered mine in.
Da hell?
You better be licking it off!
That's a lot of perfectly good unsaturated fats you are drizzling yourself with, sir.0 -
Abs are made in the kitchen, you should be striving to always eat at maintenance, you could have the most defined abs, but a constant overeating patterns can ruin all that.
If you do indulge, make up for it... Have a day of defecit
But its always math, calories in vs calories out !!
Yes, just four or five days of bad overeating can set a person way behind! Any foods I should particularly avoid? Any foods you'd recommend for their nutrient value?
You don't need to avoid any foods....
The important thing is calories.
Listen this past weekend, between Sat and Sun, I ate about 5000 calories in brownies alone...not counting my other food.
Between Fri - Sun night, I prolly had about 12,000 - 15000 calories.....
WAY ABOVE my needed calories.
So come Monday I was a lot softer than I usually am......
But back on track eating Monday and Tuesday, I am starting to tighten back up......
So you can eat what you want....
Just stay below caloric needs to get the abs you want, then once you get there, stay around caloric needs.
Hit your macros as well.
So I've been experimenting this past week with calorie cycling... seems to work pretty well for losing those last few percentages of body fat. Another week or two and I will be at the end of the marathon...
Now, I have a new and very real concern: how do I get abs without becoming UNDERWEIGHT? The abs are popping through, but at the same time the number on the scale is dropping. Frankly, it's scaring me. Would it be better for me to bulk up, put on some muscle, then try to cut?
If it were me. I would get to a weight that you feel comfortable at.
Then I would add back a 100 calories a week until you were maintainig your weight. +/- a few pounds. Which would be most likely water.0 -
MityMax96, maybe I missed it, but can I ask what % of body fat were you at in those pictures ? I'm just curious, as I'm quite a bit away from having defined abs, but one thing I would like to shoot for is 12% body fat I get closer to my goal weight 0
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MityMax96, maybe I missed it, but can I ask what % of body fat were you at in those pictures ? I'm just curious, as I'm quite a bit away from having defined abs, but one thing I would like to shoot for is 12% body fat I get closer to my goal weight
In current profile pic, I am prolly 7% - 8%
In the pics last year in Aug and December.
I was prolly 10 - 11% in Aug
And prolly ~10% in December....maybe 9% if I were lucky
I have some other pics, where I am about 5% - 6%0 -
I was prolly ~5% in this pic, last month.
07-24-2014
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In current profile pic, I am prolly 7% - 8%
In the pics last year in Aug and December.
I was prolly 10 - 11% in Aug
And prolly ~10% in December....maybe 9% if I were lucky
I have some other pics, where I am about 5% - 6%
Ah, cheers, its good to have a reference point and fair play on the results for all the hard work you've obviously put in! 0 -
In current profile pic, I am prolly 7% - 8%
In the pics last year in Aug and December.
I was prolly 10 - 11% in Aug
And prolly ~10% in December....maybe 9% if I were lucky
I have some other pics, where I am about 5% - 6%
Ah, cheers, its good to have a reference point and fair play on the results for all the hard work you've obviously put in!
Thank you :drinker: :drinker:0 -
To keeps up your abs for long firstly take out however much stress as could be expected Split your workouts for expanded force attempt the meat and nuts breakfast begin your day with a greens drink turn your proteins and fats0
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Holy hell mitymax!! You are one helluva example!0
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I'll let you know once I'm done removing the layer of mayonnaise I promptly covered mine in.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
Holy hell mitymax!! You are one helluva example!
Thank you.
But I assure you, there are other guys on here that are far better....trust me.
I am a work in progress my friend.0 -
I can't speak to having/maintaining abs since I'm not there yet. As for calorie goal setting, this is the most accurate calculator for me: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ Keep in mind that anything like this is really just an estimate and you have to start at a point and add/subtract from there to find what works for you specifically. I find that MFP underestimates my calorie needs but that that site is pretty dead on for me.
I'll try that one. I think I just get frustrated because I'm constantly seeing these 5 foot tall 140lb girls swear they eat 2000 calories a day and lost tons of weight every week. It's eye roll inducing. I mean I'm 100lbs larger and a male but I barely lose eating 2300? That makes no sense.
Well, I'm 5'5" and 130 lbs and I maintain around 2100-2200 calories/day...0 -
Tagging for the info by MityMax. Yeah, well done man.0
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Tagging for the info by MityMax. Yeah, well done man.
Thanks man
You as well :drinker: :drinker: 0
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