So you want a nice stomach

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  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    jenilla1 wrote: »
    ElliottTN wrote: »
    I really really want to give you a thumbs up but your number 4 is making me cringe.


    There's absolutely nothing wrong with #4. I run AND lift heavy and I have nicely defined abs. I find weight training and cardio to be very complementary for my purposes. Personally, I think it's important to keep my muscles and bones strong AND keep my cardiovascular system in good shape. Neglecting one to focus on the other doesn't make sense to me. It's fine if that's your thing, but it's not correct to suggest that doing a little cardio is somehow going to hurt one's ability to get great abs, because it doesn't - unless maybe I'm just a freak of nature. That's possible, too, I guess. ;)

    Most of them are shocked that I ONLY suggest an hour total of cardio in a week. They think people should do more than that. I know the American Heart Association suggests slightly more than that, but lifting also improves VO2 max. My suggestions are more than enough to keep the body healthy.
  • carolinatx
    carolinatx Posts: 58 Member
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    I am so confused by this site. I enter in my info and it tells me my TDEE is 2149 and for my workout day I should eat 2479 and rest days 1290 and it only lets me say I'm working out 4 days a week - if I go up to 5 days a week, it puts me at weight gain??? Doing 4 days per week with these calories puts me at losing 15 lbs by March 21, 2016 - wtf??

    I have been doing the MFP calculated calories to lose 1 lb per week and am at 1400 calories, but would like to explore TDEE. I work out about 6 days per week for 30-75 mins per day. I have a desk job, but I choose to stand. I hate strength but do it about 2-3 times per week, the rest is cardio and I usually still do a lot of activity on my rest days - cleaning house, playing with my son, walking, etc. I follow the macros of 50/30/20 that MFP recommends - trying to make sure I hit the 20% protein because I struggle to get that. I try to do organic and the least processed foods that I can and very very seldom eat something fried.

    Would appreciate any advice - I've lost 21 lbs so far (over the past 300 days) and have been at a plateau since about July (lost 1-3 lbs since then is all). Have tried increasing and decreasing my calories and I'm not sure what else to do. I'd like to really tone up and lose another 15lbs by early May 2015 - adding strength is something newer for me (last month or two). I track everything with measuring cups and a scale and log my food and have an HRM for my calories burned so I feel like I'm tracking as accurately as I can.

    Thanks!
  • VeganAmandaJ
    VeganAmandaJ Posts: 234 Member
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    I've visited that IF website before and have always been flabbergasted at the amount of calories it recommends me to eat on rest days let alone on workout days. How can I possibly consume 2,512 calories on workout days and 2,450 cals on rest days and still lose weight/fat?
    MFP's guidelines say I should lose 1 lb per week eating 2,230 cals a day.

    I had lost 50 lbs over a year and a half but because of several vacations over the past 6 months I've managed to gain back at least 10, if not more. (I haven't been checking the scale since I can feel it in my body and my clothes but haven't grown out of my clothes yet... they're just tighter)

    I was working out 4-6 days a week, lifting by following various bodybuilding.com programs and weighing/measuring things. I still weigh/measure but because of getting out of my routine many times over the past 6 months I haven't really been back in the routine of weighing/measuring/working out 4-6 days a week.

    The ultimate question is: If I get back to my routine of 4-6 days per week of lifting heavy + cardio (usually 15-30 mins each time), weighing/measuring/go grocery shopping and getting my protein back up (goal previously was 120-130g), is eating so many calories really necessary, how exactly does that work?

    Excuse me if I missed something since I didn't read all 29 pages of this post and I'm not making excuses for the last 6 months since I wouldn't have changed it TOO much but I definitely need to re lose what I've gained and continue losing since I have at least 80+ more I need to lose. ( I don't have a weight goal since it's more about health and fitness, so I'll decide when it gets closer)

    Thanks in advance for any more info/resources you provide.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    edited January 2015
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    @carolinatx and @WhovianFitNHealthy you both missed the part on the third page where it is set to recomposition. For the rest days and workout days you can manually change the percentage to -20% and that's what you would eat every day. You would not count calories burned.

    You can also try this site and it might be more clear to both of you:
    iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
  • VeganAmandaJ
    VeganAmandaJ Posts: 234 Member
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    Yeah, that is at -20% -should it be higher? I'll look at that website. Thanks. I try not to eat back cals burned anyway.
    usmcmp wrote: »
    @carolinatx and @WhovianFitNHealthy you both missed the part on the third page where it is set to recomposition. For the rest days and workout days you can manually change the percentage to -20% and that's what you would eat every day. You would not count calories burned.

    You can also try this site and it might be more clear to both of you:
    iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

  • anna19741974
    anna19741974 Posts: 3 Member
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    I want to lose my belly fat... Can someone help me
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    anna19741974 wrote: »
    I want to lose my belly fat... Can someone help me

    Go back and read the first post, then follow what's written in it.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    WhovianFitNHealthy wrote: »
    Yeah, that is at -20% -should it be higher? I'll look at that website. Thanks. I try not to eat back cals burned anyway.
    usmcmp wrote: »
    @carolinatx and @WhovianFitNHealthy you both missed the part on the third page where it is set to recomposition. For the rest days and workout days you can manually change the percentage to -20% and that's what you would eat every day. You would not count calories burned.

    You can also try this site and it might be more clear to both of you:
    iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    For most people I suggest -20% from their TDEE as a starting point. -15% works as well. The closer you get to your TDEE the less room for error in logging and the slower the weight loss.
  • 04hoopsgal73
    04hoopsgal73 Posts: 890 Member
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    Just want to say thanks for this thread. I've read it each year and a couple of more times when I needed to be reminded of how it all works. I'm approaching 60 years old and had a few injury set backs which has lost me time on reaching my goal. But I believe I'll get there!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    04hoopsgal73 wrote: »
    Just want to say thanks for this thread. I've read it each year and a couple of more times when I needed to be reminded of how it all works. I'm approaching 60 years old and had a few injury set backs which has lost me time on reaching my goal. But I believe I'll get there!

    I'm glad that it's been there for you! Even I have to come back to it and remember the basics sometimes. It's easy to make it complicated or think it isn't possible. Can't wait to see your success post!
  • joneallen
    joneallen Posts: 217 Member
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    Excellent topic! I agree with you 100%. I tell my friends, and I cannot stress this enough. STOP doing 1000 crunches a day. Diet and compound movements is the key.
  • tamtamstb
    tamtamstb Posts: 5 Member
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    bump
  • lilystars
    lilystars Posts: 36 Member
    edited January 2015
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    This thread is really interesting, I am so impressed by your story, and I would love to learn more about the points you mention!

    I'm afraid I really do not understand how this whole IIFYM/ TDEE thing works though...
    When I set the IIFYM calculator to calculate from BMR, this brings me to a recommendation of 1214 cal/day which sounds very close to the one recommended on MFP. Also when I play around with the macros, it gives me more or less the same recommendations on IIFYM as here on the MFP tool... so I have to ask, is there a difference? Or is this just the opportunity to see how to play with the macros? Or am I just not getting something here?

    Also, more importantly, might I ask if the activity "Body Pump" is sufficient strength/weight training?
    I have been doing quite a bit of this and it includes compound exercises, deadlifts, bench presses..etc as you mention but my understanding is that not all lifters would consider Body Pump to be "real lifting"( it has lighter weights, and more reps- ) what is your opinion?
    Could I just stick with the Body Pump for strength training or do I need to add some free weights? If so, what should I add?
    Thanks so much in advance!!
    :)
  • lilystars
    lilystars Posts: 36 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Not sure if you know what I meant by BodyPump in my post above.. so just in case here is a video, it's a bit cheesy filming, but at least gives an idea of what it looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGtXKXOdRs
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    lilystars wrote: »
    This thread is really interesting, I am so impressed by your story, and I would love to learn more about the points you mention!

    I'm afraid I really do not understand how this whole IIFYM/ TDEE thing works though...
    When I set the IIFYM calculator to calculate from BMR, this brings me to a recommendation of 1214 cal/day which sounds very close to the one recommended on MFP. Also when I play around with the macros, it gives me more or less the same recommendations on IIFYM as here on the MFP tool... so I have to ask, is there a difference? Or is this just the opportunity to see how to play with the macros? Or am I just not getting something here?

    Also, more importantly, might I ask if the activity "Body Pump" is sufficient strength/weight training?
    I have been doing quite a bit of this and it includes compound exercises, deadlifts, bench presses..etc as you mention but my understanding is that not all lifters would consider Body Pump to be "real lifting"( it has lighter weights, and more reps- ) what is your opinion?
    Could I just stick with the Body Pump for strength training or do I need to add some free weights? If so, what should I add?
    Thanks so much in advance!!
    :)

    My guess is that you are either super short or that you entered something wrong. If you use the calculator on the IIFYM website ( iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ ) and you just follow the directions for step 1, pick fat loss 20% for step 2, pick .8g for protein for step 3 (without changing the plan) then you should get more than 1200 calories for your results. The difference with IIFYM set up and MFP is that with IIFYM you do not count exercise calories. It's just simplifying the process for a steady calorie intake.

    Most of us do not count body pump as strength training. It's better than just cardio though. I think venturing into the free weights is a good idea. You might be surprised at your strength and what your body can handle. If you are just wanting to see what you think then a free program like Jamie Eason's Live Fit (free on Bodybuilding.com) might be a good place to start. If you enjoy it then there are tons of threads on here about a variety of lifting programs for women who are just starting.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Hm. I would like my stomach to not be flabby and bulgy (which it isn't any more), but I would not actually like to see a lumpy 4 pack coming out of it or a dent running down the center. I suppose if I stay at around 25% body fat I will stay fairly smooth contoured however much I work out the muscles underneath the subcutaneous fat layer? At my age if I cut the fat too low I would most likely start looking gaunt and weird. :X
  • madierdorf
    madierdorf Posts: 73 Member
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    I am 58 do karate 2x week, and run 5K 2 times a week eating 1200-1300 cal and I am now a size 8 w/o weight loss. Hard to fit gym in when I work 3 12 hr shifts, raising 4 yo any ideas?
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    gothchiq wrote: »
    Hm. I would like my stomach to not be flabby and bulgy (which it isn't any more), but I would not actually like to see a lumpy 4 pack coming out of it or a dent running down the center. I suppose if I stay at around 25% body fat I will stay fairly smooth contoured however much I work out the muscles underneath the subcutaneous fat layer? At my age if I cut the fat too low I would most likely start looking gaunt and weird. :X

    I have lumpy belly fat, so even at 25% I wouldn't have a smooth stomach. Whether you would have abs show or not even if you got to a very low body fat would depend on genetics. My abs simply have lots of volume and LolBroScience's abs just don't have volume. I never do ab work and he's done tons of ab work. It's just luck of the draw.

    The secret to having the 4 pack or 6 pack really visible is actually flexing the abs. Many amateur bodybuilders get marked down on stage because they forget to keep their abs flexed.

    Obviously what I wrote is a guide for fat loss (fat, not weight). The good thing about fat loss is that if you feel you've gotten too low you can gain fat back.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    ElliottTN wrote: »
    I really really want to give you a thumbs up but your number 4 is making me cringe.


    There's absolutely nothing wrong with #4. I run AND lift heavy and I have nicely defined abs. I find weight training and cardio to be very complementary for my purposes. Personally, I think it's important to keep my muscles and bones strong AND keep my cardiovascular system in good shape. Neglecting one to focus on the other doesn't make sense to me. It's fine if that's your thing, but it's not correct to suggest that doing a little cardio is somehow going to hurt one's ability to get great abs, because it doesn't - unless maybe I'm just a freak of nature. That's possible, too, I guess. ;)

    Most of them are shocked that I ONLY suggest an hour total of cardio in a week. They think people should do more than that. I know the American Heart Association suggests slightly more than that, but lifting also improves VO2 max. My suggestions are more than enough to keep the body healthy.

    Oh, OK. But still, an hour of cardio per week is fine, too. In the winter months, that's about all I get and I still maintain just fine. Blood pressure's good, resting heart rate's good. (The rest of the year it's more like 3-10 hours per week, but that's just because I love being active outdoors, not because I feel compelled to meet health organization guidelines.)

    The AHA recommendations are more of a general guideline anyway - if you're actively engaging in other ways (lifting, yoga, whatever your preference...) I don't think you'll be harmed by only doing an hour of cardio. LOL. :D
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    madierdorf wrote: »
    I am 58 do karate 2x week, and run 5K 2 times a week eating 1200-1300 cal and I am now a size 8 w/o weight loss. Hard to fit gym in when I work 3 12 hr shifts, raising 4 yo any ideas?

    Chances are that you actually may need to eat more. About going to the gym, I don't know exactly what your schedule looks like. I go on my lunch hour because that's when I can fit it in. I'm a single mom with a full time job and an hour commute each way, so before or after work takes away time from my kids. I have friends who wake up early and friends who built their own gym at home. I don't know what other advice I can give.

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