Please let me know what you guys see. So frustrating

mn1230
mn1230 Posts: 11 Member
edited December 1 in Motivation and Support
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Replies

  • mn1230
    mn1230 Posts: 11 Member
    I don't see any difference
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    What are you trying to achieve? You're not fat.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    You shaved more recently on the right.
  • mn1230
    mn1230 Posts: 11 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    What are you trying to achieve? You're not fat.

    I'm just trying to show abs and lose any unnecessary fat. Any tips
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    10.6 lbs. is a great start. Do you take you measurements as well? Just because we don't see a difference in ourselves doesn't mean we haven't changed. Give it more time and tweak your calorie intake if necessary.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Do you do strength/resistance training at the moment?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    You are more than your torso. I see a difference but even if I didn't, odds are that plenty of that loss came from the other parts of your body.
  • Bronty3
    Bronty3 Posts: 104 Member
    Differences I see: clavicale seems slightly more pronounced and your stomach looks like it got smaller as your belly button shape changed. Good job on 10.6 lbs. lost.
  • mn1230
    mn1230 Posts: 11 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Do you do strength/resistance training at the moment?

    I am mainly doing a HIIT that integrates kettle bell movements, push ups, sit ups, lunges and stuff like that. Another thing I'm wonder is if I want my abs to show should I eat at maintenance or below
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
    I totally see a difference. If you say you lost 10-11 pounds, from the pictures that looks about right to me.
  • mn1230
    mn1230 Posts: 11 Member
    Bronty3 wrote: »
    Differences I see: clavicale seems slightly more pronounced and your stomach looks like it got smaller as your belly button shape changed. Good job on 10.6 lbs. lost.

    Thank you so much and yeah I only really saw something in my shoulders, I'd like it more in the chest and stomach area though, thanks for the support and feedback
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    mn1230 wrote: »
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    What are you trying to achieve? You're not fat.

    I'm just trying to show abs and lose any unnecessary fat. Any tips
    You'll have to get leaner than this to show off your abs. In the mean time you might want to think about running bulk/lean cycles to improve your muscle mass. That makes it look even better when you finally get that body fat % down below 10%.
  • junior204
    junior204 Posts: 4 Member
    It looks like you have the "skinny fat" body frame I have (or had, I guess). I'll tell you a short story from my experience. When I first got into fitness, I wanted to lose fat so I can show my abs just like you want to do. I put in the hard work to eat right and workout (mostly cardio). I ended up losing about 15 lbs. and I could see my abs somewhat. I wasn't "fat" any more, I was "too skinny" now. I had some friends whom I had not seeing for almost a year joke about how skinny I was. It turns out that from my perspective I was "ripped", but from others perspective I was "too skinny." This was because I didn't have enough muscle mass built up to actually look muscular. It sucked and it brought my self-esteem down that summer. The point I am trying make is that you need to have a decent amount a muscle before you actually go through and lose enough fat to show your abs or will end up "too skinny" like I did (unless that's you're goal: be skinner and not muscular). I recommend you do a clean bulk for a few months. By "clean bulk" I mean eating just above maintenance caloric levels and lifting heavy.

    Let me know if you need any help in the process.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    mn1230 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Do you do strength/resistance training at the moment?

    I am mainly doing a HIIT that integrates kettle bell movements, push ups, sit ups, lunges and stuff like that. Another thing I'm wonder is if I want my abs to show should I eat at maintenance or below

    Visible abs require one to be very lean and it takes a lot of work and a lot of time. Re-comping the body takes a lot of time, not a handful of weeks or a couple of months of training.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    junior204 wrote: »
    It looks like you have the "skinny fat" body frame I have (or had, I guess). I'll tell you a short story from my experience. When I first got into fitness, I wanted to lose fat so I can show my abs just like you want to do. I put in the hard work to eat right and workout (mostly cardio). I ended up losing about 15 lbs. and I could see my abs somewhat. I wasn't "fat" any more, I was "too skinny" now. I had some friends whom I had not seeing for almost a year joke about how skinny I was. It turns out that from my perspective I was "ripped", but from others perspective I was "too skinny." This was because I didn't have enough muscle mass built up to actually look muscular. It sucked and it brought my self-esteem down that summer. The point I am trying make is that you need to have a decent amount a muscle before you actually go through and lose enough fat to show your abs or will end up "too skinny" like I did (unless that's you're goal: be skinner and not muscular). I recommend you do a clean bulk for a few months. By "clean bulk" I mean eating just above maintenance caloric levels and lifting heavy.

    Let me know if you need any help in the process.

    Thank you for posting this. I think a lot of people would benefit by reading it and letting it sink in.
  • mn1230
    mn1230 Posts: 11 Member
    junior204 wrote: »
    It looks like you have the "skinny fat" body frame I have (or had, I guess). I'll tell you a short story from my experience. When I first got into fitness, I wanted to lose fat so I can show my abs just like you want to do. I put in the hard work to eat right and workout (mostly cardio). I ended up losing about 15 lbs. and I could see my abs somewhat. I wasn't "fat" any more, I was "too skinny" now. I had some friends whom I had not seeing for almost a year joke about how skinny I was. It turns out that from my perspective I was "ripped", but from others perspective I was "too skinny." This was because I didn't have enough muscle mass built up to actually look muscular. It sucked and it brought my self-esteem down that summer. The point I am trying make is that you need to have a decent amount a muscle before you actually go through and lose enough fat to show your abs or will end up "too skinny" like I did (unless that's you're goal: be skinner and not muscular). I recommend you do a clean bulk for a few months. By "clean bulk" I mean eating just above maintenance caloric levels and lifting heavy.

    Let me know if you need any help in the process.
    junior204 wrote: »
    It looks like you have the "skinny fat" body frame I have (or had, I guess). I'll tell you a short story from my experience. When I first got into fitness, I wanted to lose fat so I can show my abs just like you want to do. I put in the hard work to eat right and workout (mostly cardio). I ended up losing about 15 lbs. and I could see my abs somewhat. I wasn't "fat" any more, I was "too skinny" now. I had some friends whom I had not seeing for almost a year joke about how skinny I was. It turns out that from my perspective I was "ripped", but from others perspective I was "too skinny." This was because I didn't have enough muscle mass built up to actually look muscular. It sucked and it brought my self-esteem down that summer. The point I am trying make is that you need to have a decent amount a muscle before you actually go through and lose enough fat to show your abs or will end up "too skinny" like I did (unless that's you're goal: be skinner and not muscular). I recommend you do a clean bulk for a few months. By "clean bulk" I mean eating just above maintenance caloric levels and lifting heavy.

    Let me know if you need any help in the process.

    Thank you so much for this post. I wanted to lose fat but I guess I might even need to put a little more on of I want muscles to show. So while I'm doing this "clean bulk" I should do abs as well and cardio?

  • mn1230
    mn1230 Posts: 11 Member
    junior204 wrote: »
    It looks like you have the "skinny fat" body frame I have (or had, I guess). I'll tell you a short story from my experience. When I first got into fitness, I wanted to lose fat so I can show my abs just like you want to do. I put in the hard work to eat right and workout (mostly cardio). I ended up losing about 15 lbs. and I could see my abs somewhat. I wasn't "fat" any more, I was "too skinny" now. I had some friends whom I had not seeing for almost a year joke about how skinny I was. It turns out that from my perspective I was "ripped", but from others perspective I was "too skinny." This was because I didn't have enough muscle mass built up to actually look muscular. It sucked and it brought my self-esteem down that summer. The point I am trying make is that you need to have a decent amount a muscle before you actually go through and lose enough fat to show your abs or will end up "too skinny" like I did (unless that's you're goal: be skinner and not muscular). I recommend you do a clean bulk for a few months. By "clean bulk" I mean eating just above maintenance caloric levels and lifting heavy.

    Let me know if you need any help in the process.

    Also I already have a larger frame so if I cut down would it look any good?
  • junior204
    junior204 Posts: 4 Member
    No problem.

    Yeah, I would do abs to strengthen the core and help build it up for when you cut. Abs are used indirectly in many of the heavier lifts so its good to keep them in check. I would also do some HIIT cardio after lifting just to minimize fat accumulation and try to gaining solid mass (assuming you are eating just above your maintenance) and help with cardiovascular system.

    To be honest, I see some muscle there, but I don't think it's enough if you want to look muscular once your cut down. I say this from experience. I thought I had a pretty good build before I decided to lose the fat. I just ended up looking like I didn't workout or lift at all. I mean, you could try to lose a few pounds if that's what you feel you need, but if I were you (knowing what I know now) I would start a clean bulk now until January or so, and then be shredded next summer. Hard now = Easy later.
  • sixpackdads
    sixpackdads Posts: 3 Member
    to get abs you need to lose body fat... 10 lbs might be a bit of muscle too... You can't spot reduce. Keep on working out, it'll happen. Patience.

    I still have a long way to go, but I'm on a mission to get them showing as well... preferably before I'm 40
  • Jburlen2007
    Jburlen2007 Posts: 59 Member
    I agree, see a difference in the shoulders/upper chest.

    Stay positive, results take time and hard work!
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