For those who were extremely fat and now have a six-pack

gashinshotan
gashinshotan Posts: 749 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
How the hell did you do it?! I've been stuck around 150 for the past two months, and even with low cals, running, and starting a lifting program (2 weeks ago), and fat burners it seems as if I'm making very slow progress towards a six-pack....
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Replies

  • donovan86
    donovan86 Posts: 16
    Wish I could help.

    Bumping for something I'm curious about too.
  • cutie2b
    cutie2b Posts: 194 Member
    Bump
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    did you turn into a slob in two weeks?

    it takes a long time to get ripped into a six pack
  • gashinshotan
    gashinshotan Posts: 749 Member
    Well how long do you think? I'm doing crunches on a decline ab bench (along with working out everything else except legs cuz I run hills for that) right now and am running about an 800 daily caloric deficit.
    did you turn into a slob in two weeks?

    it takes a long time to get ripped into a six pack
  • nebulinda
    nebulinda Posts: 120 Member
    From what I've read, it takes many months (or longer) and a very low body fat percentage to get a six pack. Actually, I think having a six pack is an unreasonable goal for most people. It's such a lot of a work and requires such a lifestyle change. If you're dead set on getting a six pack, I would talk to a personal trainer. They are the best people for telling you how to work out and what to eat to achieve your six pack dreams.
  • M3g4s_xlr
    M3g4s_xlr Posts: 1
    for most skinny/ average people it would take roughly 1 to 2 years. For most overweight/obese people it would be roughly 5 years or more. It really is a transformation that takes not only hard work with your body, but your mind.
  • gashinshotan
    gashinshotan Posts: 749 Member
    Well I know I have a 4 pack... I can barely see it now but when I was 8% bf 5 years ago I only had a hard 4 pack - so is it just the bottom two abs that need to be developed?
    for most skinny/ average people it would take roughly 1 to 2 years. For most overweight/obese people it would be roughly 5 years or more. It really is a transformation that takes not only hard work with your body, but your mind.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    Well I know I have a 4 pack... I can barely see it now but when I was 8% bf 5 years ago I only had a hard 4 pack - so is it just the bottom two abs that need to be developed?
    for most skinny/ average people it would take roughly 1 to 2 years. For most overweight/obese people it would be roughly 5 years or more. It really is a transformation that takes not only hard work with your body, but your mind.

    well I suppose you had correct measurements, but if you were 8% bf and didnt have the 6 pack then ....hmmmm...I doubt it was accurate
  • gashinshotan
    gashinshotan Posts: 749 Member
    Hmm maybe not then - it was one of those electronic body fat calculators that you hold... so I should see a 6 pack if I am really 8%?
    Well I know I have a 4 pack... I can barely see it now but when I was 8% bf 5 years ago I only had a hard 4 pack - so is it just the bottom two abs that need to be developed?
    for most skinny/ average people it would take roughly 1 to 2 years. For most overweight/obese people it would be roughly 5 years or more. It really is a transformation that takes not only hard work with your body, but your mind.

    well I suppose you had correct measurements, but if you were 8% bf and didnt have the 6 pack then ....hmmmm...I doubt it was accurate
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    lift heavy. do squats and deadlifts to actually build your abdominal muscles. do planks to reinforce them. Eat enough to build muscle, which will help scorch fat.
  • hedgiie
    hedgiie Posts: 1,226 Member
    I'm 35lbs overweight. my estimate is to see my six pack by April 2013. It takes time, like watching a grass grow.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
    6 packs are made in the kitchen. You have to get your bodyfat % low enough (under 10 for most guys and 14-18 for women) in order for the muscles to show. Make sure you're eating a clean diet. Lots of veggies and lean meats, lots of water and fiberous veggies. Limit your fruit and If you can do low carbs that helps some people. Other have no issues with carbs so everyone is different. For me, the low carbs seem to be working. Also, lift heavy weights and low reps and go to failure as ofter as you can.
    Hope this helps.
  • Dan112358
    Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
    http://www.builtlean.com/2011/05/11/how-to-get-ripped-and-cut/

    Everyone has abdominal muscles. If you want to see them, you must lower your body fat %. You can train the hell out of your core but if you're 20% bf, they'll be "under cover".
  • missyof3
    missyof3 Posts: 1
    my sis in law and i meet a couple at the gym, they have turned into our encouragement team you could say. He told us he was 330 lbs and it took him 5 years to slim down doing it the right way. he always tells us, go slow fast isn't going to take off the fat.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    low carb is great if you're doing lots of low-intensity "fat burning" type exercise, but high-intensity is more bang for your buck, and you need carbs to fuel muscle growth.
  • Dan112358
    Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
    PS, I'm 170 lbs, with about 12% bf. The abs are visible at times but I figure I need to lose 5-10 lbs of body fat to push me there. I'm also not holding my breath while waiting. Slow & steady.

    235(ish):

    DSC07463.jpg

    And on Monday, February 27, 2012 (at about 170):

    976190b8.jpg
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Moderate deficit of approx 10% below TDEE
    1g/lb of LBM minimum protein
    .4g/lb of bodyweight minimum fat
    regular resistance training (compound lifts, increasing weight each week)
    whatever cardio exercise you enjoy

    Consistensy

    991269_3583.jpg

    to

    991269_748.jpg
  • MLgarcia3
    MLgarcia3 Posts: 503
    lift heavy. do squats and deadlifts to actually build your abdominal muscles. do planks to reinforce them. Eat enough to build muscle, which will help scorch fat.

    agree!
  • amyy902
    amyy902 Posts: 290 Member
    firstly congrats and secondly our genes play a huge part in gaining a six pack..... my advice is if youre trying to get one the abs engage after 20 reps, so do sets of 20 no more as you'll be working on the endurance and also if you use weights it may help. but genes play a huge role in it!!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    bump :)
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    did you turn into a slob in two weeks?
    What a crappy thing to say to a person on a weight-loss website.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    did you turn into a slob in two weeks?
    What a crappy thing to say to a person on a weight-loss website.

    you didnt quote the whole thing. what a crappy thing to do to feel superior.
  • deckard14
    deckard14 Posts: 2
    The body is very good at adapting to calorie deficit. There are countless articles on plateaus and stubborn fat. I'm 45, dropped 70 pounds to see abs. Maintenance of 12%body fat is a full time job. Like most people life can throw a curve ball every now and again; rotator cuff surgery limited my exercise and I gained 25 back, I'm dropping that again for the summer.

    Sooooo. From experience - the plateau and that stubborn fat can be hard to move. I have had a lot of success with intermediate fasting. (Google is your friend). By limiting my eating window two days in a row 12 noon to 6pm and running a slight deficit from my basal needs and eating at basal on the next day I beat the plateau. About a month of that cycle is good.

    Lifting as a primary exercise backed with HIIT can help you get those abs to show. I also believe creatine and a high protein diet helps.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Having seen your ECA log here's my advice.

    Eat in a moderate deficit
    1g protein per lb LBM
    .35 - .45 g fat per lb of Body weight
    Work out 3 x per week - lifting heavy

    Do ALL of these things together...CONSISTENTLY and things will happen...IN TIME

    And stop relying on ECA. It's not magic.
  • hirensthenameliftinsthegame
    hirensthenameliftinsthegame Posts: 233
    dont have a clear cut 6 pack per my definition, or the amount of definition i want in my abs isn't exactly what i have, but i have to tell you, eating less to a certain extent won't help.


    cardio/strength training definitely helps, i do major compound lifts including some olympic lifts almost 7 days a week(although not as heavy on some days) but cardio is only about 1-2 times per week, and you definitely need to eat protein, atleast 1g per lbm, i weigh about 164 on my heavy days, and i eat about 225 to 250g of protein, i find that sufficient for my needs
  • adamsilva
    adamsilva Posts: 261 Member
    Having seen your ECA log here's my advice.

    Eat in a moderate deficit
    1g protein per lb LBM
    .35 - .45 g fat per lb of Body weight
    Work out 3 x per week - lifting heavy

    Do ALL of these things together...CONSISTENTLY and things will happen...IN TIME

    And stop relying on ECA. It's not magic.


    Chris and gp79 when you say eat in a moderate deficit do you increase your deficit over time? or eat as long as its deficit?
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    For me, I usually set my goal around 25% under TDEE. It allows for a little margin of "error" and high probability for a loss.

    I try to work out my calories across a week, or at least that's the way I've been doing it for the past month or so with results.
  • adamsilva
    adamsilva Posts: 261 Member
    For me, I usually set my goal around 25% under TDEE. It allows for a little margin of "error" and high probability for a loss.

    I try to work out my calories across a week, or at least that's the way I've been doing it for the past month or so with results.

    25% wow. ok mines like under 5% thats a good idea having a buffer zone. that will definitely promote consistency. will probably up mine. maybe not that high....maybe.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I've also got alot to lose right now. If I was as lean as either you or Chris I'd be using a smaller deficit, like what Chis posted ~ 10%
  • gashinshotan
    gashinshotan Posts: 749 Member
    OK my current workout plan is this and what I have been doing for the past two weeks with some bodyfat loss but not as fast as I'd like:

    3-4 runs a week - average mileage of 20 miles
    heavy lifting - 5x a week - alternating chest/triceps, back/biceps, shoulders, and abs (only been doing one workout a week past 2 weeks will be increasing to 3)

    Diet - net calories 1600 a day (past month I have been cheating like twice a week badly 4000+ which could explain my plateau), 150g protein (I've been getting around 115 daily for the past month)

    Supps - EC+ synephrine 20mg x 2/daily, maybe T3

    Current Stats:
    5'3", 150lbs, 15% bf (guestimate based on various opinions of my pics relative to other pics)

    So if I cut out the cheat days and shift towards more protein I should make good progress right. I'm gonna post pics in a month.
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