We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
Abs are made in the kitchen...
TiffaniBarrett
Posts: 369 Member
Hi All!!
So. I am desperate for a flat stomach. I work out every day (almost) lifting heavy weights for 45-50mins and 12-15mins of interval running at the end of the workout. My day looks like this (roughly)
5min warm up run
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 squats on smith machine (10kg either end of bar)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 shoulder press (6kg each hand)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 seated bicep curls (10kg either hand - and I will move onto standing bicep curls when Im more used to the weight)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 lateral pull downs (30kg)
3 x 10 russian twists with 6kg ball
3 x 10 tricep dips
3 x 10 leg raises
and maybe a few more if I can fit them in! I have been doing this for a lonnnnggg time. Months.
They say abs are made in the kitchen. Can someone look at my diary and tell me where I am going wrong?? I obviously have my 'off' weekends when I drink or eat more whatever. But its not every weekend.
I look forward to your answers!
So. I am desperate for a flat stomach. I work out every day (almost) lifting heavy weights for 45-50mins and 12-15mins of interval running at the end of the workout. My day looks like this (roughly)
5min warm up run
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 squats on smith machine (10kg either end of bar)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 shoulder press (6kg each hand)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 seated bicep curls (10kg either hand - and I will move onto standing bicep curls when Im more used to the weight)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 lateral pull downs (30kg)
3 x 10 russian twists with 6kg ball
3 x 10 tricep dips
3 x 10 leg raises
and maybe a few more if I can fit them in! I have been doing this for a lonnnnggg time. Months.
They say abs are made in the kitchen. Can someone look at my diary and tell me where I am going wrong?? I obviously have my 'off' weekends when I drink or eat more whatever. But its not every weekend.
I look forward to your answers!
0
Replies
-
Hi All!!
So. I am desperate for a flat stomach.
Yah that is a pretty usual goal :-)I work out every day (almost) lifting heavy weights for 45-50mins and 12-15mins of interval running at the end of the workout. My day looks like this (roughly)
5min warm up run
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 squats on smith machine (10kg either end of bar)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 shoulder press (6kg each hand)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 seated bicep curls (10kg either hand - and I will move onto standing bicep curls when Im more used to the weight)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 lateral pull downs (30kg)
3 x 10 russian twists with 6kg ball
3 x 10 tricep dips
3 x 10 leg raises
and maybe a few more if I can fit them in! I have been doing this for a lonnnnggg time. Months.They say abs are made in the kitchen. Can someone look at my diary
No need to Tiffani0 -
Looks like you are coming in quite a bit under your calorie goal each day. The goal is something you should try to reach, not stay under.
When it comes to your routine, I would suggest lowering or eliminating all off the isolation core exercises (Leg lifts), and you should not work the same muscle group on back to back days, take a day off in between.
I would suggest you look into Starting strength, Stronlifts 5x5, or New Rules of Lifting for women to get a better program. These programs all use compound lifts that target the whole body and eliminate the unnecessary isolation lifts and ab work.0 -
After a few years of high intensity training and low calorie eating, I'm FINALLY starting to get the abs I want and it has nothing to do with my exercise routine. I lifted heavy for a couple of years but I've been off that for a while, I'm mostly boxing/kickboxing/running with maybe one day a week of weight training if I can fit it into my schedule. The change in diet is making all the difference. I eat 1900-2100 calories a day. Most of that is vegetables and meat, usually a yogurt daily for breakfast, and minimal grain.
You can either get abs by starving all the fat off your body (this will result in reduced musculature but I've seen people do it), or by eating enough to support your activity level and convince your body that it doesn't need its fat reserves because it's being fed enough. Only the second one is working for me mentally and physically :P
Ab work is completely and totally unnecessary. Your core is engaged whenever you are lifting properly, isolating your core is a waste of time.0 -
Ab work is completely and totally unnecessary. Your core is engaged whenever you are lifting properly, isolating your core is a waste of time.
^^ Completely agree with Lobster.......usually do......Lay off the leg raises....0 -
bump0
-
I have seen significant improvement in my belly since starting heavy compound lifts (squats, dead lifts, etc.) and my abs feel sore the next day from stabilizing my core while doing them.
I would focus more on these exercises then the isolation exercises you are currently doing (that's a lot of leg raises!!). When you do compound lifts you work more muscle groups in a shorter period of time so that means.....more time to do other stuff!0 -
bump0
-
bump--- i would also suggest what others have. do more compound movements to target more muscles at one time. also dont do so much lifting in one day. thats what i used to do and was getting nowhere.... i now lift for 30min 5x a week different muscle groups each day. i do 20min cardio after lifting. either HIIT or steady state cardio. cardio only on thursday and rest on sunday
0 -
Just by looking at you diary for the last 7 days, your going WAY over your grams of FAT. Any body fat being used for energy, your putting right back into your body. Everything being said is true about cor engagement, but your Fat intake is too high for the amount of calories your eating.0
-
Hi, just curious.... what does "bump" mean? :huh:0
-
I always get flamed whenever I link anything from charles poliquin, but here's a link from him on the basics of how to do it:
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/1305/Tip-374-Get-Better-Abs-Three-Strategies-for-Stronger-Leaner-Abs.aspx
He seems to know what he's talking about in regard to exercise and fitness.0 -
Just by looking at you diary for the last 7 days, your going WAY over your grams of FAT. Any body fat being used for energy, your putting right back into your body. Everything being said is true about cor engagement, but your Fat intake is too high for the amount of calories your eating.
This is wrong, if she is eating below maintenance it wouldn't matter if all the calories came from fat. Dietary fat =/= body fat.
Why is eating a high fat diet wrong?0 -
I have the same problem, starting to think I'm just skinny fat...0
-
I have the same problem, starting to think I'm just skinny fat...
Lift heavy weights and give it time.0 -
Lift heavy weights and give it time.
Don't have money for the gym
I'm doing 30ds for the second time now though which involves body weight moves.. Is that okay too? 0 -
Looks like you are coming in quite a bit under your calorie goal each day. The goal is something you should try to reach, not stay under.
When it comes to your routine, I would suggest lowering or eliminating all off the isolation core exercises (Leg lifts), and you should not work the same muscle group on back to back days, take a day off in between.
I would suggest you look into Starting strength, Stronlifts 5x5, or New Rules of Lifting for women to get a better program. These programs all use compound lifts that target the whole body and eliminate the unnecessary isolation lifts and ab work.
Agreed.0 -
Just by looking at you diary for the last 7 days, your going WAY over your grams of FAT. Any body fat being used for energy, your putting right back into your body. Everything being said is true about cor engagement, but your Fat intake is too high for the amount of calories your eating.
Not sure if you're trolling or not, but you're completely wrong. Please do not spread misinformation.0 -
Don't have money for the gym I'm doing 30ds for the second time now though which involves body weight moves.. Is that okay too?
Definitely better than no strength training, but results in body composition will not be as dramatic as would be with heavy weight lifting (4-8 rep range sets)0 -
The weights you included seem a little low for saying you've been doing it for a long time. Have you increased your weights recently?0
-
I didn't see my abs until I cleaned up my diet. Of course, lifting heavy helped but combined with the diet, that's what made the difference.0
-
looks like from your pictures your making good progress. It is a slow process but I see improvement, I would not mess with what your are doing. Keep it up. Looks great.0
-
waaay too much fat per day "ABS ARE BUILT IN THE KITCHEN" lower you fat intake hike up your cal & carbs & youll reach your goal quicker0
-
waaay too much fat per day "ABS ARE BUILT IN THE KITCHEN" lower you fat intake hike up your cal & carbs & youll reach your goal quicker
Stop spreading misinformation please. Even if her diet was 60% fat that would not matter for much as long as she is getting adequate protein and is still in a deficit0 -
Definitely better than no strength training, but results in body composition will not be as dramatic as would be with heavy weight lifting (4-8 rep range sets)
Thanks 0 -
Hi All!!
So. I am desperate for a flat stomach. I work out every day (almost) lifting heavy weights for 45-50mins and 12-15mins of interval running at the end of the workout. My day looks like this (roughly)
5min warm up run
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 squats on smith machine (10kg either end of bar)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 shoulder press (6kg each hand)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 seated bicep curls (10kg either hand - and I will move onto standing bicep curls when Im more used to the weight)
3 x 10 leg raises
3 x 10 lateral pull downs (30kg)
3 x 10 russian twists with 6kg ball
3 x 10 tricep dips
3 x 10 leg raises
and maybe a few more if I can fit them in! I have been doing this for a lonnnnggg time. Months.
They say abs are made in the kitchen. Can someone look at my diary and tell me where I am going wrong?? I obviously have my 'off' weekends when I drink or eat more whatever. But its not every weekend.
I look forward to your answers!
You are missing the most important part. This quote refers to SEX in the kitchen. How come I'm the only one that "gets" that?0 -
Looks like you are coming in quite a bit under your calorie goal each day. The goal is something you should try to reach, not stay under.
When it comes to your routine, I would suggest lowering or eliminating all off the isolation core exercises (Leg lifts), and you should not work the same muscle group on back to back days, take a day off in between.
I would suggest you look into Starting strength, Stronlifts 5x5, or New Rules of Lifting for women to get a better program. These programs all use compound lifts that target the whole body and eliminate the unnecessary isolation lifts and ab work.
Yep...took me eating more (and less junk) and changing up my strength routine that made the difference for me.0 -
Actually abs are made in the gym, refined in the kitchen.
I disagree that core work is "a waste of time". Yes, you're engaging your core when you lift weights but isolation exercises help strengthen and support the back and it does build muscle. I have a friend who is a serious athlete (tri's, marathon runner, iron man) and even he does isolation work for his abs.0 -
Exactly. Direct ab work is not a waste of time. The "engaging the core" exercises that work the abs isometrically will not optimally hit the abs, in terms of hypertrophy.Actually abs are made in the gym, refined in the kitchen.
I disagree that core work is "a waste of time". Yes, you're engaging your core when you lift weights but isolation exercises help strengthen and support the back and it does build muscle. I have a friend who is a serious athlete (tri's, marathon runner, iron man) and even he does isolation work for his abs.0 -
I thought what he said made a lot of sense, thanks!I always get flamed whenever I link anything from charles poliquin, but here's a link from him on the basics of how to do it:
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/1305/Tip-374-Get-Better-Abs-Three-Strategies-for-Stronger-Leaner-Abs.aspx
He seems to know what he's talking about in regard to exercise and fitness.0 -
Run more. I am not stating this as fact, so please don't everyone jump down my throat, but from what I have seen increasing how often and how long you run helps to burn off that last lil bit of the pooch.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.6K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 260.5K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.1K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.7K Fitness and Exercise
- 444 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 4.1K MyFitnessPal Information
- 16 News and Announcements
- 1.3K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.8K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions