abs are made in the kitchen

Jessicaruby
Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i have heard this over and over again. that getting the defined abs i am aiming for comes mostly from how you eat, not by working out...... my trainer insists that to get abs i must eat super clean, high protein, low sugar, no bread but ezekiel and no dairy except cottage cheese. she claims i can not have cheat days/meals and cannot indulge.... i tried this for 5 weeks and while i seen some results i feel super deprived and this is not sustainable. and quite frankly i am losing my mind....SO if abs are made in the kitchen what does this entail? can you cheat/indulge and still get defined abs? or do you have to eat super clean and constantly stick to your calories and be super strict with your macros?
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Replies

  • BigRich822
    BigRich822 Posts: 681
    You can eat whatever you want. I have abs and I eat anything I want. You just have to eat at a deficit thats it. Sure some foods will hang with you longer but it does not matter. Calories in and Calories out. Just eat at a deficit and you will be fine. I would also work out your abs 3 days a week.
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    i always that it was more calories in vs calories out. but more and more i read, talk, and hear people saying it is a combination of eating at a deficit while being super strict with your macros
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    bump? looking for others thoughts? gotten good input from friends but others on MFP?
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
    Have you read NROLFW? Some of the meals in their meal plans actually include WINE (to drink, not cook with!). There is a focus on macros, and of course you want to eat clean most of the time, but not ALL the time. Dessert? Dark chocolate! There's so many ladies on here having success with it-- i suggest you read it. Even if the workouts are easier than what you're used to, the nutrition info is great.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    never had abs and probably never will

    low body fat is the answer, how you do that is up to you

    there are bunch of ripped kids running around my town eating taco bell and doritos so go figure
  • melissa_leah
    melissa_leah Posts: 107
    I think it mostly means you won't see your abs if it's under fat.... so you have to lose fat to see your muscles.
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    i have read NROLFW. i hated the workout routine.... i may look back over the nutrition part. dont remember much on that. i just can NOT fathom eating all "healthy" and "clean" foods forever. thats just not possible. for me anyway. my trainer did say to eat two small pieces of dark chocolate on leg days and that is a good choice to fill a craving. but what about other things you crave and enjoy like cheeseburgers, pie, liquor, pizza, ect. i do make healthier alternatives but sometimes you just want the real damn thing
  • NeedANewFocus
    NeedANewFocus Posts: 898 Member
    bump. how much cardio vs weight traing combined with food?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Creating a deficit in order to drop bodyfat can be done with both "clean" or "unclean" foods however you want to define those terms
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    your trainer is a bro
  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
    Creating a deficit in order to drop bodyfat can be done with both "clean" or "unclean" foods however you want to define those terms

    Agreed, I do not have a 6 pack, but I am the closest to a 6 pack i have ever been, and i don't limit my food as extreme as your trainer said to
  • pweinzap
    pweinzap Posts: 8
    Eating clean will definitely help but it's more a matter of your body fat percentage. It needs to be reduced.
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    your trainer is a bro


    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: kinda what im beginning to think. i went to her because i wanted to train for a figure comp. i know about 8-10 weeks out from competition eating like this is essential but she claims this is how i should always eat!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    I have abs. I do not eat clean. I have high calorie days. I eat bread and dairy and sugar. So yeah lol
  • pinthin87
    pinthin87 Posts: 296 Member
    You can eat whatever you want. I have abs and I eat anything I want. You just have to eat at a deficit thats it. Sure some foods will hang with you longer but it does not matter. Calories in and Calories out. Just eat at a deficit and you will be fine. I would also work out your abs 3 days a week.

    ^This

    I did a no sugar fast for 10 days last month and I saw my stomach the most flat it's been in a while eating high FAT foods like avocado, salmon, and raw nuts and seeds. You just need to have a deficit. Because I couldn't have sugar it forced me to get creative. I will be honest and say at that time I wasn't eating bread and Idk if that was a contributing factor, but like I said I sure ate a lot of other fats and complex carbs. Calories in calories out!
  • along21291
    along21291 Posts: 45 Member
    When people say "abs are made in the kitchen" I understand that getting abs is mainly about what you eat (macros, consistent deficit, and such). However, every time people say this, they include at the end that you should lift heavy 3-4x a week. Is it possible to get abs just by tuning in your diet and not lifting?
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    Creating a deficit in order to drop bodyfat can be done with both "clean" or "unclean" foods however you want to define those terms

    as in clean i mean (and this is coming from my trainer as well) veggies, limited fruit, brown rice, oats, chicken, ezekiel bread, cottage cheese, protein powder, ground turkey, sweet potatoes, and natural PB. thats about all she says to eat
    i love eating these foods but i think that incorporating other foods and foods that are not so healthy such as desserts, burgers, pizza, ect minimally and within reason shouldnt be a problem?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Creating a deficit in order to drop bodyfat can be done with both "clean" or "unclean" foods however you want to define those terms

    as in clean i mean (and this is coming from my trainer as well) veggies, limited fruit, brown rice, oats, chicken, ezekiel bread, cottage cheese, protein powder, ground turkey, sweet potatoes, and natural PB. thats about all she says to eat
    i love eating these foods but i think that incorporating other foods and foods that are not so healthy such as desserts, burgers, pizza, ect minimally and within reason shouldnt be a problem?

    It shouldn't be a problem. You don't have to totally deprive yourself to get results
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    Eating clean will definitely help but it's more a matter of your body fat percentage. It needs to be reduced.

    i understand that in order to see your muscle definition you need a lower body fat %, but does eating clean and sticking to certain macros aid in this process? or is it just about working out enough and sticking to a deficit. if you look at my diary you can see how strict i had been for 5 weeks with macros and cals. but then i decided to have a cheat meal and because i had been so strict i caved in and binged! i need a happy medium where i can occasionaly feel ok about indulging to keep my sanity and be able to be social and not binge and still be able to achieve my goals
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
    I have some definitions in my abs, and I do not eat super clean. I eat pretty balanced meals, but my snacks are not always healthy. I believe in moderation and proper portions. One thing I did do was cut out white rice from dinner. I didn't say carbs because sometimes we have noodles or pastas for dinner, and I eat them. I still eat rice for lunch. The only macros that I really track is proteins, to make sure I eat enough.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Eating clean will definitely help but it's more a matter of your body fat percentage. It needs to be reduced.

    i understand that in order to see your muscle definition you need a lower body fat %, but does eating clean and sticking to certain macros aid in this process? or is it just about working out enough and sticking to a deficit. if you look at my diary you can see how strict i had been for 5 weeks with macros and cals. but then i decided to have a cheat meal and because i had been so strict i caved in and binged! i need a happy medium where i can occasionaly feel ok about indulging to keep my sanity and be able to be social and not binge and still be able to achieve my goals

    A diet is no good if you can't adhere to it, you have to find what works for you and what you can adhere to
  • BigRich822
    BigRich822 Posts: 681
    Creating a deficit in order to drop bodyfat can be done with both "clean" or "unclean" foods however you want to define those terms
    Agree
    Exactly what I said Its simple
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
    When people say "abs are made in the kitchen" I understand that getting abs is mainly about what you eat (macros, consistent deficit, and such). However, every time people say this, they include at the end that you should lift heavy 3-4x a week. Is it possible to get abs just by tuning in your diet and not lifting?

    unless you have an incredibly physical job, like construction (hands on, not operating heavy equipment), the answer is no. how can you build muscle (abs are muscle) w/o doing any strength training?
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    i have heard this over and over again. that getting the defined abs i am aiming for comes mostly from how you eat, not by working out...... my trainer insists that to get abs i must eat super clean, high protein, low sugar, no bread but ezekiel and no dairy except cottage cheese. she claims i can not have cheat days/meals and cannot indulge.... i tried this for 5 weeks and while i seen some results i feel super deprived and this is not sustainable. and quite frankly i am losing my mind....SO if abs are made in the kitchen what does this entail? can you cheat/indulge and still get defined abs? or do you have to eat super clean and constantly stick to your calories and be super strict with your macros?

    Not to negate what your trainer said BUT I have visible ab definition and eat some of the things she said not some of the time like: bread and dairy. I drink milk, eat cheese at least once a day. I eat bread a few times a week but I will say that I don't indulge in regular cheat meals and keep my sugar low and focus on protein. You really have to continually tweak your diet and see what things you can live with and live without. I wish I had more advice for you but that's what worked for me. I just kept adjusting my diet and didn't give up in my quest to lower my body fat. Hope that helps.
  • mrsRhughes
    mrsRhughes Posts: 122
    I think this is relative to the individual. I'm sure there are plenty of people who can "get abs" without eating a super clean diet, and there are those who don't work out but eat well and "get their abs" that way. For me, it's definitely a combination of both. I have ALWAYS worked out hard, and had trouble getting totally defined abs even though my weight was where I wanted it to be. I recently (past 6-7 months) have cut out MOST carbs - meaning if I eat them at breakfast, I don't have them the rest of the day ... if I want pasta for dinner, then that's it for the day, etc. I eat mostly veggies, fruit and lean protein but it's because it's what I LOVE, not just because I "have" to. I drink wine daily (red). I have one day a week where my calories are significantly higher than the other six days, and this seems to really work for me! (This doesn't mean that day is full of "bad" food, just that I eat more!) I am happy to say I finally DO have pretty great ab definition, especially after having had two kids. Hope you find a balance that works for you, good luck!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I had a debate with someone on this earlier this week.. and what I got out of it was I don't know anything because I'm 24 and you must eat clean.. there is no other way.

    As I said then(and will say now) to see abs you must lose fat.. which can be done through a calorie deficit.. not necessarily a clean one but a calorie deficit.

    I'm seeing a hint of abs for the first time in my 24 years of existence, and I don't eat clean by a long shot.. so I think it can be done with out "clean" eating aspect.
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    so can you still have cheat meals and get abs? i would like to be able to go out with family and friends occasionally and not feel guilty about indulging. i have been skipping out of social events because i dont want to ruin my diet and that is starting to seem silly and rather unhealthy mentally.
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
    i have read NROLFW. i hated the workout routine.... i may look back over the nutrition part. dont remember much on that. i just can NOT fathom eating all "healthy" and "clean" foods forever. thats just not possible. for me anyway. my trainer did say to eat two small pieces of dark chocolate on leg days and that is a good choice to fill a craving. but what about other things you crave and enjoy like cheeseburgers, pie, liquor, pizza, ect. i do make healthier alternatives but sometimes you just want the real damn thing

    i hear ya! i've been craving a burger all week!! i find that i can deprive myself for a few weeks, and only if i have a compelling reason (that wedding coming up). beyond that, i'm miserable. so starting next week, i'll be allowing myself 2-3 indulgences per week, within my calorie and macro goals. i was losing before, and i didn't even look at macros-- just calories. so keeping my protein up can only be better, right?

    i don't have to tell you that it's not healthy to drive yourself nuts over food. eat clean 90% of the time, and enjoy yourself the rest. make a healthy dinner, and have a glass of wine with it. or have a protein heavy lunch, and a small dessert before bed (real--not yogurt :wink:). find some balance, for your sanity's sake!
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    Yes, just not all the time. It's about balance not total deprivation. I have two kids so I cheat every now and again - pizza, ice cream, etc. I just know when to "rein it in" and tighten up my diet. I eat clean 80% of the time and not-so-clean 20% of the time. It's totally possible to still have a treat now and then and have visible abs.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Ab are made in the kitchen is one of those GOOD NEWS-BAD NEWS sort of things.
    Good News: it's very simple. Eat right....And don't waste your money on those bogus contraptions that do what a common sit up does.

    Bad News: It's so simple, but HARD HARD, HARD! If the scammers promoting these worthless products and supplements geared toward getting you the 6-Pack actually told the truth, nobody - I mean NOBODY would ever buy their junk,

    Just eat right and exercise - simple but hard.

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