Need more ab definition
- Thread starter Ayla
- Start date
Are you still at 100 pounds? I can't really see much change from the first pic. But you still have an amazing body.
The best way to measure body fat IMO is calipers, measured by a person with lots of experience.
Underwater weighing is the most accurate supposedly, but good luck finding a place that does it.
So you're lifting heavy weights then?
Welcome back!
Welcome back!
10 week update
Ok, time for a little update.
Last time I posted here I was 3 weeks into my 12 week challenge. I'm on week 11 now, and there seems to be a bit of progress. I took some pictures last week (week 10) so here they are:
So, upper abs seem to be coming along slowly, but I've been having issues with the lower stomach and bloating. I really don't know what's causing it. I don't think I'll be seeing a 6 pack by the end of week 12 though, which is ok. At least I know I'm on the way.. so I'm not giving up.
Feels great eating healthy and exercising. Wish I had made this kind of lifestyle change when I was way younger. Never too late though
Ok, time for a little update.
Last time I posted here I was 3 weeks into my 12 week challenge. I'm on week 11 now, and there seems to be a bit of progress. I took some pictures last week (week 10) so here they are:
So, upper abs seem to be coming along slowly, but I've been having issues with the lower stomach and bloating. I really don't know what's causing it. I don't think I'll be seeing a 6 pack by the end of week 12 though, which is ok. At least I know I'm on the way.. so I'm not giving up.
Feels great eating healthy and exercising. Wish I had made this kind of lifestyle change when I was way younger. Never too late though
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damn that is IMPRESSIVE, I can really see the progress you made.
That's a great lookin stomach!
That's a great lookin stomach!
Great job. You can really see the definition coming in.
Reaching goals, thats what its all about!
Reaching goals, thats what its all about!
Hi phate,
I never got around to measuring my body fat, so I can't really track the progress and compare where I'm at now with before. It "looks" like it went down a bit. I definitely lost some pounds which I didn't want to happen. I went from a 100 lbs to 95 lbs. It's not a lot, but I'm naturally skinny as it is, and I do NOT want to loose weight, I wanna gain some. Hopefully I'll get it back by gaining more muscle eventually. I don't look any thinner really, except around the waist (and a bit of chest) area.
I was doing a lot of cardio the first few weeks to burn the fat off the stomach, but have recently introduced weights to my routine. I work out at home, and have some weights, so it's nothing impressive, but it definitely jump started things. Only after I started with weights, did I start to see ab muscle coming in. You can't tell in the pictures, but from the sides, these 4 abs, especially the bottom 2 of the 4 reallyyy bulge out. You can easily see them even underneath a tight shirt. Hah, looks kinda odd actually.. I have the upper abs, and then a pouch of fat on bottom still.
I cut down on cardio a lot, since I didn't wanna loose more weight (used to do it 6x a week, 2x a day doing HIIT for 15 min). Now I do it only 3x a week, once a day, and the other 3 days are weights.
Splitting 30 min of cardio into 2 shorter sessions a day (morning and afternoon) really did wonders with shedding fat for me. So much so, that I had to stop (like I said earlier, didn't wanna loose more weight).
I tried this after someone suggested it, and this is pretty much the gist of it: "For losing fat fast try the recent cardio technique from researchers at the University of Kansas. Their findings show that by dividing a 30 minute cardio session into two shorter workouts, and spacing them between 6 and 8 hours apart (ie one in the morning and one in the evening) an increased metabolic rate (approximately 40 percent higher than a once-a-day workout) will result! That's a whopping 40 percent more fat burning effect per day!!!"
I don't know, worked quite nicely for me.
I never got around to measuring my body fat
, so I can't really track the progress and compare where I'm at now with before. It "looks" like it went down a bit. I definitely lost some pounds which I didn't want to happen. I went from a 100 lbs to 95 lbs. It's not a lot, but I'm naturally skinny as it is, and I do NOT want to loose weight, I wanna gain some. Hopefully I'll get it back by gaining more muscle eventually. I don't look any thinner really, except around the waist (and a bit of chest) area. I was doing a lot of cardio the first few weeks to burn the fat off the stomach, but have recently introduced weights to my routine. I work out at home, and have some weights, so it's nothing impressive, but it definitely jump started things. Only after I started with weights, did I start to see ab muscle coming in. You can't tell in the pictures, but from the sides, these 4 abs, especially the bottom 2 of the 4 reallyyy bulge out. You can easily see them even underneath a tight shirt. Hah, looks kinda odd actually.. I have the upper abs, and then a pouch of fat on bottom still.
I cut down on cardio a lot, since I didn't wanna loose more weight (used to do it 6x a week, 2x a day doing HIIT for 15 min). Now I do it only 3x a week, once a day, and the other 3 days are weights.
Splitting 30 min of cardio into 2 shorter sessions a day (morning and afternoon) really did wonders with shedding fat for me. So much so, that I had to stop (like I said earlier, didn't wanna loose more weight).
I tried this after someone suggested it, and this is pretty much the gist of it: "For losing fat fast try the recent cardio technique from researchers at the University of Kansas. Their findings show that by dividing a 30 minute cardio session into two shorter workouts, and spacing them between 6 and 8 hours apart (ie one in the morning and one in the evening) an increased metabolic rate (approximately 40 percent higher than a once-a-day workout) will result! That's a whopping 40 percent more fat burning effect per day!!!"
I don't know, worked quite nicely for me.
It is possible a carb manipulation will do you some good, just to see what this does to your water retention, and your ability to metabolize additional fat tissue. It is possible this could keep (the bad side) of insulin at bay, while allowing you to burn additional fat tissue.
Just a brief thought.
Not to many are fans of carb manipulations. But, when BF gets low, this manipulation has its place in ones goal path in my opinion.
And, has worked for me.
Carbs get an undeserved bad name. They are critical. However, this is one MEAN and bad @ss nutrient when manipulated corrrectly. And I mean this in a very positive and good manner.
Best wishes,
Chillen
Just a brief thought.
Not to many are fans of carb manipulations. But, when BF gets low, this manipulation has its place in ones goal path in my opinion.
And, has worked for me.
Carbs get an undeserved bad name. They are critical. However, this is one MEAN and bad @ss nutrient when manipulated corrrectly. And I mean this in a very positive and good manner.
Best wishes,
Chillen
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theGOOCH and HoneyGirl, thank you .
Chillen, I was thinking of starting to cycle my carbs. Having high carb days when I do weights, moderate carb days when I do cardio and no carb (or close to no carb) days on my days off. I'll give that a try and see what it does.
Phate, I eat 6 times a day, mostly protein with every meal.
Well, let me just give you an example of what I eat:
Breakfast:
Protein pancakes (consisting of 3 eggwhites, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cottage cheese, 1 scoop of chocolate protein, 2 tbsp ground flaxseed)... Delicious btw and they fill you up for a good few hours
Snack: Scoop of Whey Protein
Lunch: Chicken and Tofu mixed in with a cup of veggies (red, green, yellow peppers, onions, brocolli, tomatoes) and I put all of this in a whole wheat tortilla
Snack (or pre workout meal): Fiber One Cereal (used to have it dry, but now I pour a protein shake* in it) *I mix the protein with water, since I don't drink milk
Egg whites
Two tbsp of all natural peanut butter
Post Workout: Scoop of Casein Protein (since it's almost the last meal)
Dinner: Veggies (same mix of them as lunch, but I add some lettuce in usually) and some cashews
So I try to have everything I need with all my meals with mostly protein, carbs, fiber, and add a bit of healthy fat.
I used to count my calories for weeks and it drove me CRAZY, but now I'm much more at ease this way, and my body seems to respond better to it. I love everything that I eat, so on my "Whatever Day" which is Sunday.. I don't even have any cheat meals.. I guess what I call a cheat meal is just having MORE of what I usually have.. like for example having pancakes twice in a day.
.Chillen, I was thinking of starting to cycle my carbs. Having high carb days when I do weights, moderate carb days when I do cardio and no carb (or close to no carb) days on my days off. I'll give that a try and see what it does.
Phate, I eat 6 times a day, mostly protein with every meal.
Well, let me just give you an example of what I eat:
Breakfast:
Protein pancakes (consisting of 3 eggwhites, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cottage cheese, 1 scoop of chocolate protein, 2 tbsp ground flaxseed)... Delicious btw
and they fill you up for a good few hoursSnack: Scoop of Whey Protein
Lunch: Chicken and Tofu mixed in with a cup of veggies (red, green, yellow peppers, onions, brocolli, tomatoes) and I put all of this in a whole wheat tortilla
Snack (or pre workout meal): Fiber One Cereal (used to have it dry, but now I pour a protein shake* in it) *I mix the protein with water, since I don't drink milk
Egg whites
Two tbsp of all natural peanut butter
Post Workout: Scoop of Casein Protein (since it's almost the last meal)
Dinner: Veggies (same mix of them as lunch, but I add some lettuce in usually) and some cashews
So I try to have everything I need with all my meals with mostly protein, carbs, fiber, and add a bit of healthy fat.
I used to count my calories for weeks and it drove me CRAZY, but now I'm much more at ease this way, and my body seems to respond better to it. I love everything that I eat, so on my "Whatever Day" which is Sunday.. I don't even have any cheat meals.. I guess what I call a cheat meal is just having MORE of what I usually have.. like for example having pancakes twice in a day.
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Thats an interesting pancake. Ive been making them with the wheat box mix, 1 egg, 1 tbsp flax oil, 1 scoop casein, and some milk.
My friend recommended "animal flex" for joints.. I haven't tried it though.
But with squats make sure your knees are in line with your toes, don't let them buckle in during the effort.. and if you are bouncing out of the hole, try not too.... I learned that the hard way.
Yeah, now I realize that the way I described it doesn't sound that delicious huh?... since I was just listing the bigger ingredients, but of course I add vanilla extract and cinnamon to the mix, as well as some da vinci's sugar free calorie free caramel syrup. Or you can add the sugar free jello (only 5 cals) to the mix, and then they really taste good.
On weekends I'll add whole wheat flour to the mix, so they are fluffier.
A great how to video:
realworksuks, I've heard about animal flex too. I might have to try it out myself. I really try to make sure I do the squats properly, but my left knee just ain't havin' it for some reason