Originally Posted by someguy1984

i just want to know how you get visible abs.

Originally Posted by deathbypoops

im pretty sure cardio is the key along with the above post

Originally Posted by Built

Eat less.

Do it for a while.

That's it.

Originally Posted by rahaas

Ben dur you forgot fish oil tablets...

Originally Posted by P-funk

you already have abs. you are born with them. that is how you get them.

as far as seeing them....as stated - diet, lifting, some cardio, and mainly being consistent with those three things.

patrick

Originally Posted by someguy1984

Gotcha, i'll continue and see how it goes.

To me, it just seems that genetics play a significant role regarding how much work one needs to put into obtaining visual abs. It's no secret that there are people that have rippling abs and don't workout or watch what they eat. This is AKA, genetics. On the flip side, there are those that workout, do some cardio, and try to eat right, but still have bellies. Again, genetics.

Can anyone get abs regardless of genetics, yes but it may be more difficult...

This is essentially my point and i was just looking for the best way. Obviously, diet and exercise is number 1.

Originally Posted by P-funk

Of course genetics play a big role and some will have a harder time getting lean than others. We are all individuals. As far as you personally - you are going to have to try out different things (be patient and give them time to work before changing it up or stating that something doesn't work) and see what works best.

patrick

Originally Posted by MetalVolcano

All diet, dude. Take in less calories than you eat. Sure, ab work helps a BIT, and is good for strengthening the core if you're an athlete or a serious compound lifter... but if you aren;t, and you're just in it for the aesthetics, then there isn't much point.

Originally Posted by Ben dur

thats right... take in less calories than you eat...


also try the cinnamon trick

Originally Posted by Merkaba

Impossible...what are you gonna be eating to do that. Some of those negative calorie apples I guess.

I know this was a brain fart but its funny to read.

Originally Posted by rahaas

Not true! Eat, eat and eat with zero calories: YouTube - The Onion: Diet Book Author Advocates New 'No Food Diet'

Originally Posted by xfile384

I'm with you 100% OP. I've been trying to cut and get abs for a little while now. My genetics suck and i just tend to look fat. I'm still burning more calories than i'm taking in, but this remaining body fat on my stomach just does not go away. I don't even know what ab workouts to do anymore, although they don't help from what i hear...It's all about diet, but i'm doing that...

Here is a pic, so you know what i mean. I have a short torso and just crappy build...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a26...wner/lklkl.jpg

Originally Posted by xfile384

Originally Posted by Ben dur

if i let my genetics take over
id be around 325lb and 60% body fat

Originally Posted by Ben dur

if you want to have abs DIET

if your starting to lean up but you dont have abs yet
obviously your not lean enough yet


guy in the picture is starting to get lean (see his arms and around his chest)

but he still have fat over his abs


does that mean accept the fact you will never have abs?
NO

obviously you are capable of dieting, you just havnt dieted long enough to show abs yet


EVERYONE ON EARTH is capable of dieting down into the range of 7-10% bodyfat

THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STARVE YOURSELF!!!!!

this absolutely blows my mind


eat enough protein to supply your body with building blocks to support your muscular system

eat enough fat to supply your endocrine system with the necessary goods to produce proper hormones

eat enough carbs and fiber to make your digestive system operate properly

BUT EAT LESS THAT YOU BURN

and you will get leaner and leaner and leaner
eventually you will have abs
lets face it, your body will eventually eat away the fat around your abs, sometime before you starve to death...


im really sick of hearing people bitch about their genetics
(although some peoples are genuinely worse than others)

if i let my genetics take over
id be around 325lb and 60% body fat

but instead i work out hard, and try to diet properly
and instead im 175 and 10%

Originally Posted by Ben dur

i dont think its a bad thing at all

i think having low body fat is beneficial to athletic performance
and is aesthetically pleasing

but when i say low body fat im talking about the 6-10% range for men

and probably 12-18% for ladies

i personally love having abs
and love seeing other people with abs


it just absolutely drives me nut when people act like they are so elusive and hard to achieve

its very simple

low body fat

and low body fat is not some genetic thing
its calories in calories out

people put WAY to much thought into a simple process


do some crunches/other ab work to stimulate abdominal muscle strength and possibly hypertrophy, if you need strength or want your abs muscles actually larger

diet to low body fat to make them show, if you want to have visible abs

everything else is over thinking

Originally Posted by xfile384

Yeah, it seems simple that way, but people also don't realize how small in general you get when trying to lose body fat...Some people never start to lose the fat off their stomach for a long period of time and it keeps coming off other parts of your body making you look anorexic. Then, by the time your abs are visible you have 6inch arms and a tight neck and face, hence genetics...So, can anyone get visible abs, yes. Will it look right and morph their body properly? No

This is also what makes it so difficult. People stop, because they get too skinny everywhere else and think it's hopeless. Although, it was probably a good idea they did stop, because they end up looking like a starving child in Bosnia...

Originally Posted by Doublebase

Then how do you explain the Mr. Olympias?

Originally Posted by Ben dur

oh i know

they bulk up so they have huge arms

then they

wait

oh thats right

DIET TILL THEY HAVE SUPER LOW BODY FAT

Originally Posted by xfile384

Yeah, it seems simple that way, but people also don't realize how small in general you get when trying to lose body fat...Some people never start to lose the fat off their stomach for a long period of time and it keeps coming off other parts of your body making you look anorexic. Then, by the time your abs are visible you have 6inch arms and a tight neck and face, hence genetics...So, can anyone get visible abs, yes. Will it look right and morph their body properly? No

This is also what makes it so difficult. People stop, because they get too skinny everywhere else and think it's hopeless. Although, it was probably a good idea they did stop, because they end up looking like a starving child in Bosnia...

Originally Posted by Doublebase

I thought they just shot steriods and had really good genetics.

Originally Posted by Built

I go through this with my legs. My lower bodyfat is more than double what it is in my upper in the shot in my 'tar. If I ever manage to lean out my legs, the rest of me is going to disappear.

<Glances down>

Especially "the girls".

Originally Posted by xfile384

Well, good. You see my logic then.

Typically girls keep most of their fat in their lower region, while males keep it in the abdominal section.

Originally Posted by danzik17

That is true, but your logic still doesn't apply to the general population that frequents this board (at least to my knowledge). You say that people waste away trying to get abs, but that's only when they don't know how to properly do that. With proper diet and training it's quite difficult to just waste away - the people you are referring to either don't have their diet in order, their training in order, or possibly a combination of both.

Originally Posted by xfile384

I agree to an extent, but I'm no expert. I don't have enough knowledge to debate the matter. All I'm saying is that it seems like some people lose fat in a bunch of different areas first before they lose it where they want to. This doesn't mean their diet isn't in check...If they are losing weight, they obviously are eating at a deficit. (which is the point) If they continue to not gets abs and get skinny everywhere else, well this is genetics. Sure, they will get abs at a certain point when they have no body fat left, but they could be depressed to see how small they end up being, while another guy started losing fat immediately on his mid-section first, instead of all the other places. (genetics) We all know their is no specific workout to make visible abs since you can't spot reduce, so your training point is irrelevant. If you eat at a deficit, workout, lose weight, your on the right track. It just depends on when your body decides to release the fat form your abdominal section.

As i said, I'm no expert. But, this seems pretty clear to me...(From experience and from what i've read) Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

Originally Posted by someguy1984

Good post, this makes things clearer to me. Maybe thats why im having such a hard time? Ive just been getting very impatient but i am losing weight. I will continue to diet and just see where it goes.

Originally Posted by sexy_animal

I don't believe that there's anyone on this site who's incapable of getting abs.

Are your meals on target at least 90% of the time?

Do you lift heavy at least 3 times a week?

Do you do ball busting HIIT cardio that makes you want to quit and cry at least 3 times a week?

Do you do hard abdominal and core workouts involving swiss balls, medicine balls, hanging leg raises, planks and side planks?

Do you consume no more then 2-3 alcoholic drinks per week?


If you answered no to any of these there's your answer....

I've been consistently leaning out and losing fat off my stomach (and everywhere else) using these principles for the last 4 or so months. I'm currently at about 9.5% bodyfat, planning to hit 8% by the end of January.

Originally Posted by Built

Why do you focus on eating 20g of protein in a meal, and why report on the percentages?

I weigh what you do and I have no trouble getting in 180-220g protein daily, even when dieting.

Originally Posted by Rubes11

have lots of sex. oh and diet well and work on your core

Originally Posted by Rubes11

have lots of sex. oh and diet well and work on your core

Originally Posted by Ben dur

either one of a couple possible things are happening to make you gain weight at 2400 cal a day

either you are

laying in bed all day sleeping and consuming the majority of your cals in the form of simple carbs...

or your cheating your diet alot, and your either not counting cals, or calculating things incorrectly

i seriously doubt tht your maint is 2000 cal if you are doing ANY training at all on a regular basis


only other explanation i can come up with is that your 80years old

if thats the case, good on you

Originally Posted by Ben dur

either one of a couple possible things are happening to make you gain weight at 2400 cal a day

either you are

laying in bed all day sleeping and consuming the majority of your cals in the form of simple carbs...

or your cheating your diet alot, and your either not counting cals, or calculating things incorrectly

i seriously doubt tht your maint is 2000 cal if you are doing ANY training at all on a regular basis




only other explanation i can come up with is that your 80years old

if thats the case, good on you

Originally Posted by danzik17

Try carb cycling. I have very similar genetics and the closest I have ever been to having abs was while I was running a carb cycling diet.

Originally Posted by Ben dur

if you are lifting heavy, and not going way overboard on your cals you can gain muscle without gaining fat...
i find it very ignorant that people say it is not possible

and if you are "skinny fat" and your having trouble getting lean enough for abs, maybe you should put on some muscle, maybe then you would have a better luck leaning down.