have abs, now need to bring them to the surface

fakearms123

At the end of every one of my workouts and even on days im not in the gym I do this ab workout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk_usVg7Fp0

I do it every single day, once a day, even if im doing arms and chest, shoulders and back or legs I include it at the end of workout days.

Now I can feel my abs are very defined but they are covered by a later of fat, its a very thin layer that I know it wouldnt take too long to shed that down and really get that definition showing on the outside, really get that 6 pack.

Now dont worry about my diet, I eat very healthy - get my 5/6 meals a day, getting my bran flakes, orange juice and bananas in the morning - snacking on brown bread sandwiches, salads, red meat, vegetables etc for the rest of the day.

The question is, should I be doing more cardio? Cardio that targets the abs?

fakearms123

anyone?

Khannie

fakearms123 wrote: »

The question is, should I be doing more cardio? Cardio that targets the abs?

You should just eat less. Or eat the same amount and do more exercise. You can't target fat loss from a specific area of the body.

Also, 40 minutes is not an unreasonable amount of time to wait for a response.

Frogdog

fakearms123 wrote: »

At the end of every one of my workouts and even on days im not in the gym I do this ab workout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk_usVg7Fp0

I do it every single day, once a day, even if im doing arms and chest, shoulders and back or legs I include it at the end of workout days.

Now I can feel my abs are very defined but they are covered by a later of fat, its a very thin layer that I know it wouldnt take too long to shed that down and really get that definition showing on the outside, really get that 6 pack.

Now dont worry about my diet, I eat very healthy - get my 5/6 meals a day, getting my bran flakes, orange juice and bananas in the morning - snacking on brown bread sandwiches, salads, red meat, vegetables etc for the rest of the day.

The question is, should I be doing more cardio? Cardio that targets the abs?

I'm sorry fellow Kerryman, but I am going to worry about your diet.

Especially if you're eating junk food such as Bran Flakes. What's healthy about them? They're full of sugar and have nearly as much nutrition as an O' Neills football. :pac:

Orange juice? Full of sugar. You'd be better off eating a whole orange. Bananas? Sugar (but still a healthy snack). Brown bread? Carbs that you may need to lower significantly if you want your abs to show.

Six packs are made in the kitchen, not the gym. Read the stickies here and the Nutrition & Diet forum. Post up a sample of your daily diet and ask people to critique it for you. You may think you're eating healthy, but in reality you mightn't be.

fakearms123

Khannie wrote: »

You should just eat less. Or eat the same amount and do more exercise. You can't target fat loss from a specific area of the body.

Also, 40 minutes is not an unreasonable amount of time to wait for a response.

usually im not impatient but a few of my threads have gone unanswered on this forum over the past few years, thought I was being ignored.

I go to the gym 5 times a week, even on my off days I go for a run. Dont get me wrong Im getting great results from this, just my abs are still caged under gut, its kind of annoying. Actually today im trying a few new things out in the gym, clean and press, medicine ball workouts. Any thing you could advice for core work?

fakearms123

Frogdog wrote: »

I'm sorry fellow Kerryman, but I am going to worry about your diet.

Especially if you're eating junk food such as Bran Flakes. What's healthy about them? They're full of sugar and have nearly as much nutrition as an O' Neills football. :pac:

Orange juice? Full of sugar. You'd be better off eating a whole orange. Bananas? Sugar (but still a healthy snack). Brown bread? Carbs that you may need to lower significantly if you want your abs to show.

I'll definitely have a look at the Stickies up here but wait... bran flakes are now junk food??

Orange juice, bananas and brown bread are now bad for you??

With the food im eating right now I feel great in the gym, im getting enough carbs to keep me going, the only time I eat what I thought was junk food was dark chocolate with my muesli after workouts.

I'm confused cause the brown bread I eat is homemade brown bread made by my mam and the orange juice is usually squeezed but ill still drink from the carton if its the only thing there

Khannie

fakearms123 wrote: »

usually im not impatient but a few of my threads have gone unanswered on this forum over the past few years, thought I was being ignored.

No worries.

That's a fair amount of gym work. What would a typical week involve?

VonLuck

I think all you need to know to get abs is basically the following:

Lift weights
Do cardio
Do ab routine
Eat 5/6 meals a day
Eat around 1g of protein or more per lb of body weight
Eat 0.35g fat per lb of body weight
Have a daily calorie deficit (at least 500 is recommended to see progress)

columok

fakearms123 wrote:

I'll definitely have a look at the Stickies up here but wait... bran flakes are now junk food??

Orange juice, bananas and brown bread are now bad for you??

With the food im eating right now I feel great in the gym, im getting enough carbs to keep me going, the only time I eat what I thought was junk food was dark chocolate with my muesli after workouts.

I'm confused cause the brown bread I eat is homemade brown bread made by my mam and the orange juice is usually squeezed but ill still drink from the carton if its the only thing there

If you're trying to cut weight then you're looking to drop body fat. IMHO this is best achieved through a throttled carb intake, intense exercise and calorie deficit. Bread, pasta, rice, sugar (whether "natural" or otherwise) are not your friends in this case.

fakearms123

Khannie wrote: »

No worries.

That's a fair amount of gym work. What would a typical week involve?

Okay so here's my week:

DAY 1: Arms and Chest
Warm up with
Resistence Band Bicep Curl - 3 x 20
Dips - 3 x 10
Swiss-ball pushups - 3 x 20

then
Standing Barbell Bicep Curl - 3 x 10
Dumbbell Flye - 3 x 10
Triceps Kickback - 3 x 10
Concentration Dumbbell Curl - 3 x 10
Seated Preacher Curl - 3 x 10
Overhead Bar Press - 3 x 10
Barbell Bench Press - 3 x 10

DAY 2: Shoulders and Back
Warm up with
Resistence Band Overhead Press - 3 x 20
Back Raises - 3 x 10

then
Bar Military Press - 3 x 10
Barbell Bent-over rows - 3 x 10
Bar Upright row - 3 x 10
Dumbbell Lateral Raises - 3 x 10
Cable seated close row - 3 x 10
Shoulder Shrugs - 3 x 10
Deadlift - 3 x 10

DAY 3: Legs and Core
Warm up with stretch
then

Back Squat - 3 x 10
Barbell Standing Calf Raise - 3 x 10
Barbell Lunges - 3 x 10
Hanging Knee Raise - 3 x 20
Macine Leg Curl - 3 x 10
Hanging Leg Raise - 3 x 10
Machine Leg Press - 3 x 10

DAY 4: Cardio
This could be a run, cycle, swim, boxing, rugby etc

DAY 5: Arms and Chest
As above


Damn that took longer than I thought. But the reason I am focusing on my arms is mentioned in this thread here that I got good help in
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055984579

Let me know what ye think, criticism would be helpful

Parsley

fakearms123 wrote: »

I'll definitely have a look at the Stickies up here but wait... bran flakes are now junk food??

Orange juice, bananas and brown bread are now bad for you??

With the food im eating right now I feel great in the gym, im getting enough carbs to keep me going, the only time I eat what I thought was junk food was dark chocolate with my muesli after workouts.

I'm confused cause the brown bread I eat is homemade brown bread made by my mam and the orange juice is usually squeezed but ill still drink from the carton if its the only thing there

Noone said that those things are "bad" for you, just that you have a high carb diet which isn't what you should be having if you want to lose fat.

Frogdog

fakearms123 wrote: »

I'll definitely have a look at the Stickies up here but wait... bran flakes are now junk food??

Orange juice, bananas and brown bread are now bad for you??

With the food im eating right now I feel great in the gym, im getting enough carbs to keep me going, the only time I eat what I thought was junk food was dark chocolate with my muesli after workouts.

I'm confused cause the brown bread I eat is homemade brown bread made by my mam and the orange juice is usually squeezed but ill still drink from the carton if its the only thing there

First off, I'm trying to help you and give you advice. There's no need to put words in my mouth as I never said orange juice, bananas nor brown bread were bad for you. As the poster above has said however, none of these items belong in a diet where the person wishes to see their abs. They are all full of carbs.

Secondly, Bran Flakes, or "Brillo Pad for your stomach" as I call them, are devoid of nutrition and are full of sugar. You'd be better off removing them from your diet and replacing them with a breakfast like an omelette or scrambled eggs etc. Vegetables should be your primary source of carbs if you want a 6 pack, in my opinion.

VonLuck

Frogdog wrote: »

First off, I'm trying to help you and give you advice. There's no need to put words in my mouth as I never said orange juice, bananas nor brown bread were bad for you. As the poster above has said however, none of these items belong in a diet where the person wishes to see their abs. They are all full of carbs.

Secondly, Bran Flakes, or "Brillo Pad for your stomach" as I call them, are devoid of nutrition and are full of sugar. You'd be better off removing them from your diet and replacing them with a breakfast like an omelette or scrambled eggs etc. Vegetables should be your primary source of carbs if you want a 6 pack, in my opinion.

I'd have to disagree with you there. I eat bananas. I eat brown bread. I don't eat Bran Flakes but I do eat Weetabix occasionaly. You can eat as much carbs as you like, as long as you get your 1g protein per 1lb of body weight and 0.35g fat per 1lb of body weight and fall within your calorie limit. I must admit, for me I would only be able to eat smallish portions of carbs (cereals, rice, pasta, bread etc.)

I have been following that guideline for about 3 months now and my abs are beginning to show. You need some complex carbs for energy. If you don't get enough you may feel sluggish and have low energy. I think eating a banana after a workout gives you great recovery energy.

I would say Weetabix is the healthier breakfast option as it doesn't have much sugar. Most people suggest Oats but I'm not a big fan of the taste.

Transform

VonLuck wrote: »

I'd have to disagree with you there. I eat bananas. I eat brown bread. I don't eat Bran Flakes but I do eat Weetabix occasionaly. You can eat as much carbs as you like, as long as you get your 1g protein per 1lb of body weight and 0.35g fat per 1lb of body weight and fall within your calorie limit. I must admit, for me I would only be able to eat smallish portions of carbs (cereals, rice, pasta, bread etc.)

I have been following that guideline for about 3 months now and my abs are beginning to show. You need some complex carbs for energy. If you don't get enough you may feel sluggish and have low energy. I think eating a banana after a workout gives you great recovery energy.

I would say Weetabix is the healthier breakfast option as it doesn't have much sugar. Most people suggest Oats but I'm not a big fan of the taste.

can .... worms .... open!!

Just because waht works for you is NOT going to mean its going to work for an overweight 30yr old female or anyone else for that matter

We

fakearms123 wrote: »

Now dont worry about my diet

I lol'd

Hanley

This thread's a f*cking disgrace.

Wanna get abs??

1) Bodyweight in lbs x12 = total kcal per day - split it over 6 meals
2) 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat (carbs to come from low GI/complex sources and leafy greens only)
3) Be consistent for at least a month


Simples.

VonLuck

Transform wrote: »

can .... worms .... open!!

Just because waht works for you is NOT going to mean its going to work for an overweight 30yr old female or anyone else for that matter

Yes, but thats the general rule that you should follow. I have an "Abs Diet" book which says this, along with multiple online articles and forums.

Hanley basically simplified what I was saying, although I wouldn't agree with the body weight x 12. All depends on the amount of exercise the person is doing. If someone is doing zero exercise, another person 3 days a week and then another 7 days a week, and they all weighed the same, they'd all be consuming the same calories .

cc87

VonLuck wrote: »

Yes, but thats the general rule that you should follow. I have an "Abs Diet" book which says this, along with multiple online articles and forums.

Hanley basically simplified what I was saying, although I wouldn't agree with the body weight x 12. All depends on the amount of exercise the person is doing. If someone is doing zero exercise, another person 3 days a week and then another 7 days a week, and they all weighed the same, they'd all be consuming the same calories .

There isnt anything wrong BW x 12, considering 2500 calories is the recommendation for men, divide that by 12 and you get 208lbs. A 208lb man is either overweight or already training a lot and probably not too worried about a six pack.

Someone doing zero exercise shouldnt be trying to show of his abs.......he would just look skinny

You have an abs diet book?? Is that a good thing?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055953567

Transform

VonLuck wrote: »

Yes, but thats the general rule that you should follow. I have an "Abs Diet" book which says this, along with multiple online articles and forums.

Hanley basically simplified what I was saying, although I wouldn't agree with the body weight x 12. All depends on the amount of exercise the person is doing. If someone is doing zero exercise, another person 3 days a week and then another 7 days a week, and they all weighed the same, they'd all be consuming the same calories .

you have an 'abs book' that says this, jesus mary and joseph thats the best thing i have heard in ages!!! I am sure its all super but lets take a step back here -

Honestly i couldnt give a flying fig about abs, biceps, inner chest or any other body part you want to throw out there as almost without exception the person asking the question is not focusing on the fundamentals enough i.e. get wayyy stronger, vastly improve conditioning, train way harder and vary all aspects of the training so the previous three things can keep happening.

Von luck i am sure you have lots of acticles etc to back up what you are suggesting but all i would say is that when you actually work with clients week in week out then you come up with some very different realisations

VonLuck

Transform wrote: »

you have an 'abs book' that says this, jesus mary and joseph thats the best thing i have heard in ages!!!

Well I would recommend you read the book. It's quite an interesting read. It focuses on building muscle, doing cardio, but especially on diet. Written by the editor of Men's Health magazine I believe.

Transform wrote: »

Honestly i couldnt give a flying fig about abs, biceps, inner chest or any other body part you want to throw out there as almost without exception the person asking the question is not focusing on the fundamentals enough i.e. get wayyy stronger, vastly improve conditioning, train way harder and vary all aspects of the training so the previous three things can keep happening.

The diet is really the key aspect though. I wouldn't worry about any of these "fundamentals" until I got the diet right. As I'm sure you've heard people say, abs are made in the kitchen.

Transform wrote: »

Von luck i am sure you have lots of acticles etc to back up what you are suggesting but all i would say is that when you actually work with clients week in week out then you come up with some very different realisations

Well I don't really see what your arguement is. I'm trying to give the guy a basis to work off. You need a starting point and then from there you tailor it to your own needs because, as you said before, it may not work for everyone.

Esse85

Cardio: 5 x 40 mins unfueled cardio low intensity.
Weights: 3 x full body workouts
Diet: fruit, veg and protein. If having carbs, do so before weights.

That will work for 90% of people if done with consistency and patience, unfortunately people want results now and wont dedicate themselves accordingly.

Hanley

That's too simple and not sexy enough to work!!

muboop1

Hanley wrote: »

This thread's a f*cking disgrace.

Wanna get abs??

1) Bodyweight in lbs x12 = total kcal per day - split it over 6 meals
2) 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat (carbs to come from low GI/complex sources and leafy greens only)
3) Be consistent for at least a month


Simples.

Can I ask about this?

Im 210 pounds, I cannot possibly lose weight eating 210x12 = 2520?? Can I?

rjp123

You may do. Check by using the Harris benedict equation to work out the total calories you expend in 24 hrs. Then just work out how many calories you want to cut from your day ( by excercise/diet/both). Might be close enough to lbsx12

Hanley

muboop1 wrote: »

Can I ask about this?

Im 210 pounds, I cannot possibly lose weight eating 210x12 = 2520?? Can I?

I dieted successfully off more at the same weight. I'm probably more active than you tho.

muboop1

Hanley wrote: »

I dieted successfully off more at the same weight. I'm probably more active than you tho.

Just seems bizzare, like I train alot. Cycle 50k, run 25k a week plus about 3 or 4 heavy weight sessions... But by that rule I could scrap all my exercise and just eat sub 2k kcals a day and see results?

I'm just very skeptical of such a rule that neglects health, fitness, age and activity levels.

Seems to me very BMI-ish, I.e if you fall into an exact category will work awesome. if not it's just a wasteful and pointless... And in such cases it seems in my experience that most people do not fit the stereotype that the technique was designed for.

cc87

muboop1 wrote: »

Just seems bizzare, like I train alot. Cycle 50k, run 25k a week plus about 3 or 4 heavy weight sessions... But by that rule I could scrap all my exercise and just eat sub 2k kcals a day and see results?

I'm just very skeptical of such a rule that neglects health, fitness, age and activity levels.

Seems to me very BMI-ish, I.e if you fall into an exact category will work awesome. if not it's just a wasteful and pointless... And in such cases it seems in my experience that most people do not fit the stereotype that the technique was designed for.

Well in general people will burn more than 2000 calories a day. If you consistently eat less than 2000 calories a day, the extra calories will have to come from somewhere, bodyfat is the body's primary choice.

Coileach dearg

have abs, now need to bring them to the surface the surface to them

fakearms123

There's a lot of conflicting advice here on this thread which indicates that certain things work for certain people and that I was probably a bit naive about my diet. I have changed from bran flakes to weetabix but im still eating bananas before and after workouts, I feel as though I need that extra bit of energy to keep me going as a snack.

I kept a record of what I ate yesterday and will try and keep close to this, I'm sure people will say there's too much of this and there's not enough of this but I can't please everyone and with what I ate yesterday I felt great after my legs and core day at the gym followed by a 10k cycle. My girlfriend has told me that my abs are becoming more visible when I went up to visit her on saturday. So what im going to do is keep at my weight training and cardio and the ab exercise I do but I will keep in mind what everyone has said here on the thread and find a balance.

Yesterday's diet:

Morning: weetabix, squeezed orange juice
Tea: Brown bread sandwich (chicken, stuffing and lettuce) and tea
Lunch: tuna salad and milk
Snack: Banana and apple
Dinner: Pork, carrots, peas and potato, milk
Snack: Banana and raisin bar

I felt great in fairness and i'm in no rush to get a six pack, I just want to see improvements and if abs dont come after a good few weeks then I know that this isn't working for me

brianthebard

muboop1 wrote: »

Just seems bizzare, like I train alot. Cycle 50k, run 25k a week plus about 3 or 4 heavy weight sessions... But by that rule I could scrap all my exercise and just eat sub 2k kcals a day and see results?

I'm just very skeptical of such a rule that neglects health, fitness, age and activity levels.

Seems to me very BMI-ish, I.e if you fall into an exact category will work awesome. if not it's just a wasteful and pointless... And in such cases it seems in my experience that most people do not fit the stereotype that the technique was designed for.

Where did hanley say to stop exercising? Can't speak for him but I imagine he thought anyone trying to loose weight would already be active and didn't need to be spoonfed that info. ffs

d'Oracle

brianthebard wrote: »

Where did hanley say to stop exercising? Can't speak for him but I imagine he thought anyone trying to loose weight would already be active and didn't need to be spoonfed that info. ffs

You would have thought it would be implied in the "Fitness Forum" bit.:D

Scuba Ste

muboop1 wrote: »

Just seems bizzare, like I train alot. Cycle 50k, run 25k a week plus about 3 or 4 heavy weight sessions... But by that rule I could scrap all my exercise and just eat sub 2k kcals a day and see results?

I dont see why you think that's not possible, if you eat calorie deficit and do no exercise then why wouldn't you lose weight??

I'm just very skeptical of such a rule that neglects health, fitness, age and activity levels.

Seems to me very BMI-ish, I.e if you fall into an exact category will work awesome. if not it's just a wasteful and pointless... And in such cases it seems in my experience that most people do not fit the stereotype that the technique was designed for.

Its just a general rule, its not supposed to be exact or apply to only certain groups. When it comes to calories I go by this:

Maintenance = roughly BW in lbs x15
Weight loss = roughly BW in lbs x12
Weight gain = roughly BW in lbs x18

You can adjust those figures up or down slightly depending on your own circumstances. Again its just a general rule of thumb, but I find it's useful.

g'em

brianthebard wrote: »

Where did hanley say to stop exercising? Can't speak for him but I imagine he thought anyone trying to loose weight would already be active and didn't need to be spoonfed that info. ffs

Take it easy Brian, there's no need for that kind of a response.

brianthebard

g'em wrote: »

Take it easy Brian, there's no need for that kind of a response.

what kind of response?

Hanley

muboop1 wrote: »

Just seems bizzare, like I train alot. Cycle 50k, run 25k a week plus about 3 or 4 heavy weight sessions... But by that rule I could scrap all my exercise and just eat sub 2k kcals a day and see results?

I'm just very skeptical of such a rule that neglects health, fitness, age and activity levels.

Seems to me very BMI-ish, I.e if you fall into an exact category will work awesome. if not it's just a wasteful and pointless... And in such cases it seems in my experience that most people do not fit the stereotype that the technique was designed for.

Run the long formula which accounts for actvity levels, age, RMR etc and then divide that answer by your bodyweight in pounds. I've done it for a good few people at this stage and it always seems to come out around 11-13 kcal/lb.

g'em

brianthebard wrote: »

what kind of response?

Aggressive and inflammatory. Keep questioning me on-thread and you know what happens next.

G86

Hanley wrote: »

This thread's a f*cking disgrace.

Wanna get abs??

1) Bodyweight in lbs x12 = total kcal per day - split it over 6 meals
2) 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat (carbs to come from low GI/complex sources and leafy greens only)
3) Be consistent for at least a month


Simples.

I've a question regarding this, it makes sense logically, but the problem I have is that if I go by that formula, my cal intake is 1920 daily. I currently eat about 1500 cals a day max, workout regularly and those 1500 cals are at present maintaining my weight. If I upped my cal intake to 1920 then I'd put on weight due to the calorie increase, however I can't lower my intake as it is or it's going to be too low. So, in order to lose weight/bf as opposed to maintaining, the only real dietary option I had was to cut my carb intake - which I've done in the past 2 weeks by cutting it in half.

My question is - if I'm burning more cals than I'm taking in(which I must be), then how am I simply maintaining my weight? It makes no sense. I do mainly HIT cardio with metcons etc, but maybe I need to focus on adding in more LIT also? If I saw someone else post this in the past I'd have said to recheck their calorie intake, but*I'm not kidding myself with the cals, I've kept track of what I'm eating and even more so since I cut down on the carbs.

Previous to lowering the carbs my calorie intake was still in around 1500, although it can be lower now. I really don't think I'm taking in enough calories to fuel my workouts, but if I increase them I'm going to put on weight. It's a catch 22! I'm not looking to get lean and make strength gains at the same time - I know it's the holy grail, but I'd like to be eating enough to at least maintain my strength whilst leaning out a bit. Hope this isn't too off topic

the drifter

G86 wrote: »

I've a question regarding this, it makes sense logically, but the problem I have is that if I go by that formula, my cal intake is 1920 daily. I currently eat about 1500 cals a day max, workout regularly and those 1500 cals are at present maintaining my weight. If I upped my cal intake to 1920 then I'd put on weight due to the calorie increase, however I can't lower my intake as it is or it's going to be too low. So, in order to lose weight/bf as opposed to maintaining, the only real dietary option I had was to cut my carb intake - which I've done in the past 2 weeks by cutting it in half.

My question is - if I'm burning more cals than I'm taking in(which I must be), then how am I simply maintaining my weight? It makes no sense. I do mainly HIT cardio with metcons etc, but maybe I need to focus on adding in more LIT also? If I saw someone else post this in the past I'd have said to recheck their calorie intake, but*I'm not kidding myself with the cals, I've kept track of what I'm eating and even more so since I cut down on the carbs.

Previous to lowering the carbs my calorie intake was still in around 1500, although it can be lower now. I really don't think I'm taking in enough calories to fuel my workouts, but if I increase them I'm going to put on weight. It's a catch 22! I'm not looking to get lean and make strength gains at the same time - I know it's the holy grail, but I'd like to be eating enough to at least maintain my strength whilst leaning out a bit. Hope this isn't too off topic

I would say your not eating enough at 1500...increasing calories does NOT mean having to put on weight.

Hanley

G86 wrote: »

I've a question regarding this, it makes sense logically, but the problem I have is that if I go by that formula, my cal intake is 1920 daily. I currently eat about 1500 cals a day max, workout regularly and those 1500 cals are at present maintaining my weight. If I upped my cal intake to 1920 then I'd put on weight due to the calorie increase, however I can't lower my intake as it is or it's going to be too low. So, in order to lose weight/bf as opposed to maintaining, the only real dietary option I had was to cut my carb intake - which I've done in the past 2 weeks by cutting it in half.

My question is - if I'm burning more cals than I'm taking in(which I must be), then how am I simply maintaining my weight? It makes no sense. I do mainly HIT cardio with metcons etc, but maybe I need to focus on adding in more LIT also? If I saw someone else post this in the past I'd have said to recheck their calorie intake, but*I'm not kidding myself with the cals, I've kept track of what I'm eating and even more so since I cut down on the carbs.

Previous to lowering the carbs my calorie intake was still in around 1500, although it can be lower now. I really don't think I'm taking in enough calories to fuel my workouts, but if I increase them I'm going to put on weight. It's a catch 22! I'm not looking to get lean and make strength gains at the same time - I know it's the holy grail, but I'd like to be eating enough to at least maintain my strength whilst leaning out a bit. Hope this isn't too off topic

With Drifter...

I'm sure someone will explain it with more scientific terms, but don't underestimate your body's survival mode. If you're not getting in enough kcals you won't lose weight.

Your body'll just go "****... I dunno where my next meal's coming from, I better hold onto the fat I have incase I don't get fed next time so I can live off that". It's only when it's getting "enough" kcals that it'll be free to start dropping weight.

80-90% of the time, when I'm not dieting I'm eating less kcals than I am.

G86

Cheers for the replies guys. I know you're right, sure everything I read is telling me I'm not eating enough, and I've also looked at the Harris Benedict Formula which gives me a intake of 2428kcal to maintain my weight, or 1928 for weight loss. But, I just thought I'd kind of screwed myself over by reducing them too much. In the past I think I just kept cutting cals everytime my progress stalled until eventually I was stuck where I am now, stalled again but with nowhere to go! There's no harm in upping them to 1900 to see how it goes, I just wouldn't mind knowing a bit more about the science behind it too.

Hanley

G86 wrote: »

I've a question regarding this, it makes sense logically, but the problem I have is that if I go by that formula, my cal intake is 1920 daily.

G86 wrote: »

Cheers for the replies guys. I know you're right, sure everything I read is telling me I'm not eating enough, and I've also looked at the Harris Benedict Formula which gives me a intake of 2428kcal to maintain my weight, or 1928 for weight loss.

Did someone say bodyweight in lb x12 isn't a good guideline?

*leans back smugly

the drifter

i understand it...but i cant explain it :P

Esse85

fakearms123 wrote: »

There's a lot of conflicting advice here on this thread which indicates that certain things work for certain people and that I was probably a bit naive about my diet. I have changed from bran flakes to weetabix but im still eating bananas before and after workouts, I feel as though I need that extra bit of energy to keep me going as a snack.

I kept a record of what I ate yesterday and will try and keep close to this, I'm sure people will say there's too much of this and there's not enough of this but I can't please everyone and with what I ate yesterday I felt great after my legs and core day at the gym followed by a 10k cycle. My girlfriend has told me that my abs are becoming more visible when I went up to visit her on saturday. So what im going to do is keep at my weight training and cardio and the ab exercise I do but I will keep in mind what everyone has said here on the thread and find a balance.

Yesterday's diet:

Morning: weetabix, squeezed orange juice
Tea: Brown bread sandwich (chicken, stuffing and lettuce) and tea
Lunch: tuna salad and milk
Snack: Banana and apple
Dinner: Pork, carrots, peas and potato, milk
Snack: Banana and raisin bar

I felt great in fairness and i'm in no rush to get a six pack, I just want to see improvements and if abs dont come after a good few weeks then I know that this isn't working for me

If your making progress, great, stick with your plan.

If not, then the obvious place to start is by dropping them carbs.

muboop1

brianthebard wrote: »

Where did hanley say to stop exercising? Can't speak for him but I imagine he thought anyone trying to loose weight would already be active and didn't need to be spoonfed that info. ffs

Thus proving my point. You are assuming that a person is already active or working out, whilst never actually specifying it.

Same as BMI assumes you are a set build etc...

muboop1

Hanley wrote: »

Run the long formula which accounts for actvity levels, age, RMR etc and then divide that answer by your bodyweight in pounds. I've done it for a good few people at this stage and it always seems to come out around 11-13 kcal/lb.

Didnt realise there was a long formula! puts my mind at rest

Hanley

muboop1 wrote: »

Thus proving my point. You are assuming that a person is already active or working out, whilst never actually specifying it.

Same as BMI assumes you are a set build etc...

bodyweight x12 roughly works back to a sedentary individual who spends approx 4-6 hours in the gym per week using the long formula.

rjp123

muboop1 wrote: »

Didnt realise there was a long formula! puts my mind at rest

i thought it was fairly clear from my response to your post last night

VonLuck

Well a pretty accurate way to calculating your caloric needs is by using this link:

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm#

If you look in the advanced options bit, it has a part where body fat % comes into play. If you know that you will get a much more accurate figure.

Using the Harris-Benedict formula you would have the same maintenance figure for a guy who is built like a tank but weighs the same as a guy who has nothing but fat.

It can be tricky figuring out your body fat percentage but there are a few pictures of different BF%'s online to compare yourself to.