I need abs...

[Markme123 0]

Where I am: I'm 5'6, 158lb. I've lost about 12 lbs. in that last 4 months as I've started going to the gym. I still have a spare tire around the middle though.

I'm kind of depressed right now and going to the gym is one of the only things that brighten my spirits nowadays.

 

Current routine: I go to the gym about 5 days a week, but I don't work too hard. Usually 30-60 mins on a stationary bike, 500 ab crunchies, 50 situps using weights, a couple of dips and some bicep/tricep working out. Like I said I am depressed and I am not eating too well right now. I usually skip breakfast, eat a Powerbar or two through out the day, along with a bowl of frosted mini wheats late afternoon. Dinner (9pm usually) I eat whatever.

 

Where I want to be: I think developing a "6 pack" would be a fun goal for me. What kind of routines do you recommend? What foods should i eat?

 

Any suggestions/help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Guest Princess Leena]

Stop eating like that would be a start.

 

Judging by that, you're only doing this for looks instead of your health. So, you'll quit within the next 3 months when the results aren't meeting your satisfaction, and you'll be even more depressed.

[Art Sandusky 0]

It's true. I stay in better shape because I stay fit for my health. I never take elevators, for instance, and I watch what I eat.

 

The elevator thing is easier here because no building is allowed to be taller than one of our churches' steeples, but whatever. A lot of little things for your health will do more than you think.

[Markme123 0]

Stop eating like that would be a start.

 

Judging by that, you're only doing this for looks instead of your health. So, you'll quit within the next 3 months when the results aren't meeting your satisfaction, and you'll be even more depressed.

 

Right and wrong.

 

You are right: I am doing this for looks. I want to be physically happy with how I look and developing some nice abs would give me a goal to strive for.

 

You are wrong: I'm pretty confident that I won't quit. I am very determined and so hitting the gym regularly won't be a problem. The only reason I hadn't gone to the gym before in my life was because my family didn't think a gym membership was a good expense.

 

Anyway, I know that my eating habits aren't very good. Again any suggestions on what I should stay away from and eat more of would be appreciated. I know my depression is the reason I don't eat much, but I will be seeing a psychiatrist starting this Tuesday, so hopefully I can start working on that while I work on my body. Good times?

[Ripper 0]

Stay away from carbs eat more protein. You need to burn fat but keep your muscle mass. So...protein shakes, chicken and shit like that. low carb, high protein.

[CanadianChick 0]

When you're doing ab work, concentrate on quality rather than quantity. 500 shitty situps is less useful than less better quality situps (IE tense up your ab muscles while doing situps rather than going throw the motions).

[AboveAverage484 0]

There is a book called "The Abs Diet" by a guy who writes for Men's Health magazine. It has workout regimens and eating plans centered around getting your abs in shape. It might be at your local library, but I don't believe it's that expensive so you might just want to buy it.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Diet, diet, diet. If your diet sucks, forget about having a nice-looking six-pack. You can do all of the ab exercises in the world and it won't matter if what you're eating is crap. Case in point: I spun my wheels for a year and a half working out and seeing minimal results because I wasn't eating right.

 

There's also a misconception about needing to eat less and more infrequently when trying to lose weight. You should be eating six small meals a day to keep your metabolism going. Long breaks in between eating is going to wreck havoc on your metabolism, so the idea that if you only eat a couple times a day, so it doesn't matter what you eat, is rubbish.

 

With that said, if you're trying to cut, it's all about that protein. Protein is the cornerstone for building muscle and since it keeps you feeling full, you won't find yourself having cravings. The aforementioned Abs Diet is something to look into. I'm only roughly familiar with it, but it's successful because it doesn't come at you like a diet. It's more of a lifestyle change. Most diets fail because people eat like birds for a while, drop some weight, plateu and then have no other option other than to cut an already low calorie count.

 

If you take away anything from the program, it should be the 12 power foods. Incorporate as many of these into your daily diet and you'll see results. Like I said, I spun my wheels by not only eating crap, but not eating enough of the right foods. I've been eating clean for the last three weeks and the changes have been quick and borderline amazing. Yet, I feel I've never eaten so much in my life. I struggle most days to even hit my maintence level for calories. Anyway, the 12 power foods:

 

- Almonds (and other nuts)

- Beans (and other legumes)

- Spinach (and other greens)

- Dairy

- Instant Oatmeal

- Eggs

- Turkey (and other lean meats)

- Peanut Butter

- Olive Oil

- Whole Grains

- Extra Whey Protein

- Raspberries (and other berries)

 

If you haven't already, fall in love with the chicken. With marinades, there's really no end to the flavor combinations you can create with the boring skinless chicken breast. Lose the powerbar, too. Just a lot of uncessary sugar.

 

And if you change only one thing, make it breakfast. You're killing yourself by not eating breakfast. The longest you probably go without food is while you sleep, so why on earth would you not eating something after waking up? You need something to get your metabolism fueled and the longer you wait, the slower it's going to be. Try to eat within an hour of waking up. If what you posted is what you're eating daily, you need to overhaul. One, you aren't eating the right stuff and two, you're probably eating dangerously under what you need to be taking in calorie-wise.

 

Your workout routine is pretty terrible, too. Doing cardio for that long is only detrimental to muscle-gains. If you're looking to become more toned, do HIIT (high intensity interval training). Something like jogging for a minute, followed by 30 seconds of running as fast as you can until you hit the 10 or 15 minute mark, for example. If you don't like running, get a jump rope and follow a similar tempo pattern. You'll be amazed how much more you get out of short, but intense cardio sessions.

 

Crunches don't hit all of the muscles needed to grab a six-pack, either. Personally, I'd look for a full-body routine that will incorporate your core. I know you're just looking for the six-pack, but since you can't spot-reduce fat, a full-body routine coupled with better eating habits and HIIT is easily your best bet for shedding fat and building muscle.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

Just go to the ab store or something.

[The Man in Blak 0]

See, if we hadn't banned wildpegasus, he could have given you weight-lifting tips. Like what muscle groups to work, or whatever.

[Red Baron 0]

A Keg is much easier to achieve.

[In Credible 0]

Abs are a lot harder to get than they'd have you believe on tv. You can work them as hard as you want, but if your bodyfat isn't really low they won't show. Basically you want to get your bodyfat under like 6%. I'd work on adding muscle if I were you, and then cutting once you have some mass. You're basically taking something from nothing right now, you'll get your six pac and be able to see what you ate (or didnt eat) for breakfast.

[Guest Legalise Drugs and Murder]

Beat a heavy bag. Works your entire body if your form is good.

[EricMM 0]

There is no such thing as spot fat cutting. If you're generally showing fat on your body, there is now way to eliminate it from ONE area. People who try to exercise their "trouble spots" are fooling themselves.

 

If you really work out your abs as hard as you say you do, they're probably pretty good muscles. But if they're under a layer of fat, they're just pushing that fat further forward.

[Guest Legalise Drugs and Murder]

Still, having powerful muscles like that is fine, even if they don't look like something on a magazine cover. Impress the girls by kicking someone's ass, or by chopping wood like a real man. That's my kind of fitness.

[Matt Young 0]

Agent: Impressing girls by chopping wood since... ?

[Bruiser Chong 0]

There is no such thing as spot fat cutting. If you're generally showing fat on your body, there is now way to eliminate it from ONE area. People who try to exercise their "trouble spots" are fooling themselves.

Exactly. To reduce fat in one area, you need to reduce it all around. Whatever your trouble spots may be are usually going to be the last place the fat disappears from.