Tuken
Thanks for responding guys!!
Nocturoe Nara
I was always built larger than the average person.. My shoulders are 1' 10" in width and my waist itself is 34 inches around.. I am also 5' 9" and I weigh about 180 lbs. Yes I have abs, but I didn't start out that way.
As you may know, when it comes to abs, it isn't about weight anymore, it is about body fat.
There are many ways to lose weight.
1. Calorie diet, straight and simple. Just determine how many calories you consume and eat less than what your body demands.
2. Working out, this helps boost your metabolism and makes losing fat much easier.
3. Metabolic diet, this is when you eat food in such a manner that it encourages burning even more calories and targets fat specifically while building muscle.
This includes; when you eat, when you stop eating, how you eat, what you drink and how much you drink (water) and what you eat.
First off, I don't change my calorie intake by looking at the calories alone, you will see why in a moment as it will make sense.
Secondly, I work out by swimming, biking and running, these three exercises are very different yet all attack your entire body, causing mass fat loss and metabolism boosts. Those three also work on your abs a ton. Lifting weights is great too.
Thirdly, (this is what takes the most self control, so bear with me), low carbs or no carbs.
No more than 30 carbs a day, no carbs after lunch.
4-6 liters of water throughout the day, 1 liter before and after breakfast, lunch and dinner.
You must have 10-12 hours of time in between when you eat at night and when you eat in the morning. So for example.. If you have dinner at 7, you must eat breakfast after/at 7.
That's about it. The carbs I consume are from fruits, veggies and/or nuts.
By removing the carbs, your calorie deficit is massive, don't worry, you can make up for it with meat.
smile
Here is how I think...
Carbs are your enemy.
Veggies, fruits and some nuts are your friends.
Water and lean chicken, fish and steak are your closest allies.
That sounds pretty good! I've been doing a lot of this already to get where I am today. I'm not familiar at all with carbs and haven't really looked into that. I'm taking a more "common sense" kind of approach like what you're suggesting- if I want to be healthier, I simply eat healthier and get active. I'm very ignorant when it comes to "lifting" and what not- did you do any of that to get where you are today, or did you stick with your running, swimming, etc?
F u j i b e r r y
Abs come with lower bodyfat, HOWEVER, 'cutting fat' doesn't necessarily give you abs if there isn't any already built. You have to bulk and lift heavy and often for a considerable amount of time. You're going to gain some fat with the muscle, but that's just how it goes. Cut afterwards and there you go. If you don't have visible abs then, bulk again, then cut.
F u j i b e r r y
You're at the low end weight wise because of your height. BULK NOW. Come back in a year or two, then cut. : )
I'm sorry, I'm new to this, but what exactly is bulking?
sweatdrop
What exactly should I be lifting? lol I have no idea any of the exercises I should be doing. This is how I'm picturing it so far: continue running everyday, eat like I have been (only drinking water, having "what I need" not overeating, more fruits and veggies, etc.), and go to the gym to "lift" or something for a bit? I'm so in the dark.
xd
It's okay. Most people think that building muscle is easy, so you're fine~! Building muscle is a science.
Bulking: Eating at a caloric surplus, building/gaining muscle. Some fat gain is inevitable when building muscle
Cutting: Eating at a caloric deficit, losing fat while trying to maintain muscle gained during the bulk, reveals the muscle underneath the fat gained during the bulk
Caloric maintenance: # of calories your body needs to maintain your weight
Surplus: Eating more than your maintenance
Deficit: Eating under your maintenance
Cardio is detrimental to your muscle building goal if you don't eat enough. Muscles need calories. Cardio burns excess calories you need to build muscle. If you do cardio while trying to build muscle, you must eat back the calories you burned through cardio.
You cannot lose weight and expect to see muscle if there has not been enough time spent bulking. You will end up 'skinny fat'. Slim, but with no muscle tone.
A long slow bulk of at least 1-2 years is recommended for beginners who want some muscle tone to show when they cut.
If you want to slooooowly lose weight and slooooowly build muscle, eat at your maintenance. This only works for beginners. Beginners will have accelerated muscle gain. You gain less muscle each year, so take advantage of your beginner gains.
Compound lifts will be your best friends. Stay away from machines for now, and use compound lifts with free weights. They use more muscles than any exercise and will help you build a solid foundation to build off of.
You must be consistent with lifting and eating to get results. Look for a free muscle building program on bodybuilding.com.
Lift for your goal:
1-6 reps - strength
8-12 - muscle gain and strength
13+ endurance
3-4 sets per exercise is enough.
Lifting 4 days a week is good if you're a beginner. You don't want to risk burning out. Rest is a MUST for your muscle to rebuild themselves.
Hope this all helps! Let me know if you need more info.
smile
I'm looking to compete 2+ years from now. I'm currently on a long bulk. : D