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Help me get a 6 pack by August!

B

BlahBlahYouToo

Lifer
Stats:
mid 20's- still have lightning fast metabolism from my younger days
5'11"- ok, really 5'10" and 3/4
170-175#- fluctuates wildly, i can drop and gain weight very easily
13-16% body fat according to a scale. quite inconsistent, formula seems very weight dependent (see above)
My top 2 packs are very visible. Middle 2 show somewhat if I flex. Bottom 2 are no where in sight.

Game plan:
Continue with gym 2-3x a week, doing some modified version of SS.
Reducing carbs to a bare minimum- going light on the pasta and any bread/pastries.
Cutting out ALL junk food. No more fries, chips, etc.
Replacing junk food snacks with nuts and fruits.
Salad and chicken for protein for my main meals.
I already don't drink soft drinks or juices. It's either water or green tea (read that it burns fat).

Any other tips?
 
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Eating healthier (as your suggestions indicate) and continuing to lift are probably your best bets. Also, you could begin including ab work to help strengthen the muscles, which may improve their visibility and appearance (especially once your bf % continues to decline).

13-16% is already a decent number, although as you've mentioned, those impedance home scales leave a lot to be desired in terms of accuracy.

However, I'd say your overall weight numbers are good; I'm the same height and weight, and have a visible six-pack without flexing. August definitely seems like it could be a very realistic goal.
 
Xcobra said:
Be on a slight caloric deficit might help
Click to expand...

The less slight the better. Abs are made in the kitchen. I'm sure cardio would help too just make sure it's after you're in the gym and, according to SC, make it more than 3 hours after or it could hamper muscle gains.
 
I would think at 13-16% body fat if you had good ab muscles they would be showing already. Perhaps skipping the caloric deficit and going on a bulk combined with lots of core building compound excercises like squats and deadlifts would be the best route.

I would be absolutely shredded if I was at 13-16% body fat. Lucky bastard.
 
VulgarDisplay said:
I would think at 13-16% body fat if you had good ab muscles they would be showing already. Perhaps skipping the caloric deficit and going on a bulk combined with lots of core building compound excercises like squats and deadlifts would be the best route.

I would be absolutely shredded if I was at 13-16% body fat. Lucky bastard.
Click to expand...

I don't think so, I'm at ~18% bf and still have a good amount to go before I'm acceptable. maybe as you close in on 13% bf your abs could start to show.
 
VulgarDisplay said:
I would think at 13-16% body fat if you had good ab muscles they would be showing already. Perhaps skipping the caloric deficit and going on a bulk combined with lots of core building compound excercises like squats and deadlifts would be the best route.

I would be absolutely shredded if I was at 13-16% body fat. Lucky bastard.
Click to expand...

no, not really. i mean, like i said, the top 2 or 4 show but are not very defined.
i can feel the bottom two if i press my fingers on them, but there's a layer of flab there.

i'm not fat or anything, but i'm also not a stick. i think at about 10%, they will be easily visible.
 
Pantlegz1 said:
I don't think so, I'm at ~18% bf and still have a good amount to go before I'm acceptable. maybe as you close in on 13% bf your abs could start to show.
Click to expand...

It depends on your ab muscles really. According to my calipers I'm at 24% bodyfat right now (down from 26% 2 weeks ago!!) and my upper abs and obliques are slightly visible. This is at 6' and 235lbs.

I like beer and shit food way to much unfortunately.
 
BlahBlahYouToo said:
Stats:

Game plan:
Continue with gym 2-3x a week, doing some modified version of SS.
Reducing carbs to a bare minimum- going light on the pasta and any bread/pastries.
Cutting out ALL junk food. No more fries, chips, etc.
Replacing junk food snacks with nuts and fruits.
Salad and chicken for protein for my main meals.
I already don't drink soft drinks or juices. It's either water or green tea (read that it burns fat).

Any other tips?
Click to expand...

If you are doing any kind of HEAVY weight training cutting carbs - won't help you lot (I assume you are if you are doing SS). Change the quality of your carbs, meaning minimize sugar-added products and/or excessively refined carbohydrates like chips, candy, soda, fruit juice. Boost DARK green vegetable intake, preferably something that isn't 90% water like lettuce - although that may help.

Green tea will not really make any measurable difference in helping you "burn fat." Make sure the stuff you are drinking ISN'T sugar-sweetened. Lipton makes a diet version which isn't bad, I hear...I'm Asian so adding anything to green tea but water is unthinkable.

Oh, and if you are a drinker...cut down a LOT on the booze. 1-2 drinks per day, MAX. Preferably zero. I'm aware that it is linked to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, but that isn't a reason to start drinking...and if you are looking to cut calories that's a great way to do so.
 
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BlahBlahYouToo said:
I hate cardio. I never did cardio outside of playing sports like bball, squash, etc. and can still get my top 2 or 4 packs to show.
Is cardio necessary?
Click to expand...

Again, I can only offer information on myself--I hardly ever do cardio; the closest I get is super setting during some of my routines. This hasn't stopped my abdominals from being visible. In large part, with me, I'd say it's a mix of having a well-developed/strong core and perpetually being on a somewhat strict diet.
 
BlahBlahYouToo said:
I hate cardio. I never did cardio outside of playing sports like bball, squash, etc. and can still get my top 2 or 4 packs to show.
Is cardio necessary?
Click to expand...

Cardio is entirely unnecessary for weight loss. If you track your calories precisely (i.e. through weighing and measuring food intake), then you can record a caloric deficit. If you lift while in that caloric deficit, you will lose nearly entirely fat - no cardio necessary. To a certain extent, doing cardio is counterproductive to fat loss since it reduces the repair mechanisms for muscle. As a result, you'll lose a higher proportion of muscle to fat as you lose weight.
 
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SociallyChallenged said:
Cardio is entirely unnecessary for weight loss. If you track your calories precisely (i.e. through weighing and measuring food intake), then you can record a caloric deficit. If you lift while in that caloric deficit, you will lose nearly entirely fat - no cardio necessary. To a certain extent, doing cardio is counterproductive to fat loss since it reduces the repair mechanisms for muscle. As a result, you'll lose a higher proportion muscle as you lose weight.
Click to expand...

So true it needed to be posted twice! (and quoted!) ^_^
 
- Include some heavy Abs training in your routine if you don't already do that. (heavy = weighted+declined and/or Dragonflags and not a low intense 200 crunches routine!)
- strict diet, low on carbs! BF should be below 10%... lol @ looking shredded with 13-16%
- cardio is not required


You will probably see the abs with a higher bf% but i wouldn't call that a "six-pack"
a "six-pack" should be visible without any flexing etc.

I'm 5,74" 158lbs with a upper body bf% of 6-7% and i am still not statisfied with my abs despite the visibility of all 6 packs...
 
add vegetables to your diet. i eat 1-2 bags a day, this alone is probably the best way to maintain a six pack because they are very filling and absolutely great for you.

adding a cup or 2 of coffee a day wouldn't hurt either in the morning to boost metabolism.
 
SociallyChallenged said:
Cardio is entirely unnecessary for weight loss. If you track your calories precisely (i.e. through weighing and measuring food intake), then you can record a caloric deficit. If you lift while in that caloric deficit, you will lose nearly entirely fat - no cardio necessary. To a certain extent, doing cardio is counterproductive to fat loss since it reduces the repair mechanisms for muscle. As a result, you'll lose a higher proportion of muscle to fat as you lose weight.
Click to expand...

Seriously counterproductive?

My routine is roughly 1-1.5 hours lifting (alternate upper & lower) followed by 45 minutes on an elliptical. In six months with zero changes in diet I have dropped 20 lbs and tightened up significantly (nearly four pants sizes, muscles developing nicely and getting stronger). Seems like the extra calories burned on the cardio would help even if a portion comes from muscles?
 
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