Help!

I have lost about 26 lbs since the beginning of August (from 181 - 155), I am 5'8. The problem is that now I am now I looks bony because I have a big frame. And the tummy is still there. Mind you...I have lost about 3 inches in that weight loss phase. What do I need to get flat abs? I want a flat ab by Xmas. I do two days of weight training a day + 20 minute cardio. Plus I do 45 minutes cardio on two other days and do abs on those days as well. I eat very well low fat and high protein.

Keep reading through some of the posts on here, I think they will answer your questions.

Basically though the conclusion is that you cannot "spot reduce" fat from one area. So in your case doing a bunch of crunches won't make your stomach smaller. Your body loses fat from all over. Generally and most of the time the stomach is the last place fat goes away for us guys. :(

I am not a fan of low-fat diets myself. When I was doing BFL I got kinda obsessed and dropped my fat intake to almost zero grams a day and did not lose an ounce of fat for almost 2 months. Then I visited a personal trainer who had me increase my fat intake (and reduce my weight workouts - I was really overtraining). He had me eat a little bit more fat (although not McDonalds every day obviously), increase my protein slightly and reduce my carbs slightly (not Atkins-induction-style but lower than what I was eating), and I saw almost immediate results.

I have hardly any fat on my arms or legs but i do around the midsection its just the last place to go.
Are you still losing fat ? If so nothing to worry about just keep going. If not then holler back and i am sure the folks here will address what you need to do to start progressing again. Oh and dont over do the low fat. Too low can halt your progress quicker than you can imagine.
Widers

Thanks for the advice y'all

Are you saying those ab machines you see on informercials int he week hours of the night does not work? There is one there called 6 second abs that claim you will lose one inch off your waist in one week -- guaranteed. I was tempted to bite but didnt.

Keep reading through some of the posts on here, I think they will answer your questions.

Basically though the conclusion is that you cannot "spot reduce" fat from one area. So in your case doing a bunch of crunches won't make your stomach smaller. Your body loses fat from all over. Generally and most of the time the stomach is the last place fat goes away for us guys. :(

I am not a fan of low-fat diets myself. When I was doing BFL I got kinda obsessed and dropped my fat intake to almost zero grams a day and did not lose an ounce of fat for almost 2 months. Then I visited a personal trainer who had me increase my fat intake (and reduce my weight workouts - I was really overtraining). He had me eat a little bit more fat (although not McDonalds every day obviously), increase my protein slightly and reduce my carbs slightly (not Atkins-induction-style but lower than what I was eating), and I saw almost immediate results.

I was tempted to bite but didnt.
Good you saved yourself some money.

As 1FastGTX said read around the forum a bit use the search tool for specific answers and if there is something that isnt addressed shout up.
Widers

So, like they all say, for most men, fat in the mid section is last fat to go... So, if let's say my fat losing process has become stalled or stopped, then from cutting I go to bulking, then cut again, will it rev up the fat burning process again? I'm talking about 1 month bulking here... :D

And also, if we are those fat-thin person, with no other fat but in the stomach and thighs, if we continue to loss fat, will it probobly lose fat in those area only, or it is possible to lose more fat in the other bodyfat, leaving me more skinny, and looks more fat? :cool:

So, like they all say, for most men, fat in the mid section is last fat to go... So, if let's say my fat losing process has become stalled or stopped, then from cutting I go to bulking, then cut again, will it rev up the fat burning process again? I'm talking about 1 month bulking here... :D

Sure. But you don't need to go for a whole month to get the same effect. A meal, a day, a weekend, a week with maintenance or higher calories and lots of carbs, these all help to kick start your metabolism out of plateaus. Going on a full-out bulk strategy for a month really isn't necessary.

If you want to bulk, bulk, add some muscle, then try cutting again - but I suspect the amount of muscle you'd gain in a bulk of only one month wouldn't really raise your metabolism all that much more than the kick-start you'd get from eating the extra food, which will have a very prompt effect and need not wait for a month.

And also, if we are those fat-thin person, with no other fat but in the stomach and thighs, if we continue to loss fat, will it probobly lose fat in those area only, or it is possible to lose more fat in the other bodyfat, leaving me more skinny, and looks more fat? :cool:

It is definitely possible. Lots of things are possible. The place you store fat first and last on your body is determined by genetics. You can't change it. You can continue to make progress and have faith that eventually you'll achieve your own full potential.

Thanks for the advice y'all

Are you saying those ab machines you see on informercials int he week hours of the night does not work? There is one there called 6 second abs that claim you will lose one inch off your waist in one week -- guaranteed. I was tempted to bite but didnt.

Nope, they don't work at all. What those informercials fail to tell you is that you are only guaranteed results if you are using that product in addition to a sound weightlifting and/or cardio routine, as well as diet. You can't just lay around all day, then do the 6-second abs once a day, and lose fat. Unless you didn't eat all day, but that's another topic. Actually I guess you'd lose more muscle if you just didn't eat. :D

You have to lose fat from all over your body. Now you CAN make the appearance of a leaner midsection by increasing your abdominal muscle size, by increasing the size of your chest and back so your waist looks smaller, etc. But to actually lose that fat you're just going to have to bite the bullet and put in a lot of hard work. :)

Get on a sound workout schedule, cardio routine, and get your diet in check. Also be sure that you are resting adequately. Fat-loss will occur throughout your body, and will disappear faster from some places than others (I feel your pain; my arms are tight but my gut ain't). Be consistent. Consistency is important. It will happen!

Sure. But you don't need to go for a whole month to get the same effect. A meal, a day, a weekend, a week with maintenance or higher calories and lots of carbs, these all help to kick start your metabolism out of plateaus. Going on a full-out bulk strategy for a month really isn't necessary.

If you want to bulk, bulk, add some muscle, then try cutting again - but I suspect the amount of muscle you'd gain in a bulk of only one month wouldn't really raise your metabolism all that much more than the kick-start you'd get from eating the extra food, which will have a very prompt effect and need not wait for a month.



It is definitely possible. Lots of things are possible. The place you store fat first and last on your body is determined by genetics. You can't change it. You can continue to make progress and have faith that eventually you'll achieve your own full potential.

Ah... so if once or twice a week i binge on high carb, low fat food like bread or fruit, it can actually help bust my platues? So in other words, binging is not such a bad thing after all, except from the bloated feeling you get... :)

Ah... so if once or twice a week i binge on high carb, low fat food like bread or fruit, it can actually help bust my platues? So in other words, binging is not such a bad thing after all, except from the bloated feeling you get... :)

"Binge" might be a strong word (you don't want to be sick), but yeah, that's part of the idea. They're called "cheat meals." I like to call them "recovery meals."

And once a week, not twice. Don't let it get out of hand.

Although it isn't important that it be low-fat. It can be, but it doesn't have to.

Help!

I have lost about 26 lbs since the beginning of August (from 181 - 155), I am 5'8. The problem is that now I am now I looks bony because I have a big frame. And the tummy is still there. Mind you...I have lost about 3 inches in that weight loss phase. What do I need to get flat abs? I want a flat ab by Xmas. I do two days of weight training a day + 20 minute cardio. Plus I do 45 minutes cardio on two other days and do abs on those days as well. I eat very well low fat and high protein.

Do you have a lot of stress in your life? Are you over training? Both increase your body's production of cortisol, which makes your body store fat around your midsection.

So, it might be worthwhile to change up your routine for a while. Also, try to reduce any stress you might have.

Do you have a lot of stress in your life? Are you over training? Both increase your body's production of cortisol, which makes your body store fat around your midsection.

So, it might be worthwhile to change up your routine for a while. Also, try to reduce any stress you might have.

Good point. I am constantly finding myself frustrated when friends visit a personal trainer and that trainer doesn't address stress and how it can affect your bodybuilding/fatloss goals. It can have a HUGE impact on you, physically and mentally. Physically because of what JayBird already said, and mentally because you won't get in the intense workouts, or may just skip the workout alltogether.

I have lost about 26 lbs since the beginning of August (from 181 - 155), I am 5'8. The problem is that now I am now I looks bony because I have a big frame. And the tummy is still there.

Yup, I'm in the same boat. I'm in week 13. I'm 5'7" went from 196 to 172 seems the only fat left is in my mid section, with a little around my arm pit area.

I've been pretty consistant with my diet and workouts, so I know it's only a matter of time before that fat is redussed. As a matter of fact I seem to be making more progress on it now that I have upped my calories and mixed in some free weight routines.

Just stay consistant with what works for you. don't go for any gimick type devices, there are no short cuts. If you need motivation just keep comming back to these forums.

I can't tell you how many times I didn't feel like going to the gym. But after logging on to JSF forums, reading, and responding to posts, I suddenly feel like "Hey, what am I doing, I need to get down to the gym!" Which is exactly what I am going to do after hitting the submit button.

~Todd
St Paul, MN

Yup, I'm in the same boat. I'm in week 13. I'm 5'7" went from 196 to 172 seems the only fat left is in my mid section, with a little around my arm pit area.
~Todd
St Paul, MN

Keep working at it, Pump the iron and keep the cutting diet. Saw your pictures, you might hit pay dirt of 12% or less fat about 155. Good work for a short 13 weeks.