dvppatient

MAKE ME SICK! LOL (and there are some of you same age or older than me with kids like me!)

Seriously, I'm all right fitness wise, but I've never had abs like some of you. So, I'm looking at BA pictures, and all I can focus on is the abs NOT the boobs! I think I'm more ab envy than boob envy.

I'm not fat by any means, but you girls say "Oh, I look bloated in this pic post op".....and I'm thinking.....that looks like me pre-op.

How the hell do I get rid of this little pooch I have?

Sofiafine

LOL, well not me. I'm scheduled for a TT with my BA and I can't wait to get rid of my big pooch! You look great in yor profile pic!

dvppatient

Thank you! Just goes to show....we always think there's room for improvement. LOL

I am always fascinated with the TT results. Looks mighty painful, but once recovered....looks great!

greeniedtats

i was thinking the same thing! im like damn these gals all have killer tummys!!! whats everyones secret?

DarlaBean

I lucked out my last roommate is a personal trainer and gave me some tips on abs! The whole "do lots of crunches and sit ups" thing is a myth, doing only these will not give you the results you desire. Cardio and diet do. She put it this way to me, "Everyone has abs, its just how much tissue you have on top of them that makes the difference." So I started running daily (taking rest days) and just watching my diet. Don't have to necessarily eat "less", but try to eat as many fresh, raw foods you can. And if you hate running, don't worry, so do i! I just started out with 10 minutes at a time, then increased as my endurance did. Still do the crunches and such, but it really is the cardio and diet that makes the difference!

MacMama0930

Ask KKFIT, she has a rockin body and good work out tips ;-)

GoCSU6

Abs are made in the kitchen!

dvppatient

I am doing couch to 5k right now, and do that every other day. I cut the soft drinks over two weeks ago. And, I don't eat terrible, but I can not just eat a bunch of raw veggies. People that say to snack on that stuff are nuts! That stuff does NOTHING to fill me up and then I'm just crabby.

This is all really a moot point because with my surgery next week, I'll be taking a break from the gym so I will not be able to do ANY cardio for a long time.

I'm hoping that my boobs turn out so great, I won't be able to see my stomach unless in the mirror! LOL

[email protected]

I think your avi pic looks pretty fantastic! You already got a flat midsection

Yup, I agree, there are alot of ladies with rockin' hot bodies on this site!

Props to them take no prisoners ladies!!!

DarlaBean

Sigh...I know what you mean about taking a break from the gym because of surgery. I can not wait until the 5 to 6 week mark when I can do my full workouts again! I feel so sluggish from the lack of exercise, though it's important to give the body rest after a surgery.

GamerGirlK

Girl I dont have abs! I would kill to be as skinny as you haha I have always had a lower pooch and never been able to get rid of it no matter how hard I worked!

crazyinlove

I was never happy with my belly until I started doing Insanity and cleaned up my diet. You can work out all day long, but if you eat like crap you aren't going to have the results you desire. You don't have to eat perfectly, but at least 75% good choices, not lean cusine type stuff, but real food like lean meats, almonds, cottage cheese, whole grains, eggs, etc. and yes, veggies. I feel like I know nutrition inside and out, but that doesn't make it easier to make the right choices! I struggle every day with wanting to eat crap, but knowing that I'll feel like crap after I eat it helps kill some cravings.

craftybarbie

This is what I have found to work for me personally.

I have an app on my phone called LoseIt! - which is just like MyFitnessPal. I started using LoseIt to lose weight last December. MyFitnessPal is more popular and does the same thing though. Basically, it is a calorie counter where you track your food and exercise everyday, and it keeps a journal record of the foods you eat and your weight progress. I absolutely love this app, and my boyfriend does too.

I researched as much as I could about abs because no matter how hard I busted my ass at home and the gym, I had a pooch. I looked great everywhere else on my body, if I lost anymore weight you'd see my ribs poke out (they were already showing!) but I had that little stubborn belly fat. It's true that "abs are made in the kitchen" - so what I found out was that I needed to find out how many grams of carbs I should be eating in a day and how many grams of protein I should be eating. Always keep your fat grams under 50 (or at least under around 45% of your daily intake). I just googled a carb and protein calculator and found that I need no more than 117g of carbs and at least 82g of protein a day. I know this all sounds so tedious but I was SO determined for a flat stomach - I didn't care what meal planning or math I had to do - I was going to do it! And I did. and it honestly worked. I saw so much progress so fast and loved it. Not only does this app count and add up your calorie intake for you, but it breaks it down in the macro nutrients (protein, carbs, fats)... so that is what I use to plan my meals to make sure I am hitting those numbers.

I also did some kind of cardio everyday. I ran at least 2 mi a day on the treadmill, sometimes I would do the elliptical for a little while. I miss it! I can't wait to get cleared to work out again. But for now, the diet will do! Maybe I'm crazy for going into such detail with it it works! I pretty much have to eat dozens of eggs, lots of chicken, fish, and lean meats. I hope this isn't too confusing or makes me sound crazy LOL

FromAtoD

Clean eating and lots of core work!

batgirl619

Not true. I was cleared to work out at one week post op. you can't bounce around but you can certainly do HIIT of walking/hiking/inclines. No excuses girl!! Lol. Btw I think you look great.

dvppatient

I don't eat horrible that's what is so frustrating. I don't need to lose weight, another frustrating issue when getting these fitness apps. I just need to be told exactly what I need to eat and not eat. I honestly don't see much of a change after cutting out the soft drinks, and I thought I would.

SuperPetite

80% diet, 20% exercise.
"Abs are made in the gym, but revealed in the kitchen"
Make sure you are eating really clean, and do cardio to burn the fat and then ab exercises afterward.

GoCSU6

A good rule is "if it doesn't go bad- it's bad for you. If it goes bad- it's good for you." Stick with colorful fruits and veggies, nuts, high protein lean meat, and avoid any processed food. There's a thread on the paleo diet that could really help guide you.
And when working out, I actually gained weight because I gained so much muscle. But I did get a lot more toned and my stomach is lookin great now! I agree with not concentrating on weight, I don't even own a scale.

redhead48

My abs are a work in progress and I have a 4 pack right now. Lol! I work my ass off in the gym and run, but the most important thing is diet. I am not fat either (size 4), but my lower abs are slow to show up. Patience, Grasshopper! It takes time and discipline to get great abs.

craftybarbie

I understand where you are coming from completely. I know when I mentioned the app, it made it sound like a weight loss thing (and it can be for those that want that) but the main reason I use the app is to track my carbs, protein, and fat grams. Even if you eat healthy, if you are eating a lot of carbs and not enough protein, it can cause you to have a higher body fat percentage than what you desire.

I am not a professional but I spent countless hours researching how to get abs, and when they say they're made in the kitchen, they mean it! But what people don't tell you is that it's not about weight, it's not about the number on the scale, it's not about eating Trader Joe brand, and it's definitely not about ab work outs. It's all about body fat percentage. To lower body fat percentage, most people will say "high protein, low carb" - but that's not even the truth. You don't need to do "low carb" - you just need to get the recommended amount of carbs for your body, and it's hard to get the recommended amount of protein in your diet, people don't realize this but protein is a challenge!

If you're not trying to lose weight or build a lot of muscle, and you do light exercise during the week, you should have a goal of somewhere between 90-165g of carbs a day for your height and weight. You would need about 110-117g of protein a day. If you follow that, your abs will show. There are people who eat good, clean foods, like rolled oats and fruit for breakfast, whole grain, high fiber, wraps or bread, and yogurt, and vegetables, and all these yummy and healthy foods - but still struggle with getting abs to pop, and it's because all that stuff is high in carbs. I know it probably sounds ridiculous, strict, and tedious, but it's (what I think) is the secret to abs. That's why when you ask people, they just give you a short answer of a "good diet and working out" - because that's the short answer. It's technically the right answer but the truth is all in the macros.