Getting back my abs

[Brandon1]

OK people, it's real simple: have been in the process of losing an extra and pesky thirty pounds and so far have lost fifteen of the total. My question for you fitness nuts and body builders, etc is this: what would be the most effective way to regain the six pack I had lost years ago? What does it entail? I'm not looking for a back breaking routine to gain my abs in record time. I'm simply looking for a routine that can and will help me get back the six pack at a moderate pace with a moderate amount of exercise and healthy eating (which is the way I eat already). So let me know! All your suggestions, help, hints and answers are much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[halcyondays]

Your six pack already exists under the layer of subcutaneous fat which hides them. In my experience it's less about ab exercises as it is about body fat percentage. The more cardio I do the more I shrink that fat and gain definition.

Still, they need to be worked. At 3 seconds per crunch I do 100 in five minutes. Doesn't take long.

 

[BillM]

STUDS, For extra protein I just suck COCK!!! Bill just saying

 

[Varsity Adam]

Crunches are just OK when you have already developed abs. BUT they are not that useful! AND the military just banned them from their regime because they actually can do harm to your body overall. You need to HIIT and 60-80% of your diet needs to be lean protein. Depends on your BMI what you need to hit gram wise a day. Diet is the key here. Coupled with the right routine. If you are serious you will avoid empty carbs as well.

 

[Flexxx]

Why do so many people still think they can spot reduce by doing an exercise. Diet shows abs, exercise defines them.

 

[Brandon1]

STUDS, For extra protein I just suck COCK!!! Bill just saying

OK Bill, lol. I'm talking exercises not fellatio, lol. Me sucking dick isn't going to get me my six pack back

 

[ronin001]

I gave up on Abbs, toooo much work and toooo much great tasting food to give up

 

[erratic]

For real -- you can do all the crunches you want and it won't give you a six pack. Especially as you get older, abs are more about diet than anything else. And for a lot of men, stomach fat is the most stubborn. It can take many months for it to burn off.

Say goodbye to sugar and salt, and don't let them come back.

 

[EmperorJimbo]

You can't out train a bad diet. Low (single digit) body fat % and the abs that are already there will be visible. There is not much point in specialized exercises for the abs until you can see what's there. Too many people think that crunches or (insert exercise here) will help them lose weight just from their midsection so they'll "have abs".
Once you can see them, tweaking a bit with specialized stuff may be in order. But if you can't see them, and focus so hard on your abs that you relegate overall core and back strength to the background is just setting yourself up for a nasty shock later in your life.

 

[sangheili90]

It all about diet, not exercise. Eat healthy foods. It's that simple

Follow a very low carb diet, get the majority of your calories from healthy fats and protein (i.e. Ketogenic diet)

Then on top of eating healthy, you can strength train, do sprints/ HIIT and have 1 or 2 days a week that you do some sort of endurance/ long distance training. But again it's mostly about your diet.

Don't tell people to follow low carb diets or more extreme versions of that, keto, as they are complete nonsense and easily result in burn out.

 

[twoton]

Body fat. Crunches, etc won't help. It all comes down to having a very low body fat %.

 

[Brandon1]

Well today We call it Bootie and you should do it everyday or more!! Bill just saying

Do you realize what you said made no sense? It's impossible to do something more than EVERY day, lol

 

[Brandon1]

You have not realize yet that most thing I say make no fucking sense!!! Bill

Oh I've realized but I like your brand of crazy, lol

 

[shrevela]

OK people, it's real simple: have been in the process of losing an extra and pesky thirty pounds and so far have lost fifteen of the total. My question for you fitness nuts and body builders, etc is this: what would be the most effective way to regain the six pack I had lost years ago? What does it entail? I'm not looking for a back breaking routine to gain my abs in record time. I'm simply looking for a routine that can and will help me get back the six pack at a moderate pace with a moderate amount of exercise and healthy eating (which is the way I eat already). So let me know! All your suggestions, help, hints and answers are much appreciated. Thanks!

No one has mentioned this but I would suggest doing weighted ab exercises. Reason being is your abs are like your other muscles in your body. They can get stronger, bigger, and thicker. The advantage to having bigger and thicker abs is that you don't have to drop your body fat as low for your abs to show.

 

[sangheili90]

Stop focusing on superficial goals and just try to make this a more enjoyable and healthy experience. Losing weight and getting to a healthy body fat level is not difficult if you have a basic concept of nutritional science and follow a half way decent exercise routine.

 

[AlphaMale]

I didn't read all of the responses, so I apologize if any of this has been said.

1) You still want to work your ab muscles multiple times a week, it's not 100% diet. Come up with a few different routines that have varied exercises (upper/lower abs, obliques, etc.). Also, if you can vary between weighted and unweighted exercises. Do some routines as fast as possible and do others slower and contract the muscles hard.

2) Diet is still very important. Figure out your average daily calorie intake and slightly lower that number (by a 100-300 calories or so). If you are continually exercising, then you know the weight that you are losing is body fat percentage. You can use apps like My Fitness Pal to track your macro (the ratio of calories to carbs/fat/protein) and it has settings for current and goal weight.

 

[NJ Beefcake]

Im in same process I put on about 20 pounds. The plus side is I am an active boxer so its dropping quickly. As far as stomach development switching it up is the best plan of action so your body doesnt become used to routine. Start with four different ab exercises and do 4 sets of 30. Then switch after a week or two. Also incorporating medicene balls will help wth resistance,

 

[Brandon1]

High Intensity Interval Training. Crossfit (be careful though) etc. Or just tread, row, weights. Nuts are not that great actually. But yes chicken, turkey breast, eggs.

Ok then, sounds like a well thought out plan. Ty for your input and insight, I'll put it to good use.

 

[695092]

It all about diet, not exercise. Eat healthy foods. It's that simple

Follow a very low carb diet, get the majority of your calories from healthy fats and protein (i.e. Ketogenic diet)

Then on top of eating healthy, you can strength train, do sprints/ HIIT and have 1 or 2 days a week that you do some sort of endurance/ long distance training. But again it's mostly about your diet.

 

[Snarky_succubus]

It all about diet, not exercise. Eat healthy foods. It's that simple

Follow a very low carb diet, get the majority of your calories from healthy fats and protein (i.e. Ketogenic diet)

Then on top of eating healthy, you can strength train, do sprints/ HIIT and have 1 or 2 days a week that you do some sort of endurance/ long distance training. But again it's mostly about your diet.

I eat healthy foods and keep my carbs low. It's not quite that simple. Calories. Not everyone has to track them... But if you have too much fat to see your abs, you *will* have to find yourself in a calorie deficit in one way or another to change that situation. That being said... Abs are definitely "made in the kitchen". Except for Socalfreak's. He's an alien.