CLIFFS: Six packs are made in the kitchen... if you don't master your diet you will never get lean
I am so sick and tired of people asking the same dumb questions over and over
"what ab workouts can i do for more definition"
"how many reps of crunches is ideal"
Yadda yadda
"It's DOO DOO!!!" - Young Frankenstein
Getting a six pack = getting down to a low level of body fat. The ONLY way to do this effectively is through a caloric deficit- IOW eating less calories than you burn. So you have to figure out what your maintenance calories (IOW the # of calories you need to eat to maintain your weight), and eat less. There are a lot of simple online calculators but I find them to be crap... your mileage may REALLY vary (my real maintenance is a good 20% lower than what most calculators estimate). The BEST way to figure it out is:
- Weigh yourself first thing on the morning for ~2 weeks.
- Over this 2 weeks keep a log of what you eat. Try and be as accurate as possible.
- Use that data to estimate your maintenance. If your weight goes up or down over the period, the data is still useable; just remember 3500 calories = 1lb of body fat.
Once you know your maintenance, eat ~500cal/day under it. You can do this however you want- same 500cal deficit each day, or you can cycle. I personally have found that carb cycling is very effective.
In the context of bodybuilding
There are some more prerequisites for someone making a diet in the context of a "bodybuilding cut". Well really only one IMO. You need protein. Way more than the FDA recommends... the agreed upon rule of thumb is 1g/lb body weight every day. This spares muscle yadda yadda. You also need an adequate amount of fat & carbs... i.e., its not a good idea to cut them out completely as various life functions depend on an adequate amount of them... but protein should be the top priority.
My own observations (in the context of bodybuilding cuts)
- Over time progress in a cut stalls. A realistic weight loss rate is about 1-2lb a week for a relatively healthy + lean dude. There's a shit load of hormonal mechanisms + adaptations I don't wanna get into, but I have found that taking a break from a diet after 6-8 weeks of it helps. Lyle McDonald breaks it down here
- Cardio & coffee are your friends, but obv only in moderation. Too much cardio will eat away at your muscles, too much coffee will turn your teeth brown and dull the effectiveness of the caffeine. I try and take breaks from coffee every now and then.
- In a cut you should keep the reps x weights the same, but reduce the number of sets you do. Lyle McDonald recommends cutting your lifting volume by up to 2/3.
Now I DON'T HAVE A 6 PACK... yet. But I have tried several diets and failed. However this summer I started at 192 or so lb at 5' 10", at a decent level of strength... I'm down to ~180lb, with more definition in my abs and a smaller waist (down to ~31" from 34"). No fucking crunches. I'm only relaying info from people who have actually done it. So please stop with the stupid ass questions
I am so sick and tired of people asking the same dumb questions over and over
"what ab workouts can i do for more definition"
"how many reps of crunches is ideal"
Yadda yadda
"It's DOO DOO!!!" - Young Frankenstein
Getting a six pack = getting down to a low level of body fat. The ONLY way to do this effectively is through a caloric deficit- IOW eating less calories than you burn. So you have to figure out what your maintenance calories (IOW the # of calories you need to eat to maintain your weight), and eat less. There are a lot of simple online calculators but I find them to be crap... your mileage may REALLY vary (my real maintenance is a good 20% lower than what most calculators estimate). The BEST way to figure it out is:
- Weigh yourself first thing on the morning for ~2 weeks.
- Over this 2 weeks keep a log of what you eat. Try and be as accurate as possible.
- Use that data to estimate your maintenance. If your weight goes up or down over the period, the data is still useable; just remember 3500 calories = 1lb of body fat.
Once you know your maintenance, eat ~500cal/day under it. You can do this however you want- same 500cal deficit each day, or you can cycle. I personally have found that carb cycling is very effective.
In the context of bodybuilding
There are some more prerequisites for someone making a diet in the context of a "bodybuilding cut". Well really only one IMO. You need protein. Way more than the FDA recommends... the agreed upon rule of thumb is 1g/lb body weight every day. This spares muscle yadda yadda. You also need an adequate amount of fat & carbs... i.e., its not a good idea to cut them out completely as various life functions depend on an adequate amount of them... but protein should be the top priority.
My own observations (in the context of bodybuilding cuts)
- Over time progress in a cut stalls. A realistic weight loss rate is about 1-2lb a week for a relatively healthy + lean dude. There's a shit load of hormonal mechanisms + adaptations I don't wanna get into, but I have found that taking a break from a diet after 6-8 weeks of it helps. Lyle McDonald breaks it down here
- Cardio & coffee are your friends, but obv only in moderation. Too much cardio will eat away at your muscles, too much coffee will turn your teeth brown and dull the effectiveness of the caffeine. I try and take breaks from coffee every now and then.
- In a cut you should keep the reps x weights the same, but reduce the number of sets you do. Lyle McDonald recommends cutting your lifting volume by up to 2/3.
Now I DON'T HAVE A 6 PACK... yet. But I have tried several diets and failed. However this summer I started at 192 or so lb at 5' 10", at a decent level of strength... I'm down to ~180lb, with more definition in my abs and a smaller waist (down to ~31" from 34"). No fucking crunches. I'm only relaying info from people who have actually done it. So please stop with the stupid ass questions
Hey CTK... when you say "this summer I started at 192 or so lb"... when did your summer start?? I mean, it's only June now
