help for abs please - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

leigh76 · 27-03-2006, 03:19 PM

i am currently 6'4'' 192llbs and at a guess around 12% bf, i have been following the body for life 12 week programme and finished 2 weeks ago with some pretty good results(was 210llbs bf around 17%).

I am going on holiday in 2 weeks and for the last 2 weeks have adjusted my diet by dropping carbs and upping fats and protein so each meal looks like this;

45-50g pro
10-15g carbs
30-35g fats

this is made up of 2-3 meals made up of chicken/tuna/eggs and fibourous veg and 2-3 skakes made up of cottage cheese and whey and p/butter with added sweetner. i average about 5 meals aday alternating between whole food meals and shakes.

i have kept the exercise the same, using the body for life routine.

the problems i have are that my abs only show when i contract them fully so i am guessing that i need to get rid of more fat and obviously want them to show without tensing them up. i am also losing abit of strength, and performance on the cardio isnt as good although i am making both intense as i can. is this a side effect of dropping the carbs as i am also feeling alot more ****y which the missus doesnt appreciate and fatiqued mentally and physically, also my muscles appear flat all the time apart from when i get a very short pump in the gym. my energy levels are alot lower generally throughout the day apart from when i have juast left the gym.

Am i doing the right thing and should carry on what i'm doing as this is just normal and to keep fighting it or is there something i can change

i would really like to get those abs to show and feel i am abit stuck and constaantly wondering, do i change the diet as i make my workouts different every time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

**Pscarb** · 04-04-2006, 09:36 PM

if i was you i would look at cycling your carbs this keeps the body off gaurd..

do a 4 day cycle:
Low = as close to zero carbs as possible/300g protein/80g fats
Med = 100g/300g protein/50g fats
Low = as close to zero carbs as possible/300g protein/80g fats
High = 400g/200g protein/20g fats

add to this 5 cardio sessions per week of 40min per session at approx 65% of max...

hope this helps mate..

leigh76 · 05-04-2006, 12:54 PM

thanks for the quick reply, i will give it a bash. do i keep the weight sessions the same? 3 per week alternating upper and lower body?

I will look forward to getting some carbs into me.thanks

Tycoon · 05-04-2006, 01:04 PM

I had the same sort of problem after starting my first low carb diet, i found the first few weeks i looked great, then started to look skinny and soft, although both wieght and body fat was dropping as planned.

To cut a long story short i found that after having a high carb day once a week (like PS says) i looked so much bigger and firmer the next day.

**Aftershock** · 06-04-2006, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tycoon

I had the same sort of problem after starting my first low carb diet, i found the first few weeks i looked great, then started to look skinny and soft, although both wieght and body fat was dropping as planned.

To cut a long story short i found that after having a high carb day once a week (like PS says) i looked so much bigger and firmer the next day.

Thats the norm tbh, the muscles will look sort and deflated due to lack of water and glycogen stores. The high carb day will put some glycogen/water back in but you pretty much have to get your head around that looking soft is normal when doing this otherwise you will get disheartened.. Its a means to an end after all..

Leigh you should consider so ECA to pick you up throughout the day and also speed fat loss..

Fitchick · 07-04-2006, 05:19 PM

Whilst weights will help strengthen the abs, Cardio will help the fat burning process. I know that it will be hard when you have very little carbs in you but try doing 30 mins 4 times a week on either a cross trainer or treadmill, or swap between the 2. I use the Random setting for fat loss as it keeps the body guessing and so you are constantly working. (Dont know the exact science behind it but ive been using this for the last 6 months and ive lost a stone)

Good luck

27-03-2006, 03:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
leigh76 Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11	help for abs please i am currently 6'4'' 192llbs and at a guess around 12% bf, i have been following the body for life 12 week programme and finished 2 weeks ago with some pretty good results(was 210llbs bf around 17%). I am going on holiday in 2 weeks and for the last 2 weeks have adjusted my diet by dropping carbs and upping fats and protein so each meal looks like this; 45-50g pro 10-15g carbs 30-35g fats this is made up of 2-3 meals made up of chicken/tuna/eggs and fibourous veg and 2-3 skakes made up of cottage cheese and whey and p/butter with added sweetner. i average about 5 meals aday alternating between whole food meals and shakes. i have kept the exercise the same, using the body for life routine. the problems i have are that my abs only show when i contract them fully so i am guessing that i need to get rid of more fat and obviously want them to show without tensing them up. i am also losing abit of strength, and performance on the cardio isnt as good although i am making both intense as i can. is this a side effect of dropping the carbs as i am also feeling alot more ****y which the missus doesnt appreciate and fatiqued mentally and physically, also my muscles appear flat all the time apart from when i get a very short pump in the gym. my energy levels are alot lower generally throughout the day apart from when i have juast left the gym. Am i doing the right thing and should carry on what i'm doing as this is just normal and to keep fighting it or is there something i can change i would really like to get those abs to show and feel i am abit stuck and constaantly wondering, do i change the diet as i make my workouts different every time. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

04-04-2006, 09:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Pscarb UK-Muscle Moderator and NABBA Champion Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 10,963	if i was you i would look at cycling your carbs this keeps the body off gaurd.. do a 4 day cycle: Low = as close to zero carbs as possible/300g protein/80g fats Med = 100g/300g protein/50g fats Low = as close to zero carbs as possible/300g protein/80g fats High = 400g/200g protein/20g fats add to this 5 cardio sessions per week of 40min per session at approx 65% of max... hope this helps mate..

05-04-2006, 12:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
leigh76 Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11	thanks for the quick reply, i will give it a bash. do i keep the weight sessions the same? 3 per week alternating upper and lower body? I will look forward to getting some carbs into me.thanks

05-04-2006, 01:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tycoon Newbie Trainer Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1	I had the same sort of problem after starting my first low carb diet, i found the first few weeks i looked great, then started to look skinny and soft, although both wieght and body fat was dropping as planned. To cut a long story short i found that after having a high carb day once a week (like PS says) i looked so much bigger and firmer the next day.

07-04-2006, 05:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
Fitchick Abi Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 114	Whilst weights will help strengthen the abs, Cardio will help the fat burning process. I know that it will be hard when you have very little carbs in you but try doing 30 mins 4 times a week on either a cross trainer or treadmill, or swap between the 2. I use the Random setting for fat loss as it keeps the body guessing and so you are constantly working. (Dont know the exact science behind it but ive been using this for the last 6 months and ive lost a stone) Good luck