Still possible to get 6 pack abs at 43 years old?

[lako]

It gets harder as you get older, but it is doable.

same rules apply as to when you were younger

[Tomohawk92]

hell yeah dude, it aint over til its over

[jlczl]

I've been up to 20 lbs thinner than I am now and never got abs to pop anymore than they already do. All I managed to do was get a flat ass, lose muscle, and look "skinny" despite the fact I maintained my lifts including bench, dl, and squat. My wife insisted I gain a little more weight so I upped my calories and packed on more muscle.

I wish I could have more defined abs but at the expense of not looking bigger and better built overall? I don't think so. I may still try to achieve harder abs but not until once I add about 10 or more pounds of muscle, because as I read somewhere on these forums, "abs on a skinny guy are like boobs on a fat girl.......... they just don't coun"t. =-O

[TGI123]

sylvester stallone is 66, so yes i think its possible

[husker3in4]

Alot of great things in this thread, thanks guys!

Although for Sly stallone and alot of other celebrities, they have full time dieticians, chefs, trainers, etc.. not to mention probably a healthy dose of HGH or whatever else to help them along.

For us regular guys working full time jobs and living on regular budgets, its a little different. I appreciate all your inside in this thread.

Im currenly using myfitnesspal.com, set at 2400 cals a day, 40% fat, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I am staying pretty close, and I will only get better as I get used to what foods do what to do my days macros.

How much should I worry about going over on sugar and sodium? I usually go over sugar pretty easy as I drink up to 16oz of orange juice thru out the day and also eat an apple before working out. The sodium I can sometimes double. How horrible is that for me?

Im keeping in mind the theory of "as long as it fits in your macros".

Does anyone actually hit their macros and cals on the nose every day? I usually can go over by 100 cals, or 20+ carbs or 20+ protein a day, depending on the day.

sylvester stallone is 66, so yes i think its possible

[racedoc]

Does anyone actually hit their macros and cals on the nose every day? I usually can go over by 100 cals, or 20+ carbs or 20+ protein a day, depending on the day.

Tracking makes it easier, I personally use MyFitnessPal, an app for your smartphone. I'm usually pretty much in the ballpark of where I want to be, yes. And yep you can have a 6 pack at 43 - I have one at 44 and only "lost" it temporarily during a bulk this past winter for a few weeks. Good luck!

[GKC45]

It's been said somewhere in here earlier I'm sure, but it helps too have enough mass to actually look good with a six pack.

[husker3in4]

I checked out the link and re-calculated calories. It looks like I was pretty close at 2400 cals/day, and proteins/carbs/fats at 240/240/53. I needed to up my cals slightly and looks like I needed to adjust my carbs and fats.

My new daily goals are 2500 cals/day, with proteins/carbs/fats at 250/188/83.
The biggest change is lower carbs and more fats (as per WSMs suggestion as well).

I'm doing 3 days of weights, 2 days of cardio, 1 day of light cardio and one day of laying on my butt

What do you guys think? In your experience, should this be a good start to build a little muscle and lose some fat to potentially show my abs?

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981 read this thread it will help with a lot of your nutrition questions, figure out how many cals you should be eating along with your macro requirments (how much protein/carbs/fat). If your not weighing, and measuring all your food, start.

As for carbs, potato, yam, sweet potato, bread, rice, pasta and oatmeal. None are the devil IMO it's the amount that will kill you and thats why you shouold be tracking

and yes wsm I have to agree, you are impressive

[mslman71]

While I tend to side with Flex on this one, I'll attempt to restrain myself and put the question another way:

"What reasons make it impossible to 'get abs' at 40-something?"

[wsm9808]

I checked out the link and re-calculated calories. It looks like I was pretty close at 2400 cals/day, and proteins/carbs/fats at 240/240/53. I needed to up my cals slightly and looks like I needed to adjust my carbs and fats.

My new daily goals are 2500 cals/day, with proteins/carbs/fats at 250/188/83.
The biggest change is lower carbs and more fats (as per WSMs suggestion as well).

I'm doing 3 days of weights, 2 days of cardio, 1 day of light cardio and one day of laying on my butt

What do you guys think? In your experience, should this be a good start to build a little muscle and lose some fat to potentially show my abs?

Sounds to me like your getting a pretty good grasp of things. Stick with your macros and calories for about a month and then you will have a good feel of where you are at. Then you can adjust up or down a couple of hundred calories in the direction you want to go.

It is very simple once you get the hang of counting calories and macros. But it is a pain in the a$$ the first few weeks while you have to look up the calories and macros on everything. I would recommend you get a scale and weigh what you are eating and learn to count your calories very accurately. You will be surprised how well your body will respond once you know for sure what you are putting in it.

Be consistent with your weight lifting and your diet. Your body does not want to change, you have to show it you are serious about this. So, be consistent.
Be consistent
Be consistent

Good luck, and come back in here and post up some progress pics in a few months.

[EjnarKolinkar]

timing meals isn't important, they're are a lot of different ways people do it on here, some do intermittent fasting some eat every 2-3hrs but more important is hitting your daily requirements. remember 1-2lbs a week is a really good rate of loss. as far as losing fat and putting on muscle at the same time. You may be able to do it as a newb with newbie gains but it probably won't be drastic, my recomendation is to focus on fat loss first, set a deficit in your cals and pick a starting strength weight program. Set yourself a long term and a few short term goals, re-evaluate as you go.

Came in to post this.

[Taichichuan]

Years ago, I kept a six pack doing martial arts and I was a vegetarian. That all came to a screeching halt and now I'm carrying a kegger!
Get a blood test done for your estradiol and cortisol levels. Those two buggers love to reside in your fat cells and it's time to give them an eviction notice.

[Davelllogan]

Does low carb dieting really work to get rid of belly fat at 45

[Davelllogan]

Does eating low carb, like 50 grams and under benifit losing the belly fat.

[scullin]

Well I still can do it at 42 so I guess it should make a difference at 43. I'll let you know in January when I turn 43. lol

[AlphaProExpert]

Of course! 43 isn't old by bodybuilding terms. There are pros like Dexter Jackson that are 47 that are at the top o ftheir sport... and yes, shredded!

[DeviLFisH]

I believe you all will see a viral photo of an elderly is 70 year old and his body is not bad!
Those youngster will be feeling ashamed lol

[Bo_Flecks]

I believe you all will see a viral photo of an elderly is 70 year old and his body is not bad!
Those youngster will be feeling ashamed lol

This guy?



lol-He's selling some "age management medicine" that we are not allowed to talk about on this forum. That should tell you something.

[DeviLFisH]

This guy?



lol-He's selling some "age management medicine" that we are not allowed to talk about on this forum. That should tell you something.

lol ok bro.

[Bo_Flecks]

lol ok bro.

WTF does this mean? If you have something to say, have the ballz to come right out and say it.

[DeviLFisH]

WTF does this mean? If you have something to say, have the ballz to come right out and say it.

huh bro think you got mistaken no negative remarks etc perhaps my reply get you misunderstand?

peace.

[Bo_Flecks]

huh bro think you got mistaken no negative remarks etc perhaps my reply get you misunderstand?

peace.

Ok. My apologies. Dr. Life doesn't try to hide what he's doing. As a matter of fact, the uses himself as advertisement for his anti-aging clinic and book sales. I just don't like it when people on here hold him up as an example what an average 74 year old can achieve.

And inb4 the throng of "but bro, he has to put in the work!" Sure he does, but I see many 70+ year olds at my gym busting their asses weekly without anywhere near those results because they aren't on the stuff he is.

[DeviLFisH]

Ok. My apologies. Dr. Life doesn't try to hide what he's doing. As a matter of fact, the uses himself as advertisement for his anti-aging clinic and book sales. I just don't like it when people on here hold him up as an example what an average 74 year old can achieve.

And inb4 the throng of "but bro, he has to put in the work!" Sure he does, but I see many 70+ year olds at my gym busting their asses weekly without anywhere near those results because they aren't on the stuff he is.

is ok bro perhaps due to language problem, as my first language is not english that why you mistaken or whatever.

Ok noted Anyway I feel despite we are already 50 , 60 , is good to build , tone your muscles . It does make you younger !

[Jtbny]

Ok. My apologies. Dr. Life doesn't try to hide what he's doing. As a matter of fact, the uses himself as advertisement for his anti-aging clinic and book sales. I just don't like it when people on here hold him up as an example what an average 74 year old can achieve.

And inb4 the throng of "but bro, he has to put in the work!" Sure he does, but I see many 70+ year olds at my gym busting their asses weekly without anywhere near those results because they aren't on the stuff he is.

But bro, he has to put in the work and tren hard!

[drudixon]

But bro, he has to put in the work and tren hard!

Bet he clens down dbol-ically while working his sarms which all supplement his growth....

[gbnpc]

Most definitely! I'm 41 and have maintained a 6-8 pack almost year round for the past 3 years. Stick to a good nutritional and training program with a bit of cardio thrown in there, work the abs every other day is possible, and you should have no problem obtaining the frequently sought after 6 pack.

[Juggertha]

One thing to keep in mind is that it's partly genetic. The look and structure of your abs... even when lean, may not be what you're hoping for.

[g290]

Is it possible? A little about me: Im 43, 6'2", presently 215.

Im not a bodybuilder, but these forums are chock full of information so I thought I would ask some of you in my same age group. My workout is P90x. I am working out 7 days a week, the 3 weight weight workouts (P90x standard) + 2 cardio workouts (Plyometrics and Kenpo) and then days of basketball (2 hrs each). Every other friday I will have an off day, usually at the expense of the kenpo workout.

So can some of you who have achieved a nice looking 6pack beyond 40 tell me what I need to do, or change or just keep doing until it happens?

i am 36 yo and i want abs so bad too. just don't know how to quit carbs. rice is too good to me

[ElrondHubbard]

At 59 I had a 12-pack. Been trying to cut it in half since.

[bodyhard]

Do people really believe muscles tend to disappear with age? Muscles will remain with you till you die, just as your bones, skin, tendons, ligaments etc etc will.

It is your FAT that will hide your abs, not your abs just magically disappearing when you are older. Yes your muscle will atrophy as you get older (especially if you don't train them) , but they will never just go away.