My abs are not going to happen?

[RJHERRERA]

I'm 54 yrs old . Lost 49 pounds since march. Down from size 44 to 36. I should say wow . Tummy gone down slot see some packs. But not on lower.ab and I'm in a stand still. I don't see no progress on abs no more help.

[Jtbny]

Most people, from my own experience, underestimate how much body fat they have and over estimate their muscle mass (I did this myself). Keep chipping away on the diet if your goal is abs.

Also, your 54 years old. My 2 year old says Tummy

[mtpockets]

Most people, from my own experience, underestimate how much body fat they have and over estimate their muscle mass (I did this myself). Keep chipping away on the diet if your goal is abs.

Also, your 54 years old. My 2 year old says Tummy

A lot of truth in this,

your stats if current


Stats: 5'8", 197 lbs unless you are a mass monster, and probably not given you just dumped 49 lbs, my guess is you wont see any till maybe 160's

good luck tho

keep pluggin away, if you want it bad enough you can get it.

[GKC45]

5'8" with a 36" = no abs

Unless you are packing some serious muscle, you have a lot of fat left to lose.

[Get-n-fit]

Also, your 54 years old. My 2 year old says Tummy

One of my buddies is in his late 40's and refers to his mother as "Mommy" it's kind of weird as phuck, but she passed away when he was young so I don't bother him about it.

OP-you're fatter than you think. You'll need to get to about 10% BF to see your abs.

[jlsnyderTypeR]

It sounds as if you've made some significant improvements so don't get discouraged, however without knowing what you're doing to lose the weight there is not much we can offer in advise.

[sentinel3]

I'm 54 yrs old . Lost 49 pounds since march. Down from size 44 to 36. I should say wow . Tummy gone down slot see some packs. But not on lower.ab and I'm in a stand still. I don't see no progress on abs no more help.

First of all congratulations on the loss. You are exactly where I am at this moment in time 5-8" and 197.

You are probably going to have to drop down to the mid 60s. 165 my goal to get those abs. the band of fat that collects on a mans stomach below the belly button is a nuisance. And the hardest part to get rid of. Simply because its the first place fat stores on most men.

My advice, and what im doing right now. And have done in the past so I know it works. Is doing alot of cardio to supplement the weights. And alot of lower ab work. To tone and build the lower oart of the abs. Youll often notice even with guys who have six packs. The lower abs are less prominent. Thats because alot of guys dont get past crunches.

Do excercises like leg raises. Side scissor kicks, broomstick twists. And side bends with a heavy dumbell in one hand. Thats the physical side.

To say your diet is crucial to getting abs. Should go without saying. You need to be tight on calories. Bread is OUT. All junk food a definate no, no. Foods that help metabolize fat are porridge oats. Start eating a bowl for your breakfast regurlarly. If you need to sweeten use a teaspoon of honey.

I eat a bowl of porridge nearly every morning at around 5.30. Apart from drink I consume nothing else until at least mid day 6.5 hours later. What makes porridge awesome for losing weight. Is it slow releases energy. So makes you feel fuller for longer. At the same time the calories convert to pure. And once the 3--4 hundred calories have been burnt guess what the body starts burning?

This might sound like basic stuff. But alot of guys dont know this. You WILL hit plateaus. Especially once you head towards the 180 pound mark. You have to then shock the body. Especially at our age. When you are young with a faster metabolism. You take these things for granted. Thats why most people think its unbelievable if a man over 50 has a six pack.

I aim to get mine back by my 50th birthday next July. I will have to go through some serious intensity and self discipline. But I relish the challenge. Dont give up. You will get there if you want it enough. And the feeling of achievement will be huge at this age.

[Get-n-fit]

First of all congratulations on the loss. You are exactly where I am at this moment in time 5-8" and 197.

You are probably going to have to drop down to the mid 60s. 165 my goal to get those abs. the baand of fat that collects on a mans stomach below the belly button is a nuisance. And the hardest part to get rid of. Simply because its the first place fat stores on most men.

My advice, and what im doing right now. And have done in the past so I know it works. Is doing alot of cardio to supplement the weights. And alot of lower ab work. To tone and build the lower oart of the abs. Youll often notice even with guys who have six packs. The lower abs are less prominent. Thats because alot of guys dont get past crunches.

Do excercises like leg raises. Side scissor kicks, broomstick twists. And side bends with a heavy dumbell in one hand. Thats the physical side.

To say your diet is crucial to getting abs. Should go without saying. You need to be tight on calories. Bread is OUT. All junk food a definate no, no. Foods that help metabolize fat are porridge oats. Start eating a bowl for your breakfast regurlarly. If you need to sweeten use a teaspoon of honey.

I eat a bowl of porridge nearly every morning at around 5.30. Apart from drink I consume nothing else until at least mid day 6.5 hours later. What makes porridge awesome for losing weight. Is it slow releases energy. So makes you feel fuller for longer. At the same time the calories convert to pure. And once the 3--4 hundred calories have been burnt guess what the body starts burning?

This might sound like basic stuff. But alot of guys dont know this. You WILL hit plateaus. Especially once you head towards the 180 pound mark. You have to then shock the body. Especially at our age. When you are young with a faster metabolism. You take these things for granted. Thats why most people think its unbelievable if a man over 50 has a six pack.

I aim to get mine back by my 50th birthday next July. I will have to go through some serious intensity and self discipline. But I relish the challenge. Dont give up. You will get there if you want it enough. And the feeling of achievement will be huge at this age.

Waaaaaaaay to much bad information in this post- OP just ignore this entire post.



OP I'm sure you've heard the old saying "Abs are built in the kitchen" it's 100% true. Get your diet right, go to the nutrition stickies and read. Know your maintenance calories and eat at a deficit....simple.

[EB68]

Waaaaaaaay to much bad information in this post- OP just ignore this entire post.



OP I'm sure you've heard the old saying "Abs are built in the kitchen" it's 100% true. Get your diet right, go to the nutrition stickies and read. Know your maintenance calories and eat at a deficit....simple.

I agree. I don't do cardio or ab exercises and at 16/17%BF I can see my abs. I can also drop to sub 10%BF with zero cardio. I like building muscle more than being a hamster on a wheel.

[TiberiusClaudis]

You'll see your abs appear in stages. Mine start showing up at about 14%BF, at 12% I have a decent 4 pack. So that will give you some encouragement. But I agree with others, most likely you are looking at somewhere in the 160s for a 6 pack.

[sentinel3]

Waaaaaaaay to much bad information in this post- OP just ignore this entire post.



OP I'm sure you've heard the old saying "Abs are built in the kitchen" it's 100% true. Get your diet right, go to the nutrition stickies and read. Know your maintenance calories and eat at a deficit....simple.

Looks like ive got me a stalker. Where exactly is the BAD INFORMATION. Ive been there before. Wheres your six pack at 50?

Its common sense that abs are made in the kitchen hence the line in my post about how crucial diet is. If im wrong I wont be showing a six pack next july will I? I Wait for it. And we will see your excuse then. The need to develope the muscles in the lower region goes without saying. Everyones seen the 10 stone guy with no lower abs.

You have to promote developement in the lower abs for the very reason I outlined. When a man stores fat. THATS WHERE IT STORES FIRST. Bit of a no brainer really. If you arent some gym meat head. Who cant get past power lifts.

[DSUP]

One of my buddies is in his late 40's and refers to his mother as "Mommy" it's kind of weird as phuck, but she passed away when he was young so I don't bother him about it.

I call her "Mommy." Wanna make something out of it?

@ the OP: You've got a long way to go, brother. You'll get it if you keep after it but you may not like it very much once you get there. Appropriate occasions to display ripped abs at our age come few and far between and, when you have a six or eight pack and are appropriately dressed, you're going to look very small, almost malnourished.

The only thing that will help balance that out is to make your core muscles pronounced so that they can overcome higher body fat levels. The way to do that is, just like any other muscle, train them for hypertrophy with heavy weighted resistance movements.

Stick to core exercises that you can incrementally increase the resistance on like cable crunches and leg lifts with a dumbbell between your ankles. Squats and deadlifts should be a staple in your training. They work almost everything at the same time which is why we call them "compound lifts."

Abs are a balance between big muscle and low body fat. I've found that either one is pretty easy to achieve but both at the same time is REALLY difficult.

Good luck!

[PharmaFreak1]

RJHERRERA,

Don't get discouraged! I am a national-champion and the bottom abs are the hardest ones to show. In fact, mine only pop out during the last 4 weeks of my 15-week prep!.....

Some of these responses are BANG ON. You need to just keep chipping away at the diet and really watch your carbohydrate intake after 6:00pm. Make sure that you are also doing cardio at the end of your weight training.

Keep going! You've gotten very far and the sky's the limit.

[IIISpartacusIII]

There's no special number of pounds to lose or amount you have to weigh. You get leaner to see them and whatever it takes to do that, meaning whatever number of pounds and whatever you have to weight; you do it. The scale is a useful tool but it's not the goal. If abs are your goal then the scale can be a guide but it's not magic. You're going good... keep going!

[Get-n-fit]

Looks like ive got me a stalker. Where exactly is the BAD INFORMATION. Ive been there before. Wheres your six pack at 50?

Its common sense that abs are made in the kitchen hence the line in my post about how crucial diet is. If im wrong I wont be showing a six pack next july will I. Wait for it. And we will see your excuse then.

Nope..not stalking you just have an ABUNDANCE of bad information you are more than willing to share. Looks like it wouldn't hurt for you to go to the nutrition stickies also and read up, espeacially concerning TDEE, maintenance calories and macros.

Telling Op to eat a bowl of porridge and then nothing for 6.5 hours making it an awesome fat burner??? LMAO Good luck getting that six pack with no understanding of basic nutrition.

[sentinel3]

Nope..not stalking you just have an ABUNDANCE of bad information you are more than willing to share. Looks like it wouldn't hurt for you to go to the nutrition stickies also and read up, espeacially concerning TDEE, maintenance calories and macros.

Telling Op to eat a bowl of porridge and then nothing for 6.5 hours making it an awesome fat burner??? LMAO Good luck getting that six pack with no understanding of basic nutrition.

Luck doesnt come into it. Like I said ive been there before. This isnt wishful thinking. Its proven successful already. And its happening as I type this. 2;-3 lbs melting away by the week. I will reach the 165 mark by February-March.

But the toning work HAS TO BE DONE. Like I already said power lift meat heads dont like ab work or cardio. Does that sound like you. I bet it does. But dont worry the pics will prove who knew what they were talking about. And lets see if youre man enough to apologize when I do. I doubt it.

[mtpockets]

First of all congratulations on the loss. You are exactly where I am at this moment in time 5-8" and 197.

You are probably going to have to drop down to the mid 60s. 165 my goal to get those abs. the band of fat that collects on a mans stomach below the belly button is a nuisance. And the hardest part to get rid of. Simply because its the first place fat stores on most men.

My advice, and what im doing right now. And have done in the past so I know it works. Is doing alot of cardio to supplement the weights. And alot of lower ab work. To tone and build the lower oart of the abs. Youll often notice even with guys who have six packs. The lower abs are less prominent. Thats because alot of guys dont get past crunches.

Do excercises like leg raises. Side scissor kicks, broomstick twists. And side bends with a heavy dumbell in one hand. Thats the physical side.

To say your diet is crucial to getting abs. Should go without saying. You need to be tight on calories. Bread is OUT. All junk food a definate no, no. Foods that help metabolize fat are porridge oats. Start eating a bowl for your breakfast regurlarly. If you need to sweeten use a teaspoon of honey.

I eat a bowl of porridge nearly every morning at around 5.30. Apart from drink I consume nothing else until at least mid day 6.5 hours later. What makes porridge awesome for losing weight. Is it slow releases energy. So makes you feel fuller for longer. At the same time the calories convert to pure. And once the 3--4 hundred calories have been burnt guess what the body starts burning?

This might sound like basic stuff. But alot of guys dont know this. You WILL hit plateaus. Especially once you head towards the 180 pound mark. You have to then shock the body. Especially at our age. When you are young with a faster metabolism. You take these things for granted. Thats why most people think its unbelievable if a man over 50 has a six pack.

I aim to get mine back by my 50th birthday next July. I will have to go through some serious intensity and self discipline. But I relish the challenge. Dont give up. You will get there if you want it enough. And the feeling of achievement will be huge at this age.

[EB68]

I just don't understand the no-carbs after 6:00pm thing. Seems they are good for you up until 5:59pm but anything after that turns straight to fat? I eat loads of carbs just before bed and have no issues losing fat.

[djflex]

Celebrate your success rather than negative thoughts. Then keep plugging away. This mindset breeds success

[AX64]

Just my own noobie two cents.

I'm 5 foot 5" 194 lbs as of this morning (need to update profile) I went from size 38 to 36 (current), and I can fit into 34's but would be uncomfortable to wear them all day.

I think I need to at least drop to 160 and size 33-32 to see any kind of abs.

PS: all my size 38's got donated this morning to the diabetes foundation. Next it will be my size 36's. I dont ever want to go back to those sizes.

[Kiennor]

I just don't understand the no-carbs after 6:00pm thing. Seems they are good for you up until 5:59pm but anything after that turns straight to fat? I eat loads of carbs just before bed and have no issues losing fat.

I don't get it either. I hit my macros daily and eat whenever I'm hungry. Most of my calories are consumed at night and I don't have an issue dropping the lbs when I want.

[TCO76]

One of my buddies is in his late 40's and refers to his mother as "Mommy" it's kind of weird as phuck, but she passed away when he was young so I don't bother him about it.

OP-you're fatter than you think. You'll need to get to about 10% BF to see your abs.

Strong percentage to facts ratio. P.s. I am far above 10% and can see mine still...

[Corbi]

I eat a bowl of porridge nearly every morning at around 5.30.

What the fuk? Are you Goldilocks and spend your time breaking into bears homes? Beet root soup and porridge, nice diet.

[ironwill2008]

Bread is OUT.....


........ Foods that help metabolize fat are porridge oats.

*facepalm.jpeg*

...really watch your carbohydrate intake after 6:00pm.

huh?

What happens at 6:01?

[Corbi]

What happens at 6:01?

Pretend it says 6:00

[Get-n-fit]

Strong percentage to facts ratio. .

oh, it's a fact, I'll give you his number and he'll tell you he refers to get as mommy

[cowboybiker]

[tobymax123]

I'm 54 yrs old . Lost 49 pounds since march. Down from size 44 to 36. I should say wow . Tummy gone down slot see some packs. But not on lower.ab and I'm in a stand still. I don't see no progress on abs no more help.

Edit: Deleted comments after reading rest of the thread. Everything has already been said. I suspect OP is a 1 post and out-a-here guy.

[mavrick77]

One of my buddies is in his late 40's and refers to his mother as "Mommy" it's kind of weird as phuck, but she passed away when he was young so I don't bother him about it.

OP-you're fatter than you think. You'll need to get to about 10% BF to see your abs.

I know what your saying here... the general rule of thumb is about 10-12% for males, 16-18% for women... however you have to be careful with some new lifters saying this. Most tend to forget BF is a percentage and 10% is not the same on everyone. For example when I used to compete I had to get very low bodyfat percentages compared to some middle weights (mostly new guys) who would never believe the % I told them. What they neglected to realize, is even when I was about 10% in the offseason @ 270lbs or so...I will still carrying over 27lbs of fat on my body, if I was 140lbs...that would have been close to 20% bodyfat.

so in short...the bigger and more muscular you are (the more you weight) the lower the percentages have to get to see abs. I remember my buddy (now 50) came into his last show at 5-6% @ 265 and one of the judges notes that was written on his score sheet was "very soft".

But this goes along with Get-n-Fits comment, "your fatter then you think"....most smaller guys when trying to estimate bodyfat compare themselves (especially in the abs) to the bigger guys along percentage lines. The OP even only being 30lbs lighter, would look different at 10%. For example if GET-N-Fit was 10% at 225...if you were carrying the exact same amount of fat, you would be 11.5%

[TiberiusClaudis]

I know what your saying here... the general rule of thumb is about 10-12% for males, 16-18% for women... however you have to be careful with some new lifters saying this. Most tend to forget BF is a percentage and 10% is not the same on everyone. For example when I used to compete I had to get very low bodyfat percentages compared to some middle weights (mostly new guys) who would never believe the % I told them. What they neglected to realize, is even when I was about 10% in the offseason @ 270lbs or so...I will still carrying over 27lbs of fat on my body, if I was 140lbs...that would have been close to 20% bodyfat.

so in short...the bigger and more muscular you are (the more you weight) the lower the percentages have to get to see abs. I remember my buddy (now 50) came into his last show at 5-6% @ 265 and one of the judges notes that was written on his score sheet was "very soft".

But this goes along with Get-n-Fits comment, "your fatter then you think"....most smaller guys when trying to estimate bodyfat compare themselves (especially in the abs) to the bigger guys along percentage lines. The OP even only being 30lbs lighter, would look different at 10%. For example if GET-N-Fit was 10% at 225...if you were carrying the exact same amount of fat, you would be 11.5%

Proven insight...always grateful when someone that has been there can step in and tell us how it really is. Thanks Mav for sharing your words of wisdom.