I've been working on my stomach muscles to death Ive been doing alot of sit ups. Is there a better way to build the 6 pack stomach? :sad2:
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I've been working on my stomach muscles to death Ive been doing alot of sit ups. Is there a better way to build the 6 pack stomach? :sad2:
Well.. it depends..Quote:
Originally Posted by Henry123 [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
If you have alot of (chub) around your tummy.. you'll need to take off those pounds/kilos first! It's pointless trying to get a 6-pack or 8-pack if you still have chub there..
You can start working out your stomach when you have about a centimeter of fat around the tummy; just enough so you can feel exactly how your muscles feel under.
Start off with about 100 sit ups; EVERY DAY! Don't miss a single day. And you don't have to do them all at once. You can do 10, wait 1 min, do an other 10, and so on.
As time goes on; you will be able to do a full set of 50, and then, a full set of 100! Remember, results are not visual.. you can only FEEL the results.. at least until they start getting visual..
Now, you'll eventually start forming a 6 or 8-pack as you keep taking your work-out up one notch.. I have friends who can do 1000 sit-ups each day, every day.. (we all hate people like that; believe me, I know).. but you don't NEED to do 1000. After you have your 6 or 8-pack, you should try and make time for 200-400 sit-ups every day. On average, you want to be doing 200 sit-ups a day. So if you miss one day; make up for it during the weekend! But make up for it during that week; no question about that!
Getting it is the EASY part.. maintaining it is the HARD part.. Oh, and to answer your question more fully; NO, there's no "better" way to get a 6-pack than to just work out the old-fashioned way..
Sorry Scorp, but your advice is just flat out WRONG and I can only venture to guess that you are basically talking completely out of your ass here.
Henry, the ONLY way to develop an attractive stomach is to BURN MORE FAT THAN YOU ARE MAKING. Remember, carbs turn into sugar which turns into fat via the Krebs cycle, so cut down on easily digested carbohydrates and begin a high fiber, high protein diet, eating only NATURAL fats in moderation. (No trans!)
Along with your diet, you are going to need to do cardiovascular exercise, preferably at least 30 mins (jogging or swimming) every day. For the first 15 mins your body burns carbs, after that you begin to burn fat. The best time to do this is early morning, as your stomach has little carb energy and you can start burning fat sooner. Also, your metabolism will be jumpstarted.
With these steps, no matter how many situps you do you will:
1) Gain little muscle
2) The muscle you do gain will be covered up by a layer of fat!
So start eating vegetables and go get some running shoes. Your sex life will be glad you did.
P.S. - A good way to avoid turning your food into fat is to avoid making your body feel like it has to store energy reserves; i.e. DON'T STARVE YOURSELF. Eat light portions often throughout the day to keep your metabolism going.
I was going to suggest asking Neo... he's a bodybuilder.Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemiandonut [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
BUT, sorry to be a pedant BD, but what you told Henry isn't quite correct. Sugar doesn't turn into fat under normal circumstances. Carbs are carbs & fat is fat. The Krebs cycle can break down fat elements in the presence of carbs, but thats really it. There is some interchange that can happen under really weird biochemical situations (like gluconeogenesis/starvation) but even then you need to involve other things like protein breakdown.
Calories on the other hand, come from both (more from fat on a per gram basis), so you are right to tell him to reduce both so his muscle is more visible. Which is what I think you meant anyway.
Its all in Stryer if you want to look it up. FYI.
check out [url]www.flat-stomach-exercises.com[/url], it's a free site dedicated to understanding everything about your body that's got to do with your tummy, basically. great site.
you're better off doing lots of cardio than working out your abs. I assure you they are there. It's just they're covered by a layer of fat.
Thanks everyone for your input. Thanks Tiay for the link.
I was always a lean guy. Its just when I started to take protein powder because I started weight lifting again I started to get fat around my stomach. It never happen to me in the past (I dont think????).
I guess maybe I'm not doing enough cardio? :surprised
When should I drink protein powders? Should I drink it After or just During a weight lifting sesson?
Should I drink it just befor doing cardio???
Actually, Scorp is right to an extent, he just didn't mention what you just mentioned. What you're talking about above will let you lose weight, tone you up and generally make you more healthy.Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemiandonut [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
However, defining the muscles in your abs, ie getting the 6-pack, requires more concentrated workout, as well as the routine you outlined. Now I don't know if the correct concentrated workout for the abs should be the old-fashioned sit up, but he will need something that specifically targets the ab muscles for a 6-pack.
Are you claiming that carbohydrates don't get turned into fat?Quote:
Originally Posted by IndiReloaded [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
It's not as simple as that. Carbs don't turn into fat...if they're used up. An excess of carbs and sugar that you don't burn up will be stored as fat.
No, read my post again, I was quite specific.Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemiandonut [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Carbs *can* convert into fat, but the current research says this pathway doesn't play a significant role in human energy storage. The current dogma is that the fat you store comes from the fat you eat. Carbs get stored as glycogen in your liver & muscles.
Its been a while for me (I'm over a decade out of graduate biochem, lol), but I believe there is a liver enzyme called fatty acid synthase that can do this. But only in small amounts & only under unusual circumstances (certain high levels of hormones can induce it). Most nutrition experts and biochemists think this is a minor pathway, last I read anyway. I'm not aware of any studies that show humans can do this in appreciable amounts & I'm pretty current on the general scientific literature. That kind of result would be a big deal & wouldn't be buried in an obscure journal.
BTW, if you are a cow, then yes, you *can* convert carbs (i.e. grass) into fat. The pathway exists. They express larger quantities of the enzyme I mentioned. I think mice can also do it (at least the studies I remember were done in mice), but they may have been genetically engineered to express the enzyme, dunno. Also the enzyme gets expressed in the breast tissue of lactating women, FYI.
If you want to know the latest info, tho, consult a current version of "Biochemistry" by Stryer, or check Medline. You should be able to find articles about this.
Read my last post Missy. Carbs (which *are* sugar, BTW) get stored as glycogen, a form of starch. Biochemically distinct from fat. You guys are confusing apples w/oranges.Quote:
Originally Posted by miSSleepy [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Since we're being so pedantic here, figured I'd point out that carbs are not sugar per se, but rather sugar is a type of carb, along with starches and cellulose. Oooh ouch IR, an undergrad just pwnd you!Quote:
Originally Posted by IndiReloaded [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Oh! How interesting, a Biology major with hopes of going to medical school..Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemiandonut [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
No, i'm talking because I have a 6-pac; and that's how I got it..
Before I continue; i'd like to quote Newton "In theory; theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not."
Your textbook can tell you one thing, but people who have actually done something that works, are in a position to give insight on this topic.. as the old saying goes (don't trust a skinny chef)..
Anyway; I have no incentive to talk-out-of my ass as you put it; i'm way to busy for that; and it's pointless.. I'm glad to see that you've at least learned something about the Krebs cycle.. I think now you should be moving along to either Cellular Respiration or about Plants! Can't wait for your post on that one : )
So, when you have about a centimeter of fat, you're ready to work out. When you do; you're obviously going to be buring more fat relative to any muscle gain. That 1cm of fat will quickly disappear. The only reason I said to have 1cm of fat to begin with is because you should not diet to the point where you are expecting to have ZERO fat around ur stomach; that's pointless and inefficient. 1cm of fat is more than reasonable to start working towards a well-fit stomach..
lol.. hit it on the nail.. wow.. I impress myself every day that goes by..Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemiandonut [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
:french:
LOL! I what I mean by 'sugar' and what you mean are different. I'm not talking about table sugar (or sucrose, as I would call it). Saccharides (the general term for all sugars) & carbohydrate are basically interchangable to a biochemist (i.e. me). There are a few other molecules that have the label 'carbohydrate' but technically aren't, hence the reason we don't use that term when we want to be specific. Keep reading you little undergrad, you. ;) Anyway, I meant carbs in the generic sense you read about in things like The Zone & The South Beach diet, which most certainly refer to sugars/carb as the same thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemiandonut [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
And to get back to the topic of fats & carbs & tummy muscles, all the more detailed info I gave you is correct, which you neglected to mention. ;)
Its funny how you assume he is right GrkScp, lol. Read my last dear.. I think you two are cute, BTW. But do read more. If you really want to go to med school (one of you is into this, yes?) you need to learn this stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by GrkScorp [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
I wasn't agreeing or assuming he was right.. and I'm not the one planning on going to med school... lolQuote:
Originally Posted by IndiReloaded [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
It was just evident that there was an overzealous undergraduate on the forum; who may have just happened to find a post that he can say something in.. and low and behold.. everyone else has no idea what they're talking about.. stand back.. let the bio major speak.. lol
anyway.. the dieting part of the whole thing is obvious.. I think Henry was interested in what (physical) activities are more effective, and if there's any way which is (more simple)...
Oops! Sorry then. YOu're right, this took up too much of the thread. I was *trying* to be gentle, lol, not give a BC lecture.Quote:
Originally Posted by GrkScorp [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Here, let's try again:
BD, you dumbass. Sugar doesn't turn to fat in humans. At least not enough that's gonna ever prevent Henry from getting a six-pack to attract hot chicks. Fat is fat, and sugar (or carbs) is that. Or, as one of my favorite internet posts on this subject said a few years back: if you want to lose weight & get more cut--put the ****ing sandwich down & go for a run.
:D
PS - FWIW Henry, when I want to lose weight & look more toned I just stop eating crap. Esp stuff before bed (i.e. after 8 oclock). Now, I also do a toning workout (or classes if I can get to them) at my gym a couple times a week. And I walk a lot. I usually end up doing this kind of thing in early fall & after xmas holidays, when chocolate almonds & booze cause me to gain an extra 5 lbs or so. It takes me about a month, but I always drop about 5 - 10 lbs doing this & I can see my shoulders and arms looking a lot more defined. So I think diet has a lot to do w/weight control. But I'm no expert on this; its just something that works well for me.
OK Indi, genuine sincere question here, not trying to stir you up:
Scientifically speaking then, why is it that if we eat an excess of carbs and sugars we gain weight? Simple question, I'm interested in the answer.
Nono, you don't know me IRL, but I'm really not stirred up. I'm sorry about the other thread, lol, don't take it seriously. Its just I'm reading this book called "Generation Me" and I'm trying to see how much of it is true (interesting book BTW, esp if you are going to be a teacher--also for parents a must-read). You were very accomodating, thank you & I mean it. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by miSSleepy [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Anyway, to answer your question (keep in mind I come at this from a scientists view--a fitness person or dietician might know more): when you eat excess carbs (sugar, whatever, they are all the same to me) they get stored in a compressed form in your body called glycogen that is stored in your muscles & liver as a ready source of fuel (it takes a lot more energy to release fat as a fuel than glycogen). In order to stay soluble in storage, glycogen needs to be stored with water molecules attached--I think the number is 4 for every glycogen molecule (but DON'T quote me on that BD!). So, the weight gain from pigging out on bread & crackers is a combination of glycogen & the water that is associated with it. Which, I think, is why the old Atkins diet worked so well--you mostly lost water & glycogen in that first month or so. If you were a huge guy, it wasn't unheard of to drop 20 lbs.
But fat is an entirely different molecule, that gets stored in little fat cells in your body. They literally look like clear little oil drops under a microscope. Gross. The pathways to store fat are completely different from the ones to store sugar/carbs/glycogen.
Here endeth the lesson (Monty Python). I need to go look at a porn thread of something to clear my head, lol.
So i guess the majority of people have huge misconceptions about carbs and sugars. Thanks for clearing up up to an extent.
You're welcome. FWIW, the info is out there, readily available for those who want it. I don't know the reason for the urban legend/misinformation. I guess scientists don't normally talk to nutrition/fitness/health professionals about this stuff and there's still a lag for making the connection b/t the basic research and practice. The same kind of thing comes up for medical-related research. I think the internet will help clear up questions like this over time as ppl publish more on the web, make these connections & keep asking questions like you did.
Haha I think the OP wasn't looking for the biological reasoning on how to get a 6pack but more like a how-to, in which case:
answers it best.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeoSeminole [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
If you have fat over your stomache, you might have a 6pack hiding undernearth. Get rid of the fat and let that muscle show!
Haha wow the old seniority card comes out in so many forum discussions it's embarassing. Clearly the real sentiment here is a prejudice against college students, not zeal on my part. Anyway...
What I said may have been a little simplistic, but EATING CARBS WILL MAKE YOU FAT. Why? (OH NO FACTCHECKERS OPEN UP A NEW TAB QUICK!):
blablalbalablafatcellsinyourbodyblablablabglucoseb lablablablabloodsugarregulatedbyinsulinblablablabl ablamakesfatcellsBIGblablablayoureafockinfatassSco rpioblablabla
I love you donut
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by DoesntMatter [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Me too. And yup, you're right about sugar-->insulin--->fat storage.
Sooo, you've been reading about this more than I--can you store fat in the absence of sugar/carbs? Or is S/C a necessity for storage? I know you certainly need carbs to metabolize fat..
If you want to look ripped (including abs) you need an overall low body fat %.
You can't just do millions of situps and keep eating McDonalds for lunch.
Pilates works a treat..it tightens your ab muscles..and it doesn't take long for the results to take effect
Is there a big difference between pilates and doing regualr cardio? (I dont know too much about Pilates).
pilates is not like cardio. its basically similar to yoga but unlike yoga it gives your body an intense workout almost seemlessly. Get a Pilates DVD..or if you cant get your hands on one..try watching some Youtube videos on pilates..that should get you started. You will feel the effects immediately and its so much fun. I love doing it cos i know im getting a workout (you really sweat) but at the same time its quite relaxing and you dont pant like a dog.
Yeah I'm going to get a pilate DVD from the library then.
Thanks sine!