For BG fitness fanatics, a question..

[Weiing]

What's the good way to define the stomach area? Not working off flab, just making flatish nothingness more defined.

Diet, diet, diet. Not as in get on a diet, but diet as in what you eat. When it comes to getting a 'defined' stomach, it's about your body fat %. No, it's really not about how many crunches you do, because that won't do anything. If you want a stronger core, however, you can do that by doing planks, pushups, pull ups, deadlifts, squats, etc.

Even if you do change your diet, however, you may lose fat in other places before your stomach. People's bodies are different...so they use up their fat differently. Also, it is likely that your body is at a happy weight/fat % and it may be really hard to get rid of it.

Let me ask, height/weight/sex? What are you currently eating? What is your exercise regimen like?

[Meat]

What's the good way to define the stomach area? Not working off flab, just making flatish nothingness more defined.

lower your carbs and up your cardio

[Purrrfect]

Diet, diet, diet. Not as in get on a diet, but diet as in what you eat. When it comes to getting a 'defined' stomach, it's about your body fat %. No, it's really not about how many crunches you do, because that won't do anything. If you want a stronger core, however, you can do that by doing planks, pushups, pull ups, deadlifts, squats, etc.

Even if you do change your diet, however, you may lose fat in other places before your stomach. People's bodies are different...so they use up their fat differently. Also, it is likely that your body is at a happy weight/fat % and it may be really hard to get rid of it.

Let me ask, height/weight/sex? What are you currently eating? What is your exercise regimen like?

I've been recently switching to more salad type meals and phasing out some fast food. Haven't given it up completely, but only maybe 2-3x a week if I forget to bring something to work for lunch. I have no exercise plan I'm working on, been thinking I should, but just haven't gotten up to do anything yet on it. I'm 6'6/140/m, so lots of bones lol.I also don't eat a whole lot, but I eat whenever I'm hungry, and I usually eat very slow (can't down much at one time).

[Meat]

I've been recently switching to more salad type meals and phasing out some fast food. Haven't given it up completely, but only maybe 2-3x a week if I forget to bring something to work for lunch. I have no exercise plan I'm working on, been thinking I should, but just haven't gotten up to do anything yet on it. I'm 6'6/140/m, so lots of bones lol.I also don't eat a whole lot, but I eat whenever I'm hungry, and I usually eat very slow (can't down much at one time).

eh wow, 6'6 140, and umm, you dont have abs? have u ever gotten your body-fat checked? i cant imagine you carry much at all

[richardd]

I'm 6'6/140/m,

jesus


nice BG screename, yao ming


keep it up though, weii is right, salads kick so much ass. i had a killer one today. one of those things i could eat everyday and never get tired of. million ways to prepare it, how can you?

[Weiing]

I see. I'm wondering since you are 6'6 and 140 lbs, if you'll be able to shed that layer of fat to make your stomach more 'defined'. I mean, it's possible, but it may be hard. I'm hardly any nutritionist, but I do try to read up on a lot. So take whatever I say with a grain of salt, I guess. But I'm wondering (just throwing it out there), if it would benefit you to try and gain some weight/bulk and then cut?

This would mean really evaluating your current diet and your ability to work out (doesn't even need to be at a gym). To bulk, would really need to add some sort of resistance training to tear your muscles to stimulate growth. However, if you don't currently work out and you do start to, you may get some 'newbie gains' just from beginning a workout regimen. Weight lifting is nice, but you can also do some pretty tough body weight workouts if you can't access a gym/don't have time to go to a gym/or rather do it at home. Also to bulk, you'd need to eat 1-2g protein per every pound you weigh. Also, eat tons of fat (olive/coconut oil, butter, nuts, avocados, meat fat, etc). If you eat mostly whole foods and follow a workout regimen that really works your muscles, you should be able to gain mainly muscle and, of course, some fat (because it's inevitable). Typically they say that during bulking phase, you'd need to eat more calories than you burn. Bulk, and then once you're at a good weight, you can 'cut'.

I mean, like I said before, you can probably get defined stomach now. It just may take a while, maybe...and how will the rest of your body composition look? I don't know how you look like so I can't say. But if you rather just have a better looking stomach now without really considering your overall physique, then do what you will.

Just my two cents anyway. If anyone finds fault in what I say, please help me out.

EDIT:

eh wow, 6'6 140, and umm, you dont have abs? have u ever gotten your body-fat checked? i cant imagine you carry much at all

Exactly what I'm wondering...

[Atreides]

6'6"/140 is pretty underweight no matter what his body type is, so for him to get definition he's going to have to put on muscle, since losing weight at this point will almost invariably be dangerous

unless he doesn't have arms lol

[Moss]

At 6'6" 140 I would strongly suggest a personal trainer for at least a short time to make sure you have good form for vital exercises like squats. I would worry about increasing your calorie intake and working out for bulk. Not to sound mean but I think your physical appearance would improve more if you gain more muscle mass rather than just defining your abs.

[Fistandantilus]

At 6'6 140 there really isn't a way to have well defined abs I don't think. My roommate is 5'10ish and the same weight and he is a twig, to be 6'6 at that weight you must have literally no muscle at all. For your stomach to be well defined you need low body fat so that fat isn't covering your muscles, but also you actually need to build the muscle you want to be showing. Muscle is heavier than fat, so to get definition you will have to gain weight. On the bright side you are like 100lb away from being overweight so you can pretty much just do a bit of exercising and eat as much (healthy) food as you want and you'll start seeing results pretty quick.

[Weiing]

Hope all these responses basically saying the same thing encourages you to rethink your goal and maybe put on some weight first.

[Purrrfect]

I imagine with the exercise will come more hunger, which I'd need because it is really hard for me to eat any more than just enough to satisfy hunger. And I typically skip stuff like butter/oils/cut fat off meats (I get static on that a lot of times lol). I guess I wasn't really looking for abs like you see on a magazine/tv so much. Obviously I need a bit of bulk added everywhere, I just don't want to go too much on the weight gain. Due to a chest wall issue I don't have much in the way of pecs to work on, and too much building elsewhere (arms/shoulders/stomach) would look really wierd (not that it doesn't already lol). Thanks for the ideas.

[Weiing]

Well, then what exactly does 'defined' stomach mean to you? I apologize for assuming what you meant, without first asking you what you meant by it. And what do you mean by chest wall issue?

A good way to add more calories to your diet without having to add dense food (as you say you already eat until full) is to add fat/oil/butter/nuts/avocado. Unless you have some kind of genetic thing I have no clue about, your body does need fat. If you find a balanced workout regimen, your body should be able to build more proportionately, so it wouldn't look too weird. THen again, like I asked before, what kind of chest wall issue?

[Serif]

I am 6'6" and I couldn't imagine being anywhere close to 140...

When I was doing my marathon training the lowest I dropped to was 180 and I was skinny skinny. I couldn't imagine 140 :\

[Meat]

I imagine with the exercise will come more hunger, which I'd need because it is really hard for me to eat any more than just enough to satisfy hunger. And I typically skip stuff like butter/oils/cut fat off meats (I get static on that a lot of times lol). I guess I wasn't really looking for abs like you see on a magazine/tv so much. Obviously I need a bit of bulk added everywhere, I just don't want to go too much on the weight gain. Due to a chest wall issue I don't have much in the way of pecs to work on, and too much building elsewhere (arms/shoulders/stomach) would look really wierd (not that it doesn't already lol). Thanks for the ideas.

All you need is a pullup\dip\pushup bar and maybe a moderate weight barbell for legs, the gains you're looking to make are all rather minor and can be done in a relatively short time.

[Fistandantilus]

Well, then what exactly does 'defined' stomach mean to you? I apologize for assuming what you meant, without first asking you what you meant by it. And what do you mean by chest wall issue?

A good way to add more calories to your diet without having to add dense food (as you say you already eat until full) is to add fat/oil/butter/nuts/avocado. Unless you have some kind of genetic thing I have no clue about, your body does need fat. If you find a balanced workout regimen, your body should be able to build more proportionately, so it wouldn't look too weird. THen again, like I asked before, what kind of chest wall issue?

I don't mean to sound mean but 6'6 140 is really unhealthy. I know everyone in America is all obsessive about weight and want to be skinny, but there's a fine line between being a healthy skinny person (my roommate, 5'10 140, VERY skinny but still healthy) and being in the anorexic range, and you're a good 40lb below that line if not more. Have you thought about seeing a doctor for a possible eating disorder? Sounds like you may have something wrong with your appetite.

Also when you exercise it tends to make you more hungry so try lifting some light weights and seeing if that helps. I know for me when I have been lifting regularly I can't get enough food. If I don't eat a lot I don't have as much energy, so I end up eating a relatively big breakfast, along with good sized meals the rest of the day.

[Tyche]

I'm 5'11 and 125. Healthy? Not healthy?

[Crowort]

At 6'6 you need to be about 160 pounds to be on the lower end of healthy weight. I'd be looking at see if you don't have some kind of underlying medical condition. There are lots of illnesses you could cause you to be underweight. It could be just not eating as much as you burn.

Until about a year ago I had a BMI like yours and my doctor said while it was low it wasn't low enough to be dangerous. He suggested if I was worried about it then to eat more and try to do some exercise as I had low muscle development. This was after some blood and urine testing to rule out illness.

[Crowort]

I'm 5'11 and 125. Healthy? Not healthy?

You'd be classed as underweight, but not enough for it to be worrying. Everyone is different if you have always been light then there is likely little need to worry. It tends to be going normal > low that shows an illness.

[Serif]

I'm 5'11 and 125. Healthy? Not healthy?

You are good

[ODF]

I'm 5'11 and 125. Healthy? Not healthy?

I'm 5'7 and 135lbs ... I'm considered a skinny guy hehe. I can full squat 1 and a half of yourself, you should eat more =)