staying ripped?

[FNG]

Hi everybody,

i'm the new guy, just logged on and i've only been training since January '03. I hope you guys can help.

I have an endomorphic body type and i've been training to get get a ripped set of abs. (using a basic programme in Shawn Phillip's book Absolution).
So far i've managed to see my abs twice. Both at the end of a twelve week period.
Following this I usually take a total week off training where I eat what I want, drink alcohol and generally have a whale of a time.
The result is that in only a week i've add three inches back on my waist along with 5% bodyfat and around 14 lbs on the scale. My abs have packed up and left the continent.
It may take me six to eight weeks to get back to my previous condition.

Does anybody have any similar experiences or advice on how to maintain abs? especially if your body seems to favour fat storage like mine.
I'd like to have a sixpack year round and not only at the end of a twelve week challenge.

Stats at start:
Jan '03
210lbs, 25% bf, 37" waist

Best stats so far:
September '03
162lbs, 7.2% bf, 30.25" waist

Stats now:
Nov '03
166lbs, 10.6% bf, 31.3" waist

 

[mr_kyle]

Quote[/b] (FNG @ Nov. 13 2003,1:17)]Does anybody have any similar experiences or advice on how to maintain abs? especially if your body seems to favour fat storage like mine.

Um, how about not doing this: "I usually take a total week off training where I eat what I want, drink alcohol and generally have a whale of a time."

 

[Andy741]

Maybe try getting more ripped than just being able to see your abs. Then when you let loose you can gain some and still stay under the visible-ab-threshold.

 

[KingProtein]

I gotta agree with mr_kyle here. I know it's easier said than done though, as you're fighting leptin and when lean your body basically thinks you're liable to starve to death at any moment.
Very few people have the favorable genetics to be able to be eternally lean and let themselves go in terms of diet. I had a roommate and he could match me slice for slice of pizza and drink beer like a champ and still wake up with the perfect six pack every morning. We hate these people, they don't know how lucky they have things - but the point is that these people are few and far between. You are obviously not one of them, and must learn to dedicate almost as much effort in perserving the look as it took to achieve this leanness to begin with.

 

[Lars]

I used to have one of those friends who would start every day with a litre of coke and a bag of chips. He used to do this every single day from the age 14 or something and he didn't gain the weight of a feather's worth of fat (he didn't gain muscle either, but...)

Now - a couple of years ago he asked me if I could give him some advice as he all of a sudden was getting a small pot belly. I tell him to ease off the chips and coke for a while - at least have it a little later and get some quality food in his system. Guess what he did...he looked at me with disbelieve and proclaimed that it could *not* be the problem, as he had done it his whole life and my advice was crap. Even when I tried to explain to him a little about hormones and hitting the 30s etc etc...

Can't really say I give a #### anymore, and I'll giggle my way through this diet. At least I can understand that the reason I'm fat is because I *LIKE* pizza, coke and beer, DAMNIT! And the reason I diet is because I want to be able to have them without being a fat slob! *g*

Obtw - if I ever get to see my abs, I'll take them straight to the closest photographer, get a good picture of that shape, hand it on the wall and go "oi! I may be a fat bastard, but that there on the wall was me for a WHOLE WEEK!"

 

[imported_elle11]

Here's a good article on leptin and how refeeds can help you. Since you mention that you have an endomorphic body type, you will probably benefit from more cardio than most people, and to maintain your bodyfat at a level low enough to see your abs, you will need to do some refeeds to work on that leptin level. If you have a high fat setpoint your body will be constantly trying to get to a higher fat level. For me, I can maintain at 20% without any problem, but when I go below that -- say 18 or 15% it is a battle!

Leptin and refeeds

 

[imported_debo]

First of all, congrats on the fat loss! Just a few ideas I can think of:
1) Sounds like you'd be a good candidate for weekly cheat foods of whatever it is you're craving. As long as your weekly calorie intake is equal to- or lower than maintenance, you should be fine. This might reduce any sense of deprivation you're getting from building up too high.
2) If you're going to cheat on your diet then avoid alcohol - once your judgment starts getting impaired, you're less likely to pay attention to your diet. If you drink too much you'll need 'fried breakfast therapy' the next day.
3) Try to ensure that you're getting all the micro- and macro- nutrients your body requires; it has been suggested that many cravings are a result of nutrient deficiencies. Others are caused by pizza tasting yummy.
4) Have 1 day of hedonistic bingeing, but a week is obviously unsustainable for you.
5) The hardest, but most effective way would be to wean yourself off food as a reward for 'good behaviour'. Instead of celebrating getting ripped by bingeing on food/ drink, go buy yourself something you like, or find other ways to reward yourself for your hard work. Yes, you may be swapping one vice for another, but at least you'll stay ripped.

 

[Lars]

Sex. I want to celebrate with lots of sex if I get ripped - and it's almost like HIIT!

Now...where can I find a girl that won't run screaming....