Getting Cut up...

[fraidycat]

It depends on the kind of workout you are doing. As long as you are burning more calories than you are consuming, you will lose weight. I don't really diet, I just avoid the obvious stuff like cake and pie and McDonalds. I think that everyones body has a natural weight that it likes to be at. For me that is around 155lb. I can eat as healthy as I want, but without hard work, I will never get below 155lb.

Before I broke my toe, I weighed 142lb, I am up to 148lb, I could have probably slowed the weight gain by carefully watching what I ate and counting calories, but eventually my weight would drift up to 155lb.

Dude, you're right on with that. My natural weight seems to be around 175. I fight at 165 and usually hang around 165-170. If I quit training and eat "normally" -- no junk food, moderate alcohol -- I drift up to 175 in a few weeks. Not a fat 175, just one notch on the belt and softer-looking all around. If I really slack off, or around the holidays, I'll get up to 180-185.

[MaTTuP]

how many miles do you guys usually run and how often?

[fraidycat]

how many miles do you guys usually run and how often?

Either 4 miles at an easy jog, or a mile of windsprints with a light jog at the beginning and then a light jog back. Either way, it's about 40-45 minutes.

[Bizzle_LDN]

It sounds like your very determined on the exercise, but you specify that your diet could do with improvement. If you want lean muscle mass and lose weight, then your diet is extremely important. I highly recommend protein supplements, avoid supplements with high creatine levels, they may add bulk which may add weight. L-cartinine is quite interesting, it's an amino acid which helps aid fat into muscular energy.

I have chosen a diet which I have found very successful for keeping myself at a light weight with little to no fat and lean muscle, the cave man diet. Eat foods which could only be hunted or picked, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. Keep your diet as natural as you can. My favorite pre work out meal is a salmon fillet because it's high in protein (which is easily digestible compared to other meats and fish) and has omega 3, 6 and 9 which is good for your joints. I also find Salmon fillets the 'lightest' high protein meal, lightest meaning easy on the stomach! Have some light carbs on the side as well for energy, my favorite being slices of tomatoes.

My post work out meal is normally a stir fry with two chicken breasts, and a couple of chillies (speed up your metabolism) with some spinach on the side (has zinc, important for muscle development). Avoid artificial foods such as white bread, processed sugars etc, these will make it harder for you to achieve your goals! Hope this post helps you.

[sukhenkoy]

Even though running can really help you get cut up, and even though I don't really want to go against what these posters are telling you, simply running will not get you "cut up". You have to supplement it with a lot of exercises like ab work, pushups, pullups, swimming, etc. As a matter of fact, I was able to get "cut up" over the summer without doing any running whatsoever. I just really tweaked my diet around, and made sure I really pushed myself on those exercises that I mentioned. Right now I do run everyday because I started boxing, but when I was simply trying to get into shape, I did not run at all, and I got into very good shape aesthetically (because it seems to me that this is what you want to achieve).

Also: I used to play very competitive soccer 3 years ago, and I would run 4 hard miles at a running pace every night, on top of the training sessions I had with my numerous clubs and games on the weekends. I was NEVER cut up during that time period (granted, I did not have nearly the same diet as I do now). I honestly believe that running has to be a supplement to the ab and bodyweight/weight exercises that you do to get "cut up".

Maybe my body is very different from the other posters on here - I don't know. But I do know that running and having a very strict diet will not get me cut up. Try not to flame my ass, guys.

[MaTTuP]

everyone has been really helpful, i appreciate it. i'm definately going to start eating better, probably oatmeal or something in the morning, chicken, nuts, fruits, veggies. this guy at work made me a 5 day program that kicked my ass pretty bad last week.
it sounds like mostly everyone agrees that the protein shakes are ok and helpful even though i'm trying to lose weight, so i'm going to continue that with my running too.

also i was a little confused about ab work, i know i have to do a lot. my question is which equipment should i use?

i have a decline situp bench at home along with one of those ab roller things with the head rest that you do crunches with.
is one better than the other?
i'm going to do leg raises and stuff at the gym to hit the lower abs.

[Bizzle_LDN]

Even though running can really help you get cut up, and even though I don't really want to go against what these posters are telling you, simply running will not get you "cut up". You have to supplement it with a lot of exercises like ab work, pushups, pullups, swimming, etc. As a matter of fact, I was able to get "cut up" over the summer without doing any running whatsoever. I just really tweaked my diet around, and made sure I really pushed myself on those exercises that I mentioned. Right now I do run everyday because I started boxing, but when I was simply trying to get into shape, I did not run at all, and I got into very good shape aesthetically (because it seems to me that this is what you want to achieve).

Also: I used to play very competitive soccer 3 years ago, and I would run 4 hard miles at a running pace every night, on top of the training sessions I had with my numerous clubs and games on the weekends. I was NEVER cut up during that time period (granted, I did not have nearly the same diet as I do now). I honestly believe that running has to be a supplement to the ab and bodyweight/weight exercises that you do to get "cut up".

Maybe my body is very different from the other posters on here - I don't know. But I do know that running and having a very strict diet will not get me cut up. Try not to flame my ass, guys.

No I agree, but it works both ways. I used to just do weights and your never going to get yourself lean abs regardless of how many ab crunches you do! I do 50 min cardio when I train, 20 cycling (to and from the gym) with 30 mins running (6 kilometers). I follow it up with 1 half hour weight sessions. I have a pull up bar at home as well which really helps keep you into shape!

[Bizzle_LDN]

Even though running can really help you get cut up, and even though I don't really want to go against what these posters are telling you, simply running will not get you "cut up". You have to supplement it with a lot of exercises like ab work, pushups, pullups, swimming, etc. As a matter of fact, I was able to get "cut up" over the summer without doing any running whatsoever. I just really tweaked my diet around, and made sure I really pushed myself on those exercises that I mentioned. Right now I do run everyday because I started boxing, but when I was simply trying to get into shape, I did not run at all, and I got into very good shape aesthetically (because it seems to me that this is what you want to achieve).

Also: I used to play very competitive soccer 3 years ago, and I would run 4 hard miles at a running pace every night, on top of the training sessions I had with my numerous clubs and games on the weekends. I was NEVER cut up during that time period (granted, I did not have nearly the same diet as I do now). I honestly believe that running has to be a supplement to the ab and bodyweight/weight exercises that you do to get "cut up".

Maybe my body is very different from the other posters on here - I don't know. But I do know that running and having a very strict diet will not get me cut up. Try not to flame my ass, guys.

No I agree, but it works both ways. I used to just do weights and your never going to get yourself lean from weights alone regardless of how many ab crunches you do! I do 50 min cardio when I train, 20 cycling (to and from the gym) with 30 mins running (6 kilometers). I follow it up with 1 and a half hour weight sessions. I have a pull up bar at home as well which really helps keep you in shape!

[dobermann28]

never done boxing in my life,but i am a runner and even though i dont have a six pack(i have a 2 and a half pack lol)i can run 6 miles with out to much trouble.

i am also in the process of trying to get cut,and i have lost about a stone in a month.

im 6'2 and i weigh about 12st 8 down from 13st 6.

my tummy is completly flat,but i still have a thin layer of fat over it.

[sweet*science]

Equipment for ab workouts? You don't need equipment for that none whatsoever in my opinion that is. I do my ab workouts from home for the most part others I do in the boxing gym. If you need a list that can help you out as far as getting started on some exercises try bodybuilder.com thats where I looked for exercises all of them use just your body weight nothing more, good luck.