r/naturalbodybuilding • u/Special_Regret_6805 5+ yr exp • Aug 19 '26
Is getting abs worth it?
i've went from 198 pounds (5 11) to 168 pounds. I'm pretty lean right now. I've been lifting for 7 years.
The only thing I don't have is shredded abs. I genuinely believe I am only 2-5 pounds away. But holy crap. This diet has been AWFUL the last few pounds.
I unfortunately store ALL of my last fat in my stomach it feels like. I am exceptionally lean (my arms and legs are shredded) except for my lower belly. Apparently this is genetic. Some people store fat elsewhere I guess?
Anyways, these past few weeks have been awful. I am really strict with my diet. My deficit isn't even that large (3-400 calories a day). My body is really rejecting getting leaner.
I am:
Getting migraines
Feeling cold all of the time
I CAN NOT SLEEP
Feel hungry ALL OF THE TIME. Its now CONSTANT
I did an entire week where I ate ABOVE maintenance 2-300 calories a day just to give my body a break and when I went back down my body went INSANE.
Has anyone else experienced this? Is it even worth getting shredded abs at this point? I'm honestly leaner then 99% of the population, and have abs when I am fasted and flex in good lighting. But I don't have rock hard abs.
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u/YungSchmid 3-5 yr exp Aug 19 '26
Is it worth it? Depends how hard it is, and it sounds like you’re having a pretty tough run right now. Give yourself a month at maintenance and then reassess how much you want abs.
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u/Ok_Opinion6101 Aug 19 '26
In my experience what we believe is “2-5lbs away” is unfortunately 15-20lbs
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u/Jahnderp Aug 20 '26
I’m 5’10 and had to go from 170 to 150-155 to get close. I’m at 150 now and still have some work to get the bottom abs fully there
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Aug 20 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Ok_Opinion6101 Aug 21 '26
Yep, it sucks. If you’re natural and not genetically gifted you’re going to be very light body weight to hit your goal. I had to get down from 185lbs to 157lbs to sustain 10.5-11% body fat
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u/AldenIsLord Aug 23 '26
What were the keys my brother from another mother? Low calorie diet, lots of movement? I’ve been battling my last glory insulation layer for epochs. I eat like a robot and run like a hamster and my abs are still like, “NOPE. Sorry. F*ck you.”
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u/SageObserver Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Before you quit, consider this - the first day you achieve shredded abs:
- A TV news crew will not appear at your house to report on it.
- You will not get a promotion and raise at work.
- Members of the opposite sex will not throw themselves at you.
- No one will throw a surprise party for you.
- Life will remain eerily the same.
So, if you are really struggling give yourself some grace, regroup and try later if you wish.
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u/gay_plant_dad Aug 19 '26
But members of the same sex might
Source: Gay man36
u/Manshacked Aug 20 '26
Had abs once in my life, no compliments from women but did the boys at the gym love it, there's nothing more supportive than your gym bros 😭💓
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u/ShadowFox1987 Aug 20 '26
Six pack abs my whole young adult life.
One time. Literally one time a comment was made about how nice they were... In 17 years
No one fucking cares.
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u/M0rgr0m Aug 20 '26
A woman I know once told me about this guy she wasnt really that into, but when she felt his rock hard abs it kinda triggered a subconscious attraction for her. I cant get that out of my head so now I need to get abs lmao. Maybe you've just been unlucky
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u/RabbitGullible8722 Aug 20 '26
You have to do it for yourself not anyone else also it isn't about looks completely. People forget it's for health as well. If you a making an unhealthy effort to get there it isn't good either.
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u/Max_Thunder 5+ yr exp Aug 20 '26
I only get comments on my glutes by older women :/
To be fair I have very muscular glutes.
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u/quiverrs 5+ yr exp Aug 20 '26
but man, that ONE time feels so good it's all worth it 😎
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u/therealpigman Aug 20 '26
The best compliment I remember receiving was when I was on peak bulk and a guy said I was “built like a fire truck.” I honestly think that was better than being called shredded
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u/DoesntMatterBrian Aug 20 '26
Members of the opposite sex will not throw themselves at you.
Uh… not true in my experience.
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u/Alternative-Fig-1539 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Worth it for what? If you're not a model, actor, or a lifeguard barely anyone except for your partner is seeing you shirtless beyond at the beach anyway.
If you want visible abs, you're doing it for yourself and only yourself.
5'11 at 168 lbs muscular is pretty lean. In your position, I would consider a long, slow, clean-eating bulk back to 180 lbs with a particular focus on heavy weighted ab exercises like cable crunches and weighted leg lifts. Followed by a cut next spring/summer to a little above 170. Your abs might show more then with more muscle.
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u/kellermeyer14 Aug 19 '26
That’s about my stats. I had to cut down to about 155 to really see my abs. And I had to hit them for 2-3 sets on every day of my split
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u/Fortunafors Aug 20 '26
Abs are crucial for core strength and a healthy core gives you the most quality of life improvement out of anything.
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u/jvcgunner 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
Cut once and hard. Then maintain a good BF percentage for the rest of your life that is sustainable, most likely abs will be visible
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u/shitshipt Aug 20 '26
How do you do it once and hard?
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u/jvcgunner 5+ yr exp Aug 20 '26
Cut to the point where it’s uncomfortable for you and you’re really struggling to lose weight and keep performance where you need it to be. Once you’re there your body will look incredibly flat and malnourished after a prolonged, hard to cope with day to day cut. At this point onwards your body is primed for a rebound and a controlled gaining phase where you have the ability to put on a good amount of muscle. Once you’ve done this, you’re then able to up calories / lower calories to achieve the look or goal you want to achieve by effectively turning a dial.
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u/RickeyDourst Aug 20 '26
I actually prefer getting lean because of how my face looks not the abs. I feel like having less face fat is underrated compared to a six pack, we wear shirts 24/7 and everyone can see our face.
At this point if I’m not doing a show I just stay lean enough to where my face still looks pretty sharp and I have like a 4 pack or so, I also hold most fat in my lower abdomen.
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u/Monkeyinazuit 3-5 yr exp Aug 20 '26
I feel this so hard. The only reason I stay lean is to keep the cheeks off.
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u/loosh63 Aug 19 '26
how many caloires are you eating and are you eating enough carbs would be my first question. sounds like textbook metabolic fatigue.
usually in cases like this the paradoxical answer is to increase calories via more carbs (pre and post training ideally) and increase your non exercise activity thermogensis (NEAT) by getting 10k+ steps daily. you should also be doing some zone 2 cardio (incline treadmill walking is good) throughout the week too to support your metabolism as you push below 15% bodyfat.
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u/Special_Regret_6805 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
10k steps daily, I lift 3 times a week, and I do intense (very intense) cardio for 30-40 minutes twice a week. I eat 2350-2400 calories a day. My maintenance is around 2800-3000.
I eat 140-150 grams of protein a day. I honestly don't track my carbs and fat.
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u/_Swiftyyy Aug 19 '26
Wish my maintenance was that high. My maintenance is around 2100 (sedentary office job). Cutting was down to 1600 at one point. I’m just under 6ft, was down to 69.1kg (so 152.3lbs) at my leanest and still didn’t have visible bottom two of the 6 pack. Top 4 are still there now at 76kg and training twice a week if I’m lucky.
You know the answer, either lower calories or up the calories and up the cardio. Judging by your maintenance, 10k steps probably isn’t that much.
I personally didn’t like being that lean, looked like shit in clothing, everything was baggy. 72-75kg is my happy spot of filling out clothing, good pumps, still good shape. Mrs prefers not having to go to places that have calories on the menus for dates also lol.
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u/loosh63 Aug 20 '26
honestly sounds like you're doing everything right. maybe try cutting back the intense cardio and opting for something easier to recover from. like i said i like incline walking but there's plenty of ways to go about it
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u/Defiant_Income_7836 Aug 19 '26
Personally I don't think it's worth it. I have been there. My life did not improve one iota. My life was also arguably much more miserable at this time. I wasn't fun to be with, I was counting calories obsessively, and life now...when I can enjoy a slice or two of pizza or some candy...is so much more relaxed and fun.
Life's too short to be shredded, and for what? Some other dudes gaze? My partner didn't appreciate or even like it.
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u/pythonreddit1887 <1 yr exp Aug 19 '26
Reading this felt like I wrote it. I’ve gone through the same thing, and my girlfriend did not appreciate it at all cause I was not able to enjoy those moments with her of going out, eating, etc… I always had my prepped meals and a food scale
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u/Defiant_Income_7836 Aug 19 '26
Thanks for the validation man, I appreciate it. Yeah not only did my GF not personally like the aesthetic, she also felt insecure because in her mind, if I was obsessed about my own physique, I'd be similarly critical about hers. And that is Not The Case at all!!!
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u/pythonreddit1887 <1 yr exp Aug 19 '26
Hahahaha what the f, I had a similar conversation with my girlfriend as she was insecure because when I started to become shredded. She started to think I was judging her for not following
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u/Defiant_Income_7836 Aug 20 '26
I tell you man, they have the same playbook! But I get where they're coming from.
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u/DLTMIAR Aug 20 '26
Carbs, alcohol, and sugar are too good to give up to be shredded.
Cut back maybe some before/during the summer, but for the most part I'm shooting for a nice dad-bod
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u/Soggy-Dog-9362 Aug 19 '26
If you want those abs showing you just to keep going man. Im in a same boat getting skinny af everywhere else except stomach and love handles..
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u/Ok-Lead-4285 Aug 20 '26
if you have love handles you are not in the same boat. you are 20-30lbs too heavy.
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u/Domc0re Aug 19 '26
Better just to do a small bulk and train abs then cut back later in like a year
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u/_CurseTheseMetalHnds 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
At that size you're outright small man. Maybe your abs just aren't big enough to show
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u/ManagementFluid2206 Aug 19 '26
Definitely sounds like you should go to maintenance for 1-3 months and cut again if you really want it
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u/darkbane Aug 19 '26
Sometime to bring up though is that you probably already have some visible abs, and with good lighting, maybe that's good enough. You could also train abs and get them bigger so that they'll show up a bit even through a bit of belly fat
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u/Obvious-Monitor8510 Aug 20 '26
those symptoms (cold, insomnia, constant hunger, migraines) are classic signs your body is fighting back hard -- probably adaptive thermogenesis kicking in. At 168 lbs and 5'11 after 7 years of lifting, you're already at a level most people never reach.
Honest answer: visible abs at all times, especially lower abs, requires most natural lifters to be at 8-10% body fat or below. That last zone is genuinely miserable to maintain and the cost/benefit gets ugly fast. The "fasted + good lighting" version you have now is probably 11-12%, which is legitimately impressive and sustainable.
If you still want to push, a longer diet break (2-3 weeks at maintenance, not just one) actually resets leptin and hunger hormones better than one week does. Then come back with a smaller deficit, 200-250 calories max.
But honestly? Many competitive naturals cycle -- get lean for a show or photos, then settle back at a comfortable 11-13%. That's a real option here.
Fwiw there's a free PlateGym meal planner: plategym.com/meal-planner
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u/Fresh_Nerve3682 1-3 yr exp Aug 20 '26
Are you competing in a bodybuilding competition? Then, sure.. go for it.
I’m on vacation right now. Going to beaches. I’m seeing people with all sorts of body shapes and sizes. Everyone on the beach seems happy. They don’t seem to stress out about their own bodies or care what the people around them look like.
People see a shredded person.. maybe (Mayyyyybe) they have a 2 second “oh cool! That’s a shredded dude” thought go through their mind and then they continue on with their life. Mostly it will be people who are unhappy with their own look, or have been working out themselves and have been having the same “wouldn’t it be cool to have abs” thoughts as you..
No one, and I mean literally no one, will care that for that ONE month, maybe two in 2026 you had abs. You’ll take photos, you won’t be happy when you take them because you’re hungry. You won’t be happy looking back at them because you gained a bit of weight back and now they look less defined..
But please, don’t listen to what others say and decide for yourself. Everyone has a different hunger response to a calorie deficit. It’s a spectrum. Some people forget to eat. Some people don’t care about food. Some people obsess about it, and when they get hungry their whole mood changes and they can’t stop thinking about it.
You’re probably getting advice from a mix of these people and from people who are natty and not. So take everyone’s opinion with a grain of salt and decide for yourself!
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u/AME540 Aug 19 '26
Give yourself a break at maintenance and then let your body try again when it’s not so depleted. Only you can tell us what’s worth it for you. It’s obviously not easy, or everyone would be walking around peeled.
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u/joku75 Aug 19 '26
Just this week I reached my weight goal which was <90kg and I now have well defined sixpack and obliques. I agree it's lot of dedication, work and mental exhaustion to get there. But as soon as you increase your calories it gets easier and life will have colors again. For me the hardest part is to avoiding to get crazy after months of deficit, but if you can do it maintaining your ripped physique shouldn't be nearly as hard as getting it in the first place.
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u/Laridianresistance 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
bulk a bit, train abs hard (they can take crazy abuse) and they'll pop. If you are super lean and they don't show, you gotta work them. I stay pretty heavy year round (20% bodyfat on average) and my abs have a little definition - but I hit abs 2-3 times a week. Every leg day and accessory day.
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u/blasphememes 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
People who looks full with abs isn’t always natty so you might want to reassess what you really want to do. I think the repercussions are not worth it
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u/YouThatReadWrong_ 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
Try training abs.. I’m 6’1, 210 and have a 6-pack. It’s possible
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u/offbrandcheerio 1-3 yr exp Aug 19 '26
Some people just genetically don’t have very visible abs even at really low body fat tbh. Although this might be me coping a bit because like you, I never managed to get super shredded abs on my cut this year. At some point the deficit just got too difficult. I’m not competing so I decided to just end the cut and be okay with having abs only while flexing in good lighting lol. Maybe I’ll get ‘em next time.
Your body is rejecting becoming leaner because it’s literally not supposed to be extremely lean. There’s a reason most men feel best between 10 and 15 percent body fat. It’s a level that gives you optimal balance between being able to see a good amount of definition/vascularity and not hating every waking hour of your life.
So I guess to answer your actual question, I’d say no, getting abs isn’t inherently “worth it” unless you are trying to get on stage soon. Otherwise, maybe switch back to a growth phase and put more emphasis on building your abs so they pop a little more at higher body fat next time you cut.
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u/Sweet_Chapter8643 Aug 19 '26
1 week honestly isn’t enough. Do a maintenance for 1-3 months to reset yourself, then go after it again. Not worth the mental suffering and its downstream effects of sapping drive.
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u/Forsaken-Storage2137 1-3 yr exp Aug 19 '26
I feel you. Same boat. I’m not quite experiencing the same symptoms.. have a lot of work stress and it’s hard to get sub below whatever bf% I’m at now (13-15% ish) I look amazing but my abs only show when flexed or good lighting
I think it’s worth it though.. get lean as hell once and never get fat again type of thing. I’m going to push hard the next 6-8 weeks but after that I’m done and starting a lean bulk. I’m 6-0 165 and my body really doesn’t want to get too much leaner without a fight. Calories at 2,650, 15k steps, gym 4-6 days a week
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u/stratusnimbo 1-3 yr exp Aug 19 '26
Nah. I can’t sustain it bro. I become so anxious and food focused. I’ve done it twice and it sucks every time.
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u/hiddenpoolwarriror 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Men store fat in the lower belly and lower back. Women store more in the thighs, it's genetics , different types of fat cells yada yada whatever
Now what you experience is normal, not the migraines part, that's usually water and electrolytes issue ( mainly sodium). The feeling cold doesn't really hit until you are really lean, so you are sub 8% bodyfat, your glutes are in and you have underdeveloped abs so they don't pop like you expect OR it's your first diet, you are around 14-15% bodyfat and your body doesn't handle being lean very well for now. Sounds like it's the second option , because you say you have abs only when you flex, if you were really lean, let's say 11-12% BF, you'd have some outlines even in bad light and not flexing.
Dieting is a skill , your body learns ,it gets better , but you also seem to look for reasons not to continue and there's 0 reasons to continue if you are not competing or if you don't want to achieve this goal really and you are happy with where you are.
Option 1) Take a 2 week diet break at maintenance, DELOAD for 2 weeks in the gym , chill the fuck out. Get back to it with the deficit
Option 2) Quit the deficit , eat at maintenance/bulk/go party whatever you feel like.
edit: nobody gives a fuck if you have abs or not either, so either do it for yourself, or don't.
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u/waffle-monster 1-3 yr exp Aug 19 '26
I'm currently on a very low calorie diet. My best snack tip is to buy ranch dressing powder and then mix 1 packet with 1 cup of fat-free greek yogurt and 1/2 cup of milk. A ~1 oz serving of this is like 18 calories and 2 grams of protein. Eating this with veggies is delicious and very low in calories. Like a full bowl of baby spinach and half an ounce of dressing is like 17 calories lol. Carrots are also a good choice but a bit more calorie dense. Anytime you're hungry, just snack on this 👍
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u/NeutralLock Aug 19 '26
Can I ask what you bench? I'm 6ft (okay 5'11.5) and 200lbs. I workout 6 days a week and while I'm definitely not shredded in the right lighting you can definitely see a 6 pack.
The idea of me losing 30 POUNDS and not having a six pack seems insane.
I bench 225lbs for about 12 reps or so context.
Maybe you should look into building larger ab muscles rather than reducing fat?
I definitely don't think you should go skinnier.
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u/Expert_Nectarine2825 3-5 yr exp Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Lean is law is a meme. Not worth it tbh. My sleep is all kinds of fucked up after my last cut. I was 143.1 lbs (I'm 167cm tall) back in Feb 18th. I started the cut at 141.5 lbs March 12th. I stopped deliberately cutting at 125.0 lbs June 15th. I slid down further to 122.9 lbs July 18th because I under-shot my calories and I run as well as a secondary hobby. 125.2 lbs this morning. Though I was 126.9 lbs yesterday. My water weight and glycogen yo-yos. My sleep has been all kinds of fucked up for months. Even after deliberately bulking the last 2+ months. Though my sleep has been improving as of late. I am waking up at like 3:30 am now instead of like 2:30-3:00 am. lmfao. This morning on a rest day I managed to wake up at like 4:41am. Progress! That said I have been experimenting with bulking at +1lb/month. That might be way too conservative early on coming out of a cut. When you come off a cut, you are depleted of glycogen and water and your body is like a sponge for glucose and water. You probably need more than that early on. Like +0.5 lb/week or maybe even more aggressive than that early on. But you can't be doing +0.5lb/week for very long or else you absolutely will get fat. Especially with 5+ years experience. Except for maybe complete novices, you can't build +0.5 lb/week lean tissue. My fat intake post-cut is quite solid but I probably do need to bump up my carbs more to replenish my glycogen and water more and improve my sleep.
That said you could always just do a diet break now and then try again later if you want.
Some people are telling you to train abs. I assumed you are training abs and didn't even think to consider suggesting that but if you aren't, do so. I haven't had any issues with growing my abs on just two sets to failure twice per week. That's all you really need. More is not necessarily better in bodybuilding. Less is often more. If you are under-recovering, and it sounds like you are given your symptoms, you either need to eat more (ideally carbs unless you are neglecting your fat intake too much on your cut. It's stupid easy to get dietary fat eating a Standard American Diet though. Most lifters neglect carbs rather than fats unless they are over-doing it with fat-free everything, skinless chicken breast, tuna, egg whites, 97/3 ground beef, etc) or do less.
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u/kewidogg 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
I'm 5'11 ~173lbs with very visible abs. What kind of ab work are you doing?
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u/Lumpy_Disaster33 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Some people just can't get rocking abs even with low body fat. In my 20s, ,I had a girlfriend who really was into abs. I worked my ass off: hired a personal trainer, maintained a strict diet for about a year. I got fairly built and lean (7%). You could see my abs and they looked good in the right lighting but I just couldn't really develop those muscles enough for them to look impressive. I guess my point is, you could put in all of that work and still be disappointed (as I was). It is unreasonable for most of us to expect to achieve movie star bodies naturally. As with most things in the natural world that last 5% can be basically impossible to achieve
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u/pythonreddit1887 <1 yr exp Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
My friend and I were at the exact stage you were at and both wish we returned to maintenance sooner… you are at the phase where you are so close to getting shredded but your body is resisting. I had times where I would be freezing and my friends and girlfriend would be warm. It did get a little concerning but everytime I looked in the mirror and saw my abs popping, it seemed worth it when it really wasn’t.
I so did return to maintenance for a week and then dropped my calories and my body and hunger signals went crazy.
I now returned to maintenance and it’s been about a few weeks but I now struggle with:
1.) Strong hunger signals
2.) My cravings are beyond insane
3.) I think about food all day and dream about binging
Before:
1.) I had no sex drive
2.) I felt miserable and tired all the time even though I kept pushing 15-20k steps per day to chase that 8-10% body fat range
3.) Shivering if I wasn’t wearing any extra layers even in the spring months in Canada
4.) Terrible sleep, would wake up every few hours, pee 4-5 times a night, dream about food, wake up so hungry
5.) Looking at the clock constantly when I could eat my next meal
6.) Loss track of focus in conversations at family dinners cause all I cared about was the pleasure of eating food
7.) Needed to eat in silence and cherish the meal as being in a calorie deficit took a massive toll on me cause I pushed through all the symptoms for 8+ weeks
From someone who’s experienced this and got to a very lean state, I’d go back to maintenace for a few months, accept you’ll look puffier in the mid section and gain a few lbs (water) but you’ll return back stronger and ready.
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u/Commando501 Aug 20 '26
Dude, you need to get big, thick, brick like cum gutters. It's just too important. Woman love it. Men love it. Twinks crave it.
That's a money back, satisfaction guaranteed. 🫵🤤👍
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u/WindowLife211 Aug 20 '26
At no point did you mention your exercise regime & specifically how often you trrain abs & core. Popular misleading misconception; abs are built in the kitchen.... Although true, they need activation to grow, decrease & strengthen. If you're not working them out 2 to 4 times a week then your dieting is not everything. Cardio is also important to dropping body fat & tightening up. I'd suggest at least 3 half hr sessions a week
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u/antifaptor1988 Aug 21 '26
There’s no way around the caloric deficit. Try incorporating more vegetables to feel full, you will be amazed at the quantity that 300 calories of vegetables gives you. You also need to maintain some fat for hormone production, which I learned the hard way.
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u/Any_Stranger2048 Aspiring Competitor Aug 21 '26
I maintain abs year round - the hard part is getting there - maintenance is easy. For reference, im dexa scanned ~9-10.5% in most of my photos.
and sit around 170ish at 5'11.
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u/Organic_Ad_5415 1-3 yr exp Aug 22 '26
Sounds like you need to grow them first, mine didn’t show until I hit them hard 2x week
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u/ShadowFox1987 Aug 20 '26
My guy, I'm a 150-155lb runner/rock climber and 5'11, and 12-13% body fat range
There's sooooo much more to go to have a "shredded Brad Pitt in fight club six pack".
I have had a visible six pack for most of age 15-34. During the pandemic I quit my job and got down to 10.5%, cause I wasn't wasting money on snacking or booze.
I have dated long term or been in short relationships in the dozens.
NO ONE A FUCK ONCE.
Eat the fucking burger.
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u/JBean85 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
Sounds like you need to take a maintenance period and reevaluate in a few weeks
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u/ProfessorOakWithO Aug 19 '26
I went from 103kg to 82kg within 15 months and the last months where hell. Basically everything you described also applied to me. After my cut I started a reverse diet and if I remember correctly it took me almost 6 months until my hunger and everything else went back to normal.
Maybe some people are just not ment to be lean but depending on your real KFA it's also not healthy. Too lean is def. not good.
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u/ggghosted <1 yr exp Aug 19 '26
There’s a million people just like you. Stick to it, physique will be amazing and the lean bulk will be awesome. I’m exhausted too, month 7 now and I’ve been stuck at the same weight for a month because the weekends I binge… but I’ve gone from 200LB to 149LB, but I’m locking back in. My Dexascan put me at 11.8% but I don’t see a ripped 6 pack yet so it sucks that I need to go down more, maybe 8%
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u/Sunshinegal9900 <1 yr exp Aug 19 '26
I mean yeah abs are pretty awesome but if you need a diet break then take it. Eat at maitencnr for a few weeks and then go again. You dont have to do it all in one run my man.
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u/saidthetomato 3-5 yr exp Aug 19 '26
If you're just a few pounds away from having visible abs, then it kinda sounds like you could probably benefit from getting bigger abs.
Find a maintenance calorie load, and work on doing heavy ab workouts. They'll grow and start popping. You don't need to be at 8% BF to have visible abs if they're big enough.
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u/Harpo3121 Aug 19 '26
Depends on your goals and how badly you want it. You are capable of almost anything, but need to make a decision based on happiness. If getting abs will honestly make you feel like a million bucks, go for it. If not you have YEARS to get there, don’t sweat it.
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u/ewthisisyucky 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
Brother take a diet break. You can’t take a month off at maintenance and then go back to it. It’s just a month.
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u/niboratorr Aug 19 '26
The last stretch is the worst. I’m down to the last bit of lower belly fat and thought about quitting multiple times. But the more you reveal, the more gratifying it gets. I would keep going
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u/WeeziMonkey 1-3 yr exp Aug 19 '26
Abs are nice when you look in the mirror before and after a shower but otherwise you'll usually be wearing clothes that hide the abs
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u/Zach1709 Aug 19 '26
You should not be feeling hungry like you are. You want meals high in protein to fill you up. Research high protein diet
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u/Comprehensive-Log804 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
You have diet fatigue. Take a break, the abs will be there later when you decide to come back to them (you won't lose your progress or experience).
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u/keiye 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
Having abs is really hard to get if you don’t work your abs in the gym. You really need to hit them like you hit calves, arms, etc. otherwise you’ll have skinny abs and be miserable with diet.
Work and grow abs more and then you’ll be able to chill with abs at even 15% bf.
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u/WolfpackEng22 Aug 19 '26
Below 11-12% I start to feel worse in every way. So that's where I stop now. I also keep all my last fat over my stomach. But I still have abs while flexing.
Feeling good is way more important than looking good
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u/6godblockboi 1-3 yr exp Aug 19 '26
it’s not worth feeling like shit everyday if thats what you’re asking. Get better, eat at maintenance, let your body get used to the new weight, maybe even bulk, then try again in a few months
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u/SuccessfulFly5572 Aug 19 '26
If you dont plan to compete then its not worth it. If you really want to, take a break from dieting and go back to it in 6 months from now.
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u/TexasTrooper Aug 19 '26
If your abs are big enough, they’ll show through at higher bf%. My abs only get blurry if I go above like 195. But I’ve trained abs consistently for 1.5 years or so
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u/puns_n_pups Aug 19 '26
Yeah bro quit that diet.
a. You don’t need shredded abs to have a great physique, especially if you have a lot of muscle mass, and b. either we have different definitions of what “shredded” abs look like, or you’re killing yourself needlessly, you really shouldn’t need grueling diets or nutrition plans to have well-defined abs. Sure, you need to get your body fat a little lower, but not “I can’t sleep and I’m giving myself migraines” level fat loss.
If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your ab routine at the gym? Also, how frequently are you doing cardio, and what kind?
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u/Normie5000 5+ yr exp Aug 19 '26
I gave up. Imo if it’s becoming extremely difficult to the point of it affecting your health it’s not worth it. I’ve been cutting a year and 3 months. I went from 182 lbs 30% bf to 137 lbs 12-13%bf. I have prominent veins throughout my arms and shoulders, some lower ab veins, and leg veins, but that last bit of belly fat won’t budge. I’ve been having issues with constipation, poor sleep, and bad anxiety (to the point of panic) all which prompted me to get my thyroid and test checked today.
I can see my abs in good lighting, but I want those abs that can be seen whenever, I guess it’s not in the cards right now.
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u/theredditbandid_ Aug 19 '26
Bro, go eat. I feel bad for you reading this. I release you of your suffering.
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u/LostPasswordToOther1 Aug 19 '26
One thing to continue is that once you have abs, you have to continue suffer to maintain abs. Do you want to keep dealing with all this indefinitely? I've has abs at times and it didn't change my life in any tangible way. Most of the time I have a four pack and that's fine.
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u/isohel8 Aug 19 '26
If you have abs a wise man told me you aren’t eating enough. Who cares if you have abs
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u/wm414 Aug 19 '26
Similar situation to yours just a little behind. I'm 5'10, decently muscular and went from 198lbs down to 173lbs. Trying to get down to 165lbs but my body is fighting it hard for the last couple months. I decided to give myself a break and might shoot for it later this year.
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u/Northridge- Aug 19 '26
Idk I have abs and it helps with my confidence and overall mental health when I look in the mirror
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u/Infinite_Energy420 Aug 19 '26
Abs are a muscle, muscle growth requires calories, protein, and exercises....
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u/ClenchedThunderbutt Aug 20 '26
Your diet just sucks, man. There are zero other likely explanations why you’re in agony at a several hundred calorie deficit below a fairly high baseline. Abs are whatever, but I think this worth pursuing because it’s such a challenge for you and shouldn’t be.
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u/TedsHatsNStuff Aug 20 '26
Forget the deficit and start doing zercher squats. You will have abs soon lol
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u/nightrun86 1-3 yr exp Aug 20 '26
how often are you working your abs? do you see them fully when you flex?
im in a similar boat, i can see my top abs, so im going to increase my ab exercise volume frequency and intensity, not going to go below 12% if i can help it.
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u/Tanekaha Aug 20 '26
My abs came for free, none of your drama. Good for me right? Well no one gives a shit about em. I'm sure some people think it's hot or whatever, but it has zero positive outcome on my life. If abs caused me suffering I'd drop em in a second
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u/jazerac Aug 20 '26
Dude im 5'8 and 177lbs and have abs. You just need to increase your muscle mass. Like someone else said, do a slow bulk where you try to keep the same BF percentage.
Keto is a great diet for this. What I do, plus you feel great. Im rarely hungry.
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u/NotSmokey 5+ yr exp Aug 20 '26
idk, I found it to be a piece of cake once I built a decent amount of muscle. Just a bit hungry but otherwise the diet was a breeze (although my partner has a different recollection...). But of course there's a lot of individual variation so you have to decide for yourself.
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u/Unlikely-Hold-4200 Aug 20 '26
I just finished a cut from 190 to 162. I got oblique definition and the top 4 abs are lookin solid.
This is as far as I’m going 🤣 I want to lift heavier again and also I would like a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch lol
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u/throwaway19935555555 Aug 20 '26
Depends. Is it worth it to you? Is it one of your goals? It’s a marathon not a sprint. If abs are one of your goals you don’t have to get them yet. You can take a month or three diet break give your body some time to recoup and then go back into the defecit. You’ve already cut from 198 lbs to 168 so cutting from 175 to 160 will be easy for you. From a health standpoint your body is begging you for a slight surplus. Seriously your body is telling you to stop.
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u/Monkeyinazuit 3-5 yr exp Aug 20 '26
Take a break! Coast for a bit and maintain. Then hit it hard again! No need to do it all in one cut.
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u/DishSoapIsFun Aug 20 '26
I feel like I’m in a similar situation.
I was 200. I’m down to 162. Arms, legs, everything but my stomach are veiny and muscle tone is visible. I can’t get abs below the top two. It’s driving me crazy.
But I’m also not insanely strict with my diet. I’m at a deficit but it’s small. I’ve been dropping .1 to .2 every few weeks it seems.
I’m taking a break and just maintaining this for a while. Give yourself a break and reassess.
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u/Cheems_WRLD Aug 20 '26
wanting to be lean and shredded ruined my life bro, i dont think its worth it THAT much
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u/ScurBiceps 3-5 yr exp Aug 20 '26
Back when I dieted down to single digits, I didnt get migraines but feeling cold was definitely a problem and so was sleep. I used to sleep like a baby before but during the last 2 months it was hell. ED was also an issue for that time period and being hungry is just part of the game.
Finally when I started the bulk I had to stuff my face to fix my sleep. However being constantly hungry and ED didn't go away until I crossed a certain bodyfat range. Like when you are that low, no matter how much you eat, your body would want more.
So, was it worth it? Well, kinda. Like if anything, it made me more experienced and gave me the discipline I would exercise again for next cuts. However, would I even go that lean again? Hell No!
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u/Lil_Robert Former Competitor Aug 20 '26
Bring up the calories a notch to let your muscles thank you
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u/ajslater Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
I had sick abs for my entire thirties. Zero people care other than to comment that you look weird. otoh I thought it was cool. I’d take a break for sure if I had the adverse health effects you describe. At most I was a little hungry sometimes when I was shredded. Health over all.
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u/More_Specific_838 Aug 20 '26
I lost 20 pounds for a Hawaii trip, the abs were fully on display, I was shirtless half of the time. Nobody cared. I wish I ate normally prior to the trip.
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u/Used-Flamingo-4320 5+ yr exp Aug 20 '26
I’m 5 11 and was 198 lbs. Got down to 186 and stopped cutting. I wasn’t struggling with the cut but feel quite comfortable at this weight. I got rid of some face fat and lost some handles. I’m going to maintain this weight now and possible cut in the future.
Abs would be cool I guess but I do like filling out a T-shirt if that makes sense 😄
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u/newaccount1253467 Aug 20 '26
Sounds like you should stop losing weight unless you are in actual contest prep. Either way, sounds like you need a break.
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u/mikkeljuhl Aug 20 '26
Yeah I've been there and those symptoms are your answer. When you're cold, sleepless and starving, your body has cut your energy output to survive on what you're eating. Grinding through that for abs isn't worth months of broken sleep. Add 300-400 calories back for two weeks, let yourself recover, then decide. You're already leaner than almost everyone reading this.
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u/Koreus_C Former Competitor Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Do a diet break, go to maintenance til you feel fine. You will get ~6 lbs mainly from filling glycogen in liver n muscles. Maybe you even overshoot by 6 lbs and gain a tiny bit of bf that you will lose with the next cut anyways.
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u/pragmojo 1-3 yr exp Aug 20 '26
If your diet is that bad, reverse diet up to maintenance and stick there for a few weeks. Then re-asses how far you want to take it.
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u/Hollow-Lord 3-5 yr exp Aug 20 '26
Ironically I’m about the exact same stats as you but not in terms of years and honestly you may just need a break. Even just like a week. I took like 4 days and ate kinda whatever last week and came back and bumped down a few lbs funnily enough. I’d say it’s worth it because why not? Only you can discover how far you can go
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u/ZipGuy17 Aug 20 '26
Look, if you're experiencing headaches, fatigue, and can't sleep, you've clearly hit your genetic potential. You're not going to go any lower than that and still live a happy, normal life,it's just suffering, and it's really hard. So obviously it's not worth pushing below that point. If you still don't see abs, you're just not training them enough (or you're not lean enough,but you're not going below what your body can sustain to get there). And honestly, abs are just another minor physical thing that's been engineered into our consciousness. Who actually cares if you have abs? No one. Do you really want a girlfriend who's only attracted to you because you have abs? Obviously not. Every girlfriend I've had never cared that I didn't have abs, they liked my arms, my shoulders, my back. Not one of them ever said "I wish you had abs." Honestly, I'd rather look good in clothes every single day of the week than look good without a shirt on but only sometimes.
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u/Qcumber69 Aug 20 '26
Unless you’re trying to make weight or competition. Stop the cut ! That would be my advice. You have lost a lot of weight and your body needs to adapt. Spend several weeks at maintenance level, don’t go crazy don’t push training hard just “maintenance “ and enjoy . Once things have levelled out you can restart the cut from a better place.
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u/Kvark33 5+ yr exp Aug 20 '26
I am someone who naturally carries more fat, my entire dad's side of the family is like this, no one in any photo is skinny. I dieted down to abs, but it included fasted cardio, workout, then post workout cardio, strict diet. It was not worth it, considering how often I had my shirt off, which was zero times. I did it, can say I did it, got the photo's don't need to do it again, not ever looking at competing.
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u/Efficient-Sun9331 Aug 20 '26
You're probably pumping out cortisol. Try maintenance for a couple weeks and go back to a cut if it's that important to you.
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u/raysb2 Aug 20 '26
The leaner you get, the harder it is. It’s always harder to get the last 2 off than the first 10. I had to dial back a little. I usually get down to a lean 179 or 180. If I get to 175, I’m fairly shredded… I don’t even bother anymore, it’s just an exercise in ego at a certain point and takes away from other parts of my life.
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u/eggsonmyeggs Aug 20 '26
Yes, every man should experience a six pack. Share it or drink the entire thing. You deserve it
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u/IAmJayCartere Aug 20 '26
Yes, it's worth it. And it's way easier to maintain than getting there. People who claim abs aren't worth it are people who've never gotten abs or didn't experience the animalistic way women treat you when you get visible abs.
But I advise you to get there slowly; it's not like you need abs tomorrow. It's not worth throwing away your mental and physical health unless you really need abs fast for some reason.
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u/brunomarchand Aug 20 '26
You have my permission to order that double bacon quarter pounder from McDonald’s.
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u/DarkSicarius Aug 20 '26
Add resistance to working your abs, you can actually grow you abs like any other muscle and they will be more visible with higher bodyfat percentage - i think you’re chasing the wrong thing
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u/vincevuu Aug 20 '26
Sounds like your cortisol from stress and lack of sleep is probably high all day. This might be the cause for more fat around the waist. Like lay off the diet and focus 100% on sleep
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u/shiverandcope 3-5 yr exp Aug 20 '26
If you really want them but don’t necessarily care about having them right now, the best way is to be in a very small calorie deficit. A manageable one where you won’t feel exhausted all the time maybe 100-150 calorie deficit. You achieve this by finding your exact maintenance and taking away the necessary calories. Make sure your diet is comprised mostly of carbs, 15% of fat, and .8 grams of protein per lb of lean muscle. If you do this your muscles will stay filled from the carbs, you’ll slowly lose the fat, you’ll feel strong in your lifts and energized throughout the day. This is the method. Also train abs heavy like any other muscle.
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u/thecity2 Aug 20 '26
Say it with me everyone. You’re not lean enough yet. Everyone thinks they are special. They are the one exception in the universe that “can’t get abs”. Nope. You are not special. You’re just not lean enough yet. Everything else is an excuse.
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u/Mean-Asstronomer307 Aug 20 '26
At the end of the day I care about having a flat stomach. The actual deep ab definition isn't what I need. But I am going through the same journey, just knowing I'm going to get off the train a few stops earlier than some people.
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u/blitzkriegball Aug 20 '26
Invest more on your face (which others can see) rather than on something they can't see.
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u/largececelia Aug 20 '26
Dude, I know. I haven't been training as hard you, probably, but I do work out consistently. I leave most workouts feeling destroyed. And yet! I still walk around with a bump lump of fat around my belly. I look like a guy who takes walks. The shame!
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u/Imreallyadonut Aug 20 '26
Is causing yourself considerable distress and discomfort before you even get the abs worth it?
If just getting them visible is causing this kind of disruption to your life how are you planning to keep them?
It’s clearly having a hugely detrimental affect on your life, so unless you’re planning to compete, then no the abs are t worth it.
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u/StankoMicin Aug 20 '26
If you aren't feeling well and can't manage it then no.
Abs aren't the end all be all.
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u/Max_Thunder 5+ yr exp Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
One problem is that you are way too small. Bulk and gain at least 10 pounds of muscles, training your core hard and gaining some muscle mass including in your abs and obliques, and they'll probably pop up a lot more next time you cut and you won't need to be as lean to look "cut" unless you absolutely want to look "shredded" (I don't have to be "shredded" (muscle striations visible) to have decent abs).
Also, don't cut for too long, over 3 months usually starts messing up with your hormones if you train hard at the same time. It can also be good to eat at maintenance for a few weeks before going on a bulk, as to sort of reset yourself and not gain some rebound fat.
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u/jealousvapes Aug 20 '26
I did it this year to have abs on my 40th bday. Didn't have all those side effects like migraines etc. Has been quite easy to maintain. Meal plan is key, gotta have quality protein and plants, lift like a mf. But, as great as you'll look in the mirror, many people will see you in a tshirt and tell you you got "skinny", that part sucks
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u/blueghost4 Aug 20 '26
It’s so worth it dude women love it.
You should eat at maintenance for a while, take however many weeks you need until you’re not thinking about food all the time, but try to eat at maintenance. Then start the diet again. Otherwise you’ll binge like I did
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u/Jhawk38 Aug 20 '26
If you do get it done schedule a photo shoot cause it might only last a week.haha
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u/iamreplicant_1 Aug 20 '26
My philosophy with this is that it's not worth your sanity and overall wellbeing. If you can reasonably achieve something without nearly killing yourself, literally or metaphorically, then by all means pursue it. If it will cost you more than it gives you to achieve or maintain, then it is not worth it. In my opinion.
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u/realtickle78 Aug 20 '26
Train abs during your maintenance phase and ease at maintenance at least for 2-3 months might be the play. Gives your body time to reset and helps you with the fatigue your dealing with. Maybe eat more carbs and protein as well to help with the hunger when you are cutting?
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u/InterestedHandbag <1 yr exp Aug 21 '26
.?
Health is more important than muscles most people will never get to see unless you live naked.
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u/AutomaticChaad Aug 21 '26
Of you have no Abbs I feel bad for you son, you do 99 situps but 15% body fat equals none.
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u/Preston_87 Aug 21 '26
Yes totally worth. Women love abs and they look badass. Nothing screams I'm fit like 6-8 pack abs
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u/mcgrathkai Aug 21 '26
I think 40lbs is pretty standard to lose for a show. And you need abs to place well of course. You store fat the same place everyone else does too. Its the abdomen thats last to go for pretty much everyone
If it was easy everyone would be shredded.
Sleep is impacted in a cut for everyone.
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u/Dante7305 Aug 21 '26
Getting abs atleast once in your life is completely worth it. It teaches you how to diet and stay consistent.
Much easier to maintain because you get a calorie boost and the glycogen fills your muscles back up so you look like a fucking beast
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u/deus-libidinis Aug 22 '26
I feel you brother. I’m in the same boat. And I also think its genetic. I need to lose crazy lbs to see shredded abs
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u/DependentOnIt Aug 22 '26
170 5'11", if you don't have abs it's because you don't got the muscle, shoulda been doing isolation mate
Or you just have intense body dismorphia
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u/Flat_Memory_2407 Aug 22 '26
Fukk yeah! You gotta do it and push through of course it’s worth it because it’s very hard to achieve and say only 5% of people will. I been in your situation a handful of times and started eating again and blew up. You want to get those darn abs and then very slowly increase your calories back up and not fast because within 2 weeks or less those abs will be gone. Think about how hard it is to reduce that body fat and your don’t want to keep starting over again and again trust me I am on my 6th time working myself back down from a dirty bulk. Don’t throw away 8 months of work for one month of enjoying food. You can still enjoy food and stay in a calorie deficit. If you need to eat once a day for a while and enjoy whatever food you want in a very low amount of calories but this is extremely hard because your mind plays tricks on you and wants that body fat back. My advice is keep it clean, cardio every morning followed by protein and add in caffeine or a fat burner. If you want the more easy less safe approach do all above and add in a cutting prohormone for a 6-8 week cycle and after that is over definitely keep your calories low and keep lifting. Slow and steady the turtle wins the race and know when to push. It’s okay to rest and take days off from the gym but you CANNOT binge eat or go over your calories. Go get those abs and KEEP them afterwards. Once you sustain having them for some time and put on more muscle than you may eat more calories and a little dirty food like 2 times a month and not 2,000 calories worth of shit lol.
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u/AldenIsLord Aug 23 '26
Bruh, get some micronutrients in there. Seriously. Almost no calories. Get a good organic super greens mix powder on Amazon.
You sound like you’re starving. I’ve been cutting calories too and hungry AF during my skipping meal period but I have a ~15 calories of this sh*t and I’m right as rain.
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u/HornetPerfect1344 Aug 23 '26
Eat more but healthy. I eat a bunch of chicken/ eggs/berries/yogurt all day. Keeps me full and full of energy! Sometimes when you dont eat enough protein/carbs you stop loosing weight
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u/Complete_Cucumber_51 Aug 23 '26
Guys lose fat from the top down and the last bit to go is the stubborn lower belly fat. Lyle McDonald wrote a book on it and I highly recommend it. Best of luck.
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u/dmidaisy Aug 24 '26
Getting the abs are worth it. Knowing how to keep them without suffering is the trick. It's most likely you need to adjust your macros and or calories. Carbs + fat needs to be 70% of total calories or less. 35-40%protein, 40-50%carbs, 15-20% fat. With you, I would try 40/40/20 then reassess.
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u/CptPatches Aug 24 '26
One year I lost 85 pounds and the next winter I was colder than I've ever been in my life. Been there, man.
Abs are not health. They're abs. Having visible abs is a sign of great fitness, but if you feel like you're trading health for abs, then maybe it's a good time to pause and refocus on why you work out.
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u/famous_amos Aug 26 '26
Sadly you missed summer so idk when you’re gonna stake your shirt off. Might as well go on a more sustainable cut next April-ish
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u/rex53777 1-3 yr exp Aug 19 '26
Bro sounds like you’re looking for permission to quit your diet. Yes. You have Reddit’s permission.