Is it about my workouts or my diet?

I am at a loss. I weigh 160lbs, am 5'8" tall, my hips are around 39 - 40" and my waist is around 29" - 30". I want to get my abs flatter but really dont want to lose any more weight. I currently workout 6hrs per week on average - 2 of that 6 is usually full body weight training. To be honest, I don't do a lot of ab exercises so therefore I am wondering if I will see more abs definition if I incorporate more ab work into my routine.

Or is it about my diet? I eat a pretty well balanced diet. Lots of veggies and whole grains, lean proteins and fruit. I usually drink about 8 glasses of water per day - however 3 of those 8 are crystal light.

I should be talking to my trainer about this later but in the mean time can any one help me??

Well your tummy seems pretty flat from where I'm sitting! However, if you want a six pack, you are gonna have to reduce bodyfat (back to the old calorie in vs. calorie out thing). I have a great 10 min Joannie Greggains video that I used for about the last 20 yrs off and on. It's oldy, but goody! It'll get your stomach SHREDDED in about 4-6 weeks..no kiddin! (this, of course once your stomach is already flat...)

In my experience, while you can't spot reduce, you can develop your ab muscles so that they become more pronounced and your stomach looks leaner. To get that "ripped" look, you'll have to reduce fat (through diet) and therefore you probably will have to drop a few pounds.

I have a feeling my trainer is going to tell me the same thing.......

Unfortunately, your trainer will probably tell you the same thing, yes. You are going to have to lose the fat to see the muscle. I have around 19.5-20% bodyfat, and I swear it is all on my abdomen. I think I read that you don't see much defined ab muscle until 18% BF and below? Maybe?

Depends on genetics...where your body tends to store fat (in general). No matter how BIG I get, my stomach (and arms) doesn't store much fat...and is the 1st place to lose fat when I do lose weight. My upper thighs are another story...and my butt...well...just call me BERTHA!!!

Working out specific body parts has nothing to do with it -- and your size might have little to do with it, either. I carry a lot of weight on my thighs and the rest on my lower abdomen -- very little on my butt or hips, which is always the first to shrink (so I drop jeans sizes first and skirt sizes last). So at my normal BMI of 21, I still have a huge lower-ab pooch, which has actually become temporarily more pronounced with weight loss, as fat leaves my hips and upper abs.

Genetics will really limit the kinds of body you can have -- it looks like your current build lends itself to a flatter tummy and wider hips (pear), so count yourself lucky for that As an apple, I could be seriously underweight before having a flat stomach, so I've made my peace with the pooch.

Basically, there are only two ways to have perfect abs. Losing so much weight that you have a bodybuilder's bodyfat percentage is one of the them. The other is liposuction.

I spoke to my trainer........i need to eat more protein and I need to incorporate more weight training and cut down on the cardio. Right now my workout schedule is mostly cardio. He wants me to balance it out so that I do either 4days cardio, 2 days weights or 3 days cardio and 3 days weights.

I hate working out in the weights room - I cant deal with the testosterone
He also wants me to eat more......especially protein. I feel like I am back at square one

Oh, I thrive on the testosterone! That's so funny! I love trying to keep up with the guys...even though I'm lifting feathers compared to them. It still amuses me. But the men at my gym are really friendly and mostly don't even give me a second glance.

Why less cardio, I wonder?

I'm with you. After these 10 pounds are gone I'm going to want a flatter tummy without any more weight loss. I haven't focused on abs much either. It's my least favorite body part to work out. I was hoping I could tone the belly and help the muscles pop the way I have with my arms.

Because if I continue to do it without the weight training, I am going to lose even more muscle than I have lost already....

Oh...I see. That makes sense.

Now I don't know about you, but you appear to have a very muscular build, which I think is lovely! I personally want the abs, but I don't want a lot more muscle elsewhere. I'm just thinking out loud here. Seems like more protein and more ab work could potentially get the job down? Blah, I don't know.

Thanks....i think so too. But at the same time, I know that my workouts could take some balancing. So my plan is to try and do some more weight training - at least once a week in the weights room; increase my protein and as you said do some abs work (reality is I do not do much at the moment). Hopefully it will work.

could you try resistance bands instead of the weights some of the time? there are some killer workouts using those.

Sounds like you want to do some body recomposition. Have you read the book New Rules of Lifting for Women? They talk a LOT about it in the nutrition section of the book, what percentages of protein/fats/carbs will help you maintain nearly the same weight while building muscles. Building the muscles will help to burn the fat, and while the scale may stay the same, you may lose a pants size.

Still in the early stages of it, I've actually GAINED about 6 pounds, but already dropped a pants size. And my arms are starting to look great. There's a little ab work built into each workout, but it's mainly full body workouts 2 to 3 times a week, go at your own pace, increase weight/reduce reps as you're able.

I don't think you can tell, but I love it!

Nope...i have not. I have heard a lot of rave reviews about it. I have done some research and have found a weight training routine that looks manaegable. I am going to start with it along with increasing my protein and some ab work and see.........

This thread has inspired me to dust off my old (and by old...I mean OLD!!!!) Joannie Greggains 10 minute Ab video and incorporate that into my workout at least 4 days/week. I remember years ago...my abs got STUPID RIPPED doing that video. I've already taken a picture of my before abs which are posted on my thread below. I will retake ab pics in 4 weeks to show if there is a difference. No dietary changes...everything will stay the same.

I have to respectfully disagree with your trainer. I don't think you're losing muscle (if that is even so) is the cause of you not being happy with the definition in your abs. I think it's simple...fat! The lower our bodyfat%, the more our muscles show. Core work does GREAT for abs, as well as running TBH! But so do crunches, situps, leg lifts and side twists!

Just sayin that there's more than one way to skin a cat. I also hear great things about the book, New Rules of Weight Lifting for Woman, and although I OWN the book, have never seemed to have the time or desire to read it.

All the best.