I've been hunting for a thread I thought I read a long time ago. I've gone back almost a year and still haven't found it. So I thought I'd just post and see what everyone suggested. If you know of any pertinent threads, by all means just point me at 'em. Thanks in advance.

I've typed this few times over in notepad trying to make it say what I'm thinking ... I had a lengthy conversation with my wonderful and supportive husband last night. I can't remember it all verbatim ... it of course could have explained what I mean.

I'm a pretty good weight now. I wouldn't have any qualms about staying looking like this for the next 30 or 40 years. In January, I was about here and kinda fumbled with what to do next. Then I stupidly let it all slide. I have no intention of letting that happen again.

In the last few months, I've been sort of 'gross weight training'. Upper body, lower body. I intended to breath heavy and sweat. I wanted to use calories doing it and build muscle to use more calories than my fat used to or a skinny fat me would.

Now, I'm thinking in terms of fine tuning, the trimmings ... turning my slim body into a trim and fit looking body. For it to be obvious that I do something 'above and beyond' in order to look and feel great. Do fitness models have to hold their stomachs in?

What's the deal? Lifting heavier? Doing more refined and specific lifting? ....?

Also ... I've heard here often that good abs are made in the kitchen. How so?

Susan, how many days per week do you lift and for how long?
My initial suggestion would be to break your lifting into a three or four day split so that you can devote more time to each body part. Upper/Lower is great...but it will only take you so far. To take your body to the next level you need to add more sets, more exercises for each body part, and probably more weight.

If you have time to do a 3 day split here is a combo:
Day 1: Quads, Hams, Abs
Day 2: Chest, Shoulders
Day 3: Back, Bi's and Tri's

There are all sorts of ways to break it up. The only thing I'd suggest is don't do legs and back together, or on back-to-back days. They are the two largest muscle groups. It takes too long, and takes too much energy.

If you can do four days of lifting, here's a split:
Day 1:Quads, hams
Day 2: Chest, tris
Day 3: Back, bis
Day 4: Shoulders, abs

I do a 5 day split: (this is a bit obsessive for fitness)
Day 1: Quads, hams
Day 2: Chest, calves
Day 3: Back, abs
Day 4: shoulders
Day 5: bi's, tri's abs

A good resource for you at this point would be The Bodysculpting Bible for Women .
Mel

I have that book. I actually had my nose in it this morning. I try for three days a week but if I'm bored (or wired up) I just go do another one. I work shift and weekends so my week doesn't necessarily divide up like some folks'. So I could do a four day split every other day ... or whatever ...
I'll have a look at those splits and exercises for those groupings.Thanks Mel!

Obsessive you say? That'd be me, yup. I really don't know much about back and it was time for me to do abs so I started on day 3 of the 5 day split.
I got out all my Oxygen and Shape magazines and the BSB for women and EXRX and threw something together that looks like it worked all the proper muscles. It felt good! very good, thanks again.

I'm doing a bit of research on that abs made in the kitchen thing. Any thoughts on that?

Is your fitday journal accurate? (in other words, are you putting everything down that you eat and measuring everything?) If so, you seem to be eating really well. Most days seem on the low cal end to me, but I only looked at about 5 days. For your height, you are at a good weight...and you sure don't want to eat less! To see changes, you need to hit the weights. That's how you'll see your abs. You seem to be eating most clean, so change the muscle to fat ratio of your entire body and you'll see more definition and less jiggle everywhere.

Mel

It feels soooo awesome to have someone in the 'know' tell me that I eat well! What a perk! I have been low the last couple of days. I dunno ... off my feed a bit. I'm working on lean proteins .... keeping them handy in the fridge. Now that you mention it, I haven't had an Ilene's pancake today.

....more definition and less jiggle .... how wonderful!

That's Mel, so very much.

I ratched around this morning to find some calipers. A fairly good assessment of my body fat is 25.3%.

As for putting everything in fitday, yes. I'm a bit o/c. I do not, however, add water (2 or 3 litres), black coffee (4 or 5 cups) or diet coke (varies).

I think that actually seeing your abs is mainly about body fat levels: something like <15% for women and 10% for men. My big goal is to lose enough weight to see my abs.

Good luck with your training/dieting!

Yup, that's why the saying is that abs are made in the kitchen. I can start to see my abs at about 17%. At 14-15% I have a nice 4 pack, a lovely front triangular taper, and can see my obliques. But my face looks OLD. I've never managed to get lower than that, and I don't think I want to try.

Mel

Ain't that the truth! When I get down to anywhere near close to my "goal" weight, I have so many more wrinkles. I mean, I understand that it's my fat that's keeping my face and neck relatively smooth, and makes people say to me "you don't look 60!" - and I love that But that same fat is certainly nowhere as attractive on the rest of my body! So I plug away at reducing it and have resigned myself to looking my age when I get there.

has anybody read sly moves by slyvester stallone this book has some great info and workout regimes