How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Discuss how to get ripped abs here.

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sal67
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How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by sal67 »

Hi,

I am new here and registered to learn more about the ways to improve abs and overall fitness in the limited time that I have. I have office job requiring a lot of hours in front of the computer and by the end of the day very little time is left to work out. I can spare an evening or two during the week for gym but there is practically no time otherwise I can concentrate and work out. Can anyone advise me what to do in such cases and can I improve fitness condition and especially abs?

Thanks in advance!
Rickinator
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by Rickinator »

I used to have a boss that was in the office all day and was advised by his doctor to lose weight. So he got a gym membership and ran just the treadmill for 15 min... (but he ran 2 miles)..I thought it was funny that he didn't use any other piece of equipment.....lol..but wholly smokes did he get fit fast!....well that's a way to shed lbs .. good abs are 90% diet and 10% exersize in opinion..but low is definatly key. I walk around with a 4 pack most of the time..then I cut calories in cycles and have a sixpack. unless your a teenager...good abs come with a lot of effort for most..
sal67
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by sal67 »

Rickinator thank you.

Glad for your ex-boss. I was thinking about that, too. However, I don't think I can go to the gym or run outside every night. Plus, I also wanted to work out to build muscle. As you see, I am looking for the ways to combine both within those couple of nights per week that I have at disposal to go to gym. Any suggestions?

Thanks.
vamp
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by vamp »

20 minutes during lunch, biking to work and home or walking or jogging..... DIET.... Circuit style workouts.... DIET.... interval style work outs like sprints.... DIET..... wake 15 minutes earlier eat and hydrate, set timer and jog 7 1/2 minutes from house, then return (try to go further every day) then you can shower and go to work....... DIET ...... TV time, do planks, pushups, bridges and stretching...... DIET.......

Lol, I think you get it, make it hard and intense between 20-30 minutes and clean out your diet... if you have cleaned out the diet, re-evaluate it. I am not judging you but most people have more time than they realize.... on a 15 minute work break, you could walk the parking lot and then grab a small snack and some water before returning to work.... If you have a half hour to hour lunch you have time for 15-45 minutes to do a physical activity.

Cheers
Alinshop
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by Alinshop »

Are you fairly lean now, or do you need to shed some body fat? As others say, visible ab's are mostly due to diet first. I would think some sort of circuit training would be best for you since your time at the gym is limited.
sal67
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by sal67 »

Vamp, Alinshop, thank you guys for your suggestions and questions. I consider myself relatively lean. However, regardless of how much fat covers abs, it is the shape of the that bothers me most. I cannot seem to be able to "pack it in". Do you have any suggestions on how to flatten that area?

Thanks!
vamp
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by vamp »

let me look up some information.....
Last edited by vamp on Thu Sep 26, 2013 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
vamp
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by vamp »

There is no way other than diet and high intensity workouts. So circuit style exercise doing 6-10 exercises in a row without stopping then take a break and do it 3-5 rounds... some people work their way up to 10 sets (athletes).

Bossman has made several such suggested workouts that are all bodyweight and great from a kid to a senior. They can be found in some other people's posts.

80kg is 176 lbs.... you are 30 and 4' 10" is 58".....

BMR (1696 calories for base level) * activity level (1.2 for sedentary lifestyle) = 2030 calories a day... if you exercised 3x a week you could up it to about 2150.

At 4' 10" your height/weight calculation puts you somewhere between 95-120 lbs. (I don't trust this chart but using as a tool here)

Your waist should be below 29 inches... measured half way between the lowest rib and the top of the pelvic bone (approximately 1" or two fingers above the button. Based on being less than 1/2 your height to be considered not obese and in healthier range.

Perhaps this gives you a better incite as to what you need to do or change.
Cheers
sal67
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by sal67 »

Vamp thanks so much, but I just realized there was a mistake in measurements - I'm 5 feet 7'' and not 4'10'', which makes me 67 inches. What formula should I use to calculate that for height?
vamp
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by vamp »

Well it does change it some....

1/2 your 67" height is 33 1/2 waist (less is better)

Calculating Your Frame Size for height/weight chart....

Following is the method the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company used to calculate frame size:
1.Extend your arm in front of your body bending your elbow at a ninety degree angle to your body so that your forearm is parallel to your body.

2.Keep your fingers straight and turn the inside of your wrist towards your body.

3.Place your thumb and index finger on the two prominent bones on either side of your elbow, then measure the distance between the bones with a tape measure or calipers.
4.Compare to the chart below. The chart lists elbow measurements for a medium frame - if your elbow measurement for that particular height is less than the number of inches listed, you are a small frame - if your elbow measurement for that particular height is more than the number of inches listed, your are a large frame.

men 5' 4" - 5' 7" small is less than 2-5/8" large is greater than 2-7/8" (medium lies between the numbers)

small 138 - 145 lbs.
medium 142 - 154 lbs.
large 149 - 168 lbs.

(like I said, this height/weight chart is not the best tool as it is only good for about 1/4 - 1/3 of the population)

so... calories..... 1810 Base calories x sedentary lifestyle (1.2) is 2172 calories a day to maintain your current weight.... if you reduce and stay between 1950-2100 you should shed a few pounds as long as it is clean eating..... I HIGHLY recommend minimum of 1/2 hour walk EVERY DAY above anything you currently do. Of course the exercises discussed earlier would be far better for you to shed more weight and trim up the waistline.
Alinshop
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by Alinshop »

What is your diet like? I find when I cut out certain things like sugar and certain starches is when I end up seeing the most changes.
vamp
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by vamp »

I find limiting grains and starches also work well for me!
Alinshop
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by Alinshop »

Hey Vamp! Have you seen any changes in the ab department?
vamp
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by vamp »

Well, I don't see any 6 Pack yet but Kegger isn't as full, lol. Actually, as of this past Monday I have lost 3.25 inches (that is 7 weeks in) and at 15 lbs loss. Thanks for asking!!
Alinshop
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Re: How to get good abs if you have little time for workouts?

Post by Alinshop »

vamp wrote:Well, I don't see any 6 Pack yet but Kegger isn't as full, lol. Actually, as of this past Monday I have lost 3.25 inches (that is 7 weeks in) and at 15 lbs loss. Thanks for asking!!


:oops: I think that question was actually meant for Sal, but it's nice to hear that you have lost 15 lbs in seven weeks! Keep up good work brutha!
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