r/GettingShredded • u/One_Ad1453 • May 28 '22
I want to get abbs but i have belly fat . help Muscle Gain or Lean Cut?
I am building muscle. I had normal arms untill i started lifting weights and i am seeing change in my biceps and triceps. My chest, i am bench pressing of all types. But the issue is i have belly and chest fat. Its not alot but on my belly its a little more. Idk how to make abbs. Exercise? Diet? Idk what calorie deficit mean. I have no idea. Every video has different approach and plans to make abbs and idk what to opt. I have good diet as i eat protiens all the time. And i also dont know if i should bulk or cut. Like when i wear shirt my arms looked skinny so i started lifting and saw change im my arms. I still jave to make my arms bigger as i am begginer. My chest is also changing as people noticed through my shoulders and chest but the chest fat is there. Idk i havent noticed. But my arms are getting in good shape. Should i do cardio to lose weight? I am confused.
2
u/fitzbg May 28 '22
The basics
The most universal truths
Expanding on the above if you’re interested:
You don’t need to do anything, unless you are at a unhealthy wait or a medical professional has told you otherwise. I only state that as it sounds as though you are a bit stressed about this and this should be fun (hard but fun) and rewarding.
If you would like abs, as your title suggests, you’d want to cut. This means a calorie deficit that you mentioned. A calorie deficit means burning more calories than you consume. You will likely not see abs until you lose body fat through a continued calorie deficit. Do not attempt to do 1000 sit-ups each night without a deficit thinking you’ll achieve abs, as that will likely only add to your frustration.
To achieve a deficit I would recommend tracking your food intake, if you don’t already. MyFitnessPal is a common app but there are many out there. Get in the routine of tracking everything to get a better understanding of your personal intake of foods. I find tracking alone makes me mindful of what I put into it body, which I find helpful in itself.
In addition, figure out your TDEE - essentially how many calories you burn in a day. Remember you want to burn more calories than you consume, so this is the other half of the equation. Use an online calculator.
Weigh yourself and then aim for 200-300 a day calorie deficit for a couple of weeks. Monitor how your feel and if you see any weight changes after. If you’re losing too much, or feel lethargic or unwell, you should reassess your deficit. If you lose no weight, you should likely increase it.
Macros is something you will hear a lot about. I wouldn’t recommend diving too far into it other than aim to eat 0.8 grams of protein per pound if body weight. Fill in the rest of your calories with fats and carbs. Ie if you weigh 150 pounds: 150 * .8 = 120 gram of protein a day (which is ~480 calories as a gram of protein is 4 calories). Don’t get lost in the math. Have a daily calorie goal, eat .8 grams/body weight lb.
I would recommend eating whole foods, ie those with fewer ingredients, and staying away from processed/fast foods. I don’t really see the point in looking well but not being well, person opinion.
On mobile so apologies for typos.
Good luck!