# How long did it take you to get abs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461 "2010-12-08T19:51:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![K-MAN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/838e76/32.png) [@K-MAN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K-MAN)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/1 "2010-12-08T19:51:48Z")
## _ **How did you guys end up losing that belly and get ripped abs!?** _ _It is a goal of mine to lose my belly by summer time, if not-sooner! Is this a realistic goal?_ I’m at about 36 inches in the waist, and have been trying to get rid of my belly since the beginning of last spring. I’ve already lost about 20-25 pounds since then. My diet is normal (I think). I go out to eat about once or twice a week (No fast food). Drink about 2-3 times a week-bud light beer, maybe some other types on occasion. ## Run about 2-3 times a week, sometimes 4. Also, weight lift in between, including sit ups. _Let me know what you guys think and please provide me with any other tips that you may have, which worked for you…_ ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/2 "2010-12-08T21:38:27Z")
Er, you already started a thread about this and got multiple responses. Here it is: [Need ways to lose the belly fat!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587750) ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/3 "2010-12-08T22:18:50Z")
I’ve had mine since birth. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/4 "2010-12-08T23:27:49Z")
OK - I’ve already contributed to your other thread, but since I’ve had such unexpected and astounding results, I’m going to repeat it here: 1. Cut the fat out of your diet. I’m not kidding. Look at everything you eat with a magnifying glass. This means: No Ice Cream, fatty snacks, fatty meats, candy, cookies, etc. Sorry. 2. Eat lots of vegetables. No fatty sauces, please! 3. Eat lots of fish. 4. Aerobic exercise and weight training every day. In four steps, I’ve outlined what I’ve done to lose 22 lbs. (174 - 152) in 4 months. Remember, my goal was never to lose weight - i just started following the Cardiac patient guidelines very closely. Since I’m getting very lean, my wife suggested I get back into “bodybuilding” (I put it in quotes because I’ll never be one of the big guys, and I won’t take supplements). My current goal is to have abs that would be the envy of any guy, and I’m getting there. I’m 50, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/5 "2010-12-08T23:41:01Z")
Oh, and to answer your question, it took about 3 months before I started to get visible abs. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/6 "2010-12-09T01:41:15Z")
It took me about a year to six pack abs, that last “pack” was so hard. You can get a “four pack” real easy 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/7 "2010-12-09T02:14:27Z")
Why do you want “ripped abs?” ---
**Author:** ![K-MAN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/838e76/32.png) [@K-MAN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K-MAN)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/8 "2010-12-09T14:32:38Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Why do you want “ripped abs?” Well, having abs in general would be nice. I’ve always had a belly, ever since I can remember… ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/9 "2010-12-09T15:57:01Z")
Some people are just built like that, and it’s very hard for them to get visible abs. My husband is very athletic and works out daily, and his diet is pretty good, but he has a layer of fat over his abs. He’d have to be very, VERY strict about his diet to get to the point of having visible abs, and he doesn’t feel it’s worth the hard work. Why not accept yourself for who you are and focus on being fit instead? ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/10 "2010-12-09T16:23:42Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Why not accept yourself for who you are and focus on being fit instead? Because having legendary abs would rule. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/11 "2010-12-09T16:29:10Z")
Can? Yes. Likely? No. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/12 "2010-12-09T16:54:38Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > It took me about a year to six pack abs, that last “pack” was so hard. You can get a “four pack” real easy 🙂 I’ve got the four, it is hard to get those last two. That layer of fat just does not want to go away. A male friend of mine got lipo to get rid of that last layer. In the crowd he runs with (young, gay and urban) they all do it. He is pleased with the results. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/13 "2010-12-09T16:55:20Z")
> [@K-MAN](#): > > I’ve always had a belly, ever since I can remember… And you may always have one. Some people have genetics that simply make it very difficult to lose all the body fat on their midsection that allows you to see the muscles. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/14 "2010-12-09T17:26:12Z")
> [@K-MAN](#): > > My diet is normal (I think). I go out to eat about once or twice a week (No fast food). > Drink about 2-3 times a week-bud light beer, maybe some other types on occasion. > > Run about 2-3 times a week, sometimes 4. Also, weight lift in between, including sit ups. If you’ve lost 20-25 lbs since last spring, and want to be ripped by summer? You need to get much more aggressive. Stop eating out. Stop drinking beer – even Bud Light. Change from a “normal” diet to something more controlled. I’d avoid carbs (such as, beer). The sit-ups aren’t doing anything more for your abs than any other exercise would; you can’t spot-reduce. I’d focus on cardio – more running. ---
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/15 "2010-12-09T19:58:18Z")
Within the last month I’ve started working on my abs more aggressively by doing the ab crunch Nautilus machine at the gym every trip (3-5 times per week at least) I was doing occasional crunches @ 120 lbs (3 x 10 reps) prior to the increased emphasis on my upper body and am now up to 155 lbs. Due to my extensive weight loss and the concomitant loose skin I doubt I will ever be able to **see** a six-pack, but I can certainly feel my abs much more than ever before. I must say that it feels very weird! I almost feel like I’m getting fat again! ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-did-it-take-you-to-get-abs/563461/16 "2010-12-09T20:35:06Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > And you may always have one. Some people have genetics that simply make it very difficult to lose all the body fat on their midsection that allows you to see the muscles. When I was in high school, I was 6 ft tall and only about 140 pounds, maybe less. I did track and cross country skiing, which involved a LOT of sit-ups and ab work in addition to the hours of cardio a day. At best I had a two-pack.