What got you cut/ripped?

A

amanda12485

Guest
What worked for you for getting cut/ripped? Fat loss and definition.
nutrition, the workouts, the amount ?
 
STS really did it for me. Before that, I prepared with some awesome rotations while waiting and those helped jumpstart my strength. Tracking my food and carefully watching my macros, and drinking lots of water, really finished me off. While doing STS, I did almost exclusively Cardio Coach workouts, so I count those with my success. After STS, I leaned out more and focused on triathlon races over the summer, kept weights at a strict maintenace minimum, and leaned out even more.
 
a low carb diet with a good amount of cardio but i really think the diet played more of a role than the cardio. unfortunately i felt like a zombie doing it. i'm lean but not contest lean and thats just fine with me b/c i don't compete.
 
I've recently leaned out while doing the Slim Series with extra cardio and a diet of 30% fat/50% carbs/20% protein or thereabouts anyway. I would always keep my fat intake at between 20 and 25% in the past and could not get my cals below 1500 that way with out feeling like I was STARVING! When I started doing SS and inadvertently ate a higher fat diet one day I noticed that my cals were a lot lower overall and I wasn't hungry so I ran with it to see what would happen. It worked like a charm! I don't know that my work outs were key so much as my diet. I've always changed up the work outs but never fiddled with my macros all that much except to try and lower my carb intake once in a while. No matter what I did, I was struggling to lose a few pounds/lean out for the longest time and suddenly when my fat intake went up and my cals went down it happened! :D
 
Slim Series is an older Beach Body work out lead by Debbie Siebers. It is a high rep/low weight work out series that is meant to lean you out. It IS advanced, yes. There are cardio moves in the work outs but it's not much so most folks add cardio on. It's a 5 day rotation with a rest day and a stretch day...if you do it as written. The series bores lots if not most folks to tears which is the downside. That, and the music sucks. However, if you can get through it, it IS very effective! I have done it before and hated every minute of it but this time was/is different. I am really enjoying it for some reason. I think part of it is that I got smart and now use the 'no music' option. ;) Other then that I think it's just a refreshing change for me to focus on endurance as I had been stuck on heavy lifting for the longest time....It also doesn't hurt that I am seeing fantastic results!:D
 
I've recently leaned out while doing the Slim Series with extra cardio and a diet of 30% fat/50% carbs/20% protein or thereabouts anyway. I would always keep my fat intake at between 20 and 25% in the past and could not get my cals below 1500 that way with out feeling like I was STARVING! When I started doing SS and inadvertently ate a higher fat diet one day I noticed that my cals were a lot lower overall and I wasn't hungry so I ran with it to see what would happen. It worked like a charm! I don't know that my work outs were key so much as my diet. I've always changed up the work outs but never fiddled with my macros all that much except to try and lower my carb intake once in a while. No matter what I did, I was struggling to lose a few pounds/lean out for the longest time and suddenly when my fat intake went up and my cals went down it happened! :D

sorry to hijack this thread but i have a question. b/c of the boredom factor, do you think SS would be effective 3 days a week? i tried doing the rotation as is but couldn't do more than 2 weeks of it. Also, when did you do the extra cardio workout?
 
A third day of full body body weights! Amazing results. I was doing two days a week and when I added that third day...POP goes the biceps!! LOL
 
sorry to hijack this thread but i have a question. b/c of the boredom factor, do you think SS would be effective 3 days a week? i tried doing the rotation as is but couldn't do more than 2 weeks of it. Also, when did you do the extra cardio workout?

Slim Series is actually based on over-training or training the muscles on back to back days. That being said, I think you really need to do the rotation as written, or at least close in order to see the best results. Maybe 3 days back to back with a "break" every 4th would work but I don't think doing it every other day (3 days a week) would be nearly as effective. As for cardio, I basically stuck it in where ever and when ever I wanted to and had the time for it. Basically, I would add on short cardios (20-30 mins) 2-3 days a week when I did an SS w/o and then would run on the day in the rotation was reserved for the stretching routine. It's a very time consuming rotation but I think it was well worth it for me! HTH! :)
 
For me it was STS and learning that I really could and should lift heavier. Also really cleaning up my eating! HUGE difference there. I have even been able to cut back on cardio b/c of it.

Heather
 
I've recently leaned out while doing the Slim Series with extra cardio and a diet of 30% fat/50% carbs/20% protein or thereabouts anyway. I would always keep my fat intake at between 20 and 25% in the past and could not get my cals below 1500 that way with out feeling like I was STARVING! When I started doing SS and inadvertently ate a higher fat diet one day I noticed that my cals were a lot lower overall and I wasn't hungry so I ran with it to see what would happen. It worked like a charm! I don't know that my work outs were key so much as my diet. I've always changed up the work outs but never fiddled with my macros all that much except to try and lower my carb intake once in a while. No matter what I did, I was struggling to lose a few pounds/lean out for the longest time and suddenly when my fat intake went up and my cals went down it happened! :D

Hello Fitmommy....when you say you started eating a "higher fat diet" do you mean you were eating things like fatty "clean" foods......whole eggs instead of egg whites....butter and olive oil instead of cooking spray......cheese (yuck) or did you add fatty "non clean" foods?
 
Cardio (mountain biking, running, kickboxing) and lifting with Cath, discipline, eating right and family/this forum support.
 
the 3 times a week full body workouts, would that be good for burning fat?
 
Hello Fitmommy....when you say you started eating a "higher fat diet" do you mean you were eating things like fatty "clean" foods......whole eggs instead of egg whites....butter and olive oil instead of cooking spray......cheese (yuck) or did you add fatty "non clean" foods?

I am primarily eating more healthy fats ie: nuts, olive oil, etc. I am also allowing myself to indulge in cheese more often then I ever would have in the past. I love the stuff but the fat content always scared me away. I've always allowed myself small "indulgences" like chocolate, etc. and that hasn't changed but I've make a point of not increasing my intake to that end either.HTH! :)
 
To begin with, I have genetics on my side. I have never had a weight problem, but without any exercise at all, I can tend towards skinny fat, which isn't visually appealing at all!

What works for me and has definition showing all over, but particularly around the core and legs/glutes is a combination of the following each 8 day week:

--run twice a week (about 8 miles as run/walk, run 6 mins, walk 2, repeat)
--50-60 min power walk once per week (inclines gradually increase all the way through from 4.6 mph and 7% to 3.9 mph and 15% for the last 6 mins)

--one lower body routine done with weights machines at the gym (done right after powerwalk inclines cardio session)
--one total body routine that either uses a GS legs approach with some additional exercises thrown in that I learned at PT (with upper body weight work weaved in to give lower body a rest) or a body-weight only lower body routine down at the park during my daughter's soccer practice (200 squats, with low ends, 200 walking lunges, step ups onto bench, etc)


I am not using particularly heavy weights, but moderate weights or just body weight with very high reps. My goal is to support my running and protect my knees, my whole routine is based around this. It works for me. I feel great. Look younger than my 44 years. I see definition all over. I only work out 3 or 4 times per week, but each session is at least 2-2 1/2 hours long. This works for me because I cannot work out every day, I find it's too boring and I can't make myself do it. But on the days I really want to work out, I gun it, go hard and it works for me.

Clare
 
You have to play around with it and see what works for you. The weights, cardio and diet all play their part and you have to find the right combo for your body. :)

I agree ^^^

On another note: There is no such thing as "burning fat"...You burn calories, which is energy. Your body doesn't "burn fat." Your fat cell shrink or expand, but they cannot burn away.
 
I've recently leaned out while doing the Slim Series with extra cardio and a diet of 30% fat/50% carbs/20% protein or thereabouts anyway. I would always keep my fat intake at between 20 and 25% in the past and could not get my cals below 1500 that way with out feeling like I was STARVING! When I started doing SS and inadvertently ate a higher fat diet one day I noticed that my cals were a lot lower overall and I wasn't hungry so I ran with it to see what would happen. It worked like a charm! I don't know that my work outs were key so much as my diet. I've always changed up the work outs but never fiddled with my macros all that much except to try and lower my carb intake once in a while. No matter what I did, I was struggling to lose a few pounds/lean out for the longest time and suddenly when my fat intake went up and my cals went down it happened! :D


Another vote for Slim Series! Although I started with Slim in 6 ("beginner" version) and I combined that with walking my dog 4-5x per week and I dropped the weight I had been holding on to for a year, no matter what I tried. I also got the leanest I'd ever been! I didn't find it boring either, I actually looked forward to the workouts because of the results! :)
 
First thing was years and years ago when I cut out diet soda....I began to see muscle definition right away after that. Then I progressed into heavier weight and more running, not to mention a low carb diet. (It's true you can be a long distance runner and still eat low carb). Nutrition is huge when it comes to getting ripped! Finally, going more holistic in my eating, and upping my healthy fat intake (amen, FitMommy) really leaned me out the past two years! Upping your omega 3 fats, and foregoing the breads and pastas will do wonders for your physique!
As far as exercise goes, I never do the same exercise routine twice, I always keep my body guessing. You gotta shock your system!
 
For me in the past few months lower calories and TAE BO did the trick. Overall I believe that changing your routines regularly is the key for continuous success. I never did kickboxing, maybe that's why I see very good result now. BF went down about 3% since I started.
 
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