“How much weight do I need to lose on a cut to see abs?”
Most people get this completely wrong
You think you only need to drop 15-20 pounds
But it’s normally a lot more than that
If you really want to get lean...like visible abs, jawline popping, shirts fitting different...
You probably need to lose more than you think
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing
You gotta strip away the fat until your muscle shows
So how do you know when you’re lean enough?
Here’s a good checklist:
You’ve lost most of the fat around your midsection (especially lower stomach) and abs are visibly noticeable
Can see clear muscle definition in your arms, shoulders, and chest
Veins are popping up everywhere
Feel “flat” but look leaner in the mirror
Legs have separation in them
Fitting into clothes you haven’t worn in years
You’ve hit a point where pushing further starts to affect strength, sleep, mood, libido or recovery (gonna be part of the process if trying to get super lean, suck it up if single digit BF is the goal)
And the most important metric
Progress pictures
If the mirror still shows softness in key areas (like lower stomach, love handles, thighs), you’re not done yet...even if the scale says you’ve lost 20 lbs
Remember this...
The goal of a cut isn’t a certain number
It’s a look
The deeper you go, the harder it's going to get
No way to sugarcoat it
Don’t sell yourself short and quit though
Push until the mirror tells you you’re done
10-12% body fat is a good goal for the average person
Single digit if trying to step on stage, photoshoot or just wanna see what you’re made of
Getting lean is also setting you up to be in a really good anabolic spot if you reverse out properly
Can put on a lot of muscle while staying lean if you’re disciplined (reverse out is often tougher for most people than the actual cut, STAY DISCLIPLINED)
It will all be worth it in the end, I promise you that
Don’t give up and as always…
DBAP
@schober222 Unfortunately it's just easier to deal with the regrets sometimes. It's easier to ignore a desire than fail for a lot of people unfortunately.
What if you get too busy to exercise?
Are you too busy to brush your teeth?
Are you too busy to take a shower?
Are you too busy to eat?
No…you find a way if it’s a priority.
Even if it’s only 15-20 minutes with a bodyweight workout or a quick run…
You find a fucking way to get it done.