How To Get Abs But Not Lose Weight

I want to get into shape and really tighten up my abs. My problem is I tend to lose weight when I workout and I don’t want to lose any more weight since I’m already pretty thin. I simply want to tighten some loose areas such as my abs, butt and arms. I love my body and my current weight is perfect since I’m tall and it looks good on me. How do I achieve tighter abs without losing weight?

There is a common misunderstanding that exercise makes a person lose weight. This misconception is understandable since the first thing people are told they need to do in order to lose weight is exercise. But the truth is that a caloric deficit is what makes a person lose weight. Exercise only makes it easier to create this deficit by increasing the body’s energy expenditure. If this increased expenditure is met with an equal increase in calories, you will basically break even. In other words, you can exercise all you want but if you are eating the same amount of calories you are burning every day, that needle on the scale isn’t going to budge. That is great news because in your case that is exactly what you want.

So the first step for you is to be aware that as you begin an exercise program, you will need to increase your daily caloric intake in proportion to the amount of exercise you are doing. If you are looking to maintain your current weight then you will need to maintain a balance between calories burned and calories consumed. You can easily track your diet and find out how your daily calories add up by using online fitness trackers to help you.

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The next step is to make sure that your workouts are tailored towards strength training. Not only do you need your weight training to be focused on strength and toning but your cardio workouts as well. People tend to view cardio exercise as long repetitive hours spent on a stationary bike or treadmill but not all cardio workouts are created equally. In fact, it is not necessary to separate your cardio from your resistance training. One of the most effective ways of combining strength movements with cardio exercise is through various combinations of circuit training.

Circuit training is combining a certain number of exercises performed consecutively with minimal rest in between exercises. Many of today’s more popular workout systems use this method. P90x, Crossfit, and the Insanity workouts all use this principle to great effect. By performing various resistance exercises consecutively over an extended period of time these sets or “circuits” become both strength training as well as cardio training. An example may look like this:

The completion of this circuit would constitute 1 set with a total of 3-5 sets for your workout. The circuit may contain as many exercises as you would like but the point is that resistance exercises performed in succession can be a great form of cardio exercise as well.

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Assuming that you are eating ample calories to replenish the energy burned and focusing your training towards building strength, you should find yourself in better shape without losing any weight.

Is dedicated to providing health and fitness information to people so they can live a healthy lifestyle. has thousands of pages of fitness content with fun and interactive tools to help our visitors lose body fat, build lean muscle and increase their energy levels. We wish you great success in reaching your health and fitness goals!Getting abs for some can feel like the holy grail of fitness - despite that fact having abs doesn't necessarily mean you're healthy - and working out has a myriad of other benefits other than getting ripped.

But if fat loss and a lean midsection is your fitness goal, there are some tips you need to get there the healthy way.

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Fitness expert, PT and Fitbit UK ambassador James Stirling, aka London Fitness Guy shares the things everyone should know before trying to get abs.

It comes down to two key things - diet, training and how you pair them together, according to James. His key formula for getting toned?

Nutrition goes hand in hand with training says James, but you have to build the core otherwise you have nothing to show underneath.

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If you look at the bicep – if you don’t have the muscle when you diet down you will just be a slimmer version of what you were before, rather than someone with big biceps - your shape doesn’t change without putting the work in.

To build the foundations of a strong core, James recommends simple movements like crunches from home, or if you’re using the gym adding weight to core exercises to train the muscles by adding progressive overload, the same as you would a bicep or your chest.

Hanging leg raises (see above) are one of James' favourite exercises for building your core and targeting the lower abs. He recommends starting off with bringing your knees to your chest first, then working to bringing your legs up.

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You often hear people saying sit ups and planks won't get you abs, and while that is true, they still have a role to play in building a strong core because they are ALWAYS tough, no matter how fit you are. If I did now 50 crunches now I would still feel it in my core like I did before years of training James says.

While people think of crunches, planks and sit ups as the way to get abs, James says that compound movements, like deadlifts and squats are amazing for building your core. You need to control and contract your core during those compound and dynamic movements to actually see results, he advises. James also recommends the leg press as an underrated movement, making sure you seek the advice of a qualified PT if you've never performed these movements before.

Hate the gym? A lot of people overlook the power of doing core workouts at home, according to James. If there was anything to do at home it would be the core he says. You don’t need any equipment to do it, you can just roll out a mat! It will always be challenging, as long as you're contracting your core while performing the movements

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OK, so you've got your training down. But no matter how much training or core work you do, James says you will never be able to see your abs if your diet doesn’t supplement it – if your body fat is too high then they won’t show. Therefore, to see your abs, you need to reduce your body fat first – once you have reduced your body fat, your body will start to show the definition underneath.

If fat loss is your goal, you will need to be in a calorie deficit, which means have an awareness of what you're eating to fuel your training. And while some fitness fans use calorie tracking apps like My Fitness Pal all the time, James recommends a slightly more relaxed approach.

For some of his clients, he advises tracking for a week more as an educational exercise, so they're aware of what they are eating in their daily meals, and whether they're getting the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats for their goals, then tweaking the diet accordingly. He advises structuring each meal as a healthy balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables and fats, as a way to gage if you're eating for abs.

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Low carb only really works because you are taking carbs off the plate and reducing the total amount of calories says James. If you're training hard, carbs are important for performance in the gym and building muscle, and James says that you can create a calorie deficit with a balanced plate and still get the same results as someone who cut out all carbs.

There's no magic formula – I love carbs and removing them is just not sustainable for me – I would feel awful and drained with all the training I do!.

Eating out and drinking is part of a balanced life - and James says if you completely cut these out, you're more likely NOT to stick to a training plan, and your lifestyle will be far less sustainable. But if fat loss is your goal, it's all about moderation and making sensible choices.

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Just make sure you have a pretty healthy Monday to Friday, where you are on point with your training and diet, so you can really enjoy that Saturday night out he says. It's part of living life and if you're balanced in the week, generally you’re going to be OK.

He adds: I never say to a client 'you cannot drink' - as it's just not realistic. But you can limit the amount of calories you're consuming through alcohol, and how often and the frequency you’re drinking as well are key.

Sugar is also OK in moderation and you don’t have to cut out completely - it's just about satisfying your sweet tooth in moderation. No one has

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