8 pack abs or continue to lose little fat/gain strength this summer?

[MrQuestion]

I have a small dilemma at hand. Right now im eating a high protein/med fat/med carb diet at maintenance calories and im losing fat while gaining strength (and even a bit of muscle). Now im not losing fat that rapidly, maybe a half pound per week but still losing neverthless.

My bodyfat is right at 14.5% and the summer is coming, so im tempted to go on a diet and shred some more fat. I already know which diet works for me so that I lose between 1-2lbs of fat a week, which should lock me around the end of July to get some quality abs. The thing is, my strength won't continue to go up and I will lose a bit of muscle.
(Boy oh boy, dont ya just wish life can give us everything we want when we want it?)

I have made a small list of pros and cons of continuing with my gain strength/lose little fat diet:

Pros:

-While I won't reach abs until late into this year (and that's IF this continues to work), but my strength will continue to go up and while gaining a bit of muscle.

- This diet is really easy to follow and I love it.

- Not as much the "grass is greener on the other side" issue since I get both of best worlds.

Cons:

- No abs this summer

- No abs this summer


THe Lose lots of fat/maintain strength diet

Pros:

-I will reach abs this summer no probs. Done it before.

- THe natural high I get (yeah, it sounds corny,,,,but its true) when Im very lean.

- I will look much more attractive to the members of the opposite sex (I dont see how this is a bad thing, but I figure someone will say something about this...oh well)

- I will shut up TONS of naysayers that say I will never get lean.

Cons:

- I will be hungry (although I will have my cheat days once a week)

- My strength will not go up and there is also a natural high of breaking a PR in a bench or squat.

- No muscle gain, may lose a tad bit in fact


If it wasn't for the summer, I would definetely be patient and just continue to lose fat in tiny bits and gain strength.
But I will be outside at the pool a lot this summer and not having any abs or whatever will be a long pondering thought in my head.


Im curious to hear what you think:

 

[KILLER2001]

I say, shred up for the summer. I'm gonna, and I am in the same situation as you. Im gonna run some stuff however, to help prevent the strength and size loss.

 

[Haz]

Summer is only for a few months so might as well get ripped to shreds and get an awesome six pack for the beach and swimming pool. Whats the point of building an awesome physique if you keep it hidden under a layer of fat all year long?

 

[Gbomb]

why not just stay the same weight up the protein lower the carbs and get shredded...youll have the abs and keep the muscle...as for being hungry..eat every 2hours bro...have a shake, bar, snack on chunks of chicken...remember no carbs in chicken, turkey,tuna,and steak...and drink down those iso-pure's...hope this helps..g.

 

[KING]

if you are single than shred for the summer. Screw the strenght if you look like crap when you take off your shirt. There are probably alot of stronger guys in the gym than me but I get alot more attention because I'm shredded. You take enough fina and test and you will be surprise how much muscle and strenght stays with you. I have gotten as low as 5% and still have the same strenght. The high that you get when you are ripped makes you want to stay rip all the time, this is why I will never go over 7% and that's the at the most. You only have to find the balance that allows you to grow and stay shredded at the same time, this is why I love steroids . Screw the sixpack, go for the intercostals for the summer.

 

[el cubano]

You know, I mean no offense at all by this, but why do people keep asking questions that can only be answered by yourself? I mean, do you want your abs to show this summer or not? How can we make up your mind for you? I know, I know, you are going to say that you just wanted opinions. I say as long as you aren't fat forget about the abs for now. Whether or not my abs show never stopped me from pulling bitches. LOL. J/K about the bitches part.

 

[Twitched]

If it were me, I would continue to make strength and size gains.

Getting "cut up" is counterproductive when you are still early in your quest for a powerful body.

This is not to say I advocate getting fat.

But I figure, if I'm not carrying serious mass, what business do I have "cutting"? Can't cut up what isn't there..

 

[Dantes]

Sometimes you just want someone to confirm your decision.

Go for the sixpack, and if you are worried about strength/muscle loss... Come on this is an anabolic board!

 

[MrQuestion]

You know, I mean no offense at all by this, but why do people keep asking questions that can only be answered by yourself? I mean, do you want your abs to show this summer or not? How can we make up your mind for you? I know, I know, you are going to say that you just wanted opinions.

On the surface it seems like when a person asks 'should I do X or Y' it means that the third party is making the decision for the person. Not always so, at least with me.

As Dante said, the feedback (which is really what Im after) is what's confirming my decision. It's like buying an appliance or even something simple like a videogame. You have an eye for one of the games you like, you read the reviews, and while you still may want to purchase it....you want to feel assured-secure that you are making the right decision.

Another thing with feedback which is not mentioned is that you will find an answer that hasn't crossed your mind yet. Even if it's something soo simple. One of the comments that struck me was "what's the point of having muscle if you got fat hiding it?" So simple yet so true. I don't really care for looking big. I have a baby face so there goes any effort trying to intimidate other people by being 'big.' lol


For everyone else, thanks for the feedback. Continue to post more feedback if you wish.

 

[MrQuestion]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I will not be using any assistance nor will I ever use anything of the sorts until I have maximized my potential to gain muscle naturally.

I've always had trouble losing fat, so I did DNP. Now I found the right diet that I can stick with, so no more having to use that poison. Im not anti-DNP as other people are, I really think that the dangers in terms of death are overblown (though for good reason, so I will not debate on that). The thing I don't like about DNP is how high the free radicals can get in your body when using it. I notice I shed more/hair gets thinner when Im on it. Several months after Im off of it, I notice my hair goes back to it's normal setting.

Of course, this could be by coincedence and the timing could be where I might be shedding anyway. But DNP is known to produce tons of free radicals and the last thing I want to do is look like a worn out old man with wrinkles at a young age.

Yes, we can take Vitamin E, C, Zinc. ALA...but how do we know that this will prevent most or all of the incoming radicals. Maybe the free radical damage is so high that any anti-oxidant may be of small signifance, even when taking high amounts of anti-ox. I need to be assured.

Other than that, post on!