Q:

Cardio/Circuit training post workout

I am pretty fit and working out since 2003. I have good muscle definition and am currently at 15% body fat. I want to flaunt my six packs in coming new year season :), so basically I am on very Low Carb/ High protein diet.
My aim is to bring my body fat below 10 in coming 3 weeks. My abs are visible but lacking that killer look which would be seen once below 10% body fat.
So currently I am on strength and Cardio/Circuit workout. Since I can not hit gym twice due to time constraint I divide my gym session in two 45 minutes session. The first one is intense/explosive strength training (1 muscle each day). Then I take a break- immediately refuel myself with (1 scoop whey + 2 scoops Dextrose + L-Glutamine + 2 tabs multi vitamin). I follow it with 1 capsule of green tea extract. I give my body rest of 15 mins and then Cardio/Circuit session for 45 minutes (includes abs workout too). The cardio session is at moderate speed and not too high. I follow entire session with 1 scoop of Muscle Infusion or Syntha-6 with 1 spoon of coconut oil. And occasionally one banana. My Pre- Workout is 1.5-2 hrs prior to workout (Spinach and 8 egg whites omelette (2 egg yolks)). 20 minutes prior to workout 2000 mg Fish Oil + 2000 mg L-Carnitine. My Entire day diet is pretty good with lots of boiled vegetable,chicken. My weight is 80 KG height 180 cm and protein intake around 180gm per day. I workout all 7 days and no cardio/Circuit on leg day.
Does my Workout regime look good to you Six Pack Experts. Will I be able to reach below 10% body fat goal with this schedule in 3 weeks? 

A:

As I noted above, overall caloric intake versus what you're putting out is what's important for abs. But based on this Back Of Envelope calculation on a bodybuilding forum, the odds look to be stacked against you to drop for bodyfat percentage that much in 3 weeks. Look at it in this way. If you're at 15% bodyfat and are currently 80 kg, then you are, by definition, carrying 12 kg of fat. To get to 10%, you'd have to do something like lose 4 kg of fat and add 4 kg of muscle. Do you think that's really feasible in 3 weeks?

From a mathematical prospective...(There are many real life/physiological aspects that can effect this)
Current stats : 158lbs, 15% bodyfat (I know you may be lower, but lets just err on the high side for the sake of the equation)
Lean body mass: 134.3lbs
Fat mass: 23.7lbs
Let's assume that for every pound you lose, 65% is fat and the other 35% is other lean body mass. (This may vary for many, but I think it is somewhat realistic. You may lose a higher fat percentage, which is good, but that just means you reach your goal earlier. Also, this is not all muscle mass, its other stuff too.)
So...
Based on the above figures, you would be 10% at around 145lbs. That would put you at around 130.5 lbs of lean body mass and 14.5lbs of fat mass. You would lose 13lbs total, with 4.3lbs being lean mass and 8.7lbs being fat mass.
So, around 145lbs is the target, 13lbs down.
13x3500 cals = 45500 total cal deficit needed.
500cal daily deficit: ~91 days (13 weeks)
600cal daily deficit: ~76 days (~11 weeks)
700cal daily deficit: ~65 days (~9 weeks)
In conclusion,
Yes, about 8-12 weeks. Your mileage may vary...

