How to lose that final one inch of fat (tummy)
Discussion
getting truly lean is not fun, it is horrible.
I've been mental at it for months, weights, running, rowing, the lot.
Diet... tuna plus other tasteless stuff for months on end, I reckon I hit 10% for a few weeks about a month ago, but I just can't keep it up, I have to take a few weeks of every now and again.
My tip is this .... being hungry will not kill you, if you think about it in nature most wild animals are usually hungry, we have been educated to graze.
I've been mental at it for months, weights, running, rowing, the lot.
Diet... tuna plus other tasteless stuff for months on end, I reckon I hit 10% for a few weeks about a month ago, but I just can't keep it up, I have to take a few weeks of every now and again.
My tip is this .... being hungry will not kill you, if you think about it in nature most wild animals are usually hungry, we have been educated to graze.
MYOB said:
I'm not looking into sub 10% BMI...around 15% would suit me. Haven't got the time for extreme measures. I suppose I should be pleased with my progress to date.
if you're 15% you'll have that 1 inch on the waist. The truth is to get sub 10%-no tummy, you have to cut carbs. It isnt fun at all. Im doing it at the moment. 1300 max, all tuna, chicken, cottage cheese. My carbs come from green veg.evo4a said:
getting truly lean is not fun, it is horrible.
No it's not. It's great, it's achieving what you want - how can that be horrible?burwoodman said:
if you're 15% you'll have that 1 inch on the waist. The truth is to get sub 10%-no tummy, you have to cut carbspay a bit more attention to your diet in general and do more cardio. It isnt fun at all. Im doing it at the moment. 1300 max, all tuna, chicken, cottage cheese. My carbs come from green veg.
So you're not cutting carbs then.If it's no fun then why the f
k are you doing it? A diet's a diet - you're not meant to enjoy it. It's merely a means to an end, that's all. If you're not greedy and have half a brain you can get to <10% and maintain that level reasonably easily - 100,000s people do without moaning about how unpleasant their diet is - Why? because they're achieving the bigger goal.Some interesting posts on this thread about how horrible it is to cut to a very low body fat. I have read interviews with the like of Jason Statham saying the same thing and if you look at a lot of the stars who get in great shape for a role, they rarely stay like that all the time.
My rambling point is, if it is that horrible then why do it? Is it for a one off goal or to maintain a lean physique?
I also think it is easy to underestimate how far you would have to cut to achieve the look you are after. For example, I sit around 14stone most of the time but I dropped to 13 stone and a 32" waist last year. Had some definition on arms and shoulders but I probably had at least another stone or more to go before I would've had the lean look.
I guess it is a case of 'how bad do you want it'
goldblum said:
So you're not cutting carbs then.
If it's no fun then why the fk are you doing it? A diet's a diet - you're not meant to enjoy it. It's merely a means to an end, that's all. If you're not greedy and have half a brain you can get to <10% and maintain that level reasonably easily - 100,000s people do without moaning about how unpleasant their diet is - Why? because they're achieving the bigger goal.
Well ive been told then.If it's no fun then why the f
k are you doing it? A diet's a diet - you're not meant to enjoy it. It's merely a means to an end, that's all. If you're not greedy and have half a brain you can get to <10% and maintain that level reasonably easily - 100,000s people do without moaning about how unpleasant their diet is - Why? because they're achieving the bigger goal.burwoodman said:
if you're 15% you'll have that 1 inch on the waist. The truth is to get sub 10%-no tummy, you have to cut carbs. It isnt fun at all. Im doing it at the moment. 1300 max, all tuna, chicken, cottage cheese. My carbs come from green veg.
Sorry I disagree. You can just as easily cut the fat without resorting to eliminating carbs completely.Yes eat more of the stuff as above but you need all the essential macronutrients of Protein, carbs and healthy fats. I've been able to cut down to 6% BF and still ingest carbs. It's the types that you ingest and when in the day that can make a difference. Let's say for example I've been playing tennis for 3 hours, I would have to take carbs for energy before and to recover afterwards. Same goes for when I go to the gym to lift weights.
You have extreme cases like Michael Phelps who has gone on record to say he takes in 12,000 cals a day. You can't say the guy is fat can you? It's because the training he does and you need to have energy to perform. Andy Murray who is in supreme physical shape takes in about 5,000 cals a day to fuel his training blocks during the off season in Miami, he needs this much just to keep his weight on.
Carb cycling is probably a more sensible option. Cutting out carbs completely is likely to deplete your energy and strength especially if you want to lose fat while maintaining muscle in the long run.
Hoofy said:
How much you hate it is down to how quickly you want it to happen. You see women on MFP who are desperate to lose weight so they eat 1000 cals a day and do two sessions of P90X a day. 
And then by day 5 they've exhausted and guilty about a massive binge session. Well done.
Hoofy, I see on another thread that you now play tennis And then by day 5 they've exhausted and guilty about a massive binge session. Well done.
I'm sure you can testify that tennis is a great workout and improves flexibility, muscle strength, co-ordination aswell as strengthening your bones. Certainly infinitely more fun than spending an hour on the bleeding treadmill. Not sure what level you play but as I play at club level, there are guys (and gals) who can hit and big ball and make you run side to side and the core strength you require to move into position to hit a ball, recover and move to hit the next ball is immense.
It looks easy seeing Nadal v Djokovic having a 30+ shot rally but believe me, if you do that on clay and hardcourts, it is bl000dy hard. Then after a rally, having to recover so quickly to hit serves is taxing too.
Yes, the above example of women taking in 1,000 cals a day and then two sessions of P90X is indeed crazy.
amare32 said:
I'm sure you can testify that tennis is a great workout and improves flexibility, muscle strength, co-ordination aswell as strengthening your bones. Certainly infinitely more fun than spending an hour on the bleeding treadmill. Not sure what level you play but as I play at club level, there are guys (and gals) who can hit and big ball and make you run side to side and the core strength you require to move into position to hit a ball, recover and move to hit the next ball is immense.
It looks easy seeing Nadal v Djokovic having a 30+ shot rally but believe me, if you do that on clay and hardcourts, it is bl000dy hard. Then after a rally, having to recover so quickly to hit serves is taxing too.
Yeah, it's a great cardio workout - not sure about the muscle strength (given that I already lift and climb - keep thinking the racket is lighter than I remember they used to be when I last touched one about 20 years ago It looks easy seeing Nadal v Djokovic having a 30+ shot rally but believe me, if you do that on clay and hardcourts, it is bl000dy hard. Then after a rally, having to recover so quickly to hit serves is taxing too.
) and flexibility (given that I climb and do martial arts) but for someone who were to only play tennis I can see that it would improve their coordination, flexibility, fitness and balance.As you say, great fun and beats a normal cardio session - I did too many of those last year and am a bit bored of it so thought I should do a more sport-oriented fitness session. Two hours past so quickly. Was a bit disappointed it was over at the end.
I play at noob level (second session yesterday) but am not as terrible as some noobs (I can do volleys no problems, serve without fault 50% of the time and do leaping backhands
- probably due to playing badminton a fair bit about 20 years ago). My targeting needs working on as does my power. Had the (dis?)pleasure of playing someone who really knew how to return low and fast yesterday - first few times were a bit "ruh roh!". 
This was despite her having an injured wrist! Need to get used to it, though, plus learn how to get the power and accuracy. I'm sure I could do the power thing but I'd most likely send the ball over the back fence. Hoofy said:
As you say, great fun and beats a normal cardio session - I did too many of those last year and am a bit bored of it so thought I should do a more sport-oriented fitness session. Two hours past so quickly. Was a bit disappointed it was over at the end.
That's the biggest difference between enjoying your cardio to absolutely hating it and treating it as a chore.You just want to keep playing as you're immersed in concentrating on the game.
I remember I was absolutely hopeless hitting the ball at first and the coaches say you've got to hit the ball about 20,000 times before you start to get competent. Then you start to develop specific parts of your game and you start to improve and before you know it, you begin to think strategy on how to beat your opponent and move them about the court rather worrying about not blasting the ball skywards
amare32 said:
That's the biggest difference between enjoying your cardio to absolutely hating it and treating it as a chore.
You just want to keep playing as you're immersed in concentrating on the game.
I remember I was absolutely hopeless hitting the ball at first and the coaches say you've got to hit the ball about 20,000 times before you start to get competent. Then you start to develop specific parts of your game and you start to improve and before you know it, you begin to think strategy on how to beat your opponent and move them about the court rather worrying about not blasting the ball skywards
You just want to keep playing as you're immersed in concentrating on the game.
I remember I was absolutely hopeless hitting the ball at first and the coaches say you've got to hit the ball about 20,000 times before you start to get competent. Then you start to develop specific parts of your game and you start to improve and before you know it, you begin to think strategy on how to beat your opponent and move them about the court rather worrying about not blasting the ball skywards
Yeah, at the moment, I'm torn between making sure the opponent can't return it and trying to keep the power down so I don't look like I've attempted to put the ball in the next postcode.I used to play tennis a lot to a good level as a teen (enough to play county players and lose like 6-4 6-4 - to not get thrashed was my objective!) and I got considerable right forearm and right shoulder development in the space of about 4 years. Even after gym'ing it and lifting 40Kg+ with one arm (single arm rows for e.g.) where I will get to eventual grip failure, my right forearm is still bigger and stronger than my left.
We used to play tennis until we dropped as well, 4 hours, easy... or until my right forearm ached too much.
We used to play tennis until we dropped as well, 4 hours, easy... or until my right forearm ached too much.
mattikake said:
I used to play tennis a lot to a good level as a teen (enough to play county players and lose like 6-4 6-4 - to not get thrashed was my objective!) and I got considerable right forearm and right shoulder development in the space of about 4 years. Even after gym'ing it and lifting 40Kg+ with one arm (single arm rows for e.g.) where I will get to eventual grip failure, my right forearm is still bigger and stronger than my left.
We used to play tennis until we dropped as well, 4 hours, easy... or until my right forearm ached too much.
We used to play tennis until we dropped as well, 4 hours, easy... or until my right forearm ached too much.
Perhaps I will play a bit with my left hand, too, then - or masturbate with my left hand?
Well, I guess I shall forgo the idea of the lean look! I do like my food, and I do not want to put myself through misery to strive for a lean look. I'm early 40s, got kids and a dog and quite frankly, as long as I'm healthy, what else matters?! Besides, I like my food and although I have cut down considerably, I'm not inclined to put myself on a diet that's too much hassle and by the sounds of it, pure misery.
A final point, this true "lean" look (i.e., sub 10 BMI) surely cannot be too healthy!
Much appreciated to hear the views expressed.
A final point, this true "lean" look (i.e., sub 10 BMI) surely cannot be too healthy!
Much appreciated to hear the views expressed.
MYOB said:
A final point, this true "lean" look (i.e., sub 10 BMI) surely cannot be too healthy!
Much appreciated to hear the views expressed.
Most experiments on animals show that the ones 10% under normal body weight live the longest.Much appreciated to hear the views expressed.
Also there is a guy who has been on the restricted calorie diet for 26 years he is about mid fifties and looks like he's 30.
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