Discussion
I signed up to the gym in early Feb after getting tired of my beer belly and general unfitness. I wasn't that fat but it was getting to a point where moobs were starting to stick out as well as my belly! Was training 3 times a week (just weights, can't be bothered with cardio!) until about 6 weeks ago and had a healthy-ish diet. I could see the effects and I felt good too.
Early June, I started getting bored and almost gave up, I must have gone about 5 times in the last 6 weeks and have been eating crap pretty much every day (no reason for this, I just lost motivation I guess). Since then, I've naturally put weight back on and I'm not looking good. The thing that concerns me is my fat on my hips area. The flab in that area is always cold, even when the rest of my body is warm - not sure if it's normal. I was always under the impression that body heat burns calories or fat (might be BS) so does that mean I am not burning any body fat in this region? Only really noticed it in the last couple of weeks if that makes a difference.
Early June, I started getting bored and almost gave up, I must have gone about 5 times in the last 6 weeks and have been eating crap pretty much every day (no reason for this, I just lost motivation I guess). Since then, I've naturally put weight back on and I'm not looking good. The thing that concerns me is my fat on my hips area. The flab in that area is always cold, even when the rest of my body is warm - not sure if it's normal. I was always under the impression that body heat burns calories or fat (might be BS) so does that mean I am not burning any body fat in this region? Only really noticed it in the last couple of weeks if that makes a difference.
cardio. lots. hour sessions. that will burn it I hear
I'm in a vaguely similar position, I was fit ish, had a knee injury and did nothing for months, got fat.
now doing gym every day to shift it, I heard hour cardio is the best way. as well as eating well. I have a salad for lunch and chicken for dinner.
I'm in a vaguely similar position, I was fit ish, had a knee injury and did nothing for months, got fat.
now doing gym every day to shift it, I heard hour cardio is the best way. as well as eating well. I have a salad for lunch and chicken for dinner.
There's no hard and fast rule for which fat deposits go first, though midriff stuff seems to be the most stubborn and the last to come off.
No need to be in there doing hours of cardio from my experience - great for getting you fit, which of course is important, but for getting rid of the belly I've experienced much better results doing shorter spells of high intensity intervals and weights, with proper diet of course
No need to be in there doing hours of cardio from my experience - great for getting you fit, which of course is important, but for getting rid of the belly I've experienced much better results doing shorter spells of high intensity intervals and weights, with proper diet of course
The body LOVES to store fat around your hips for the main reason of its where you're vital organs are located. Your skull protects your brain, so no need for fat storage up there, which is why when you lose weight, you notice it in people and yourself first in the face......
The body is simply prioritising and protecting itself. Around your hips there is the liver, kidneys etc all without a covering of bone, so the body holds fat here stubbornly. It will be the last fat you ever lose.
Echoing what someone else has posted: calories in must be less than calories out. You will then lose weight. It will be down to genetics as to where, with the above rule as an exception.
The body is simply prioritising and protecting itself. Around your hips there is the liver, kidneys etc all without a covering of bone, so the body holds fat here stubbornly. It will be the last fat you ever lose.
Echoing what someone else has posted: calories in must be less than calories out. You will then lose weight. It will be down to genetics as to where, with the above rule as an exception.
What a load of crap
Hormones provide the explanation for why women store fat around the hips and men store it around the abdomen. Fat around the hips, to some degree, is actually advantageous for women because it provides resources for nourishing pregnancy. However, abdominal fat is an adverse health condition that increases the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. Gender-related hormone differences and stress responses may help explain patterns of body fat storage in men and women.
Estrogen
Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone. Storing fat around the thighs and hips is associated with estrogen production. Although men and women both produce estrogen, women are more likely to store fat around the hips, because a woman's body produces significantly higher levels of estrogen, particularly during reproductive years. Estrogen increases the size of individual fat cells, which increases the overall percentage of body fat. Estrogen helps women develop a wider pelvic bone for giving birth and encourages fat storage around the hips to accommodate pregnancy.
Testosterone
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, produced in both men and women. Higher concentrations of testosterone increase metabolic rate, reduce overall body fat and help maintain muscle tissue. Men are less likely to store fat around the hips, because men can produce up to 40 times more testosterone than women. Testosterone offsets the effects of estrogen, particularly fat storage around the hips. Normal testosterone levels for men range between 300 and 1,200 ng/dL, whereas normal testosterone levels for women range between 30 and 95 ng/dL.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a stress hormone that promotes abdominal fat storage by moving fat from other parts of your body to abdominal fat cell deposits. Men may store fat around the abdomen because they are more likely to respond to stress with a fight-or-flight reaction. The Franklin Institute reports that men are more likely to suffer from the negative health effects of stress and cortisol. During the fight-or-flight response, your adrenal gland releases adrenaline to give you the energy required for fighting or fleeing from the stressor. If the perception of stress lasts longer than a few minutes, the adrenal gland releases cortisol.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is associated with cooperative and nurturing behavior, which oppose the effects of the fight-or-flight response. Oxytocin is the hormone associated with the tend-and-befriend response to stress. Women are more likely to respond to stress by protecting and nurturing their young, and seeking social contact and support from others, says the Franklin Institute. Women may be less likely to store fat around the abdomen than men because oxytocin may protect against the negative effects of stress and cortisol.
Hormones provide the explanation for why women store fat around the hips and men store it around the abdomen. Fat around the hips, to some degree, is actually advantageous for women because it provides resources for nourishing pregnancy. However, abdominal fat is an adverse health condition that increases the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. Gender-related hormone differences and stress responses may help explain patterns of body fat storage in men and women.
Estrogen
Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone. Storing fat around the thighs and hips is associated with estrogen production. Although men and women both produce estrogen, women are more likely to store fat around the hips, because a woman's body produces significantly higher levels of estrogen, particularly during reproductive years. Estrogen increases the size of individual fat cells, which increases the overall percentage of body fat. Estrogen helps women develop a wider pelvic bone for giving birth and encourages fat storage around the hips to accommodate pregnancy.
Testosterone
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, produced in both men and women. Higher concentrations of testosterone increase metabolic rate, reduce overall body fat and help maintain muscle tissue. Men are less likely to store fat around the hips, because men can produce up to 40 times more testosterone than women. Testosterone offsets the effects of estrogen, particularly fat storage around the hips. Normal testosterone levels for men range between 300 and 1,200 ng/dL, whereas normal testosterone levels for women range between 30 and 95 ng/dL.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a stress hormone that promotes abdominal fat storage by moving fat from other parts of your body to abdominal fat cell deposits. Men may store fat around the abdomen because they are more likely to respond to stress with a fight-or-flight reaction. The Franklin Institute reports that men are more likely to suffer from the negative health effects of stress and cortisol. During the fight-or-flight response, your adrenal gland releases adrenaline to give you the energy required for fighting or fleeing from the stressor. If the perception of stress lasts longer than a few minutes, the adrenal gland releases cortisol.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is associated with cooperative and nurturing behavior, which oppose the effects of the fight-or-flight response. Oxytocin is the hormone associated with the tend-and-befriend response to stress. Women are more likely to respond to stress by protecting and nurturing their young, and seeking social contact and support from others, says the Franklin Institute. Women may be less likely to store fat around the abdomen than men because oxytocin may protect against the negative effects of stress and cortisol.
There are " contributors" on here that love to complicate the issue and just use their posts as dick-swinging contests. All the information about hormones and testosterone...........what the f
k do you need to know that for!?? You dont!
All you need to make sure of is that you are consuming less calories than you are expending. Genetics will determine where you shed it from first.....alot of it is out of your hands!
Stop filling people's heads with info that will just confuse them.....honestly,,...listing test levels to someone who justs wants to lose their love handles?!!? How the fk will that help them?
k do you need to know that for!?? You dont! All you need to make sure of is that you are consuming less calories than you are expending. Genetics will determine where you shed it from first.....alot of it is out of your hands!
Stop filling people's heads with info that will just confuse them.....honestly,,...listing test levels to someone who justs wants to lose their love handles?!!? How the f
k will that help them?
Superkartracer. Where did you get that info from?
I was tentatively led to believe that men store belly fat due to there being less blood supply there to carry away the fat (under the appropriate exercise conditions etc). How much truth there is to that i have no idea.
I was tentatively led to believe that men store belly fat due to there being less blood supply there to carry away the fat (under the appropriate exercise conditions etc). How much truth there is to that i have no idea.
Edited by Digger on Thursday 19th July 17:02
polo54 said:
so does that mean I am not burning any body fat in this region?
The idea that you can 'target' an area to get rid of fat is nonsense. When you lose body fat it drops off evenly around your whole body. Only option is to keep lowering your body fat, or increase tone/muscle around the area.I've lost over 10kg in the last 4 months. I'm 5'11'' and now weigh 82 KG.
How?
Cut all white carbs from your diet - potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, etc. Plus no fizzy drinks, crisps, sweets - junk food. Once you get the routine going you won't miss them. Give it 3-4 weeks. Replace with brown rice or sweet potato once or twice a week.
Cook from scratch with fresh produce - Chicken breast/fish stirfrys, grilled fish/turkey/chicken and steamed veg/salads. Cut the white carbs and you will notice you don't feel tired after meals. Once a week treat yourself to your favourite comfort foods as a reward.
Get a good personal trainer and do circuit training 3X a week, one hour each session. This has made a huge difference for me. (Weights and Cardio!)
The above works.
Once you see the results, you will stay focused.
Good luck.
How?
Cut all white carbs from your diet - potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, etc. Plus no fizzy drinks, crisps, sweets - junk food. Once you get the routine going you won't miss them. Give it 3-4 weeks. Replace with brown rice or sweet potato once or twice a week.
Cook from scratch with fresh produce - Chicken breast/fish stirfrys, grilled fish/turkey/chicken and steamed veg/salads. Cut the white carbs and you will notice you don't feel tired after meals. Once a week treat yourself to your favourite comfort foods as a reward.
Get a good personal trainer and do circuit training 3X a week, one hour each session. This has made a huge difference for me. (Weights and Cardio!)
The above works.
Once you see the results, you will stay focused.
Good luck.
6th Gear said:
Once you get the routine going you won't miss them. Give it 3-4 weeks. Replace with brown rice or sweet potato once or twice a week.
Once a week treat yourself to your favourite comfort foods as a reward.
Once you see the results, you will stay focused.
Those little snippets in particular are very true. I am a crisp fiend and yesterday I bought a six pack of McCoy's Salt and Vinegar Crisps as it was on special offer. 2-3 years ago, by today, they'd have gone. I haven't even open the pack! I enjoy my cheat meal with my family once a week but my desire to get a lean body is greater than my desire for eating crap these days, especially as I'm seeing results I've never seen before. It keeps me training even when I can't (in that I'll do an alternative routine if I can't manage my planned one).Once a week treat yourself to your favourite comfort foods as a reward.
Once you see the results, you will stay focused.
chrisobrien54 said:
Hahaha!
What a reply...
So what you're saying is: eat more nuts, lift heavy weights and chill the f*ck out?
Does eating nuts really increase testosterone production then? So the head hunters were right after all and the money spent on Orchic tablets (don't ask) not a waste.What a reply...
So what you're saying is: eat more nuts, lift heavy weights and chill the f*ck out?
Now, where do I find all my old enemies...
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