Losing the stomach fat

[anonymous-user]

Calories in vs Calories out. That's all that matters.

Google IIFYM (If It Fit Your Macros). Trust me it will open up your eyes.

[Terminator X]

goldblum said:

Because the boot camp instructor doesn't run and doesn't want to lose rany of his group?

My b/camp instructor has us running all over the place with tyres incl up hills!

TX.

[H22observer]

Eleven said:

Indeed. As I said earlier, my life is such that I can commit to a great deal of time to the gym plus other exercise. I am comfortably off sufficient to eat pretty much whatever diet I like. I am still having to work far harder now to stay trim than I was twenty years ago.

I have every sympathy for someone my age, probably in the most economically productive stage of life, struggling to reconcile work and family commitments with being slim and fit. For some it is possible, for others I can see why it would be virtually impossible - long commute into the city plus a demanding, long-hours desk job for example.

I agree. I suppose such a person could sacrifice sleep every day, get up 2 hours early and go running & swimming before/after work. I totally understand and empathise why some people choose not to though.

[Hoofy]

H22observer said:

Hoofy said:

(for me, today was two hours of tennis .

How much does decent equipment and tennis court hire for 2 hours cost these days ?

I'm assuming that it must be dirt cheap because most pro tennis players come from council estates. /sarcasm

1) £15 for a racket from Sports Direct (go into the store and you don't pay £4 postage), court was free. www.tennisforfree.com for courts, www.lta.org.uk/allplaytennis for people to play with. All free. If you haven't noticed yet, I'm the resident tight git on PH.
2) You don't have to be a pro to burn cals. I'm utterly st at tennis. Which means I probably burn more calories as I have to run around the court like a headless chicken. I had to stop the game as my chest was aching from breathing so hard today.

Besides, you've missed the point. Don't play tennis if you can't afford a £15 racket or the internet to access the above websites. Go for a run in the streets. Park Run is another option. Kick a ball with your kids. Use your baby for shoulder presses.

Edit: and if you really cannot afford the time (what are you doing on here anyway?) then just eat less food.

Edited by Hoofy on Saturday 26th April 21:20

[Eleven]

H22observer said:

Eleven said:

Indeed. As I said earlier, my life is such that I can commit to a great deal of time to the gym plus other exercise. I am comfortably off sufficient to eat pretty much whatever diet I like. I am still having to work far harder now to stay trim than I was twenty years ago.

I have every sympathy for someone my age, probably in the most economically productive stage of life, struggling to reconcile work and family commitments with being slim and fit. For some it is possible, for others I can see why it would be virtually impossible - long commute into the city plus a demanding, long-hours desk job for example.

I agree. I suppose such a person could sacrifice sleep every day, get up 2 hours early and go running & swimming before/after work. I totally understand and empathise why some people choose not to though.

I recall working in the City in my early 30s. Prior to it I would have been in single figures body fat, afterwards I was 3 stone overweight and heavens knows what percentage body fat. I have never entirely regained the form I had previously.

I was up at about 06:00 and home around 22:00. My lunch break, if I had one, was a walk to the sandwich shop and eating the sandwich at my desk.

I am sure there are people here who would have been at the gym at 23:00 before a whey protein and cucumber shake, then after an hour's sleep, up at 03:00 for a sprint triathlon before being at the helm of a global corporation at 05:00.

But I am merely human and I found it nigh on impossible to balance my work with staying fit.

[loughran]

I'm in my (early) fifties and I've always felt the need to make an effort. Shortly after the Atkins diet became so popular, a cardiologist in the States called Agatston came up with a plan called the South beach Diet and I like it.

The book offers recipes and meal plans like they all do but it boils down to... meat and two veg.

Ok, that may be too reductionist but the general ethos is sound, no sugar, no bread, no starchy vegetables... no prepared dishes, no rubbish. (no delicious Rioja... but I do struggle with that. )

Maybe ketosis (and the stink) is more effective but I find this form of diet more sustainable. Protein from meat, carbs from veg works for me.

Oh and yes, I'm fairly sure it is easier to eat less than exercise it off.

IMHO.

[goldblum]

Eleven said:

I'm younger than Goldblum (apparently).

I'm 50, as of Jan this year. I'm in reasonable nick, I think. I've been working off a slight calorie deficit for the last 6 months as I've found myself sitting at a desk a lot recently, working on University stuff when I'm not teaching.

Terminator X said:

goldblum said:

Because the boot camp instructor doesn't run and doesn't want to lose rany of his group?

My b/camp instructor has us running all over the place with tyres incl up hills!

TX.

Good for him, nice to see one of these guys has the client's best interests at heart and isn't scared of beasting you. A friend of mine is a boot camp instructor and I'd say I feel sorry for his clients but he doesn't have many left,lol, always the risk if you work people as hard as you should to get real results!

[Halb]

goldblum said:

I'm 50, as of Jan this year. I'm in reasonable nick, I think. I've been working off a slight calorie deficit for the last 6 months as I've found myself sitting at a desk a lot recently, working on University stuff when I'm not teaching.

Liam Neeson is in really good shape.
...

[chevy-stu]

I think your attitude to excercise also changes when your older.

I remember in my mid 20's when I started to lift weights I quite enjoyed it and was definately aware of this endorphin rush I heard talk of, hence making it alot easier, but during the last few years, for me this just doesn't happen. I'm not sure if it's just another part of your body changing due to age, hormonal changes possibly, but I now find it really really hard to keep any enthusiasm for a workout, it's a major chore.
Finding an activity to burn some calories is not as easy either with some hip arthritis to deal with too, along with no interest in sports

[goldblum]

chevy-stu said:

I remember in my mid 20's when I started to lift weights I quite enjoyed it and was definately aware of this endorphin rush I heard talk of, hence making it alot easier, but during the last few years, for me this just doesn't happen.(

I still get a rush lifting weights, but I've learnt the merits of a proper cycle. Whereas years ago I could train for hours every day, now I can manage nowhere near that. Cycling gives me about 2 months 'off' when I lift heavy with very low reps... then about 6 weeks hypertrophy when I find I can still get the old buzz and smash the weights. I put on .5 stone - was at 15.5 - lean mass recently, now I'm at 14.5 @10-14% bf having lost c. a stone since Feb. Cut cardio down to only a couple of miles x3 a week. I used to run about 30 miles a week and do weights four times, as well as compete at kickboxing. Those days are well gone. Arse.

[stew-S160]

Halb said:

Running is brilliant and effective.
A nice lil Parkrun in the morning for me. Should be 600-700 calories done.

For the first few times. Then your body adapts to the required demand, which means it becomes less effective every time. So you need to run longer/faster/further to stave of adaptation.

Steady state cardio is NOT an effective method for long term fat loss.

[Eleven]

stew-S160 said:

Steady state cardio is NOT an effective method for long term fat loss.

What would you suggest is?

[Halb]

stew-S160 said:

Halb said:

Running is brilliant and effective.
A nice lil Parkrun in the morning for me. Should be 600-700 calories done.

For the first few times. Then your body adapts to the required demand, which means it becomes less effective every time. So you need to run longer/faster/further to stave of adaptation.
Steady state cardio is NOT an effective method for long term fat loss.

I am not disagreeing but I did not use the term Long slow distance (or steady state). I said running, like I would say weights. The body adapts to everything. Parkrun is good for me, especially if you run with a friend, because it is always tough. Regardless of 'recorded time' for that day, though PBs help.
All things being equal though running (with sensible nutrition) will place most people on their targets and even as their muscles adapt they will not go backwards, just maintain, unless they start eating way over what they need to maintain body that runs.
If you want faster, leaner, whatever, then you have to adapt...just like any other exercise.

[H22observer]

There are lots of simple ways to exercise, which save money at the same time :

1. Going into town for a walk around the shops?
Don't queue up the NCP car park. Take a look at the map and find a quiet back road or supermarket and take a leisurely stroll. A 10-15 min brisk walk each way will save the fuel and stress of entering a busy town environment.

2. Supermarket & workplace car parks. Park in the furthest space from the building entrance. Reduced chance of door dings and minor accidents, easier to park your car and usually no reversing necessary.

3. Member of a local health club/gym less than 1.5 miles from your house? Walk there. I'm amazed by the number of people who don't. You save time, fuel, wear & tear. Think of it as a warm up.

4. Wash your own car thoroughly. Many people i know will spend a fortune on fad diets but won't bother washing their own car. Instead they pay (slim) foreign people to do it in a disused garage. By the time you've driven there, queued up and watched them clean it, you've probably lost an hour already.

5. Sell items on ebay. At some point, you'll have to visit the post office. When that time arrives, make sure you walk there.

The above might seem a bit obvious, but people unnecessarily use cars for the most ridiculous things sometimes.

[H22observer]

Eleven said:

I recall working in the City in my early 30s. Prior to it I would have been in single figures body fat, afterwards I was 3 stone overweight and heavens knows what percentage body fat. I have never entirely regained the form I had previously.

I was up at about 06:00 and home around 22:00. My lunch break, if I had one, was a walk to the sandwich shop and eating the sandwich at my desk.

Identical situation to what i had last thursday. I had a 14.5 hour day and a 1.5 hr commute. Up at 0500 & home by 2130. I need at least 6 hrs sleep to function properly at work. I also need to shower, eat, prepare tomorrow's lunch and unwind before bedtime.

I've started taking a pair of comfy trainers to work with me, as i've started to spot opportunities for light exercise at work. Not ideal, but anything that increases your heartrate is probably a better idea than sitting at a desk.

[okgo]

Cycling to and from work can be the answer for busy city types. It's the way I lost lots of weight initially. I plan to knock it on the head soon as I need more qaulity training but for 99% of people it's effective in getting you pretty fit and a good method of transport if you live in zones 1-6 (or further if you're keen)

[Halb]

H22observer said:

Identical situation to what i had last thursday. I had a 14.5 hour day and a 1.5 hr commute. Up at 0500 & home by 2130. I need at least 6 hrs sleep to function properly at work. I also need to shower, eat, prepare tomorrow's lunch and unwind before bedtime.

I've started taking a pair of comfy trainers to work with me, as i've started to spot opportunities for light exercise at work. Not ideal, but anything that increases your heartrate is probably a better idea than sitting at a desk.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12468415

I think I recall that moving every hour will help ramp up NEAT.

[goldblum]

stew-S160 said:

For the first few times. Then your body adapts to the required demand, which means it becomes less effective every time. So you need to run longer/faster/further to stave of adaptation.

You are describing training adaptation here, a separate natural function from the workings of the metabolism - which covers energy pathways and the burning of fat or calories for fuel - in short the chemical reactions that make the body function. Slow cardio is very good for burning fat as you're not using much oxygen but are using a metabolic pathway involving primarily fats and carbs. Your body shouldn't 'get used to it', in the way you mention. The point is with this sort of training that getting fitter is not the primary reason for this kind of exercise - it's not designed to get you fit, and you shouldn't push your body enough that it needs to adapt. Of course you will actually burn more total calories on a longer,faster run. You will get fitter and your body will be forced to adapt.

[chevy-stu]

I tried to look up some info about HIIT, and it's such a minefield of info.
The logic looks interesting, and it's definately something I'd like to try, as it seems a very time efficient theory compared to hours on an excercise bike (I cannot run)..

[Flibble]

H22observer said:

Identical situation to what i had last thursday. I had a 14.5 hour day and a 1.5 hr commute. Up at 0500 & home by 2130. I need at least 6 hrs sleep to function properly at work. I also need to shower, eat, prepare tomorrow's lunch and unwind before bedtime.

I've started taking a pair of comfy trainers to work with me, as i've started to spot opportunities for light exercise at work. Not ideal, but anything that increases your heartrate is probably a better idea than sitting at a desk.

Long workdays like that aren't healthy, I think you're going to have to accept a trade off in health as a condition of the job.

On the moving thing, can you get a standing desk? Good way to get more movement in at work.