Had enough of the belly, it's time to go!!

[browno]

Another one trying to shift the belly here - currently doing a combination of food tracking in my fitness pal (which needs discipline, but does work!), doing the couch to 5k running program and trying to swim 1-3 times a week.

I am 6 foot, and started the year at 18st 13lbs, I have been loosing pretty linearly since I started making an effort, and so far am down to 17st 8lbs, and feeling much better for it. I had made good progress like this 4 years ago - I did the couch to 5k and even managed to run a 10k race - but then son no.2 came along and I slipped off the wagon again!

So far, I have been trying to control my calories pretty strictly - I am currently on business in Shanghai for 3 weeks - so trying to log some foods can be difficult here - but I soon realised that the breakfast buffet could have easily done all my calories for the day... not to mention beers! So I am trying to be sensible by eating only small amounts of the clearly "naughty" stuff, or none at all if it won't offend my hosts or business guests...

Thankfully, the hotel gym is really good, so I have been hitting that and even lost 2lbs during my first full week out here... something that I would have previously thought impossible!

It's hard work, but certainly something that's important for all the health benefits it will bring!

[Eleven]

LordGrover said:

For many 'social'/average drinkers, just quitting the alcohol will be enough to make a dramatic reduction to their (empty) calorie intake. A few glasses of wine can easily exceed 500 kcals, beer's about 200 kcals a pint. Over the days/weeks/months this is an extraordinary surplus which gets laid down as fat.

I am coming to the conclusion that FOR ME it isn't possible to drink alcohol, whilst consuming adequate nutrients to train properly and still have low body fat. I define low body fat as circa 10%.

I am around 14%bf at present, have a squeaky clean diet during the week, but some alcohol from Friday night until Sunday night. Little else that is "naughty". I have pretty much plateaued and the only thing left to cut out is the weekend alcohol. I don't want that to be necessary, but I think it is.

[Hoofy]

Eleven said:

I am coming to the conclusion that FOR ME it isn't possible to drink alcohol, whilst consuming adequate nutrients to train properly and still have low body fat. I define low body fat as circa 10%.

I am around 14%bf at present, have a squeaky clean diet during the week, but some alcohol from Friday night until Sunday night. Little else that is "naughty". I have pretty much plateaued and the only thing left to cut out is the weekend alcohol. I don't want that to be necessary, but I think it is.

Or do cardio to crank up the calorie burn.

[Eleven]

Hoofy said:

Eleven said:

I am coming to the conclusion that FOR ME it isn't possible to drink alcohol, whilst consuming adequate nutrients to train properly and still have low body fat. I define low body fat as circa 10%.

I am around 14%bf at present, have a squeaky clean diet during the week, but some alcohol from Friday night until Sunday night. Little else that is "naughty". I have pretty much plateaued and the only thing left to cut out is the weekend alcohol. I don't want that to be necessary, but I think it is.

Or do cardio to crank up the calorie burn.

I am already doing 45 minutes LISS cardio after each workout 4 times per week, plus 2/3 sessions of higher rate stuff.

[Hoofy]

Eleven said:

Hoofy said:

Eleven said:

I am coming to the conclusion that FOR ME it isn't possible to drink alcohol, whilst consuming adequate nutrients to train properly and still have low body fat. I define low body fat as circa 10%.

I am around 14%bf at present, have a squeaky clean diet during the week, but some alcohol from Friday night until Sunday night. Little else that is "naughty". I have pretty much plateaued and the only thing left to cut out is the weekend alcohol. I don't want that to be necessary, but I think it is.

Or do cardio to crank up the calorie burn.

I am already doing 45 minutes LISS cardio after each workout 4 times per week, plus 2/3 sessions of higher rate stuff.

Do another 15 of LISS.

[Eleven]

Hoofy said:

Do another 15 of LISS.

15 what? Sessions?

[BigJonMcQuimm]

Eleven said:

I am coming to the conclusion that FOR ME it isn't possible to drink alcohol, whilst consuming adequate nutrients to train properly and still have low body fat. I define low body fat as circa 10%.

I am around 14%bf at present, have a squeaky clean diet during the week, but some alcohol from Friday night until Sunday night. Little else that is "naughty". I have pretty much plateaued and the only thing left to cut out is the weekend alcohol. I don't want that to be necessary, but I think it is.

I was in a similar situation. Adding 3 x 1hr boxing sessions dropped me down to the 6-8% bf range. I could drink, within reason, what I wanted come the weekend.

[Eleven]

BigJonMcQuimm said:

Eleven said:

I am coming to the conclusion that FOR ME it isn't possible to drink alcohol, whilst consuming adequate nutrients to train properly and still have low body fat. I define low body fat as circa 10%.

I am around 14%bf at present, have a squeaky clean diet during the week, but some alcohol from Friday night until Sunday night. Little else that is "naughty". I have pretty much plateaued and the only thing left to cut out is the weekend alcohol. I don't want that to be necessary, but I think it is.

I was in a similar situation. Adding 3 x 1hr boxing sessions dropped me down to the 6-8% bf range. I could drink, within reason, what I wanted come the weekend.

Maybe I will try dropping in some more cardio.

[RichTT]

I did the myfitnesstracker app for three weeks while I was at home and able to control every aspect of my diet. Gave me a very good idea of what was and wasn't going to help me lose weight. Now that I'm back offshore I don't have the same control. But I do however have a much better idea of what I need to be eating on a daily basis. It's certainly a worthwhile app to have.

Wife goes swimming 3-4 times a week, so I'm starting to tag along and head to the gym to start doing the 5x5 routine. Walking the dog daily takes me well above the activity levels i need to maintain to continue to lose weight.

[Hoofy]

Eleven said:

Hoofy said:

Do another 15 of LISS.

15 what? Sessions?

Minutes. But sessions sounds like a better idea. HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT???

[Eleven]

Hoofy said:

Eleven said:

Hoofy said:

Do another 15 of LISS.

15 what? Sessions?

Minutes. But sessions sounds like a better idea. HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT???

You think an hour of LISS as opposed to 45 minutes will make the difference?

[Hoofy]

Eleven said:

You think an hour of LISS as opposed to 45 minutes will make the difference?

That's an extra hour a week.

[Eleven]

Hoofy said:

Eleven said:

You think an hour of LISS as opposed to 45 minutes will make the difference?

That's an extra hour a week.

It is. 45 minutes is tedious enough, though, I am not sure I can do an hour.

[Hoofy]

Eleven said:

It is. 45 minutes is tedious enough, though, I am not sure I can do an hour.

I know how you feel. That's why I play sports. (I'm not even good at them... which means I burn more calories running around like a maniac.)

[Digger]

Eleven said:

Hoofy said:

Eleven said:

You think an hour of LISS as opposed to 45 minutes will make the difference?

That's an extra hour a week.

It is. 45 minutes is tedious enough, though, I am not sure I can do an hour.

Use the built-in profiles on the machine. LISS is dull. Profiles give you something to focus on as the effort required increases and decreases. If you can tack on one of the intervals profiles (assuming they exist) for a quick blast at the end, all the better.

[Hoofy]

I woulda done similar before. Whilst a machine is certainly more efficient, it's certainly not as fun or enjoyable as participating in a sport. I think I'd have to have Tim Vine running next to me to ever laugh on a machine. The same isn't true for the sports I enjoy.

[Eleven]

Digger said:

Use the built-in profiles on the machine. LISS is dull. Profiles give you something to focus on as the effort required increases and decreases. If you can tack on one of the intervals profiles (assuming they exist) for a quick blast at the end, all the better.

It wouldn't be LISS then.

[Digger]

Eleven said:

Digger said:

Use the built-in profiles on the machine. LISS is dull. Profiles give you something to focus on as the effort required increases and decreases. If you can tack on one of the intervals profiles (assuming they exist) for a quick blast at the end, all the better.

It wouldn't be LISS then.

Which was my point although could have been more articulate with my response.

What works for me is a MISS / HIIT combo. I'd dread doing LISS over a certain period as the potential for losing motivation increases (for me).

[RichTT]

Long term update on this. I'm down to 90kg, so 10kg lost in total since February and feeling a hell of a lot better for it! Down from wearing a 38-40" waist trousers to 34-36" depending on how comfy I want to be!

[227bhp]

^^ Well done I'm a similar weight, but a bit taller (105kg/6'2") so reading your thread with interest and hope you don't mind me putting this question here.
I've got a bit of a Jeremy Clarkson paunch and a bit podgy around the neck and face, but other bits are ok. Me (and maybe the O/H if I can rope her in) might start to do a bit of weight loss, but i'm worried about what we'll look like afterwards. I've seen people with some terrible bodies after losing lots of weight and tbh think some people actually look better with the skin filled, rather than empty even though they may be healthier.
Is there a point of expansion where the skin goes back to how it was before? I guess it's difficult to define and probably not a lot you can do. Is there?