Diet to lose belly

[boyse7en]

I've been trying to lose the extra bits from around my middle without much success.

Anyone got any tips on diet that would help? I've been doing some research but got lost in a sea of Low-carb, Low-GI, Low Fat...


I'm not looking for a Men's Fitness cover body, but a tummy that didn't stick out further than my chest would be nice
I'm 12 stone, 5'10" and exercise regularly.

[boyse7en]

So cut sugar, carbs and alcohol...

I eat quite a lot of fruit so there's quite a bit of sugar in that
carbs - probably my downfall. Porridge for breakfast and Pasta for lunch or dinner quite often.
Alcohol - I don't think I drink a lot really. Probably averages out at 5 or 6 bottles of beer or cider a week (330ml size). I drink water all day at work (no tea or coffee, don't like the taste)

Exercise -
Monday 1 hour gym
Tuesday Swim 1000m + run 5 miles
Wednesday 1 hour gym
Thursday 1000m swim + 5 mile run
Friday off
Saturday Tennis/walk/cycle ride with kids

[boyse7en]

DanL said:

"Easy" one, if you have discipline - replace whatever it is that you eat for lunch with a plain chicken salad, no dressing. Eat whatever else it is that you usually eat, but don't start snacking because you're now eating a salad.

This should see you saving 4-600 calories each lunchtime, and for me if I do this I lose a kilo a week.

Not sure I actually want to lose much weight, but I suppose a couple of kilos wouldn't hurt.

Looking for long-term changes to diet rather than a quick-fix weightloss diest

[boyse7en]

ATG said:

Stand on your head and sing the national anthem.

This you are/aren't fat question that some posters are debating ... look at your gut. Is it fat, or is it just sticking out? Is there a wobbly layer of flab under the skin? If so, you are fat.

If you're carrying fat and you're not losing weight even after you've adjusted your diet, then you are still eating too many calories or doing too little exercise for the amount that you're eating. Healthy balanced diet regardless. Then eat less and/or do more.

No doubt there are specific things you can do like eat more protein in order to eat less overall since it makes you feel full for longer, or use starvation and bursts of mad exercise to correct your reaction to glucose consumption, but fixating on this sort of micro-management and search for a magic fix strikes me as a great way of not facing the problem completely honestly and setting yourself up to kid yourself about what you're actually consuming.

I'm not "big", but I do have a layer of fat around my middle , maybe an inch deep over my abdominal muscle.

I'm not particularly trying to lose weight. I'm not gaining weight either, so calories in/out seem about right. However, I want to lose fat around the middle. If that requires me to lose some weight then so be it.

I'm not looking for a magic fix. And in what way am i not looking at the problem honestly? I'm eating approximately the right amount of calories, but as the fat isn't shifting then I'm assuming I'm eating the wrong type of calories, I was looking for some advice to best change that.

Exercise is currently:
2x1000m freestyle swims
2x 5-7 mile runs
2 x gym sessions (weights machines plus mat exercises to help an ITB injury)
per week

Oh, and I'm 45 and in a desk-bound job

[boyse7en]

MC Bodge said:

It sounds as if you do a reasonable amount of exercise. When you are not 'exercising', though, do you move around much? Do you walk around much during the day/lunchtime?

Not really. If its not raining I walk to the supermarket to buy some lunch (about 10 mins each way). We're a small office. Everything is within about 20ft of my desk

MC Bodge said:

Do you vary the intensity of the swimming and running?

I do with the running. Not so much with the swimming. I tend to just stick to doing a 100m in about 21 minutes each time.

MC Bodge said:

It could be worth trying some bodyweight exercises and simple free weights (kettlebells, sandbags, medicine ball etc) with some advice on form & technique, (maybe go to circuit training?) instead of the weights machines.

I do some bodyweight squats and single leg squats to try and improve my glutes (ITB injury, trying to restore/improve condition), plus dumbell side lifts, curls, front lifts and side bends.

MC Bodge said:

Cycling to work make a massive difference to me ...80minutes+ of 'free' exercise most days.

I used to cycle once a week. Its about 55 minutes each way. I'd like to do it again, but it is tricky to fit it around the other exercise without annoying the wife/kids.

MC Bodge said:

I try to eat healthily, but I am not into the sort of prohibition that some people advocate/evangelise about. I eat don't eat many cakes and sweets, but do eat brown bread/pasta, porridge, muesli etc.

I drink 3-4 beer/stouts (allergic to something in lager, golden ale and IPA) over the weekend and have the odd glass of wine.

Sounds sensible. I don't want to become some sort of food nazi, and I want to be able to enjoy a beer or glass of wine every so often.

[boyse7en]

GT2CS said:

hill sprints and sled push/pulls will sort you out if you are 45. I cycle and ran but they didnt work reduce fat around my waist. On the other hand it could just be genetics.

Can you give me some info on these? Well, hill sprints I can do (and being in Devon we've got plenty of hills!) but I don't know what sled push/pulls are. Googling gets me pictures of Huskies and chilly looking terrain.