Pistonbellies?
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TUS 373

Original Poster:

5,172 posts

311 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Now that I have marginally exceeded the mid-life threshold of 40 - it as come to my attention that certain parts of my body are hanging looser than they used to. Probably due to the polar opposites of excessive under use or over use.

I have been shopping for new clothes and concluded that I have the start of a beer belly. Fine you might say, and to be expected when 40+ (I'm not really hung up on the age thing - honest). But I honestly don't drink very much beer. I conclude that spending too many years in the 20s and 30s doing galactic mileages in my (then) 318i repmobile has taken its toll on my tummy which has simply gone 'phlugmph'.

As part of the PH brotherhood, I surely cannot be alone with this problem. I doubt that Yorkie bar, wagon driving (prostitute murdering? c/o JC) form much of our number - but I would wager I am not the only PHer with a bit of a tum.

So what to do?

How do I restore my belly to that of the thrusting twenty something I used to be? Stomach crunches? Sit ups? Electrody thingies that make your belly twinge? Eat no more pizza? What exactly?

BTW - I am not a raging fitness fanatic in the sense of going to gym. Where would I get the time for that!?

Mc Lovin

5,588 posts

251 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
st loads of sit ups.

Im pretty happy with mine thumbup

Roo.

11,504 posts

237 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Had a simliar conversation with the OH last night. Either I'm putting on weight or she's shrinking my trousers in the wash. Got the scales and tape measure out.





Bugger.

Graham E

13,018 posts

216 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
I am younger than you are, but the M6 services did cause mid gut spread 2 years ago. I solved with the following:

do crunches whilst driving, hold your stomach in for 10, relax for 10, hold for 10 etc - piss annpying at first, but very effective it seems.

take up squash, it's great fun, and seems to cane all the muscles that you never really know are there (like the "side abs" etc). Alternatively i hear wimming is a good way forward, just no speedos if you don't mind =)

For sit ups, I found that "normal" ones like i got tought in school were the best - crunches seemed to just target the top of the abs, meaning I didn't really get the whole gut area going before I wimped out at the pain

Good luck with the battle of the bulge

G

TUS 373

Original Poster:

5,172 posts

311 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
How many? How long?

Does that really work - or will I just get sweaty and have a bad back afterwards?

Logie

835 posts

246 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Burn calories! Cardio work, sit ups wont make the flab go (But will improve the muscles ofc). I'm just onto my second week, im doing jogs and sprints for 45 mins twice a week, weights on friday with boxercise type work and i've shed 4lbs and 1.6 off my BMI in a week!

Also eating correctly

If you can train 30~40 mins 2-3 times a week, but keep it intense. YOu can burn the equiv of a 1:30 mins work out

Fittster

20,120 posts

243 months

The Ben

1,623 posts

247 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Mc Lovin said:
st loads of sit ups.

Im pretty happy with mine thumbup
They are fine if you dont have the fat infront of the abs to cover them up!!! need some cardio and a good diet.

Yugguy

10,728 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Aye, abs exercises will give you the sixpack but cardio is needed to burn off the fat so you can see them.

And be realistic, do you need to be "ripped" or just lose a few pounds? Carrying NO fat whatsoever won't make you any healthier than if you've still got a few extra. Your biggest health benefits will come from being fitter, not skinnier.


roboxm3

2,485 posts

225 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Do "the plank"!

Start with 30 seconds holds, building up to...well whatever you can manage really.
A few sets / day will give a good flat shape to your abs.

Note* It will not however, burn the fat! You need real exercise for that, sorry.

Edited by roboxm3 on Tuesday 18th November 13:56


Edited by roboxm3 on Tuesday 18th November 13:56

Dirty Boy

14,859 posts

239 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Mc Lovin said:
st loads of sit ups.

Im pretty happy with mine thumbup
Shame your missus isn't happy though.

Still, she's not missing out....


Mc Lovin

5,588 posts

251 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Dirty Boy said:
Mc Lovin said:
st loads of sit ups.

Im pretty happy with mine thumbup
Shame your missus isn't happy though.

Still, she's not missing out....
It was a good effort but not good enough hehe

Yugguy

10,728 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Those ttting BBC websites are still punting the BMI though, the world's most pointless calculation.

TUS 373

Original Poster:

5,172 posts

311 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
roboxm3 said:
Do "the plank"!

Start with 30 seconds holds, building up to...well whatever you can manage really.
A few sets / day will give a good flat shape to your abs.

Note* It will not however, burn the fat! You need real exercise for that, sorry.

Edited by roboxm3 on Tuesday 18th November 13:56


Edited by roboxm3 on Tuesday 18th November 13:56
What is "the plank"? Is that lying down with legs hold off the ground or something?

captainzep

13,306 posts

222 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
If its fat you've got, its fat you need to lose. Sit ups will build and tone muscle underneath, but you need to do general cardio & cut back on the diet a bit to burn more calories than you put in.

Quite simply you'll have to find some time to do this. A couple of 15 minute jogs in the week or equivalent and a bit more at the weekend will make a difference. Even walking is great, but you need to walk for longer.

There are about 3500 calories in a pound of body fat. You burn about 2500 calories a day. A deficit of 500-1000 calories a day is safe.

Best of luck!

ETA -dammit...others have beaten me to it. (Despite our differences on Strictly Come Dancing, Yugguy knows his stuff.)

Edited by captainzep on Tuesday 18th November 14:08

Graham E

13,018 posts

216 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
[quote]What is "the plank"?
[/quote]

I thought it was what happened when you'd angered the Somalian that's a "guest" on your tanker?

Edited by Graham E on Tuesday 18th November 14:04

Marf

22,907 posts

271 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Graham E said:
Alternatively i hear wimming is a good way forward, just no speedos if you don't mind =)
Is that something Jonathon Woss gets up to?

Dirty Boy

14,859 posts

239 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Yugguy said:
Those ttting BBC websites are still punting the BMI though, the world's most pointless calculation.
You're only upset because it calls you a fat bd hehe

roboxm3

2,485 posts

225 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
TUS 373 said:
roboxm3 said:
Do "the plank"!

Start with 30 seconds holds, building up to...well whatever you can manage really.
A few sets / day will give a good flat shape to your abs.

Note* It will not however, burn the fat! You need real exercise for that, sorry.

Edited by roboxm3 on Tuesday 18th November 13:56


Edited by roboxm3 on Tuesday 18th November 13:56
What is "the plank"? Is that lying down with legs hold off the ground or something?
In basic terms it's the press-up position, only resting on your elbows....and there's no movement, just hold the position. Sometimes called "the bridge"

http://files.websitewizard.com/files/10482/images/...

TUS 373

Original Poster:

5,172 posts

311 months

Tuesday 18th November 2008
quotequote all
Graham E said:
I thought it was what happened when you'd angered the Somalian that's a "guest" on your tanker?
rofl