Discussion
Ok, I'm 33 about 5'8 and was at my heaviest around 17 stone. I have been overweight since I was about 24 but before that was very healthy and slim, I played loads of football, loads of cycling (was a cycle courirer in London for a few months) but when I met SWMBO it all went out the window.
I started going to the gym in early March and really haven't looked back since, I'm down to 15 stone 4lbs now and feel fitter than ever before, I'm seeing muscle development and feel great.
But, I can't shift my belly, its reduced quite alot (38" waist down to 34" nearly) but it just will not go.
I can feel the muscle developing beneath it but really just want it gone, my moobs are still quite noticeable too.
My diets very good, haven't had alchohol for over two years, no takeaways since I started gym, lots of fish salad etc. My portions are still quite large as my thing is still food albeit healthy.
May be slightly carb heavy though as I love rice/pasta.
I don't smoke either. The rest of my body seems to be going the right way just not my frontal area.
Should I step up on cardio or step up on abdominal exercises?
I started going to the gym in early March and really haven't looked back since, I'm down to 15 stone 4lbs now and feel fitter than ever before, I'm seeing muscle development and feel great.
But, I can't shift my belly, its reduced quite alot (38" waist down to 34" nearly) but it just will not go.
I can feel the muscle developing beneath it but really just want it gone, my moobs are still quite noticeable too.
My diets very good, haven't had alchohol for over two years, no takeaways since I started gym, lots of fish salad etc. My portions are still quite large as my thing is still food albeit healthy.
May be slightly carb heavy though as I love rice/pasta.
I don't smoke either. The rest of my body seems to be going the right way just not my frontal area.
Should I step up on cardio or step up on abdominal exercises?
MacGee said:
Cardio!
Ok. I currently do a mix in the mornings (min 5 days a week) of cardio and weights.I have two routines,
Front of body: 7 mins on X trainer at level 4 (I take it up to 6 in stages)
Leg extensions, 3 X 15 reps @ 25kg
Total ab machine, 2 X 20 @ 30kg
Chest press, 3 X 15 @ 32.5kg
Shoulder press, 3 X 15 @ 12.5kg
Delts raise 2 X 15 @ 15kg
Crunch bench (sit ups) 3 X 15
Treadmill 20 mins @ 3 mins 6.5 kph 1 min @ 12 kph
Back of body,
Rowing machine, 1km in under 4 mins on level 4
Shoulder pulls, 3 X 15 @ 25kg
Low row, 3 X 15 @ 35kg
Lower back press, 3 X 12 @ 30kg
Ab turns 2 X 20 on each side
Shoulder pulls, 3 X 15 @ 40kg
Leg curls, 3 X 15 @ 25kg
Leg press, 3 X 20 @ 70kg
X trainer, 5 mins @ level 1, 5 @ 3, 5@ 5, 5 @ 7, 5 @ 9.
Im thinking of just doing cardio in the mornings and try and do weights in evening?
Reduce the carbs. 
Sounds like your body has been used to lots of carbs so time to change that.
I'm not an expert but I do know you'll have to replace carbs with veg, fish and meat.
I'm guessing your ideal weight should be around 12/12.5 st?
If you're like me the spare tyre is the last place fat gets shifted.
Also, take a couple of weeks rest then get on it!
Sounds like your body has been used to lots of carbs so time to change that.
I'm not an expert but I do know you'll have to replace carbs with veg, fish and meat.
I'm guessing your ideal weight should be around 12/12.5 st?
If you're like me the spare tyre is the last place fat gets shifted.
Also, take a couple of weeks rest then get on it!
GTIR said:
Reduce the carbs.
Sounds like your body has been used to lots of carbs so time to change that.
I'm not an expert but I do know you'll have to replace carbs with veg, fish and meat.
I'm guessing your ideal weight should be around 12/12.5 st?
If you're like me the spare tyre is the last place fat gets shifted.
Also, take a couple of weeks rest then get on it!
I've dropped the carbs from the evening meal now, last nite I had a massive salad with two tins of Tuna (adore fish) 3 peices of low fat Garlic bread with a bit of low fat Phillidelphia spread on top and a spoonfull of Jelopino Coleslaw. Thats pretty much what I eat most evenings, although normally there is some brown rice/pasta involved.Sounds like your body has been used to lots of carbs so time to change that.
I'm not an expert but I do know you'll have to replace carbs with veg, fish and meat.
I'm guessing your ideal weight should be around 12/12.5 st?
If you're like me the spare tyre is the last place fat gets shifted.
Also, take a couple of weeks rest then get on it!
Couple of weeks rest you say? I really enjoy my time in the gym and I can't see myself not going for that long. It costs me £48 a month too so that would be £24 quid they'd get off me for nothing.
Imma gonna go out out in a limb here and guess you're a plumber? In which case it's a fairly active job, so your calorie burn will be fairly high any way.
The stomach is the last place to shift fat, so you still have quite a long way to go to move it. Aim to lose 2lb per week, if you're getting less than this then reduce food intake.
The stomach is the last place to shift fat, so you still have quite a long way to go to move it. Aim to lose 2lb per week, if you're getting less than this then reduce food intake.
essexplumber said:
I've dropped the carbs from the evening meal now, last nite I had a massive salad with two tins of Tuna (adore fish) 3 peices of low fat Garlic bread with a bit of low fat Phillidelphia spread on top and a spoonfull of Jelopino Coleslaw. Thats pretty much what I eat most evenings, although normally there is some brown rice/pasta involved.
Couple of weeks rest you say? I really enjoy my time in the gym and I can't see myself not going for that long. It costs me £48 a month too so that would be £24 quid they'd get off me for nothing.
Dropping carbs from 1 meal might be an easy way to go. Garlic bread is carbs btw... Couple of weeks rest you say? I really enjoy my time in the gym and I can't see myself not going for that long. It costs me £48 a month too so that would be £24 quid they'd get off me for nothing.
Get on MyFitnessPal.com and log everything you eat. Be truthful about portions. Don't log exercise for the moment as the figures are all incorrect.
Basically, you need to... (wait for it)... eat less, move more. It's what everyone says and they're not wrong. There are tricks and tips but ultimately it comes down to a calorie deficit through... eating less and moving more. But(!) don't eat too little and move too much! A deficit of 100 calories a day is the best for a lifestyle change.
Basically, you need to... (wait for it)... eat less, move more. It's what everyone says and they're not wrong. There are tricks and tips but ultimately it comes down to a calorie deficit through... eating less and moving more. But(!) don't eat too little and move too much! A deficit of 100 calories a day is the best for a lifestyle change.
Edited by Hoofy on Sunday 27th May 11:21
No carbs before bed, or drop carbs altogether.
E.g. Instead of fish and chips, have fish and fish. Instead of steak and chips, have steak and salad.
If you want to lose the belly you need to los nearly all your body fat reserves, as the belly is where it goes last. You will need to get to around 10% body fat and I'm guess you're sitting at around 35%.
What's your height? If you're 15st I'm guessing you have around 25Kgs of fat. That's 225,000 calories of stored energy that you need to burn - AFTER you have burned your way through your current stores of glucose... and these glucose stores will also be largely reset everyday.
That's a lot of CV.
E.g. Instead of fish and chips, have fish and fish. Instead of steak and chips, have steak and salad.
If you want to lose the belly you need to los nearly all your body fat reserves, as the belly is where it goes last. You will need to get to around 10% body fat and I'm guess you're sitting at around 35%.
What's your height? If you're 15st I'm guessing you have around 25Kgs of fat. That's 225,000 calories of stored energy that you need to burn - AFTER you have burned your way through your current stores of glucose... and these glucose stores will also be largely reset everyday.
That's a lot of CV.
mattikake said:
No carbs before bed, or drop carbs altogether.
E.g. Instead of fish and chips, have fish and fish. Instead of steak and chips, have steak and salad.
If you want to lose the belly you need to los nearly all your body fat reserves, as the belly is where it goes last. You will need to get to around 10% body fat and I'm guess you're sitting at around 35%.
What's your height? If you're 15st I'm guessing you have around 25Kgs of fat. That's 225,000 calories of stored energy that you need to burn - AFTER you have burned your way through your current stores of glucose... and these glucose stores will also be largely reset everyday.
That's a lot of CV.
I'm 5'8, think is I'm not and never have been flabby as such, people tend not to belive when I used to tell them I was 16.7-17 stone.E.g. Instead of fish and chips, have fish and fish. Instead of steak and chips, have steak and salad.
If you want to lose the belly you need to los nearly all your body fat reserves, as the belly is where it goes last. You will need to get to around 10% body fat and I'm guess you're sitting at around 35%.
What's your height? If you're 15st I'm guessing you have around 25Kgs of fat. That's 225,000 calories of stored energy that you need to burn - AFTER you have burned your way through your current stores of glucose... and these glucose stores will also be largely reset everyday.
That's a lot of CV.
I am a plumber but my current role isn't massively active although it does allow me to go gym every day (I do have 1 day a week off) and as far as diet goes I don't eat anything fried, virtually no red meat, potato is also pretty rare. My portions are big though as I don't drink or smoke so food is my vice, I don't drink fizzy stuff just water,sugar free Robinsons, coffee with green top and sweetener, very little bread (sometimes 2 slices of seeded wholemeal toast dry).
I know my overall weight and fitness is going the right way but at 33 I also know my belly will be difficult to shift.
essexplumber said:
mattikake said:
No carbs before bed, or drop carbs altogether.
E.g. Instead of fish and chips, have fish and fish. Instead of steak and chips, have steak and salad.
If you want to lose the belly you need to los nearly all your body fat reserves, as the belly is where it goes last. You will need to get to around 10% body fat and I'm guess you're sitting at around 35%.
What's your height? If you're 15st I'm guessing you have around 25Kgs of fat. That's 225,000 calories of stored energy that you need to burn - AFTER you have burned your way through your current stores of glucose... and these glucose stores will also be largely reset everyday.
That's a lot of CV.
I'm 5'8, think is I'm not and never have been flabby as such, people tend not to belive when I used to tell them I was 16.7-17 stone.E.g. Instead of fish and chips, have fish and fish. Instead of steak and chips, have steak and salad.
If you want to lose the belly you need to los nearly all your body fat reserves, as the belly is where it goes last. You will need to get to around 10% body fat and I'm guess you're sitting at around 35%.
What's your height? If you're 15st I'm guessing you have around 25Kgs of fat. That's 225,000 calories of stored energy that you need to burn - AFTER you have burned your way through your current stores of glucose... and these glucose stores will also be largely reset everyday.
That's a lot of CV.
I am a plumber but my current role isn't massively active although it does allow me to go gym every day (I do have 1 day a week off) and as far as diet goes I don't eat anything fried, virtually no red meat, potato is also pretty rare. My portions are big though as I don't drink or smoke so food is my vice, I don't drink fizzy stuff just water,sugar free Robinsons, coffee with green top and sweetener, very little bread (sometimes 2 slices of seeded wholemeal toast dry).
I know my overall weight and fitness is going the right way but at 33 I also know my belly will be difficult to shift.
If your diet is bad then and eating far too much of even decent foods does mean bad then you've got to fix that or accept the stomach.
At 5'8 if you were 17 stone, you'd be bloody huge! People say kind things because they don't want to say yeah you're really fat and look bloody terrible!
You're quite young so your age has very little to do with your weight. It's all down to diet, lifestyle and exercise levels.
Sometimes the trick with eating less is finding foods that keep you fuller for longer and as such you can eat less of.
One thing to note carb-wise is that a lot of 'low-fat' foods and options generally have a higher amount of carbs/sugar in.
I have in the recent past switched from a low-carb (quite low, less than 20 grams a day) to eating brown, seedy bread at lunch but having no carbs other than that. Doing that and upping the cardio I found I was getting good results but not as fast/efficient as low-carb.
Personally I find the medium-carb approach better as long-term I won't binge on carbs once a week. (Which includes drinking but as you don't drink you don't have this problem.)
I have in the recent past switched from a low-carb (quite low, less than 20 grams a day) to eating brown, seedy bread at lunch but having no carbs other than that. Doing that and upping the cardio I found I was getting good results but not as fast/efficient as low-carb.
Personally I find the medium-carb approach better as long-term I won't binge on carbs once a week. (Which includes drinking but as you don't drink you don't have this problem.)
essexplumber said:
I know my overall weight and fitness is going the right way but at 33 I also know my belly will be difficult to shift.
Not difficult, just harder than for a 23yo.At 36yo I had a 36in chunky belly with love handles, <13in biceps, 36in chest. I was biking >50km a week and killing myself in the gym. From 30yo onwards I was slowly watching the fat increase despite my efforts.
At 38yo I now have a <32in waist, >14in biceps, 40in chest, and a 6-pack (if I wax
). I walk 30km a week and work half as hard in the gym. I'm now exactly how I want to be and am in the happy place of "maintenance". This means I can indulge in any foods and be lax in exercise.The difference? Knowledge and the will to implement it. Eating properly, exercising properly, and integrating both properly.
Sorting yourself out can be done. All you have to do is want it more than whatever your current indulgences are and only make a few sacrifices here and there.
GTIR said:
OP. it's clear your portions are too big. Two tins of tuna?
It may be good for you but everything in moderation, eh.
Oh and don't bother with low fat rubbish. Just eat healthily and reduce the portions.
This obviously the main problem, I am going to lower my portion sizes as of tomorrow.It may be good for you but everything in moderation, eh.
Oh and don't bother with low fat rubbish. Just eat healthily and reduce the portions.
As you say, too much food isn't good, healthy or not. Cheers for your answers guys, I'll post my progress up in a couple of weeks
essexplumber said:
GTIR said:
OP. it's clear your portions are too big. Two tins of tuna?
It may be good for you but everything in moderation, eh.
Oh and don't bother with low fat rubbish. Just eat healthily and reduce the portions.
This obviously the main problem, I am going to lower my portion sizes as of tomorrow.It may be good for you but everything in moderation, eh.
Oh and don't bother with low fat rubbish. Just eat healthily and reduce the portions.
As you say, too much food isn't good, healthy or not. Cheers for your answers guys, I'll post my progress up in a couple of weeks
You need a small amount of carbs to be able to function really, i have carbs at lunchtime, either a handful of small boiled potato's or a half cup of rice.
Alternatively drop the eating of carbs all together & have some Vitargo, it's a carb drink.
Have it mid-day though, that way you still get the carb hit & you'll be ready for your evening work-out, but you'll have plenty of time to burn it off!
Alternatively drop the eating of carbs all together & have some Vitargo, it's a carb drink.
Have it mid-day though, that way you still get the carb hit & you'll be ready for your evening work-out, but you'll have plenty of time to burn it off!
IMO, unless you're peaking for competition and are already very lean cutting carbs isn't going to make a great deal of difference. You need decent carbs to fuel your cardio work.
It's the old story as mentioned several times above, burn more than you consume. Simple as.
It's easier not to consume the excess in the first place, but it's better to burn the fat off with more weights and cardio.
You sound as though you have the right idea already and been fairly successful too.
I fancy it may be a bit more patience required, but if you've reached a genuine plateau up the cardio or reduce the kcals and monitor results. There's little more disheartening than slogging your heart out on the treadmill and the scales don't shift from one week to the next. Make sure your changes work, if they don't, don't be discouraged - try something else. Instead of more time doing cardio, increase the intensity. Maybe increase your intake for a day or two just to convince your metabolism you're not starving. Loads of tricks you can try.
You're doing very well by the sounds of it - keep at it.
It's the old story as mentioned several times above, burn more than you consume. Simple as.
It's easier not to consume the excess in the first place, but it's better to burn the fat off with more weights and cardio.
You sound as though you have the right idea already and been fairly successful too.
I fancy it may be a bit more patience required, but if you've reached a genuine plateau up the cardio or reduce the kcals and monitor results. There's little more disheartening than slogging your heart out on the treadmill and the scales don't shift from one week to the next. Make sure your changes work, if they don't, don't be discouraged - try something else. Instead of more time doing cardio, increase the intensity. Maybe increase your intake for a day or two just to convince your metabolism you're not starving. Loads of tricks you can try.
You're doing very well by the sounds of it - keep at it.
I actually went to see a dietician on Friday ....I've put a couple of two and a half stone over the last nine months...long story involving pneumonia, lots of steroids, liver biopsy, asthma etc etc
I've been put on a Low GI diet which for me currently means cutting out things like white or brown bread, dried fruit, fruit juice, jacket potatoes, honey and replacing it with soya or rye bread, brown rice, oat based cereals, proper fruit etc etc It seems like a pretty manageable diet to me but definitely needs some thought especially for lunches as it's hard to buy anything at most sandwich bars that fit i.e. none of the bread is any good. Packed lunchs are the way ahead and those microwave bags so I can bring things to work and steam them at lunchtime are the way ahead.
The interesting thing to me was that things I thought were okay like eating raisins or honey in my porridge are actually bad for me in this instance. So from now on it's grated apple in my porridge.......easy now I know it.
I've been put on a Low GI diet which for me currently means cutting out things like white or brown bread, dried fruit, fruit juice, jacket potatoes, honey and replacing it with soya or rye bread, brown rice, oat based cereals, proper fruit etc etc It seems like a pretty manageable diet to me but definitely needs some thought especially for lunches as it's hard to buy anything at most sandwich bars that fit i.e. none of the bread is any good. Packed lunchs are the way ahead and those microwave bags so I can bring things to work and steam them at lunchtime are the way ahead.
The interesting thing to me was that things I thought were okay like eating raisins or honey in my porridge are actually bad for me in this instance. So from now on it's grated apple in my porridge.......easy now I know it.
LordGrover said:
IMO, unless you're peaking for competition and are already very lean cutting carbs isn't going to make a great deal of difference. You need decent carbs to fuel your cardio work.
It's the old story as mentioned several times above, burn more than you consume. Simple as.
It's easier not to consume the excess in the first place, but it's better to burn the fat off with more weights and cardio.
You sound as though you have the right idea already and been fairly successful too.
I fancy it may be a bit more patience required, but if you've reached a genuine plateau up the cardio or reduce the kcals and monitor results. There's little more disheartening than slogging your heart out on the treadmill and the scales don't shift from one week to the next. Make sure your changes work, if they don't, don't be discouraged - try something else. Instead of more time doing cardio, increase the intensity. Maybe increase your intake for a day or two just to convince your metabolism you're not starving. Loads of tricks you can try.
You're doing very well by the sounds of it - keep at it.
Cheers LG It's the old story as mentioned several times above, burn more than you consume. Simple as.
It's easier not to consume the excess in the first place, but it's better to burn the fat off with more weights and cardio.
You sound as though you have the right idea already and been fairly successful too.
I fancy it may be a bit more patience required, but if you've reached a genuine plateau up the cardio or reduce the kcals and monitor results. There's little more disheartening than slogging your heart out on the treadmill and the scales don't shift from one week to the next. Make sure your changes work, if they don't, don't be discouraged - try something else. Instead of more time doing cardio, increase the intensity. Maybe increase your intake for a day or two just to convince your metabolism you're not starving. Loads of tricks you can try.
You're doing very well by the sounds of it - keep at it.
Today went like this, up at 6am straight to work, had a pack of those vitae(?) cereal biscuit packs on the way, got to work and at about 7.30 had 2 slices of dry seeded wholemeal toast and a coffee.
At around 9.30 had a Chicken Teriaki pot thing from Sainsburys (all the indicators were green) and a pot of friut and a regular skinny latte with sweetner.
Got to the gym at around 14.00 and did the front of body plan I listed at top (+ 45 sit ups on a crunch bench)
the workout is roughly 650 cals.
Got home and had a small bowl of Asdas rassberry and pomegranite wheats with red milk and a coffee.
Dinner will be 2 salmon fillets and 2 prawn skewers with salad and a little bit of cheese at around 1900 and a Muller Light yogurt and some fruit at about 21.00.
Obviously I drink lots of water during the day too. Thats pretty typical of what I've been eating for the past couple of weeks as I've tried to drop carbs from the evening meal.
I think you may be right about the patience side of things though, I've only been at it for just under 3 months and before that I was sloth like bar work for 10 years so I shouldn't expect miracles yet.
Edited by essexplumber on Monday 28th May 16:19
Edited by essexplumber on Monday 28th May 16:20
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