Help me lose my belly
April 24, 2011 4:25 PM Subscribe
I'm a fit guy in my early 30's, but I have a small stomach and some soft love handles that I can't seem to get rid of.
I lift weight 3-4 times per week but do not do any cardio. I used to do cardio, but I've been focusing more on toning my upper body. I'm not overweight and my stomach does not stick out, but I clearly have a pudgy belly...or pouch (whatever is best to call if for a male).
My dietary lifestyle is similar to paleo, that is, higher in protein, lower in carbs, with the bulk of the foods being consumed in their natural state (vice processed).
So, for a typical day, I'll usually have a lean protein with a green vegetable for lunch and something similar for dinner and somewhere in there I'll have a protein shake. I usually skip breakfast (I know, that's bad). For a snack I'll usually have a piece of lean chicken, or a mozzarella string cheese stick. I also usually eat 2-3 pieces of fruit every day. I used to eat grapes, then I switched to bananas, then apples, now I'm trying to do just berries...all the others seem so high in sugar and carbs. I want to be clear that I eat like this because my body feels most stabilized with this lifestyle. Grains, beans and potatoes just don't mix well with my body...I don't digest them well and feel terribly lethargic when I eat them.
Now that I have that out of the way, I will admit I do have the occasional "bad" food. Could be a cupcake at work, or a BIG bowl of popcorn at home (made on the stove)...but usually only 1-2 times per week.
I know this subject has been beaten to death, but given my dietary lifestyle, and the way I prefer to work out (weights) do you, my fellow me-fites, have any recommendations for how I can burn this darn belly off? I've had it for probably fifteen years now. I used to be about twenty pounds heavier (but still not huge) but slowly lost it through this dietary lifestyle over a few years.
Please note I prefer not to insert intense cardio into my routine. I will if that's absolutely the only way, but I never found it to be that beneficial for weight loss in the past, and I'm very limited on time during the week (have one of "those" jobs). I mentioned I lift weight 3-4 times per week. To expand on that, I usually work two muscle groups and do about two exercises for each. I'm not trying to put on a lot of muscle mass, just tone up (for now).
All that said, what do you suggest I do to lose the belly? Could it be the 1-2 cheats that I have every week when I eat popcorn or a dessert?
I lift weight 3-4 times per week but do not do any cardio. I used to do cardio, but I've been focusing more on toning my upper body. I'm not overweight and my stomach does not stick out, but I clearly have a pudgy belly...or pouch (whatever is best to call if for a male).
My dietary lifestyle is similar to paleo, that is, higher in protein, lower in carbs, with the bulk of the foods being consumed in their natural state (vice processed).
So, for a typical day, I'll usually have a lean protein with a green vegetable for lunch and something similar for dinner and somewhere in there I'll have a protein shake. I usually skip breakfast (I know, that's bad). For a snack I'll usually have a piece of lean chicken, or a mozzarella string cheese stick. I also usually eat 2-3 pieces of fruit every day. I used to eat grapes, then I switched to bananas, then apples, now I'm trying to do just berries...all the others seem so high in sugar and carbs. I want to be clear that I eat like this because my body feels most stabilized with this lifestyle. Grains, beans and potatoes just don't mix well with my body...I don't digest them well and feel terribly lethargic when I eat them.
Now that I have that out of the way, I will admit I do have the occasional "bad" food. Could be a cupcake at work, or a BIG bowl of popcorn at home (made on the stove)...but usually only 1-2 times per week.
I know this subject has been beaten to death, but given my dietary lifestyle, and the way I prefer to work out (weights) do you, my fellow me-fites, have any recommendations for how I can burn this darn belly off? I've had it for probably fifteen years now. I used to be about twenty pounds heavier (but still not huge) but slowly lost it through this dietary lifestyle over a few years.
Please note I prefer not to insert intense cardio into my routine. I will if that's absolutely the only way, but I never found it to be that beneficial for weight loss in the past, and I'm very limited on time during the week (have one of "those" jobs). I mentioned I lift weight 3-4 times per week. To expand on that, I usually work two muscle groups and do about two exercises for each. I'm not trying to put on a lot of muscle mass, just tone up (for now).
All that said, what do you suggest I do to lose the belly? Could it be the 1-2 cheats that I have every week when I eat popcorn or a dessert?
Especially since you are not overweight, please consult a physician before doing anything drastic about your weight.
posted by Blasdelb at 4:47 PM on April 24, 2011
posted by Blasdelb at 4:47 PM on April 24, 2011
Response by poster: "You can't tone up"
Sure I can. I've been working on my upper body (as I mentioned in the beginning of my post) and toning it up very well - chest, biceps, triceps, back, shoulders.
"Your diet looks sort of crappy so that's a good place to start."
Thanks for the feedback, but how is my diet crappy? The majority of my meals are lean protein with green veggies (broccoli, spinach, kale, etc). Two bad things I do: skip breakfast, and cheat 1-2 times per week.
Appreciate the feedback, but I'm not sure I understand what you're really suggesting by saying I should clean up my diet. Thanks.
posted by Yunani at 4:47 PM on April 24, 2011
Sure I can. I've been working on my upper body (as I mentioned in the beginning of my post) and toning it up very well - chest, biceps, triceps, back, shoulders.
"Your diet looks sort of crappy so that's a good place to start."
Thanks for the feedback, but how is my diet crappy? The majority of my meals are lean protein with green veggies (broccoli, spinach, kale, etc). Two bad things I do: skip breakfast, and cheat 1-2 times per week.
Appreciate the feedback, but I'm not sure I understand what you're really suggesting by saying I should clean up my diet. Thanks.
posted by Yunani at 4:47 PM on April 24, 2011
According to Tim Ferriss in The Four Hour Body, the secret is the myotatic crunch and the cat vomit exercise. (And, for women, front and side planks as well as hip flexor stretches.)
posted by Lexica at 5:03 PM on April 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Lexica at 5:03 PM on April 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You said you don't want to do intense cardio, that you don't have the time, but have you ever tried interval training? You can't do it very often or very long because is IS that intense, but research has shown that it's very helpful in both improving your cardio fitness and reducing body fat.
Try walking-jogging, or changing the incline on a treadmill, or intervals on a bike. For example, go three minutes at a moderate pace, then push hard for 1 minute, and repeat this pattern twice for a total of 12 minutes. Do this twice a week and see how your body responds after a month. Tabta intervals are also worth looking at, but try the basic approach I described first.
As far as your diet goes, why do you skip breakfast? Your body should be fuelled regularly. Unless you're being chased by wolves looking for their breakfast, you have no good excuse for this. If you think you don't have enough time, set yourself up for breakfast frittata by sauteing some veggies once a week, shredding some cheese (if you eat cheese) once a week. Stick these in the fridge. Every morning, put some pre-cooked veggies in a pan, crack a couple of eggs and pour in a few egg whites from a carton and mix it all up, then add this to the pan. Scrambled will take maybe 1-2 minutes, while letting it cook on medium under a lid takes about 5 minutes. Eat. Leave the house.
On preview: abs work can held build core strength and should be part of your workout, but they will not spot reduce fat nor will your abs show if you still have mid-section fat.
posted by maudlin at 5:07 PM on April 24, 2011 [4 favorites]
Try walking-jogging, or changing the incline on a treadmill, or intervals on a bike. For example, go three minutes at a moderate pace, then push hard for 1 minute, and repeat this pattern twice for a total of 12 minutes. Do this twice a week and see how your body responds after a month. Tabta intervals are also worth looking at, but try the basic approach I described first.
As far as your diet goes, why do you skip breakfast? Your body should be fuelled regularly. Unless you're being chased by wolves looking for their breakfast, you have no good excuse for this. If you think you don't have enough time, set yourself up for breakfast frittata by sauteing some veggies once a week, shredding some cheese (if you eat cheese) once a week. Stick these in the fridge. Every morning, put some pre-cooked veggies in a pan, crack a couple of eggs and pour in a few egg whites from a carton and mix it all up, then add this to the pan. Scrambled will take maybe 1-2 minutes, while letting it cook on medium under a lid takes about 5 minutes. Eat. Leave the house.
On preview: abs work can held build core strength and should be part of your workout, but they will not spot reduce fat nor will your abs show if you still have mid-section fat.
posted by maudlin at 5:07 PM on April 24, 2011 [4 favorites]
Best answer: It sounds like you've been adding some muscle, which is great! But it's not really compatible with losing fat at the same time. If you want to get your body fat lower, you're probably going to have to crack down for a while and do some calorie tracking, figure out what your "cheats" are actually costing you, and also accept that you're not going to add any bulk to your upper body to speak of while you're doing it.
(I don' t think your diet looks crappy, but when you're talking about that last couple of percentage points of body fat, quantity starts to count in a big way.)
posted by restless_nomad at 5:10 PM on April 24, 2011
(I don' t think your diet looks crappy, but when you're talking about that last couple of percentage points of body fat, quantity starts to count in a big way.)
posted by restless_nomad at 5:10 PM on April 24, 2011
You talk about the food you eat, but what about the calories you drink? The best way to get rid of a beer belly is usually to lose the beer; do you drink alcohol? Other sweetened drinks?
'My dietary lifestyle is similar to paleo', except apparently when you have some refined who-knows-what protein shake... every day. What are they really made of? I will wave my hand vaguely in the direction of some other diet thread posted in the last few days and say that someone there says that artificial sweeteners are bad.
posted by Lebannen at 5:26 PM on April 24, 2011
'My dietary lifestyle is similar to paleo', except apparently when you have some refined who-knows-what protein shake... every day. What are they really made of? I will wave my hand vaguely in the direction of some other diet thread posted in the last few days and say that someone there says that artificial sweeteners are bad.
posted by Lebannen at 5:26 PM on April 24, 2011
Best answer: With skipping breakfast and the relatively low-fat diet, I'd wonder if your body is going in to starvation mode, where it tries to conserve fat and burns muscle when it needs fuel (ie in the mornings). Keep building muscle, but try eating a little more often - it doesn't have to be a big breakfast or snack, but eating a little more can really ramp up the metabolism.
I make the big breakfast frittata on the weekend and just microwave a slice each morning for veggies and protein (I use mostly egg white). If you can't stomach something that hearty first thing, a banana and a little peanut butter or yogurt will do it, too. Get that metabolism up!
I'd recommend tracking your food for three days (or more) using something like My Plate to see how many calories you're taking in, as well as protein and fiber. You'd be surprised at how Many calories you need for lifting.
Also, interval training is great. And a post-workout snack is miracle-worker for building muscle. Chocolate milk after workout is my new favorite treat, and I'm seeing results on the scale. Who knew eating more could be so great for getting rid of bodyfat?
posted by ldthomps at 5:30 PM on April 24, 2011
I make the big breakfast frittata on the weekend and just microwave a slice each morning for veggies and protein (I use mostly egg white). If you can't stomach something that hearty first thing, a banana and a little peanut butter or yogurt will do it, too. Get that metabolism up!
I'd recommend tracking your food for three days (or more) using something like My Plate to see how many calories you're taking in, as well as protein and fiber. You'd be surprised at how Many calories you need for lifting.
Also, interval training is great. And a post-workout snack is miracle-worker for building muscle. Chocolate milk after workout is my new favorite treat, and I'm seeing results on the scale. Who knew eating more could be so great for getting rid of bodyfat?
posted by ldthomps at 5:30 PM on April 24, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers everyone.
Lebannen, you bring up a good point about beverage. Coffee (1/2 tsp sugar, light creamer), green tea and water are what I usually drink. No alcohol. Regarding the protein shake, I put fruit, skim milk and whey protein powder. I don't drink refined who-knows-what protein shakes (don't like the taste of those anyways). Aside from the protein powder itself, it's all natural.
I think restless_nomad is right about trying to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. I might relax my workout routine a little and focus more on entirely eliminating any of the foods that may be preventing the fat loss.
posted by Yunani at 5:30 PM on April 24, 2011
Lebannen, you bring up a good point about beverage. Coffee (1/2 tsp sugar, light creamer), green tea and water are what I usually drink. No alcohol. Regarding the protein shake, I put fruit, skim milk and whey protein powder. I don't drink refined who-knows-what protein shakes (don't like the taste of those anyways). Aside from the protein powder itself, it's all natural.
I think restless_nomad is right about trying to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. I might relax my workout routine a little and focus more on entirely eliminating any of the foods that may be preventing the fat loss.
posted by Yunani at 5:30 PM on April 24, 2011
Have you tried supersets? It's kind of like cardio but it's just lifting.
posted by thylacine at 5:32 PM on April 24, 2011
posted by thylacine at 5:32 PM on April 24, 2011
And are you eating 5-6 times a day instead of 3? That's also important to keep you metabolism hopping.
posted by thylacine at 5:34 PM on April 24, 2011
posted by thylacine at 5:34 PM on April 24, 2011
Best answer: IMO in studying nutrition and tackling the same issue (though I'm a female), I can share the following with you:
Write down everything you eat. It is easy to think you are eating really "well", and actually you do eat very well, BUT make sure of your caloric intake and make sure the calories are coming mostly from protein and fats. It is easier to do this writing everthing down. you can then also catch any wayward calories that need to go.
In the same vein, cut some calories. Are you having a fattening latte everyday? Is that cupcake or popcorn happening more often that you think? For me, for weight loss, I dont allow myself one day of cheats until I get down to a certain weight. Also for me eating the same thing everyday is a must. But everyone is different of course, you may have better self control than I do.
Do you do a lot of sitting all day? Lifting weights is great but its not always a calorie torcher. If you sit a lot, get up every hour and do some jumping jacks, walk around etc. move. the bottom line is you will need to cut some calories and burn that fat. Unless you're already quite slim, you can burn some fat then tone the area after with ab workouts.
Just a thought: a large bowl of popcorn WITH butter can be a WHOLE day's worth of calories. And that will sabotage your efforts during the week.
Lastly, tons of research has pointed to the fact that monounsaturated fats help BURN fat. Instead of string cheese I would snack of a few almonds, walnuts or dark chocolate. I consume a MUFA (monounsaturated fat) at every meal. Avocado (in moderation for weight loss) is a perfect one.
posted by cerebral at 5:35 PM on April 24, 2011
Write down everything you eat. It is easy to think you are eating really "well", and actually you do eat very well, BUT make sure of your caloric intake and make sure the calories are coming mostly from protein and fats. It is easier to do this writing everthing down. you can then also catch any wayward calories that need to go.
In the same vein, cut some calories. Are you having a fattening latte everyday? Is that cupcake or popcorn happening more often that you think? For me, for weight loss, I dont allow myself one day of cheats until I get down to a certain weight. Also for me eating the same thing everyday is a must. But everyone is different of course, you may have better self control than I do.
Do you do a lot of sitting all day? Lifting weights is great but its not always a calorie torcher. If you sit a lot, get up every hour and do some jumping jacks, walk around etc. move. the bottom line is you will need to cut some calories and burn that fat. Unless you're already quite slim, you can burn some fat then tone the area after with ab workouts.
Just a thought: a large bowl of popcorn WITH butter can be a WHOLE day's worth of calories. And that will sabotage your efforts during the week.
Lastly, tons of research has pointed to the fact that monounsaturated fats help BURN fat. Instead of string cheese I would snack of a few almonds, walnuts or dark chocolate. I consume a MUFA (monounsaturated fat) at every meal. Avocado (in moderation for weight loss) is a perfect one.
posted by cerebral at 5:35 PM on April 24, 2011
Forgot I have to agree with the above posters: eat frequently, do not skip breakfast. Eat every 3-4 hours. After a whole night your body is waiting for that first meal - deprive it and it is on the lookout for the next meal and will hold on to it more so than if you eat more frequently. Best of luck!
posted by cerebral at 5:38 PM on April 24, 2011
posted by cerebral at 5:38 PM on April 24, 2011
Response by poster: cerebral, great suggestions..thanks for that! I was eating a lot of almonds and switched to the cheese just to mix it up a bit..but I think I will switch back. Your post makes a lot of sense to me. It's clear to me that I need to get that breakfast in there!
Thanks again!
posted by Yunani at 5:42 PM on April 24, 2011
Thanks again!
posted by Yunani at 5:42 PM on April 24, 2011
I'd suggest putting on muscle rather than trying to lose weight -- like zephyr_words says, it's easier for most men to add some muscle (and thus decrease your fat percentage) than it is to try to cut fat directly. If you're not working your legs hard, you need to be: they're the largest muscles in the body, so building them up is a great way to boost your metabolism (plus they are close to the belly; strong thighs and a strong core will go a long way toward making your gut look smaller). I'd suggest starting every workout with squats, and doing a set of deadlifts at least once a week. You might also change up the rest of your workout, especially if you've been doing it for a while; concentrating on compound lifts (if you're not already doing them) would be a great idea.
Others have good suggestions for the diet. If anything, I think you could use more calories (largely from protein), and definitely more healthy fats -- fat is the body's main energy source in the absence of carbs, so you're selling yourself and your metabolism short by eating lean-and-skim-everything -- but it's not too bad. Good luck!
posted by vorfeed at 6:38 PM on April 24, 2011
Others have good suggestions for the diet. If anything, I think you could use more calories (largely from protein), and definitely more healthy fats -- fat is the body's main energy source in the absence of carbs, so you're selling yourself and your metabolism short by eating lean-and-skim-everything -- but it's not too bad. Good luck!
posted by vorfeed at 6:38 PM on April 24, 2011
Recent research has shown that the idea of 5-6 meals/day to keep your metabolic fire burning is basically bunk. It's a much better investment of your time to track your food intake - especially overall kcal and macro split (which is sounds like you're paying attention to, at least to some degree).
zephyr_words mentioned that you can't "tone up", which is correct. Your muscles can do one of three things - grow, atrophy or stay the same size. That's it. They're not complex machines that run more efficiently if you do the right combination of lat pulldowns and cable crunches or something. What most people refer to as "getting toned" is a combination of increasing muscle size and losing body fat. And as mentioned above, it's tough to do those things simultaneously.
Speaking of weightlifting, if you're not doing squats and deadlifts as a regular part of your routine, you're missing out on some fantastic compound lifts!
posted by brozek at 6:44 PM on April 24, 2011
zephyr_words mentioned that you can't "tone up", which is correct. Your muscles can do one of three things - grow, atrophy or stay the same size. That's it. They're not complex machines that run more efficiently if you do the right combination of lat pulldowns and cable crunches or something. What most people refer to as "getting toned" is a combination of increasing muscle size and losing body fat. And as mentioned above, it's tough to do those things simultaneously.
Speaking of weightlifting, if you're not doing squats and deadlifts as a regular part of your routine, you're missing out on some fantastic compound lifts!
posted by brozek at 6:44 PM on April 24, 2011
Clean up your diet. All of it. Devise a long-term plan, reform your grocery shopping and dedicate yourself to developing eating habits that support your body recomposition goals.
Micro-managing your training is really moot. Nobody can out-train a poor diet. Perform regular anaerobic HIIT, cardiac output aerobic work, heavy compound lifting, etc, for their own benefits, but do not expect any form of exercise to deliver a perfect physique. Body fat levels are a function of diet, plain and simple.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 7:10 PM on April 24, 2011
Micro-managing your training is really moot. Nobody can out-train a poor diet. Perform regular anaerobic HIIT, cardiac output aerobic work, heavy compound lifting, etc, for their own benefits, but do not expect any form of exercise to deliver a perfect physique. Body fat levels are a function of diet, plain and simple.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 7:10 PM on April 24, 2011
If you never do any cardio you may be strong, but you're certainly not fit. The most important muscle to exercise is your heart.
posted by joannemullen at 7:33 PM on April 24, 2011
posted by joannemullen at 7:33 PM on April 24, 2011
Ugh. I wish people would stop suggesting cardio when the OP clearly doesn't want to do cardio. It's absolutely not a requirement to shedding hard-to-lose fat deposits. While cardiovascular exercise trains your muscles to work in aerobic conditions (steady breathing that constantly replenishing O2) weight training is anaerobic exercise. It trains your muscles to work without all the extra supplemental oxygen of breathing. Aerobic exercise burns calories during the exercise (and a few hours afterward); anaerobic exercise burns calories for days afterward (it takes time & energy for your body to rebuild itself). Given the same amount of time spent exercising, you are actually burning more calories with weight lifting than with any aerobic alternative.
To expand on that, I usually work two muscle groups and do about two exercises for each.
Here's your problem. You're not pushing yourself hard enough. You might be worried about getting "too big" but let me tell you: if you're not eating a ton of calories, there's going to come a point where your body weight will stabilize for your daily caloric intake, and you will not get any bigger no matter how much you work out.
What will happen, however, is that your body will start eating itself. It will start looking for little hidden pockets of fat. You know, the good, deep bits that it was saving up for a rainy day or a nuclear winter. Those bits around your belly? Prime fillet for a hungry body that's getting beaten on. Or how about those jiggly little bits hanging off your back near your kidneys? That'll be the last bit to go, I guarantee you.
Your diet sounds fine. It doesn't sound awesome but it sounds maintainable and not self-destructive, which is about as good as you can expect from a normal human being with normal human frailties (just try and stay away from HFCS). But your workout routine sounds wanting for the physique you desire.
Like you, I usually lift 3-4 times a week, but unlike you, the days in between I'm concentrating on functional strength. So, medicine ball routines, core yoga movements, stretching, balance work—and occasionally some (very) light cardio in the form of jump rope because it's the only form of cardio I can stand and because it's extremely versatile (by simply going slower/faster you can alter the aerobic/anaerobic benefits).
You don't have to change what you're doing, you just have to do more of it. Those fat stores are your body's savings account. If you want your body to dip into the retirement fund, you need to literally exhaust all its other possibilities. Right now, you're coasting with plenty of extra calories to function and your body knows it, so it's not going to touch those reserves.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:35 PM on April 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
To expand on that, I usually work two muscle groups and do about two exercises for each.
Here's your problem. You're not pushing yourself hard enough. You might be worried about getting "too big" but let me tell you: if you're not eating a ton of calories, there's going to come a point where your body weight will stabilize for your daily caloric intake, and you will not get any bigger no matter how much you work out.
What will happen, however, is that your body will start eating itself. It will start looking for little hidden pockets of fat. You know, the good, deep bits that it was saving up for a rainy day or a nuclear winter. Those bits around your belly? Prime fillet for a hungry body that's getting beaten on. Or how about those jiggly little bits hanging off your back near your kidneys? That'll be the last bit to go, I guarantee you.
Your diet sounds fine. It doesn't sound awesome but it sounds maintainable and not self-destructive, which is about as good as you can expect from a normal human being with normal human frailties (just try and stay away from HFCS). But your workout routine sounds wanting for the physique you desire.
Like you, I usually lift 3-4 times a week, but unlike you, the days in between I'm concentrating on functional strength. So, medicine ball routines, core yoga movements, stretching, balance work—and occasionally some (very) light cardio in the form of jump rope because it's the only form of cardio I can stand and because it's extremely versatile (by simply going slower/faster you can alter the aerobic/anaerobic benefits).
You don't have to change what you're doing, you just have to do more of it. Those fat stores are your body's savings account. If you want your body to dip into the retirement fund, you need to literally exhaust all its other possibilities. Right now, you're coasting with plenty of extra calories to function and your body knows it, so it's not going to touch those reserves.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:35 PM on April 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
Might liposuction be an option for you? Sounds like everything else is near optimized.
posted by kevinsp8 at 9:42 PM on April 24, 2011
posted by kevinsp8 at 9:42 PM on April 24, 2011
Best answer: "You can't tone up"
Sure I can. I've been working on my upper body (as I mentioned in the beginning of my post) and toning it up very well - chest, biceps, triceps, back, shoulders.
OK, well as I said that isn't toning up. It's a fitness industry advertising term and it's silly. Muscle definition is the muscle showing through the lack of fat.
"Your diet looks sort of crappy so that's a good place to start."
Thanks for the feedback, but how is my diet crappy? The majority of my meals are lean protein with green veggies (broccoli, spinach, kale, etc). Two bad things I do: skip breakfast, and cheat 1-2 times per week.
It's crappy just based on what you listed and I'm sure there is more you didn't list or might not even realize you're doing. Skipping breakfast, eating sugar, and eating lots of fruit are things not related with getting super lean. Cheating is not conducive with getting lean.
It's hard to even give accurate advice on what you need to fix because of the lack of information. So that's why my advice was a very blanket of blah.
What's your weight, what's your height?
What's a sample of a weeks training log?
Do you keep a food log and know everything you've eaten for the past month? What's your maintenance level of calories? What do you eat on workout days?
What do you want to look like, what do you currently look like?
If you don't have a photo of you what's your current measured with calipers body fat %?
I think a lot of people think they are in this position of losing the last little bit of fat but they are much farther away than they can even realize. Guys try to chase this 6pack thinking they have a good base, eventually get very lean and end up looking like Christian Bale in The Machinist.
Others have very good genetics and end up having nice looking abs even with low muscle and cutting down to 150 lbs but they can't even look at a cupcake without adding an inch of fat on their waist because they don't have a strong enough base.
For example, this is what a guy at 5'6 who walks around at about 175lbs looks like. Here is a guy at 6'0 at about 175lbs. Another, 6'0 @ 190lbs
That should give you some reference compared to whatever your height and weight is to how much muscle would be smart to put on before trying to go into super cut mode.
--
If you never do any cardio you may be strong, but you're certainly not fit. The most important muscle to exercise is your heart.
I don't know what your definition of fit is but I'm going to say that's an ignorant blanket statement that makes no sense. Weight lifting is a form of conditioning. Most anyone that follows a good training program of only lifting can easily run a 5K. People that lifts weights instead of, or in addition to, pounding the pavement all day aren't huge lumbering bodybuilders who can't make it up a set of stairs.
The heart does have to work, and quite hard, when following a lifting program that doesn't just constitute of bench press and bicep curl variations.
posted by zephyr_words at 10:39 PM on April 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
Sure I can. I've been working on my upper body (as I mentioned in the beginning of my post) and toning it up very well - chest, biceps, triceps, back, shoulders.
OK, well as I said that isn't toning up. It's a fitness industry advertising term and it's silly. Muscle definition is the muscle showing through the lack of fat.
"Your diet looks sort of crappy so that's a good place to start."
Thanks for the feedback, but how is my diet crappy? The majority of my meals are lean protein with green veggies (broccoli, spinach, kale, etc). Two bad things I do: skip breakfast, and cheat 1-2 times per week.
It's crappy just based on what you listed and I'm sure there is more you didn't list or might not even realize you're doing. Skipping breakfast, eating sugar, and eating lots of fruit are things not related with getting super lean. Cheating is not conducive with getting lean.
It's hard to even give accurate advice on what you need to fix because of the lack of information. So that's why my advice was a very blanket of blah.
What's your weight, what's your height?
What's a sample of a weeks training log?
Do you keep a food log and know everything you've eaten for the past month? What's your maintenance level of calories? What do you eat on workout days?
What do you want to look like, what do you currently look like?
If you don't have a photo of you what's your current measured with calipers body fat %?
I think a lot of people think they are in this position of losing the last little bit of fat but they are much farther away than they can even realize. Guys try to chase this 6pack thinking they have a good base, eventually get very lean and end up looking like Christian Bale in The Machinist.
Others have very good genetics and end up having nice looking abs even with low muscle and cutting down to 150 lbs but they can't even look at a cupcake without adding an inch of fat on their waist because they don't have a strong enough base.
For example, this is what a guy at 5'6 who walks around at about 175lbs looks like. Here is a guy at 6'0 at about 175lbs. Another, 6'0 @ 190lbs
That should give you some reference compared to whatever your height and weight is to how much muscle would be smart to put on before trying to go into super cut mode.
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If you never do any cardio you may be strong, but you're certainly not fit. The most important muscle to exercise is your heart.
I don't know what your definition of fit is but I'm going to say that's an ignorant blanket statement that makes no sense. Weight lifting is a form of conditioning. Most anyone that follows a good training program of only lifting can easily run a 5K. People that lifts weights instead of, or in addition to, pounding the pavement all day aren't huge lumbering bodybuilders who can't make it up a set of stairs.
The heart does have to work, and quite hard, when following a lifting program that doesn't just constitute of bench press and bicep curl variations.
posted by zephyr_words at 10:39 PM on April 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
You've got a good batch of advice here, but I'll chime in to say that while it's tough to say how fit you really are based on the information, the guys I know who do this stuff always have better results in bulking up with as much muscle mass as possible and then going through a cutting phase where they are maniacal about eating clean and lean, and they just shed fat like crazy. With enough muscle mass your metabolism will be supercharged and even small changes in your diet will have a very big effect.
Overall, cheating 1-2 times per week is too much IMO, I'd cut back to once every 2-3 weeks if you can, but you can allow it to be more substantial, a full meal instead of just a cupcake, say. Also, berries and all fruits are deliciously packed with fructose, which becomes fat all too easily. It's not as bad as drinking a coke with each meal, but it's not too far off.
If you're really committed, go completely no-carb for a month or so, or for two week stretches with a cheat day in between. Avoid breads, pastas, fruits, carbs both simple and complex. If you can keep your carb count low enough, you can induce ketosis and your body will preferentially burn fats for energy. Keep this up for a bit and you should be able to shed fat effectively.
posted by dnesan at 8:21 AM on April 25, 2011
Overall, cheating 1-2 times per week is too much IMO, I'd cut back to once every 2-3 weeks if you can, but you can allow it to be more substantial, a full meal instead of just a cupcake, say. Also, berries and all fruits are deliciously packed with fructose, which becomes fat all too easily. It's not as bad as drinking a coke with each meal, but it's not too far off.
If you're really committed, go completely no-carb for a month or so, or for two week stretches with a cheat day in between. Avoid breads, pastas, fruits, carbs both simple and complex. If you can keep your carb count low enough, you can induce ketosis and your body will preferentially burn fats for energy. Keep this up for a bit and you should be able to shed fat effectively.
posted by dnesan at 8:21 AM on April 25, 2011
For example, this is what a guy at 5'6 who walks around at about 175lbs looks like. Here is a guy at 6'0 at about 175lbs. Another, 6'0 @ 190lbs
All those guys are fighters that cut an amazing amount for weigh-ins (20+lbs). Their walk-around weights are significantly heavier than their billed weights, so they can't really be used as physique examples. Sherk is at least 190lbs in that pic.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 6:58 AM on April 26, 2011
All those guys are fighters that cut an amazing amount for weigh-ins (20+lbs). Their walk-around weights are significantly heavier than their billed weights, so they can't really be used as physique examples. Sherk is at least 190lbs in that pic.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 6:58 AM on April 26, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
You'll get rid of your belly and love handles by getting to a lower body fat %. You aren't going to be able to target these areas or something.
This is really hard to do if you are a super small skinny fat guy because you have less room for error. If you gain 20lbs of muscle your body fat % automatically drops.
You need to drop fat by creating a caloric deficit in some way. Your diet looks sort of crappy so that's a good place to start. I'd suggest fasted cardio in the morning in addition to cleaning up your diet.
Work your legs every week too. Squats\deadlifts.
posted by zephyr_words at 4:38 PM on April 24, 2011