This a realistic goal?

[Noobtastic]

Stats:

5'10
155 lbs
Male

fat layer in stomach, sort of "moobs" but they look more like slight puffs. you cant tell even with a tight shirt.

What I've been doing:

2 years ago I gained over 40 lbs because of a bad medication, going from 140 to 180. I lost 40 lbs over a year, but a lot of the fatty pockets - especially in the chest area, did not go all the way down.

I didn't care or put off exercising, and only ran maybe 5 or 6 times a month.

since the beginning of January, however, I've set up a routine.

I own an elliptical, a bench with a bar, and weights up to 125 lbs. My hand weights are only 10lbs and I don't think I'm gonna buy anything more. I also have two ropes.

Every day, I use the elliptical for 50-60 minutes. Sometimes I run in the morning for 50, and then at night for 50. As its been a month since I started exercising, I run at the maximum intensity, typically 70-100 RPMs. According to the calorie calculator, I'm burning over 10 calories a minute, though I'm not sure how reliable that is.

Today, for example, I ran for 50 minutes, and supposedly burned 560 calories but I doubt that is correct.

Also I do many types of sit ups and crunches, including the bicycle, elbows to knees, push ups, pulls up (I do sets at night and in the morning, and I also find myself doing 5 or 10 whenever I get off the computer simply because the bar hangs in my doorway.)

I've also started doing lunges and squats, ropes, and some arm weights...though I don't have a lot of equipment for that. I try to use the rope elastic as creatively as I can.

But most importantly, I've started eating right. I've totally cut out soda, eating more fruits and vegetables, and making sure I consume 2,000 calories or less a day, low on the sodium, sugar, and carbs.

I eat a cliff bar, banana, and fresh-fruit shake every day...for the most part. I stopped eating processed foods, and now exclusively shop at the local health market.

I used to eat fast food 2 or 3 times a week. I wanted to cut it out completely, but its simply impractical because I'm always out and forget to bring snacks. I've had fast food once every week since I started exercising.

According to some people, I look more toned. I haven't lost any weight. Weight was 154 in late December, and now its 151, but it fluctuates as I was 153 the day before.

I'm really, really focused on losing the weight in my stomach area....but I'm not sure if there are any exercises that specifically target that area to lose the fat.

I would like to see a six pack, but I know its an unrealistic goal for now. I just want to look thinner, even fit...and hopefully noticable muscle lines in the stomach area (call it a 3 pack) but I'm really not that vain.

I just don't like the fat. I'm not a fat person in general, and this is a really recent event.

So can I lose 15-20 fat lbs, hopefully gain some muscle, by June?

 

[Onita]

2 quick things:
If you want to gain muscle, start lifting weights. You'll (hopefully) need more than 125 pounds. 15-20 pounds is a a TON of weight to lose... you weigh 155 pounds at 5'10", I can't imagine that much fat but of course I could be wrong.

Also, re: the stomach fat: you can't spot reduce.

 

[surfsatwerk]

The thought of someone weighing 155lbs and wanting to lose 20lbs gives me a nose bleed.

 

[Titan]

Just reign in your diet and start lifting. Being fat actually helps you to put on muscle easier than if you were skinny. More muscle allows you to burn more fat. Don't worry about numbers on the scale. Measure yourself by waist, BF%, or just jump up and down once a week and see how much you jiggle. Keep lifting until you reach an appropriate jiggle zone.

If you start this week and stick to it, reaching your goals by summer is easily doable.

 

[CrossFyer]

The thought of someone weighing 155lbs and wanting to lose 20lbs gives me a nose bleed.

he did say 20lbs of fat...if he drops 20lbs of fat and gains 20lbs of muscle how is that a problem?

 

[darkxshade]

he did say 20lbs of fat...if he drops 20lbs of fat and gains 20lbs of muscle how is that a problem?

That would be the problem, he's either cutting or bulking... not both. Not practically.

If he's cutting 20lbs of fat, he'll be cutting a bit of muscle too, how much will depend on his regimen.

 

[brikis98]

If you haven't already, the first thing you should do is read through the fat loss sticky. If you want to lose weight, diet should be the #1 priority, and the sticky has good advice on how to handle that.

I'm really, really focused on losing the weight in my stomach area....but I'm not sure if there are any exercises that specifically target that area to lose the fat.

You cannot "spot reduce" - that is, lose fat in one specific part of your body. Crunches, sit-ups and other ab exercises can build muscle in your abs, but they won't burn the layer of fat above them, and as long as that layer of fat is there, you won't see a 6 pack. All you can do is set-up the conditions for fat loss (as explained in the sticky) and your body will decide where that fat comes from. Most of the time, you will lose fat evenly from all over your body. Most people do have trouble spots where (due to genetics) their body holds on to more fat than elsewhere (typically the stomach & love handles for guys, butt & thighs for girls), but if you lower your body fat percentage enough, you'll lose fat from those areas as well.

So can I lose 15-20 fat lbs, hopefully gain some muscle, by June?

As explained in the fat loss sticky, it is very hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. One of the very few exceptions is when an untrained individual with a high body fat percentage first starts weight training: for a few months, they will usually see their muscles grow while their waist line shrinks. Unfortunately, these beginner gains are fairly short lived, so you'll want to take advantage of them as much as possible with a proper weight training routine. The exercise you are doing now is a good start, but very far from optimal. Are you able to go to a gym? Or buy yourself a proper power rack + barbell set?

 

[StageLeft]

20 lbs of fat by then is surely doable but at 5,10 do you really want to weigh at 135? You'd be lean even for a marathoner.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

pics of moobs please

 

[surfsatwerk]

he did say 20lbs of fat...if he drops 20lbs of fat and gains 20lbs of muscle how is that a problem?

I didn't know people were like Legos. You do not simply remove 20lbs of fat and then apply 20lbs of muscle in the space formerly occupied by fat.

 

[Noobtastic]

Wow thanks for the all responses!

So am I not over-doing the cardio?

I typically do the weights right after the cardio. I can do 10 reps x 3 curls with 20lbs, I can do 10 reps x 4 with 70 lbs, I can do however many hundred crunches/sit-ups between maybe 4 or 5 sets.

does my diet seem fair? any recommendations advice in that area?

edit: Wow that fat sticky is really helpful! especially with the diet info
I bought tiger milk bars thinking they were healthy, but then I looked on the back and they have more additives than a candy bar.

I have 2 friends who is 130 and are shorter than i am, but has a 6 pack.

So I guess I'm trying to model off of them.

 

[brikis98]

I typically do the weights right after the cardio. I can do 10 reps x 3 curls with 20lbs, I can do 10 reps x 4 with 70 lbs, I can do however many hundred crunches/sit-ups between maybe 4 or 5 sets.

First, it's generally a better idea to do weights before cardio. Otherwise, if you try to lift after a hard cardio session, you'll at best be fatigued and unable to push hard enough to make any substantial gains, or at worst you'll be fatigued enough to have your form break down, leading to injury. Second, it's not clear exactly what your routine is, but it sounds like the typical newbie junk that demonstrates a clear lack of understanding of weight training: a total focus on the "beach muscles" (biceps, chest, abs) while ignoring the rest of the body, light weight, high reps, and so on. You will see far better results from doing a proper strength training routine such as the one in Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5.

I have 2 friends who is 130 and are shorter than i am, but has a 6 pack.

It is certainly personal preference, but I simply can't imagine someone looking good at 5'10" and 130lbs. Even if you have a six pack, you are still incredibly scrawny at that weight and in my experience, most chicks do not go for that. Again, it is obviously your choice, but from a health, athletic performance, and aesthetic perspective, I think you'd be far better off adding muscle to your frame rather than trying to get that thin.

 

[spamsk8r]

Yeah I would say you're already underweight at 155 pounds. I would suggest a strength training program like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5 (check the sticky) to pack some muscle onto that frame. I'm 5'10 215 lbs. and I still think I need to add more muscle. My skeleton weighs more than you. Eat clean food, lift heavy weights, and you'll see better results than you will just running and lifting baby weights