Yet Another Workout/Fitness Thread: Getting rid of the gut

[Fenixgoon]

I'm attempting to get back in shape, and right now I'm averaging running 2.4miles two to three times per week, and generally do ab exercises (lifting legs while on lying on back, situps) and pushups every other night. But for some reason, my stomach doesn't want to flatten out much. I've seen results already; I'm just wondering if there's any really good exercise that I can do (without weights or fitness equipment) that will help reclaim my stomach


fwiw, I'm not looking to turn into john basedow Just want t relatively flat stomach that can show a little ab muscle


edit: i have a retarded metabolism.. i will eat and be hungry again within an hour. i'm not fat though - 5' 11'' and *runs to scale* 165.5lbs

Thanks fitness gurus!

 

[TallBill]

Without weights? hmm.. good diet is your best bet. I've seen killer abs on guys who dont do a lick of ab workouts but eat clean.

 

[Jinru]

You will not lose that fat around your tummy unless you stat eating correctly. Lifting weights builds the muscle, but a clean diet loses the bodyfat and gives definition.

 

[fredhe12]

Here's a basic formula that's worked for me (25lbs lost since Feb):

1. Good diet:

• Big breakfast, medium lunch, small dinner
  Lean protein with every meal (controls blood sugar spikes and cravings)
  Limit your carb intake - cut out sugars and processed flours
  Snack w/ nuts or veggies
  Important: Don't eat after dinner, if you must make it a protein shake or veggies

2. Exercise:

• Lift weights - will burn more fat and build muscle more than any other exercise
  Vary your running - one day run for distance (2+ miles), the other do 5-10 wind sprints
  Build up both on your weights and running
  Don't worry too much about ab exercises - 2 basic moves will do

3. Supplements

• Get a good lo-carb protein powder to increase your protein intake
  If you can handle stimulants, green tea caps will help elevate your metabolism
  Don't get caught up on the hype of fat burning supplements, waste of $$

Bottom line, you have to eat better. NOTHING ELSE WILL HELP AS MUCH AS GOOD DIET! Exercise is important. Be consistent and constantly build up. Weights will help, I really encourage you to lift. You can't spot reduce. Hundreds of ab exercises won't help if you don't diet and have a good overall workout. Mix it up: ride a bike, run, walk, sprint, hike, swim, or do whatever elevates your heart rate.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[Fenixgoon]

more details added - retarded (fast) metabolism + i am 5' 11'' / 165.5lbs

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
more details added - retarded (fast) metabolism + i am 5' 11'' / 165.5lbs

you're probably eating too much sugar/refined carbs and probably not drinking enough water. americans tend to confuse thirst with hunger for some reason.

 

[Bateluer]

Diet is the best thing to do. The best exercise for you will depend on your unique body though. Running delivers the most bang for your buck though, most calories burned vs dollars and time invested.

2.4mi is a very short distance though. Generally speaking, the human body needs to run for about 6mi before it begins tapping its fat stores for energy. Your 'mileage' may vary though.

I've gotten my abs to show using a variety of simple ab exercises and lots of running. They're not super cut, but I don't have a gut by any means any more.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: fredhe12
Bottom line, you have to eat better. NOTHING ELSE WILL HELP AS MUCH AS GOOD DIET!

bingo, and this is the hardest thing for me. I keep procrastinating because I try to change my diet first. I never can seem to do it so I just don't bother with anything

Altho, now I've been jogging 3x a week for the past month. I don't seem to really be improving though. My legs are dead far before my breath... and my knees are starting to not like the fact they're trying to support ~170lbs But if anything, I've noticed I'm far hungrier now.. ha. It's just a matter of trying to fill that hunger with something OTHER than junk.. hah

 

[Fenixgoon]

i just realized that when i weighed myself.. when i came back from school i was 146lbs.. now im almost 166 :Q not that it's all fat by any means, but i really hadn't thought i'd put on much weight, let alone 20lbs. lots more food (cause im a cheapass at school ) will do that to ya i suppose

 

[fredhe12]

Yep, it's always the hardest.

For all of you that run, I can't stress how important it is to vary your training. All the recent research shows that for fat burning, interval training is far more effective than distance training. As one poster pointed out, you have to run for a while before you access fat stores. Although it has less to do with distance and more to do with time. Your body will burn carbs before fat because they're more accessible. Once it runs out of carbs, then it will tap fat stores.

The reason interval training works better is that it depletes muscle glycogen very quickly and forces your body to access fat stores earlier in your training. Also, it will elevate your metabolism after exercise for a much longer period of time. Weight training also does this.

A good basic interval program can be something like sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for 60 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times to start with and build up. Do this a couple of times a week along with your long distance running and you'll really see the difference.

 

[CKent]

Stomach definition is a function of bodyfat. Some bodies distribute more fat on the gut (especially for males), some less so. In either case, if you want your pack showing, drop the bodyfat by eating less food, healthier food, and by doing more cardiovascular exercise such as jogging, biking, etc.

 

[SVT Cobra]

I swear I posted in this thread:

Anyway calorie deficit and cardio

And fat burners do work.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: SVT Cobra
I swear I posted in this thread:

Anyway calorie deficit and cardio

And fat burners do work.

please elaborate?

 

[isekii]

5' 11" @ 165 isn't fat at all.

Just lift weights and build some muscle.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: isekii
5' 11" @ 165 isn't fat at all.

Just lift weights and build some muscle.

Nope, it sure isn't. I'm 5'7" and 195, and not fat (I have a muscular build, with just a little bit of a gut).

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: SVT Cobra
I swear I posted in this thread:

Anyway calorie deficit and cardio

And fat burners do work.

please elaborate?

The magic pill is... _________


What do you want him to say? It's already been said. Eat less / more healthy foods and do more cardio. Your pack won't show if there's fat covering it, and spot reduction is bullshit. It might poke out more if you develop those muscles though.

 

[Special K]

Here is the problem with most of the advice you are going to get: it is too vague. "cut out sweets", "don't drink pop", "don't eat after X PM", it's all too vague to be very useful. For maximal results, you need to take a more methodical approach.

First of all, you cannot spot reduce, so doing crunches will not burn any of the fat off your stomach.

Second, losing fat is ultimately a matter of burning slightly more calories than you consume over an extended period of time.

What you need to do is start tracking exactly what you eat each day. Fitday makes it easy. You will also need a starting point for your BMR - this is the number of calories you would need to eat in a day to exactly maintain your current weight. You can find an estimate here - make sure to click on the link labeled "Daily Calorie Needs" to find an estimate based on activity level.

Now, eat that number of calories each day for a week, and track your weight first thing each morning. If at the end of the week, you have not lost a pound, then cut 300 calories from your daily total and eat that amount for each day of the next week. Continue to track your weight, and keep making reductions until you are losing about 1 lb./week. I recommend getting 40% of your calories from protein, 40% from carbs, and 20% from healthy fats. Need help on what to eat? Check out this link

If you want to preserve muscle, I would recommend a weightlifting program focused on basic compound movements, low reps, and heavy weight. This will help persuade your body to burn fat instead of muscle while you are in a caloric deficit.

If you want to do some cardio on top of this then go for it, but it is not required for losing fat. If you want to do cardio, I would recommend shorter, high intensity sessions instead of longer, lower intensity.

Finally, you could have just done a search. This question, or something similar to it, gets posted at least once a week.

Also, check out the link in my sig if you really want to get in depth with this. There are lots of knowledgable people on that board who would be more than happy to help beginners.

I swear, I need to make the "ATOT Bodybuilding/Physique Improvement sticky" or something.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: Special K
Here is the problem with most of the advice you are going to get: it is too vague. "cut out sweets", "don't drink pop", "don't eat after X PM", it's all too vague to be very useful. For maximal results, you need to take a more methodical approach.

First of all, you cannot spot reduce, so doing crunches will not burn any of the fat off your stomach.

Second, losing fat is ultimately a matter of burning slightly more calories than you consume over an extended period of time.

What you need to do is start tracking exactly what you eat each day. Fitday makes it easy. You will also need a starting point for your BMR - this is the number of calories you would need to eat in a day to exactly maintain your current weight. You can find an estimate here - make sure to click on the link labeled "Daily Calorie Needs" to find an estimate based on activity level.

Funny calculator. Apparenlty I'm not allowed to be 6 feet even. I must have an inch value greater than zero.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: isekii
5' 11" @ 165 isn't fat at all.

Just lift weights and build some muscle.

Nope, it sure isn't. I'm 5'7" and 195, and not fat (I have a muscular build, with just a little bit of a gut).

You're overweight. I'm 6 feet and when I got up to 195, I was definitely way too heavy and could feel it. I'm back at 165 again and I feel great.

 

[sponge008]

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: isekii
5' 11" @ 165 isn't fat at all.

Just lift weights and build some muscle.

Nope, it sure isn't. I'm 5'7" and 195, and not fat (I have a muscular build, with just a little bit of a gut).

You're overweight. I'm 6 feet and when I got up to 195, I was definitely way too heavy and could feel it. I'm back at 165 again and I feel great.

It depends on body fat percentage, if you've got more muscles, you can lift your own bodyweight easier.

 

[maziwanka]

interesting thread. will have to take a look at this again when i return stateside and back to school

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Triumph

Originally posted by: Special K
Here is the problem with most of the advice you are going to get: it is too vague. "cut out sweets", "don't drink pop", "don't eat after X PM", it's all too vague to be very useful. For maximal results, you need to take a more methodical approach.

First of all, you cannot spot reduce, so doing crunches will not burn any of the fat off your stomach.

Second, losing fat is ultimately a matter of burning slightly more calories than you consume over an extended period of time.

What you need to do is start tracking exactly what you eat each day. Fitday makes it easy. You will also need a starting point for your BMR - this is the number of calories you would need to eat in a day to exactly maintain your current weight. You can find an estimate here - make sure to click on the link labeled "Daily Calorie Needs" to find an estimate based on activity level.

Funny calculator. Apparenlty I'm not allowed to be 6 feet even. I must have an inch value greater than zero.

You could put in 5'12" I guess

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: isekii
5' 11" @ 165 isn't fat at all.

Just lift weights and build some muscle.

Nope, it sure isn't. I'm 5'7" and 195, and not fat (I have a muscular build, with just a little bit of a gut).

You're overweight. I'm 6 feet and when I got up to 195, I was definitely way too heavy and could feel it. I'm back at 165 again and I feel great.

Not necessarily. I know people that are built like bricks and they're short and stocky.
They may not to cut up... but they are definitely not fat by any means.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: isekii
5' 11" @ 165 isn't fat at all.

Just lift weights and build some muscle.

nah i am definitely not fat. but i do have a minor gut, and i'd rather see it reduced than enlarged

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: isekii
5' 11" @ 165 isn't fat at all.

Just lift weights and build some muscle.

Nope, it sure isn't. I'm 5'7" and 195, and not fat (I have a muscular build, with just a little bit of a gut).

You're overweight. I'm 6 feet and when I got up to 195, I was definitely way too heavy and could feel it. I'm back at 165 again and I feel great.

Not necessarily. I know people that are built like bricks and they're short and stocky.
They may not to cut up... but they are definitely not fat by any means.

I admit to being overweight (which I'm working on by going to the gym 3-4 times a week and trying to eat healthy), but by no means am I anywhere close to fat. I'm "muscular, bordering on stocky" according to a female friend of mine. I would like to lose maybe 15lbs.