Reducing Fat Around The Middle

[Turnkey]

I exercise on a regular basis at the gym and elsewhere and am careful with my diet, yet even so still cannot reduce the fat around my middle.

Can anyone please give some tips to reduce my stomach fat?

I want suggestions for improving exercise routines and upon diet or similar but i don't believe in medications, surgical means or even supplements.

Glad to have any ideas!

Thank you.

[shawndoc]

Honestly, there's probably nothing you can do. This is probably just a genetic thing, with your body always wanting to store a little fat there. There's no way to "spot reduce", up to your body where it wants to remove the fat from. Exercise only determines where you will build muscle, not where fat is burned. The best you can do is do exercises to build abdominal muscles, this will build and tone the muscles in your stomach, it won't rid your stomach of fat, but it may help with the general shape and firm it up a bit.

I've been cursed with a "spare tire" all my life and used to be very self conscious. In my freshman year in high school I was 5'10", 135lbs. I was scrawny, yet I played sports, hiked, and worked in the summer hauling hay and shoveling gravel at a construction site. I won several "sit up" contests on the basketball team and in PE. However I still had love handles and a "gut". I was never able to develop a six-pack. Its just the way my body is.

Look at MMA or boxing and take a look at the different body types. You have people on the same teams, eating the same food, doing the same exercises, and weighing about the same, but a huge range in body shape. Look at Brandon Vera, he'll always have a "soft" stomach despite being in tremendous physical shape with great cardio.

[JSixpack]

I . . . am careful with my diet

Not careful enough. Reduce calories to the point that you MUST lose weight.

[sendbaht]

"Not careful enough. Reduce calories to the point that you MUST lose weight."

Not saying I do it, but this is the answer. Calories in calories out.

[jetjock]

As one of the previous posters mentioned, 'spot reduction' is a total myth. The promotion of the the spot reduction myth is many times used to sell a specific piece of exercise equipment or product under false pretenses. The scientific fact is that fat is lost throughout the body in a pattern dependent upon genetics, sex (hormones), and age. In other words, genetics pretty much tells your body where to store excess body fat which in the case of many men is in their abdominal area and in the case of many women it more often tends to be the hip area. Scientific studes have shown that overall body fat must be reduced to lose fat in any particular area since fat is lost in a specific indvidual pattern based on one's personal genetics. Although you can increase the size and strength of the muscles in the abdomen through exercise, there are only two ways that will allow you to lose fat in the abdominal area. One way is through diet and exercise that will decrease your total body fat and increase your lean muscle mass. The other way is through surgical procedure of liposuction. Quite a few bodybuilders also resort to liposuction to solve the genetic problem of a tendency toward abdominal fat.

[CCCP]

As one of the previous posters mentioned, 'spot reduction' is a total myth. The promotion of the the spot reduction myth is many times used to sell a specific piece of exercise equipment or product under false pretenses. The scientific fact is that fat is lost throughout the body in a pattern dependent upon genetics, sex (hormones), and age. In other words, genetics pretty much tells your body where to store excess body fat which in the case of many men is in their abdominal area and in the case of many women it more often tends to be the hip area. Scientific studes have shown that overall body fat must be reduced to lose fat in any particular area since fat is lost in a specific indvidual pattern based on one's personal genetics. Although you can increase the size and strength of the muscles in the abdomen through exercise, there are only two ways that will allow you to lose fat in the abdominal area. One way is through diet and exercise that will decrease your total body fat and increase your lean muscle mass. The other way is through surgical procedure of liposuction. Quite a few bodybuilders also resort to liposuction to solve the genetic problem of a tendency toward abdominal fat.

Make sure you drink ice cold water. Your body has to work naturally to bring it up to temperature, this actually burns fat. If you eat rice and bread, make sure you do so before 3-4pm, or at least try not to eat it to late. If you can i would cut bread all together. I was 107kg April, i'm now 89kg. I walk wherever i can and excercise 2-5 times a week also. I know breakfast is an important meal, but i personally don't have it everyday.

[cobra]

... Scientific studies have shown that overall body fat must be reduced to lose fat in any particular area ...

Precisely.

You actually gain or lose weight over your entire body globally,

Though it doesn't appear your losing weight symmetrically, (the mid section is the last area to go by virtue that it has the largest store of fat cells, conversely that is the first area you notice in a weight gain),

Previous poster(s) are correct, if you continue to run a calorie deficit thru diet, you will lose the weight around your gut, it's a mathematical certainty.

Unfortunately your metabolism will adjust to a perceived starvation environment, becoming very efficient in fat conversion, you'll discover that what you thought was a sensible diet (~2000 cals per day) will be more than enough to impede any further weight loss.

The miserable truth is you'll have to severely cut calories, (< 1000 per day) for an extended period.

That can be a tough road to tow,

[GaiYaang]

I exercise on a regular basis at the gym and elsewhere and am careful with my diet, yet even so still cannot reduce the fat around my middle.

Can anyone please give some tips to reduce my stomach fat?

I want suggestions for improving exercise routines and upon diet or similar but i don't believe in medications, surgical means or even supplements.

Glad to have any ideas!

Thank you.

Agree with previous posters.

People gain weight from over eating. If your over all body fat % is high it will not be an easy task.

I lose weight when I eat less without exercise, and exercise it a plus for me. It will be hard at first because your body has to adapt, it does take time. I can eat anything and don't gain weight as long as I don't eat too much of it.

It would do you no good if you are going to hit the gym for 1 hour a day, and then go grab burger,fries and coke.

Might as well sit at home and watch TV. Eat less works for me, I never been overweight. You can do it, it just takes time.

I'm in USA and I see overweight people everywhere, and that's sad.

And all the fat loss infomercial, make me sick. What they need is to stop eating and exercise.

[Ulysses G.]

Unfortunately your metabolism will adjust to a perceived starvation environment, becoming very efficient in fat conversion, you'll discover that what you thought was a sensible diet (~2000 cals per day) will be more than enough to impede any further weight loss.

The miserable truth is you'll have to severely cut calories, (< 1000 per day) for an extended period.

That can be a tough road to tow,

This has been my experience since I hit middle age. I've got to cut calories dramatically to have any effect on my weight. I also find that as soon as I lose the weight that I want to lose and try to switch to a "normal" calorie diet, I gain weight like crazy no matter how natural and sensible it is.

[GaiYaang]

Unfortunately your metabolism will adjust to a perceived starvation environment, becoming very efficient in fat conversion, you'll discover that what you thought was a sensible diet (~2000 cals per day) will be more than enough to impede any further weight loss.

The miserable truth is you'll have to severely cut calories, (< 1000 per day) for an extended period.

That can be a tough road to tow,

This has been my experience since I hit middle age. I've got to cut calories dramatically to have any effect on my weight. I also find that as soon as I lose the weight that I want to lose and try to switch to a "normal" calorie diet, I gain weight like crazy no matter how natural and sensible it is.

If you gain weight you probably over ate. Eat what ever you want, and in smaller portion.

When you lose weight, probably that's your normal diet, and don't switch back.

You've got to do it long enough for your body to adapt.

I know sometime you get hungry and want to eat everything, you can just once in a while.

[robblok]

By eating not enough you can slow your metabolic rate down. That is why the other poster gained a lot of weight back once he started eating normaly. The thing you can do is eating enough and excercising. Its the only way to go. The TS never stated what he ate or what his excercise routine was.

Like all others said spot reduction is impossible.

For me it is also really hard loosing fat around my middle now im slowly loosing it but real slow. Weightlifting intensively can reduce fat. Because if you gain muscle your methabolic rate goes up and if you keep eating the same you will loose fat in the end. Also it helps you to maintain your muscles during a deeit.

High intensity training or tabata training help too.

[Mobi]

All the experts will tell you that the only two sure fire ways to lose weight - and you must use both of them - is a careful diet, keeping to the minimum of sugar and fat, and regular exercise. Doing one without the other is rarely effective.

Also, the experts will tell you that by far the most effective exercise to lose weight around your stomach is jogging - either on the road or on a tread mill - for 5- 6 days/week, 30 minutes a day. This may not give you all round physical benefits, but it will certainly make you lose the pounds round your stomach.

Unfortunately, most people who are overweight, find jogging very difficult to sustain.

When I was around 53, I weighed 91 kilos and was quite bloated - hadn't taken any exercise for 40 years. I started off by walking slowly for 30 minutes, and over the weeks I speeded up, and after about 2 months I found I could jog for 2 - 3 minutes and then fast walk for the same period of time. Eventually - maybe after about 6 months I could sustain a reasonable jogging pace for 30 minutes with no obvious distress. It transformed my health and my body, and I lost about 12 kilos.

Now some ten years later, I still maintain a sensible diet, but haven't exercised in nearly a year. My weight is now 85 kilos, and My midriff is growing alarmingly.

So it's time to start again

[Ulysses G.]

When you lose weight, probably that's your normal diet, and don't switch back.

I rather be fat than live on 500 calories a day for the rest of my life.

I mostly eat salads and fruit and a few almonds and some raw cheese for protein when I am on a diet.

Edited June 29, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[Tammi]

When you lose weight, probably that's your normal diet, and don't switch back.

I rather be fat than live on 500 calories a day for the rest of my life.

I mostly eat salads and fruit and a few almonds and some raw cheese for protein when I am on a diet.

And when you're not on a diet? As I already wrote you "No rice, no potatoes, no fry-ups, no sweet drinks, at the most 2 alcoholic drinks per day. You'll be svelte in no time at all."

I am absolutly sure you won't have to live on 500 calories for the rest of your life. Go on the fat burning soup diet until you reach the weight you want and then no rice, no potatoes, no fry-ups, no sweet drinks, at the most 2 alcoholic drinks per day.

But up to you.

[GaiYaang]

When you lose weight, probably that's your normal diet, and don't switch back.

I rather be fat than live on 500 calories a day for the rest of my life.

I mostly eat salads and fruit and a few almonds and some raw cheese for protein when I am on a diet.

LOL , I didn't know you were eating 500 calories a day, that's too low, that's starvation mode.

I agree, you don't want to eat like that for the rest of your life.

[cobra]

I rather be fat than live on 500 calories a day for the rest of my life.

Agree,

Eating is one of the few fundamental pleasures and a cornerstone in most social occasions,

Even if one has a modest gut, a few love-handles, as long as they continue to exercise, eat healthy and do not let weight gain escalate into obesity or other health issues, then it's simply a matter of body image and what your comfortable with..

Life is to be enjoyed, especially in the end-game,

I can take my shirt off at the beach without much embarrassment but you ain't going to see no six-pack, not anytime soon anyway,

[adamx]

I am skinny and it seemed impossible to get rid of the fat around my waist. I eat right and exercise fairly regularly and I sort of accepted this like someone would their height.

Then I had jaw surgery and for one week I was only able to eat through a straw. Mind you, I was never hungry during this period but my diet mainly consisted of ensure (the nutrition drink), smoothies, fruit juices, soup, etc... Now, the fat around my abdomen has completely disappeared.

It really comes down to the number of calories you take in.

[dclaryjr]

All the experts will tell you that the only two sure fire ways to lose weight - and you must use both of them - is a careful diet, keeping to the minimum of sugar and fat, and regular exercise. Doing one without the other is rarely effective.

You're incorrect in saying that ALL the experts say the above. There are quite a few very knowledgeable physicians and scientist who have created a lot of doubt in the whole "low fat" gospel. The evidence is mounting that excess carbohydrates, especially from processed grains and other forms of sugar, are responsible for the bulging waist lines. Eating fat doesn't make you fat.

[dclaryjr]

All the experts will tell you that the only two sure fire ways to lose weight - and you must use both of them - is a careful diet, keeping to the minimum of sugar and fat, and regular exercise. Doing one without the other is rarely effective.

You're incorrect in saying that ALL the experts say the above. There are quite a few very knowledgeable physicians and scientist who have created a lot of doubt in the whole "low fat" gospel. The evidence is mounting that excess carbohydrates, especially from processed grains and other forms of sugar, are responsible for the bulging waist lines. Eating fat doesn't make you fat.

[Mobi]

Eating fat doesn't make you fat.

Thanks for cheering me up

[Mighty Mouse]

Can anyone please give some tips to reduce my stomach fat?

How old are you, what is your waist measurement, do you have large 'love handles and how long have you been oversize?'

If you are over 40 and have carried a large stomach for many years, you are going to find it difficult to regain the waist size you had when you were in your early 30's.

If you are over 50 and don't perform regular manual labour, you can reduce your food intake quite substantially, in fact, you probably should anyway. At that age you don't need huge meals.

If you are physically fit, jogging is the best and quickest way to lose body weight. Not just a quick once around the oval type jog but a timed jog over a good distance.

If you haven't run for a while, you will be sore the next day. If you are not sore, you haven't run far enough.

The next time you go out jogging, either run further or run the same distance quicker. Your ultimate aim is to be able to run a mini marathon without stopping for a breather.

(Have a look at the bodies of some mini marathon athletes...not an ounce of fat on them.)

You will never lose size around your middle in the gym. All the sit ups, leg raises etc. will strengthen the muscle under the fat, but won't do much to get the fat off.

Invest in a good pair of running shoes, be committed and determined, and start jogging....preferably on grass or sand so as to reduce the impact on body joints.

[Mobi]

Can anyone please give some tips to reduce my stomach fat?

How old are you, what is your waist measurement, do you have large 'love handles and how long have you been oversize?'

If you are over 40 and have carried a large stomach for many years, you are going to find it difficult to regain the waist size you had when you were in your early 30's.

If you are over 50 and don't perform regular manual labour, you can reduce your food intake quite substantially, in fact, you probably should anyway. At that age you don't need huge meals.

If you are physically fit, jogging is the best and quickest way to lose body weight. Not just a quick once around the oval type jog but a timed jog over a good distance.

If you haven't run for a while, you will be sore the next day. If you are not sore, you haven't run far enough.

The next time you go out jogging, either run further or run the same distance quicker. Your ultimate aim is to be able to run a mini marathon without stopping for a breather.

(Have a look at the bodies of some mini marathon athletes...not an ounce of fat on them.)

You will never lose size around your middle in the gym. All the sit ups, leg raises etc. will strengthen the muscle under the fat, but won't do much to get the fat off.

Invest in a good pair of running shoes, be committed and determined, and start jogging....preferably on grass or sand so as to reduce the impact on body joints.

Excellent advice - and that is exactly what I did about 10 years ago.

But be warned it will take quite a while before you notice any marked difference in your stomach size. Probably 3 months of jogging, 4-5 times a week, and even then it won't be that significant. 6 months should see you much trimmer, and once you have achieved your desired weight, it is a relatively easy matter to maintain it by regular jogging and sensible eating.

But it needs dedication.

Good luck

[Tammi]

Dedication is the word. And get a health check up first. Tell the doctor you are going to be a dedicated exerciser.

[Tolley]

Jogging might be okay for some weight loss but if you really want to lose body fat and increase muscle mass you need resistance training and also some high intensity aerobic exercise.

There was a big study done in Australia with people doing high level intense interval training on bikes and they lost a lot more weight and quicker than those that just did 30 mins straight training.

They did 8 seconds at max level then cruised for 12seconds and then repeated that cycle for 20-30 mins.

Supplement this with a couple of weight seessions a week and you should lose some weight around the gut.

Of course you should look very carefully at what you eat and expecially at what you drink.

No fruit juices, soft drinks and keep the beer intake down. Drink vodka and soda which is low in sugars.

Careful with mixing food types. Don't eat protein and starch together. Eat meat with salad/ non starchy vegies.

Cut out all refined carbohydrates and eat a couple of days a week with non meat meals like beans, lentils etc.

Also a lot of body builders as they get older take growth hormones so they can more easily reduce their stomach fat.

Having said all of that a little bit of a gut as you get older is probably normal and as long as it doesn't get too noticeable should be alright.

I am 50 and my waistline has increased to 35" from about 30" when i was in my thirties. I should lose a bit of weight as I am 88kgs with about 21percent of body fat. This is probably on the borderline of getting to be a problem.

[NedKelly]

Apparently the fat around the middle is of a particular type and the source of this fat is also particular.....anyway there is some good advice here and I would agree with some of it. The idea is not just to cut calories but also to cut the fats you eat. One good way to look at this issue is to write down everything you eat for 2 weeks or one week if you are inpatient......draw columns on a sheet of paper one for eahc day of the week and then start writing it in tomorrow from breakfast onwards. Be honest....everything must go down.......even that chocolate bar you sneaked in after lunch......

Then after one or two weeks sit down with you paper and a highlighter or three......you can mark with different colours anything that has either:

high fat

high sugar

hihg calorific

Some will overlap so mark with the main colour you think fits.

Then you may have a picture of where you are getting you fats etc and can make a plan to start cutting it out of the diet.......example - Butter - I cut it out completely many years ago. At first it was weird to have toast without butter...but now it is normal - just spread the jam or whatever and eat away. After a while the butter tastes terrible if you go back. Same with sugars......cut them down or completely out......

then to exercise......just get out and do it....the first step is always the hardest....but after you start you wont look back.

I feel that there is a strong correlation between starting exercise and starting a healthy diet......one motivates the other !

Doing just one type of exewrcise at the same intensity is not enough........if you do treadmill or bike you have to add in something extra like a few minutes hard ona rower then more bike at a slower pace. And weights...!

Good luck

[koto]

I exercise on a regular basis at the gym and elsewhere and am careful with my diet, yet even so still cannot reduce the fat around my middle.

Can anyone please give some tips to reduce my stomach fat?

I want suggestions for improving exercise routines and upon diet or similar but i don't believe in medications, surgical means or even supplements.

Glad to have any ideas!

Thank you.

Waster-size, The name tells the story, No gym needed, all you need to do is go to the beach, park, wherever and bend at the "waist" to pick up the "waste" and get rid of both, one hour a day,you will look better and so will the area that your at, no salt, no sugar and Mother Nature will thank you, you will thank you, Health and Happiness

[huggybear]

I exercise on a regular basis at the gym and elsewhere and am careful with my diet, yet even so still cannot reduce the fat around my middle.

Can anyone please give some tips to reduce my stomach fat?

I want suggestions for improving exercise routines and upon diet or similar but i don't believe in medications, surgical means or even supplements.

Glad to have any ideas!

Thank you.

I'm with you Turnkey, in the same boat, have had the spare tire that grows and recedes depending on my activity and the amount of beer I drink.

In December I injured my back, then as that was coming around, had a motorbike accident. So for the last six months my exercise has been down thus and extra six kilos on top of five extra I normally carry around.

No more beer on the weekdays, am limiting it on the weekends. During the week after work, have been taking a 30 minute jog. Have been at it for only two weeks and have already dropped a couple kilos. My dad told me, get some exercise in the evenings instead of the big meal. Seems to be working.

[PattayaParent]

A debunking of the fat burning soup diet can be found here

http://ezinearticles.com/?Whats-So-Great-A...?&id=499574

[Old Man River]

Eating fat doesn't make you fat.

Thanks for cheering me up

He's right. The body doesn't absorb fat unless insulin is present and if you eat carbo's low on the glycaemic scale, you can eat proteins which contain fat and not gain an ounce. I lost 50 pounds this way several years ago and have never come close to gaining it back.

It isn't magic, but giving up alcohol for several months is usually the deal killer.

[Wrong Turn]

I exercise on a regular basis at the gym and elsewhere and am careful with my diet, yet even so still cannot reduce the fat around my middle.

Can anyone please give some tips to reduce my stomach fat?

I want suggestions for improving exercise routines and upon diet or similar but i don't believe in medications, surgical means or even supplements.

Glad to have any ideas!

Thank you.

I haven't read page 2 (sorry).

You need to post:

1. your diet (in general) P/C/F - Protein, Carbs, Fats (if you can). Total calories.

2. your workout: what exercises, how often, and intensity.

Spot reduction does not work - to lose fat around your mid-section, you have to reduce your total body fat percentage.

And yes, you do need fats in your diet: monosaturated fats, such as EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Edited June 30, 2008 by Wrong Turn