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Specific exercise to target belly!

  • 12-07-2012 9:17pm
    #1
    ViveLaVie
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭


    I am quite petite and slim at only seven and a half stone. While thin though I have absolutely no level of fitness. I'd like to get fit without losing any weight. That is a big no no for me. Ideally I'd be targeting my belly as I am an apple shape.

    For those that don't know know that means I carry weight on my belly and chest and very little on my limbs. Consequently I am a size six in jeans but a size ten in tops.

    Is it possible for me to lose fat from my belly without losing any on my lower body? I know I need to do cardio to lose the fat on my belly but I'm concerned my legs will turn into absolute twigs. Is it possible to gain mass on my legs whilst losing it along the waist?

    My friend is very fit and a pear shape but the more exercise she does the more it seems to emphasise her body shape.

    I don't know anything about fitness so I really haven't a clue how to approach it and would love to find out what kinds of exercise to do.

    Thanks in advance! :-)


«1

Comments

  • #2
    siochain
    Registered Users Posts: 2,546 ✭✭✭siochain


    Depends on what you mean by fit, body shape fit and or cardio fit. And what your diet is like.

    For both the basics are going to involve weight lifting with some varied cardio. To maintain your existing weight and shift unwanted fat weights and diet should be your primary focus.
    Cheers


  • #3
    ViveLaVie
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭ViveLaVie


    I suppose I'd like to be body shape fit. I would like to be a bit fitter cardio wise but it wouldn't bother me if I didn't reach a very high level of it. I spose I primarily want to tone up and change my shape.

    Can you elaborate on what kind of cardio and weight mix I should do? And diet? It's not the worst but I wouldn't be a huge eater. I do tend to have healthy dinners though I do like sweets and the odd bit of fast food and ready made meals. Would I be looking to increase my calories and just do weights on my legs with some walking and sit ups?


  • #4
    JessieJames
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭JessieJames


    it all happens in the kitchen (diet) post up what you eat, i cant really steer you in the right direction food wise, i believe in the tried and tested approach to see what works best but some helpful fellows might give you some better advice :D


  • #5
    BigDuffman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,512 ✭✭✭BigDuffman


    Not to be short with you, but it is not possible to "Spot burn" belly fat or specific locations of fat anywhere. Its a body composition issue. Lower your over all body fat comp. When you are at a certain level you can only then begin on focusing on muscle definition in particular areas.


  • #6
    ViveLaVie
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭ViveLaVie


    BigDuffman wrote: »
    Not to be short with you, but it is not possible to "Spot burn" belly fat or specific locations of fat anywhere. Its a body composition issue. Lower your over all body fat comp. When you are at a certain level you can only then begin on focusing on muscle definition in particular areas.

    Yeah I didn't think it really was :/

    My overall body fat is quite acceptable though for a woman. Last time I checked I was at 20 percent. Now that was measured on a scales so possibly it was inaccurate.

    If I exercised hard would I be able to offset loss of fat from my legs with an increase in muscle to the extent that they do not get smaller? And could I erase the fat from the tummy in the same way, change it to muscle and thus have a flat tummy? Is this workable?

    Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions but I have a limited knowledge of this.


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  • #7
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,001 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    ViveLaVie wrote: »
    My overall body fat is quite acceptable though for a woman. Last time I checked I was at 20 percent. Now that was measured on a scales so possibly it was inaccurate.
    They aren't all that accurate, but its a guideline at least.
    If I exercised hard would I be able to offset loss of fat from my legs with an increase in muscle to the extent that they do not get smaller? And could I erase the fat from the tummy in the same way, change it to muscle and thus have a flat tummy? Is this workable?
    Without getting too technical.
    Increasing muscle + cutting fat = "Toning"


  • #8
    rocky
    Registered Users Posts: 2,953 ✭✭✭rocky


    Table push-backs work best


  • #9
    nice_guy80
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,723 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    buy smaller plates

    best advice I ever heard


  • #10
    ViveLaVie
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭ViveLaVie


    Mellor wrote: »
    They aren't all that accurate, but its a guideline at least.

    Without getting too technical.
    Increasing muscle + cutting fat = "Toning"

    Does that include increase of mass?
    rocky wrote: »
    Table push-backs work best
    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    buy smaller plates

    best advice I ever heard

    Weight is not the issue. I am just over the minimum weight for my height, have a body fat percentage of 20 and a BMI of 19. I have been underweight before and still had this issue.

    It's the distribution of fat on my body that is out of balance and arises from my genes. I am looking to rectify this. Losing weight would be dangerous for me, health-wise. As it is I eat very lightly as I already said. I would wager that my daily intake struggles to meet 1500 calories. I am absolutely not cutting back on my meals and have been told by doctors and a dietician that I need to gain weight.


  • #11
    Antisocialiser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,375 ✭✭✭Antisocialiser


    If you are underweight and still fat then i'd guess it's the type of food you are eating which is causing you problems. Cut out all the junk and up the protein massively.

    Edit*
    Actually post up your daily diet for our perusal por favor!


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  • #12
    ViveLaVie
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭ViveLaVie


    Antisocialiser wrote: »
    If you are underweight and still fat then i'd guess it's the type of food you are eating which is causing you problems. Cut out all the junk and up the protein massively.

    Edit*
    Actually post up your daily diet for our perusal por favor!

    Er I wouldn't call myself fat... :eek: Just a bit out of proportion. AFAIK the apple shape is genetic.

    I do eat a lot of protein but carbs too I suppose. Daily diet is hard to say as my eating is very erratic tbh.

    I suppose I'd start with nothing really, I tend to skip brekkie, then have a lunch maybe of a toasted sandwich with ham and cheese. That's only sometimes though. I eat the odd yoghurt. For dinner I'd always have meat of some kind, usually red meat or poultry and lots of green and orange vege. with potatoes or sometimes rice.

    Evening I may have eggs of some type.

    That'd be kinda it really. I eat chocolate occasionally and at weekends or if out I might have a Maccie D's. I drink a lot of tea.

    Sometimes I drink nutrient shakes (health reasons) that are nutritionally complete. They would be very high in calories and protein but I'd be supplementing them for a meal so normally my daily intake is low.


  • #13
    Antisocialiser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,375 ✭✭✭Antisocialiser


    LOL sorry that comment was unintentionally very rude! Apologies!

    I too would have suffered from being out of proportion in the past. Generally you need look no further than your diet. You should download myFitnesspal or a similar app and it will track all your calories and more importantly in your case, your macronutrients.

    Think about what a lady of say 9 stone is going to look like eating her maintenance in mars bars compared to a lady of the same weight eating her maintenance in fish, chicken and green veg.

    I may get shot for saying this but your diet is quite low in protein imo. Eggs, while healthy and nutritious, are quite low in protein, circa 7g per egg i think.

    A slice of ham would also be quite low in protein. I don't know 10g or less?

    It is alot to easier to find out what you're doing wrong by taking the guess work out of it and working out exactly what you're eating.


  • #14
    ViveLaVie
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭ViveLaVie


    Antisocialiser wrote: »
    LOL sorry that comment was unintentionally very rude! Apologies!

    I too would have suffered from being out of proportion in the past. Generally you need look no further than your diet. You should download myFitnesspal or a similar app and it will track all your calories and more importantly in your case, your macronutrients.

    Think about what a lady of say 9 stone is going to look like eating her maintenance in mars bars compared to a lady of the same weight eating her maintenance in fish, chicken and green veg.

    I may get shot for saying this but your diet is quite low in protein imo. Eggs, while healthy and nutritious, are quite low in protein, circa 7g per egg i think.

    A slice of ham would also be quite low in protein. I don't know 10g or less?

    It is alot to easier to find out what you're doing wrong by taking the guess work out of it and working out exactly what you're eating.

    And you managed to get back into proportion through diet alone? I assumed it was my lack of exercise, but now that you lay it out like that, it does make sense. I do notice alright that sometimes my tummy is a lot flatter than other times so possibly a lot of it is bloating. So basically track my diet on the app and then look to increasing protein. I assume I cut down on carbs while I'm at it?

    Is there any exercise you'd recommend to do in tandem with this? Thanks for the advice btw!


  • #15
    Brian?
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 20,715 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    I'm going to make a broad recommendation: get into the gym and lift heavy.

    This plus a clean diet and some cardio will change your body shape.

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




  • #16
    Antisocialiser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,375 ✭✭✭Antisocialiser


    I'n not sure what to recommend for the female lifter but Transform posted this thread!

    As for diet look to the stickies. Meat i.e. fish, chicken and some greens with every meal and you'll be on your way!


  • #17
    ViveLaVie
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭ViveLaVie


    briankeating wrote: »
    I'm going to make a broad recommendation: get into the gym and lift heavy.

    This plus a clean diet and some cardio will change your body shape.

    What would constitute lifting heavy for someone of my size?


  • #18
    Antisocialiser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,375 ✭✭✭Antisocialiser


    tumblr_m55x90DFXr1r5sxi5o1_1280-300x300.jpg

    Have a read through this article and a few others on Transform's site!


  • #19
    Brian?
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 20,715 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    ViveLaVie wrote: »
    What would constitute lifting heavy for someone of my size?

    A weight you can lift for no more than 12-15 reps for 3 sets. Have a read of the stickies first. Get together with a trainer at your gym to do a program.

    Also have a read of this:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056232328

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




  • #20
    martomcg
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭martomcg


    I wouldn't recommend lifting heavy for a girl at all. The fat stored around the stomach is solely down to a mixture of diet and genetics.

    But what you have to realize it that this visible fat (around the belly) is the very last fat to leave your body. The first fat to go is the fat stored internally around all the vital organs, etc. As soon as you have used this fat you will start to use the belly fat.

    No offense but your diet leaves alot to be desired. As mentioned here you need to increase your protein intake and decrease carbohydrate intake. Ideally you'd wanna be eating 5-6 smaller meals a day (no more than 300cal each) and cut out as much sugar and junk food as possible.

    (Depending on the McD's meal they can contain up to 2000 calories)

    I'm a 5"6' male who weighs 60kg, with roughly 12-15% b/f and my current calorie intake is only 1400 (on a cut for hols) so as a girl you could comfortably restrict your calories to 1200. My guess is that your not properly portioning your food and so not fully aware of how much your actually eating.

    (I was shocked when i started reading calories on foods and weighing pasta/rise, turned out i was eating 20-50% more calories a day than i thought i was.)

    Stick with cardio and light weights and get your diet in check and you'll see a massive difference! Drink minimum 2 liters water a day too and it will show a difference - massively reduces water retention = increase in definition.


  • #21
    Brian?
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 20,715 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    martomcg wrote: »
    I wouldn't recommend lifting heavy for a girl at all. The fat stored around the stomach is solely down to a mixture of diet and genetics.

    I'd like you to justify why "girls" shouldn't lift weights. Using "girl" instead of woman is a little patronising as well.

    Women should lift weights for many, many reasons.

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




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  • #22
    martomcg
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭martomcg


    briankeating wrote: »
    I'd like you to justify why "girls" shouldn't lift weights. Using "girl" instead of woman is a little patronising as well.

    Women should lift weights for many, many reasons.

    You misunderstand/misread my comment.

    Women/girls shouldn't lift heavy. If you read the rest of my comment you would see that i suggest lifting weights.

    I apologize if the use of "girls" came across as patronizing. It wasn't intended to.


  • #23
    Stench Blossoms
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    martomcg wrote: »
    You misunderstand/misread my comment.

    Women/girls shouldn't lift heavy. If you read the rest of my comment you would see that i suggest lifting weights.

    I apologize if the use of "girls" came across as patronizing. It wasn't intended to.

    What do you determine to be heavy? I can squat 5kg over my body weight... is that too heavy ?


  • #24
    Brian?
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 20,715 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    martomcg wrote: »
    You misunderstand/misread my comment.

    Women/girls shouldn't lift heavy. If you read the rest of my comment you would see that i suggest lifting weights.

    Ok justify why they shouldn't lift heavy.

    N.B. there is no point in lifting weights unless it is heavy i.e. a weight you can lift for no more than 12-15 reps.

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




  • #25
    martomcg
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭martomcg


    Stench Blossoms wrote: »
    What do you determine to be heavy? I can squat 5kg over my body weight... is that too heavy ?

    No i wouldn't say that's too heavy, its all relative and specific to each person.

    Lifting heavy indicates you can only perform 5-8 repetitions, with maybe 3 sets. Which is typically used for muscle hypertrophy, i.e muscle size gains.

    I'm guessing if she wants to tone up she should be lifting weights she's comfortable with and using high repetitions (10-25).

    For the stomach it really is more about your diet.

    Calories out > Calories in


  • #26
    Stench Blossoms
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    That makes no sense to me what so ever.

    If I can do 25 reps then I'm not lifting heavy enough.


  • #27
    martomcg
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭martomcg


    Stench Blossoms wrote: »
    That makes no sense to me what so ever.

    If I can do 25 reps then I'm not lifting heavy enough.

    I don't know are you deliberately trying to troll my posts but i've repeatedly said that all these factors change person to person and what their desired result is.

    If your not looking to build massive muscle then any amount of high reps is fine. Doing any amount of reps over say 15 is to train the muscle for endurance and to burn calories and not to try and increase the size of the muscle.

    I (and many members of my gym) practice 30-50 reps on an exercise to train for fat loss/endurance.


  • #28
    Stench Blossoms
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    No I'm not trying to troll your posts.

    I'm trying to figure out why you said women shouldn't lift heavy weights.

    Actually are you a woman ? Have you experience of lifting heavy and building massive muscle?

    Because I'm a woman, lift heavy enough and I don't look like i've bulging muscles.

    It's very hard for women to 'get big' from weight training. Our hormones just don't allow it.

    It's people like you who make women afraid to lift heavy and it's downright stupid.


  • #29
    jinxremoving
    Registered Users Posts: 236 ✭✭jinxremoving


    If lifting heavy is relative to each individual, then surely 'women shouldnt lift heavy' is a pointless statement? some women like to lift heavy and some don't. saying what women should and shouldnt do comes off as very patronising, even if that was not your intention.

    O.P can i suggest pilates? i have found my stomach has gotten stronger and leaner and feels flatter after starting it. My diet didn't change too dramatically, although it was pretty good to start. might be worth looking into


  • #30
    Brian?
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 20,715 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    martomcg wrote: »
    I don't know are you deliberately trying to troll my posts but i've repeatedly said that all these factors change person to person and what their desired result is.

    If your not looking to build massive muscle then any amount of high reps is fine. Doing any amount of reps over say 15 is to train the muscle for endurance and to burn calories and not to try and increase the size of the muscle.

    I (and many members of my gym) practice 30-50 reps on an exercise to train for fat loss/endurance.

    You and many others are wasting your time.

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




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  • #31
    martomcg
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭martomcg


    Stench Blossoms wrote: »
    No I'm not trying to troll your posts.

    I'm trying to figure out why you said women shouldn't lift heavy weights.

    Actually are you a woman ? Have you experience of lifting heavy and building massive muscle?

    Because I'm a woman, lift heavy enough and I don't look like i've bulging muscles.

    It's very hard for women to 'get big' from weight training. Our hormones just don't allow it.

    It's people like you who make women afraid to lift heavy and it's downright stupid.

    This thread isn't about lifting weights its about losing fat around the belly. If your on a vendetta over a previous comment made by someone in relation to women lifting heavy then go start your own thread.

    I was merely offering my 2 cents to the OP on how to lose the stomach fat.

    I've been lifting for over 4 years, boxing for 3 so regularly cut/bulk up. No i'm not a woman.

    let me correct myself "nobody Women/girls should lift heavy." unless they're looking to build/maintain muscle.


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