Tips on getting in shape for the winter.

Robbie444

Hi, I have just turned 23 and have not done much physical exercise in quite some time now. Poor eating habits and too much drinking beer has given me a bit of a gut which I really want to get rid of. I am not actually over weight and actually quite slim but I want to firm up my body. I have started lifting some light weights which is toning my arms a bit but I'm finding it harder to lose the gut. I am not really interested in working out in gyms and putting on lots of muscle, but just want to have a healthy firm body and lose the old beer gut. I would much prefer to start running in the evening rather than work out indoors. I have altered my diet a bit too and plan on eating a lot more rice and vegetables and fish instead of potatoes and pasta like I am used to.
So has anybody got any other tips on workouts or diet adjustments that can help me get in to better shape?
Thanks,
Rob

Al_Fernz

Your post is too general to generate any great discussion on this forum. Go to the stickies and come back with more specific questions.

BossArky

Robbie444 wrote: »

I have altered my diet a bit too and plan on eating a lot more rice and vegetables and fish instead of potatoes and pasta like I am used to.

Rice falls into the same category as spuds and pasta... so don't go eating heaps of it.

Include a number of fast sprints in your runs. e.g. run 800m, run faster for 200m, repeat....

Include burpees, push ups, bodyweight squats, pull ups (if there is an outdoor frame).

Robbie444

Al_Fernz wrote: »

Your post is too general to generate any great discussion on this forum. Go to the stickies and come back with more specific questions.

My apologies my OP was definitely a bit vague. Ok basically I just want to lose my belly fat and firm my stomach. I have been reading on various fitness sites about sit-ups and other stomach work outs and many sources say that these are actually pretty useless when it comes to losing fat. Most sites have noted that belly fat has to be burned off so I am wondering what particular form of exercises would be most effective? I am willing to join a gym and all but as I said in the OP, I prefer outdoor exercise such as running, and I can do weights, push ups etc as home.
Also, with regards to diet, I would love to get some tips on what foods are high in proteen as I have heard that lowering carbohidrates in my diet will be essential for keeping fat off. Any advice is much appreciated,
Thanks

papajimsmooth

This should do the trick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AemCeiuI_k

Al_Fernz

Robbie444 wrote: »

My apologies my OP was definitely a bit vague. Ok basically I just want to lose my belly fat and firm my stomach. I have been reading on various fitness sites about sit-ups and other stomach work outs and many sources say that these are actually pretty useless when it comes to losing fat. Most sites have noted that belly fat has to be burned off so I am wondering what particular form of exercises would be most effective? I am willing to join a gym and all but as I said in the OP, I prefer outdoor exercise such as running, and I can do weights, push ups etc as home.
Also, with regards to diet, I would love to get some tips on what foods are high in proteen as I have heard that lowering carbohidrates in my diet will be essential for keeping fat off. Any advice is much appreciated,
Thanks

OK there is no specific routine you should do to lose belly fat. Firstly, it needs to be stressed that there is no way, that I know of, to spot reduce fat. If you want to lose fat from your stomach then you're going to lose fat from every part of your body, which is not a bad thing.

The most important thing when choosing a routine is to choose one that is both effective and one that you will stick to and enjoy. Incorporating weights into your routine is preferable, but not essential. Weight lifting will help you to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, hence the 'toned' look you are after. However, if you want to just do cardio, then I would recommend looking at doing a few high-intensity training sessions, like those BossArky recommends. The main point I want to stress about training is that you need to be consistent, so training with intensity 3-4 times a week will really help you on your way.

Diet-wise, I would always recommend to cut carbs and eat more protein and healthy fats. Eat more chicken, beef, pork, fish, nuts, seeds etc. and cut back, but not eliminate, rice, bread and pasta.

I hope that helps somewhat. However, I still recommend that you do more research into this topic and write-down a specific training plan and diet strategy. This will help you the most.

Robbie444

Thanks for the reply. I will do some research in the stickies.

Nobrow

I wouldnt rule out the gym entirely. You might find that running is difficult to start or becomes tedious quite quickly. If you can find a cheap gym it will add a bit of variety to your cardio and also you will probably burn calories at a higher rate in there. But by all means do run too!