How can I shift the fat around my middle?

Spanish Eyes

Hi everyone.

I am in the normal weight range for my height, but I am having trouble shifting the fat around my middle. I hear that is the most dangerous place to have fat stores!

Here is my daily food routine (apart from the odd blip that is)

BR. Porridge, milk, no sugar. Tea, milk no sugar
or
2 slices homemade wholemeal brown bread, real butter (!) tea etc.

or two poached eggs on toast (weekend treat)

Lunch
Wholemeal bread homemade, with either tuna, chicken, ham, plus salad on the side. Water

Dinner,

Homemade beef burgers, or chicken, or salmon, or cod/haddock, all steamed, with loads of veg no spuds.

Strawberries and a banana alternating every second day, don't like any other fruit.

2 glasses red wine every night. Yes every night.

Don't do gyms. But I walk 30 minutes minimum every day.

Occasionally have extra mature cheddar cheese (one slice honest) on 2 tuc crackers, or 2 tuc with peanut butter for a treat. Other things I treat with (once or twice a week, and I am honest...) is a slice of my wholemeal bread, or two before bed.

I cannot shift the middle fat.

Sapsorrow

As far as I know (maybe Temple can clarify in more detail) insulin is the big problem when it comes to storing fat around your waist, so cutting out refined sugars 100% and minimising the fruit and cereals sugars you consume should be the way to go. I seem to remember Temple mentioning before that the classic sign of an insulin (and so carb) sensitive person is that they have a big belly. I'm also fairly sure fructose in particular plays some special role is fat being stored at the waist. Makes sense really when you consider one of the defining features of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome is having a high wiast-hip circumferance ratio. You're dead right to try and sort this out, fat around your stomach is no joke and is a serious risk factor for lots of chronic diseases regardless of overall BMI category.

Transform

khrystyna100 wrote: »

As far as I know (maybe Temple can clarify in more detail) insulin is the big problem when it comes to storing fat around your waist, so cutting out refined sugars 100% and minimising the fruit and cereals sugars you consume should be the way to go. I seem to remember Temple mentioning before that the classic sign of an insulin (and so carb) sensitive person is that they have a big belly. I'm also fairly sure fructose in particular plays some special role is fat being stored at the waist. Makes sense really when you consider one of the defining features of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome is having a high wiast-hip circumferance ratio. You're dead right to try and sort this out, fat around your stomach is no joke and is a serious risk factor for lots of chronic diseases regardless of overall BMI category.

jasus the diet needs a bit of an overhaul!

You will never drop the fat from your waist with a poor diet, no weight training and so walking every day.

Your carb intake is at least 70% of total intake most days and the wine every night is a no brainer.

there are lots of execises you can do from home in just 15mins that would help also

El_Dangeroso

If you do one thing, drop the wheat, that alone is usually enough to knock a few inches off the waist. As krystyna says excess fructose will also cause a belly so cut out the sugar and high sugar fruit for a little while too.

You want to keep your liver in the best shape possible to trim your waist so cut out the alcohol for a while too, not too easy for Paddy's day I know

Transform

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

If you do one thing, drop the wheat, that alone is usually enough to knock a few inches off the waist. As krystyna says excess fructose will also cause a belly so cut out the sugar and high sugar fruit for a little while too.

You want to keep your liver in the best shape possible to trim your waist so cut out the alcohol for a while too, not too easy for Paddy's day I know

agreed

Fizman

The few slices of bread before bed will certainly contribute to your problem too. Try to cut out excess carbs after your last main meal. It might be ok if say you were doing some high intensity exercise, where you could consume some carbs just after training/running, but I don't think walking each evening will do much in the way of eating into the calories consumed late on.

Kimia

I have the same problem. I have slimmed down and the belly is slightly smaller but its still bigger than any other part of me. Like, my arms/legs/bum/face are all slim and toned, except for my belly which is just 'there'.

So I have upped the exercise - i walk 60 mins a day and go to the gym at least 3 times a week so hopefully that'll make a difference.

What list of foods do I need to cut out? I don't eat white bread, pasta etc - i've already changed to wholegrain everything and I'm not a huge sugar person - i'm more savoury!!

Transform

Kimia wrote: »

I have the same problem. I have slimmed down and the belly is slightly smaller but its still bigger than any other part of me. Like, my arms/legs/bum/face are all slim and toned, except for my belly which is just 'there'.

So I have upped the exercise - i walk 60 mins a day and go to the gym at least 3 times a week so hopefully that'll make a difference.

What list of foods do I need to cut out? I don't eat white bread, pasta etc - i've already changed to wholegrain everything and I'm not a huge sugar person - i'm more savoury!!

wholegrain does not make much difference - total carb intake does.

Also a good weights program will help massively and intervals

Kimia

Yes I am doing weights in the gym.

So you mean cut carbs? I really don't want to do that. Surely it's not necessary to cut carbs out completely if you want a smaller tummy??? How is that sustainable?

Darkginger

Me again, tooting the low carb horn Even though I am a huge fan of low carbing, I would never suggest that anyone drop ALL carbs - it would be a pretty difficult thing to maintain. Personally, I try to stick to under 20g a day, because I'm trying to lose weight (again, I lost 5 stone low carbing a few years ago, then got complacent and gradually the weight came back as I increased carb levels). Some days I may have 40g, others 10g, but 20g is the average.

I DO find this sustainable - and I ate this way for 3 years after losing the 5 stone. I suppose I was eating around 40g carbs a day - any more and the weight returns, I find (this is a personal thing, am definitely apple shaped rather than pear shaped and very sensitive to carbs in my diet). The carbs I did (and do) eat come mostly from green leafy vegetables (salads, broccoli, cabbage, bok choi etc.), and fruit (yes, fruit, hence busting the myth that we low carbers don't eat it, we do - mostly berries and maybe melon). Other than that I eat plenty of chicken (skin on) and fish, some pork and beef, bacon (yay!), more eggs than most people, some cheese, no milk but I do eat cream, also full fat Greek yoghurt. I use butter on my veg, olive oil to cook with and to be honest I really enjoy this way of eating, and the plan is to keep the carbs low for the rest of my life.

What I did find impossible to maintain was a low fat diet - I was always too hungry and I have never enjoyed butter substitutes. Having woffled on (again) about low carb, the point I was trying to make is that the weight goes straight on to my tummy, and does come off there when I cut the carbs down.

Have had a trying day, flew back from the UK - there are NO low carb snacks at Gatwick airport!

Transform

i never said NO carbs i said cut carb intake

from what i see on a daily basis the clients that have to drop fat and are overweight eat a diet that is at least 65-80% carbs - total disaster for fat loss!!

Cut back to 40% carbs, 30 % protein and 30% fat as a starting point and go from there. explained here - http://thetransformationcatalyst.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/the-gi-beginners-guide-to-getting-nutrition-on-track/

Spanish Eyes

Thanks folks for taking the time to reply.

OK, OK, out with the wholemeal bread. That is very hard for me, but I will give it a try. Has anyone any suggestions as to what I might eat instead of bread? I mean it is the habit of a lifetime, but it isn't white all the same!!

And OK I will only have my two glasses of blood thinning red wines twice a week. I do not intend to become a nun, and if it takes a bit longer to shift the belly well that's ok.

Apart from not going to the gym - my back is at me, and I hate the sweaty atmosphere, really really hate the competitive nature and the gals are all toned and showing off!! (well that is my perspective when I did go with my little apple shaped belly, mortified).

My OH is a gym freak and as fit as two fiddles. He understands I don't like the gym so has bought me weights to do at home and will show me what to do. He read your posts, and agrees that a bit of weight training will help.

Could I just say to those who think my diet is crap, I really didn't think it was that bad. I don't eat sugar, or processed foods, ready meals, sweets, biscuits, cakes, crisps, takeaways, fried foods. Eat loads of veg and a bit of fruit and of course the vino. So god help those who do snack on the above they must be near death at this stage!

I know, I know, the truth is difficult. Jabus, I will be living like a monk for a while to shift this little ole belly of mine.

Thanks again for your support all.

Transform

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Thanks folks for taking the time to reply.

OK, OK, out with the wholemeal bread. That is very hard for me, but I will give it a try. Has anyone any suggestions as to what I might eat instead of bread? I mean it is the habit of a lifetime, but it isn't white all the same!!

And OK I will only have my two glasses of blood thinning red wines twice a week. I do not intend to become a nun, and if it takes a bit longer to shift the belly well that's ok.

Apart from not going to the gym - my back is at me, and I hate the sweaty atmosphere, really really hate the competitive nature and the gals are all toned and showing off!! (well that is my perspective when I did go with my little apple shaped belly, mortified).

My OH is a gym freak and as fit as two fiddles. He understands I don't like the gym so has bought me weights to do at home and will show me what to do. He read your posts, and agrees that a bit of weight training will help.

Could I just say to those who think my diet is crap, I really didn't think it was that bad. I don't eat sugar, or processed foods, ready meals, sweets, biscuits, cakes, crisps, takeaways, fried foods. Eat loads of veg and a bit of fruit and of course the vino. So god help those who do snack on the above they must be near death at this stage!

I know, I know, the truth is difficult. Jabus, I will be living like a monk for a while to shift this little ole belly of mine.

Thanks again for your support all.

its not about your diet being good or bad its having the right diet for YOUR goals. If your goal is to shed the flabby belly then it needs adjusting asap whereas others might be happy enough at that level, its up to you and what you want.

No changes made = possibly getting worse over time particularly if you do no weights as you will drop muscle and decrease metabolism with cardio alone, hence why walking on its own is possibly the slowest and endless road to nowhere when looking to get in better shape.

Eat for the way you want to be NOT for the way you are

Sapsorrow

Transform wrote: »

its not about your diet being good or bad its having the right diet for YOUR goals. If your goal is to shed the flabby belly then it needs adjusting asap whereas others might be happy enough at that level, its up to you and what you want.

No changes made = possibly getting worse over time particularly if you do no weights as you will drop muscle and decrease metabolism with cardio alone, hence why walking on its own is possibly the slowest and endless road to nowhere when looking to get in better shape.

Eat for the way you want to be NOT for the way you are

Thats a great bit of advice!!
Can I just ask a quick question while we're talking about cardio? I've always managed to keep my weight down by walking and with keeping my diet under control and cycling a bit in the spring and summer. Thing is when I put weight on I tend to be pear shaped, the belly is always flat and hard as a washboard and skinny arms and then my thighs tend to get a bit flabby. So bearing in mind I'm only 25 at the moment and probably in my metabolic golden age is this type of exercise the best approach for keeping a pear shape under control for a girl? I wouldn't have thought weight training would be good for keeping legs slim?

poconnor16

Now dont all attack me...:) but has anyone tried the South Beach Diet? The last time I did it it was very successful, the weight from my middle shifted big time. (Apple Girl too!) I was a little bit tired the first few days but then I was sleeping better, more energetic...plus after the first two weeks you can introduce more carbs into your diet. I'm back on it now and feeling great already. I mean, it has to be good to be eating loads of veg, salads, low fat protein, low fat dairy, beans.....I'm training 3 nights a week in tae kwondo and have seen no ill effects.


Spanish Eyes - your diet isn't crap, it just needs to be adjusted. Learn how your body reacts to certain foods, you sound just like me - insulin resistant.I defo think you need to give the bread a complete rest for a few weeks - especially at night. I still have a few glasses of red on the weekends by the way and it does me no harm at all. Good luck to you

Transform

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Thats a great bit of advice!!
Can I just ask a quick question while we're talking about cardio? I've always managed to keep my weight down by walking and with keeping my diet under control and cycling a bit in the spring and summer. Thing is when I put weight on I tend to be pear shaped, the belly is always flat and hard as a washboard and skinny arms and then my thighs tend to get a bit flabby. So bearing in mind I'm only 25 at the moment and probably in my metabolic golden age is this type of exercise the best approach for keeping a pear shape under control for a girl? I wouldn't have thought weight training would be good for keeping legs slim?

weights would help in a massive way as doing cardio only will not increase the muscle tone of the legs significantly as compared to lunges, step ups, straight leg deadlifts.

i have lost count of the number of female clients that i have worked with that did cardio only and were NEVER in the shape they wanted and when they hit the weights their shape transformed.

on my blog there are a ton of videos with female clients all doing good hard leg work and their legs got in better shape NOT bigger.

re south beach diet - its just another low carb approach. Nothing that has not been covered here before and of course it will work as low carb works for pretty much everyone with a good bit of weight to drop.

allrounder26

OMG ur diet sounds so strict and rather borring.... im not expert but from personal experience - whenever i had weigth problem and was trying to do sth about it it hardly ever worked - one day i gave up on trying to fix it and it fixed its self - i ate what i wanted but only when hungry and even chocolate etc all is good in moderation

as for belly fat.... i shred pregnancy weight in no time by walking but i found that the only hard core solution for tacle belly fat was sit ups and leg up lifts....

good luck

Sapsorrow

Ok cool thanks I actually do quite a few lungey type exercise through yoga alright, they're quite tough going to hold after a while! My legs are fine at the moment but I'm very well aware that I won't get away with just walking for much longer, found my first sign of wrinkles under my eyes there last week (:eek:) so starting to realise I have to get my act together at some point so it might as well be sooner rather than later. I love the idea of exercises you don't have to go to the gym for too, will definately check out that link thanks!

poconnor16

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Ok cool thanks I actually do quite a few lungey type exercise through yoga alright, they're quite tough going to hold after a while! My legs are fine at the moment but I'm very well aware that I won't get away with just walking for much longer, found my first sign of wrinkles under my eyes there last week (:eek:) so starting to realise I have to get my act together at some point so it might as well be sooner rather than later. I love the idea of exercises you don't have to go to the gym for too, will definately check out that link thanks!

OP - would you consider cycling? You mentioned you have a bad back but I wonder would a relativley easy but long cycle be an option for you? Its great exercise and very different to the gym. You cant beat some fresh air. I always feel great afterwards - any bloated feeling in my tummy is gone and I sleep great.