My diet and exercise to lose belly fat. What do you think?

scuderia

Hello

Recently I began wondering if I have the right diet and exercise in order to lose belly fat or love handles.

I lost a lot of weight over the past year and I’m now at 87kg/192lbs standing at 194cm/6ft4in. My upper body doesn’t have much fat. I don’t know my fat % but looking at the mirror it isn’t as noticeable. My goal now is to tighten up around the waist and lose the love handles. My belly area is really soft.

This is was my day yesterday for example:

- Woke up and for breakfast I ate 2 Weetabix’s with unsweetened almond milk and a banana.
- For lunch I ate a portion of mashed potatoes with grilled chicken breast and a salad followed by a vanilla protein shake with unsweetened almond milk.
- Then I went to the gym. I ran for exactly 31 mins and did 5.2km. I then did a chest workout which consisted of bench press and chest press followed with a bicep workout. To finish of my workout I did 50 sit ups. Throughout the day I randomly do pushups around the house, also.
- After the gym, I ate the same as for breakfast (rice cakes and chicken with ketchup) and had a protein shake with water this time.
- An hour later, I ate 3 small clementines followed by a decaf coffee with approx 30ml of skimmed milk and a heaped tea spoon of brown cane sugar.

I try to spread my meals to small portions to speed up my metabolism.

How does that diet sound when trying to lose belly fat and fat in general?

Keep in mind I’ve been doing this for about a month now. I realise results don’t come quick but was just wondering if there is anything I should change to help the process?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. - Are there any known fitness forums that would be helpful with something like this?

Transform

you basically need a proper training program

read the stickies and follow a proper plan that has getting stronger and more mobile at its core not sit ups and runnning.

this might help as a primer -

Slydice

It's all about calories so yes to running. More distance in running = more calories used.

Then make sure you don't take in more calories than you use. See what you can trim back without going too far on the food. Salad is good cos it's low calories coming in and running is good cos it's high calories going out.

Drop:
- 1 of the weetabix from breakfast
- sit ups (do more running instead)

You are getting a good bit of protein from your chicken so not sure what you need those shakes for. Maybe cut them out and add veg (green leafy preferrably) to your meals instead.

Reason I didn't say to drop the chest work is cos your arms will get skinny when trying to go calorie deficit to lose fat so there'll be less comments from people if you are working on them. Also I understand, calories are used to maintain muscle (but it's not as good as the huge amount of calories that running burns)

Transform

Slydice wrote: »

It's all about calories so yes to running. More distance in running = more calories used.

Then make sure you don't take in more calories than you use. See what you can trim back without going too far on the food. Salad is good cos it's low calories coming in and running is good cos it's high calories going out.

Drop:
- 1 of the weetabix from breakfast
- sit ups (do more running instead)

You are getting a good bit of protein from your chicken so not sure what you need those shakes for. Maybe cut them out and add veg (green leafy preferrably) to your meals instead.

Reason I didn't say to drop the chest work is cos your arms will get skinny when trying to go calorie deficit to lose fat so there'll be less comments from people if you are working on them. Also I understand, calories are used to maintain muscle (but it's not as good as the huge amount of calories that running burns)

words fail me

think the average reader will base the value of the advice given on the amount of thanks given

Slydice

Transform wrote: »

words fail me

think the average reader will base the value of the advice given on the amount of thanks given

Good point. I also advise reading up lots and lots.

I'll definitely advise finding out about calories in this instance.

Saying that though, I'm definitely 100% sure there's far more expert knowledge out there than what I know.

Dtp1979

Slydice wrote: »

Good point. I also advise reading up lots and lots.

I'll definitely advise finding out about calories in this instance.

Saying that though, I'm definitely 100% sure there's far more expert knowledge out there than what I know.

There is. You just quoted him

TimeToShine

Start a real weights program and use myfitnesspal to work out how many calories you're eating.

scuderia

Transform wrote: »

you basically need a proper training program

read the stickies and follow a proper plan that has getting stronger and more mobile at its core not sit ups and runnning.

this might help as a primer -

I've read this but I'm even more confused now. What sort of training should I be doing? Cardio/running, weights, both? I've been doing this twice a day for the past week also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECxYJcnvyMw

Fiery mutant

Ditch the running. Do 10 minutes with a skip rope, 30 minutes on a punch bag, followed by 15 minutes with a battle rope. Work a decent weights program on top of this.

jive

scuderia wrote: »

I've read this but I'm even more confused now. What sort of training should I be doing? Cardio/running, weights, both? I've been doing this twice a day for the past week also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECxYJcnvyMw

Do 5 sets x 10 reps of squats + deadlifts + bench + rows + chin ups 3 days a week (not consecutive days).

Do 20 mins of HIIT (get on a rower, do 30 seconds hard then 30 seconds easy until 20 mins are up). Again not consecutive days if possible.

Sit on your ass and enjoy your bodacious bod 2 days a week. Foam roll and stretch on HIIT days (and as much as you want really). 1 hour 5 days a week, 2 days off, sexy results will follow if you eat right. Sleep a 8+ hours a night.

The end.

alane20

I've been on keto diet last 2 weeks, had great results, no cheat day, came off diet for just today and carbs have me feeling really sluggish, back ok track from 2m

garhjw

If you like running try introducing some interval sprints into your routine, 30sec to a Min on and off

paul mountainbike

Hi just curious as to age group here as that can be a major factor.

Must look at some sort of plan for myself too ,as this weather continuance means bike time is limited if it's wet on my days off as seems to be the case.