Belly fat

harr

Hi
So I have lost 4 stone in the last 6 months with a combination of good diet and exercise. I have a bad back issue ( can’t be fixed ) which limits what weight training I can do and it also rules out a lot of core work and running. So I use cross trainer, rowers and some spinning and TRX twice a week.
Problem is I am thin every where I want to be apart from a little pot belly which is annoying me. I understand I can’t target fat loss on one particular spot but I don’t want to lose any more anymore fat on other areas of my body.
I am currently eating my maintenance calories the last month or so and that’s working...
Does anyone have tips on how to tone up abs without a lot of resistance training or over the top core work.

Thanks

ShauntaMetzel

I think it would be fixed with a balance diet. Better to drink ginger tea after launch and dinner. This hot water teas like ginger, honey, lemon etc teas are very helpful in this regard.

Cill94

ShauntaMetzel wrote: »

I think it would be fixed with a balance diet. Better to drink ginger tea after launch and dinner. This hot water teas like ginger, honey, lemon etc teas are very helpful in this regard.

You started well. How is the tea supposed to help with the belly fat?

Cill94

harr wrote: »

Hi
So I have lost 4 stone in the last 6 months with a combination of good diet and exercise. I have a bad back issue ( can’t be fixed ) which limits what weight training I can do and it also rules out a lot of core work and running. So I use cross trainer, rowers and some spinning and TRX twice a week.
Problem is I am thin every where I want to be apart from a little pot belly which is annoying me. I understand I can’t target fat loss on one particular spot but I don’t want to lose any more anymore fat on other areas of my body.
I am currently eating my maintenance calories the last month or so and that’s working...
Does anyone have tips on how to tone up abs without a lot of resistance training or over the top core work.

Thanks

25kg is a gigantic amount of weight to lose in 6 months, so fair play.

Get the back checked by a good physio. Most injuries can be fixed if they're treated correctly and the area is strengthened adequately. If the back gets better then you'll be out of pain, and be able to get the 'toned' look by getting stronger using resistance training.

Keep doing what your doing nutrition wise and start adding in sensible resistance training. Make sure you learn correct technique and load the back very slowly.

If the belly fat doesn't reduce, then tighten up the diet a bit more.

_Brian

Cill94 wrote: »

You started well. How is the tea supposed to help with the belly fat?

Surely you’ve seen the before/after photos on Facebook, it’s actual evidence.

harr

Cill94 wrote: »

25kg is a gigantic amount of weight to lose in 6 months, so fair play.

Get the back checked by a good physio. Most injuries can be fixed if they're treated correctly and the area is strengthened adequately. If the back gets better then you'll be out of pain, and be able to get the 'toned' look by getting stronger using resistance training.

Keep doing what your doing nutrition wise and start adding in sensible resistance training. Make sure you learn correct technique and load the back very slowly.

If the belly fat doesn't reduce, then tighten up the diet a bit more.

Having On going physio but I have fused vertebra in the lower back so it’s not getting better unfortunately all I can do is try make life a bit easier and do the stuff physio has given me.
Diet is good I might cut back a bit on carbs and up the protein?

Cill94

harr wrote: »

Having On going physio but I have fused vertebra in the lower back so it’s not getting better unfortunately all I can do is try make life a bit easier and do the stuff physio has given me.
Diet is good I might cut back a bit on carbs and up the protein?

I've heard of a good few people successfully rehabbing this. It just takes hard work and patience. There are people out there who can get you there.

Afraid I can't answer the last part without knowing what your diet already looks like.

harr

Cill94 wrote: »

I've heard of a good few people successfully rehabbing this. It just takes hard work and patience. There are people out there who can get you there.

Afraid I can't answer the last part without knowing what your diet already looks like.

Diet is basic enough

Oats or eggs for breakfast

Tuna/ salmon with cottage cheese and veg for lunch

A portion of carbs with chicken or fish with veg for dinner

Snacks would be fruits at 11

2 Corn cakes with peanut butter at 4

I have one cheat meal a week and no regular alcohol

Sorry about that

Apple cider vinegar in water a couple of times a day may make a little difference.

Cake Man

Sorry about that wrote: »

Apple cider vinegar in water a couple of times a day may make a little difference.

How?

Alf Veedersane

Sorry about that wrote: »

Apple cider vinegar in water a couple of times a day may will make a little difference.

I've fixed those typos

_Brian

Cake Man wrote: »

How?

My guess is you feel so sick after it you can’t eat any proper food. It’s a sort of secondary effect.

all about the mane

Unfortunately, where you store fat is mainly down to genetics. It’s almost impossible to get around this. What can be done is to try and build up your legs and shoulders to create the illusion of a smaller waist. Also, carrying more muscle will increase you metabolism to burn off fat.
Is there any weight bearing exercises you can do? What is the back issue?

Also, should you be using a rower with a bad back?

Sorry about that

Cake Man wrote: »

How?

I don't know. I started taking it because I get occasional knuckle pain in one of my fingers, and it always helps. I don't have much belly fat anyway, but noticed a difference. I googled it and yes there are claims that it can help reduce belly fat.

I don't take it very often, and usually only for a few days, because I believe it can be harsh on the teeth.

ittakestwo

If you dont want to lose more weight but want to lose fat there is only one option.... Gain muscle on your body. As this will lower your body fat percentage for a given weight.

Muppet Man

4 stone in 6 months is savage. Give your skin a chance to tighten up. May not be as bad as you think. Also, don't forget when you see your pot belly you are looking down at it and I'd be pretty sure the "pot" looks exaggerated from this angle.

Congrats again
Muppet man

harr

all about the mane wrote: »

Unfortunately, where you store fat is mainly down to genetics. It’s almost impossible to get around this. What can be done is to try and build up your legs and shoulders to create the illusion of a smaller waist. Also, carrying more muscle will increase you metabolism to burn off fat.
Is there any weight bearing exercises you can do? What is the back issue?

Also, should you be using a rower with a bad back?

TRX is the only thing I do which would be anything close to weights .. it’s working on toning and that but isn’t the best for building muscle.
I have fused vertebrae so flexibility is an issue as is weight training. Surprisingly the back is fine with rowers and the physio has checked this.
Currently doing plenty of squats with TRX straps and pistol squats.. I definitely think my weak core is the issue.. a stronger core would also help the back.

harr

Muppet Man wrote: »

4 stone in 6 months is savage. Give your skin a chance to tighten up. May not be as bad as you think. Also, don't forget when you see your pot belly you are looking down at it and I'd be pretty sure the "pot" looks exaggerated from this angle.

Congrats again
Muppet man

Thanks .. thank god skin isn’t that lose but as you said it does need to tighten up. Definitely don’t want to turn “ skinny fat “

BurnUp78

Have this same problem OP, I'm 5'6 and I dropped from 155 pounds to 125 pounds and I still had belly fat covering my abdomen but very little fat elsewhere.

all about the mane

harr wrote: »

TRX is the only thing I do which would be anything close to weights .. it’s working on toning and that but isn’t the best for building muscle.
I have fused vertebrae so flexibility is an issue as is weight training. Surprisingly the back is fine with rowers and the physio has checked this.
Currently doing plenty of squats with TRX straps and pistol squats.. I definitely think my weak core is the issue.. a stronger core would also help the back.

Can I ask which level is fused?

Senature

Well done on the amazing weight loss. I tend to carry any extra weight on my belly too. There is a school of thought that this is caused by stress. Also could be eating sugar and fat at the same time. More info on the stress factor here http://www.marilynglenville.com/womens-health-issues/fat-around-the-middle/?utm_source=NHPwhifataroundthemiddleexpertadviceC&utm_medium=NHPwebsite

ShauntaMetzel

Cill94 wrote: »

You started well. How is the tea supposed to help with the belly fat?

First of all, ingredients like ginger etc helps to increase metabolism rate, improves digestion and yes, the use of hot water is very good to cleanse your inner system and to burn the belly fat as well. By the way, I would like to clarify that I am suggesting teas without tea leaves, sugar and milk here. These are only made with water and ingredients like ginger, cinnamon etc.

Cake Man

ShauntaMetzel wrote: »

the use of hot water is very good to cleanse your inner system and to burn the belly fat as well.

lol how?

harr

all about the mane wrote: »

Can I ask which level is fused?

L4-5 / S1 spondylosis

bladespin

Green tea, ginger and cinnamon all are said to improve metabolism but none help with belly fat, there is nothing short of liposuction than can target fatty areas.

We all retain stubborn fatty areas, for some it's the tummy, others the lower back, legs or bum, these will be the last to shift but it will reduce if you stick to a calorie deficit - eventually.

all about the mane

harr wrote: »

L4-5 / S1 spondylosis

Really need to talk to a specialist rather than here. Are there any weight bearing exercises you have been told you are allowed do? Even ones that don't seem to have anything to do with the trouble area.

harr

all about the mane wrote: »

Really need to talk to a specialist rather than here. Are there any weight bearing exercises you have been told you are allowed do? Even ones that don't seem to have anything to do with the trouble area.

Specialist Said swimmming was probably the one thing that wouldn’t cause issue and he was happy enough me using the cross trainer and bike.
Just frustrating wanting to get stuck into a weight training program and the body not able ..
Head wants one thing body wants another.
I am a stubborn ****er and don’t like been told I can’t do something

Alf Veedersane

Sorry about that wrote: »

Apple cider vinegar in water a couple of times a day may make a little difference.

Actually, this may be true. Well, not in terms of burning fat or anything but if you have fruit flies in your house, mix a good dose of apple cider vinegar with water and they'll fly to their death like lemmings traipsing off the edge of a cliff.

all about the mane

harr wrote: »

Specialist Said swimmming was probably the one thing that wouldn’t cause issue and he was happy enough me using the cross trainer and bike.
Just frustrating wanting to get stuck into a weight training program and the body not able ..
Head wants one thing body wants another.
I am a stubborn ****er and don’t like been told I can’t do something

If you can do any weight bearing exercises at all, preferably on machines it could help. Could you do something like a seated leg press, machine chest butterfly, dumbbell curls, calf raises etc?

Cill94

ShauntaMetzel wrote: »

First of all, ingredients like ginger etc helps to increase metabolism rate, improves digestion and yes, the use of hot water is very good to cleanse your inner system and to burn the belly fat as well. By the way, I would like to clarify that I am suggesting teas without tea leaves, sugar and milk here. These are only made with water and ingredients like ginger, cinnamon etc.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

truth and logic

Rope jumping is good for tightening stomachs up as you have to engage your stomach muscles all the time when jumping. Try doing 20 or 30 mins of rope jumping two or three times a week. It takes time to develop very good form but you get better all the time, and it's good for your stomach from the start.


Also, you may be eating too much sugar. It's in everything and is basically the cause of the obesity crisis in my view.

We always hear that eating sugar leads to insulin spikes in the blood. But how does an insulin spike reduce our sugar levels?

Well, it's bad news. Insulin signals the body to convert the sugar to fat and to store it. This fat is often a different type of fat, called visceral fat, and it's stored around our stomachs. It's very common now to see middle aged men with bloated stomachs even though they're fit men in general. That distinctive appearance is caused by too much sugar leading to insulin spikes which cause visceral fat to be stored around the stomach.


I was eating about five times as much sugar as I should have been, without really realising it. When I stopping eating sugar I had major cravings for a few days but they passed quite quickly. I lost about 13Kg in about 3 to 4 months. My activity level was quite high before the diet and it remained the same, doing 40 mins rope jumping three times a week. When I got the diet under control, especially the sugar, I lost loads of weight and my rope jumping performance went up by 10% to 15%.

10% to 15% increase in athletic performance! Weight drop from 79Kg to 65Kg. Age, mid 40's. Jeans falling off me. Stomach like Peter Andre. I'm wearing 32" jeans with no belt in my mid 40's.
I was keeping detailed records for my rope jumping times for years and the increase in athletic performance is very real. Huge increase in performance when I got the diet and sugar under control.

I was eating too many calories before but it was mainly the sugar that was causing my body to be the shape it was.

partyguinness

I was stuck on a weight loss plateau earlier in the year. Now I was trying to go from 12% body fat to 6-7% for marathons under the guidance of a coach so a slightly different incentive.

I went low carb. Was in full Keto a few times but usually very low carb. Between March and July, I ate absolutely no Bread, Pasta, Rice, Potatoes

Stay away from sugar.

Introduced:
Greek Yoghurt (full fat), Nuts, Berries, Omega 3 oil every morning, Eggs, Fish, Ate a food from the phytonutrient scale every day i.e. every colour, peppers, avocados, black beans, lentils, beetroot, feta cheese, tomatoes, fruits & veg, MCT powder

Excess weight fell right off in 4-5 weeks. Since July I have gradually reintroduced carbs back in as my training has ramped up.

ps. Lose the cheat meal. It all counts.

scilover

You can try :

Do More Cardio.
Exercise Your Abdominal Muscles.
Increase Your Protein Intake.
Stay Hydrated.
Stop Eating Processed Food.

bladespin

Just eat less than you need and exercise, eventually it will come off, the only proven way to loose fat (from anywhere).

peter4918

partyguinness wrote: »

I was stuck on a weight loss plateau earlier in the year. Now I was trying to go from 12% body fat to 6-7% for marathons under the guidance of a coach so a slightly different incentive.

I went low carb. Was in full Keto a few times but usually very low carb. Between March and July, I ate absolutely no Bread, Pasta, Rice, Potatoes

Stay away from sugar.

Introduced:
Greek Yoghurt (full fat), Nuts, Berries, Omega 3 oil every morning, Eggs, Fish, Ate a food from the phytonutrient scale every day i.e. every colour, peppers, avocados, black beans, lentils, beetroot, feta cheese, tomatoes, fruits & veg, MCT powder

Excess weight fell right off in 4-5 weeks. Since July I have gradually reintroduced carbs back in as my training has ramped up.

ps. Lose the cheat meal. It all counts.

Did it take your body long to adjust to low carb from a running point of view? I find that my runs are fairly sluggish if I have little carbs on the day.

I want to give keto a go but interested on how you found it for fuelling for running workouts point of view.

partyguinness

peter4918 wrote: »

Did it take your body long to adjust to low carb from a running point of view? I find that my runs are fairly sluggish if I have little carbs on the day.

I want to give keto a go but interested on how you found it for fuelling for running workouts point of view.

It coincided with low HR training so I was keeping all my runs under 135bpm five times a week which was basically a shuffle.

Fuel wise I felt absolutely fine but I did notice my times slowing dramatically i.e. keeping my HR at the same level was leading to slower times on the same routes every week when compared to a few weeks earlier.

Now, this all happened in May which was also one of the hotest and most dry on record so it is very hard to say if it was keto/low carb or the high temp that was affecting my HR. Probably both. But it was good to experiment and I learned a lot more about macros/diet/keto etc.

Since end of July I have been on proper traing programme and out of low HR so I have introduced carbs back in. Well I had to. Intervals x3 per week plus long runs up to 155bpm means I simply have to fuel.

But I was 11 stone 6 back in February and now 10 stone 7 (10 4 straight after after a 37km run last week with water loss). Lost the best part of a stone in weight but I am up to 80-90 kms per week. BMI is exactly 21.

TBH I would not try strict Keto while marathon training at least at the moment when I need to know more. Loss of muscle mass is a concern to watch out for. Sure low carb to start with if you need to shift a few lbs.