How does one lose inches?

sarahwinston2

May be a stupid question, but how does one lose inches? I am in a calorie deficit

mmapags

By reducing body fat.

snickerscharlie

mmapags wrote: »

By reducing body fat.

Which happens in a calorie deficit.

kimny72

sarahwinston2 wrote: »

May be a stupid question, but how does one lose inches? I am in a calorie deficit

Unfortunately you can't choose where the fat comes off. You eat and workout to stay in a calorie deficit, and your body burns fat from wherever it will. You keep on keepin' on until you get to a place where aesthetically you are satisfied with what you see, or until you get to a point where you don't want to lose anymore weight, and then you focus on muscle building to even up and continue to shape everything.

fdlewenstein

Walking is the best way to reduce fat (and lose weight). Also, I've been doing pilates two times a week and weight training two times a week and I have noticed that (although my weight loss has slowed) I have lost inches. As stated above...you can't choose where on the body the fat will fall! Build lean muscle!

Nony_Mouse

fdlewenstein wrote: »

Walking is the best way to reduce fat (and lose weight). Also, I've been doing pilates two times a week and weight training two times a week and I have noticed that (although my weight loss has slowed) I have lost inches. As stated above...you can't choose where on the body the fat will fall! Build lean muscle!

A calorie deficit is the best way to reduce fat and lose weight.

Jruzer

If you're like me, you get older, lose cartilage, and start to shrink on the height charts.

puffbrat

fdlewenstein wrote: »

Walking is the best way to reduce fat (and lose weight). Also, I've been doing pilates two times a week and weight training two times a week and I have noticed that (although my weight loss has slowed) I have lost inches. As stated above...you can't choose where on the body the fat will fall! Build lean muscle!

Walking is helping you be in a calorie deficit. But that is just one of many ways to do so.

magnusthenerd

fdlewenstein wrote: »

Walking is the best way to reduce fat (and lose weight). Also, I've been doing pilates two times a week and weight training two times a week and I have noticed that (although my weight loss has slowed) I have lost inches. As stated above...you can't choose where on the body the fat will fall! Build lean muscle!

Given you've stated best to reduce fat and lose weight, there's a potential implication of losing far and gaining or maintaining weight. Seems that would be better than walking because it would be a large change in composition.

gothchiq

Good way: Lose fat. Bad way: Muscle atrophy. Personally I find that switching off your gym days with cardio one day and weights one day is best for not losing muscle.

angelexperiment

Sometimes body sculpting is better for this you tend to eat a diet not particularly lose weight but lots of inches. Something like 90 day obsession or Jillian Micheal a 30 day shred follow the diet plan and do the exercises

cherys

I would have thought the best way to lose inches is to firm up your muscles through strength training or callisthenics. I know when I squeeze my muscles in, I look several inches thinner, so if they were firm and taut I'd look thinner full time.

Katie_Hege2020

I feel you. I've lost 20 lbs this past year and my waist size is still the same as it was. *groan* It's all coming off around my face and thighs.
I'd say keep on keeping on and do a bunch of whatever exercise that you're hoping to lose inches from. Then that way when you finally get to that point of burning fat there your muscles will pop and it will make it that much more worth it!

kimny72

cherys wrote: »

I would have thought the best way to lose inches is to firm up your muscles through strength training or callisthenics. I know when I squeeze my muscles in, I look several inches thinner, so if they were firm and taut I'd look thinner full time.

Your muscles don't really "firm up". When people get generally more fit by following a regimented exercise program, they tend to look firmer because the increased activity both burns more calories and causes them to generally be more careful about their diet - in other words it puts them in a slight calorie deficit. So they slowly burn off the layer of fat that was covering their muscles. At the same time they might build a little bit of extra muscle, making those muscles even more prominent.

Your muscles change shape when they are flexed or not flexed, they can get stronger without any visible change, and they can get bigger. But if they have a layer of fat over them, it doesn't matter what you do to your muscles, you will still first see that layer of fat.

Most people who say they want to lose inches need to lose a little fat.

sarahwinston2

Thanks guys!

sarahwinston2

Now if I could ask you how to lose body fat...

LivingtheLeanDream

sarahwinston2 wrote: »

Now if I could ask you how to lose body fat...

Calorie deficit

serindipte

sarahwinston2 wrote: »

Now if I could ask you how to lose body fat...

Food scale. Accurate entries logged. Stay within your MFP deficit. Eat back about half of your exercise calories. Adjust as you see a weight loss trend.

magnusthenerd

sarahwinston2 wrote: »

May be a stupid question, but how does one lose inches? I am in a calorie deficit

Start a revolution: throw out your ruler.

michaelwrightkindle

There is quite a lot of evidence that suggests visceral fat is tied to cortisol and stress. Just like insulin impacts your ability to store fat, meaning that *what* and when you eat matters, your body has mechanisms that determine where and how it stores or burns fat. I believe that, along with genetics, some weight-loss and lifestyle plans are more effective at targeting visceral fat than others. The stress on your body from intermittently fasting on top of maintaining a calorie defecit might help target belly fat. Especially if you choose to exercise in a fasted state, I believe you have a better chance of losing belly fat faster. Just don't get too caught up on tracking exercise calories or using them as an excuse for guilty eating.

keywords for research: visceral fat, cortisol, fasting, exercise

janejellyroll

michaelwrightkindle wrote: »

Just don't get too caught up on tracking exercise calories or using them as an excuse for guilty eating.

If someone is exercising without paying attention to how many calories one needs or using extra activity as an "excuse" for eating, that has the potential to create major stress for the body. If it's true that this impacts fat stores, wouldn't we want to minimize that?