So you want a nice stomach

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  • wolfcruise
    wolfcruise Posts: 5
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    I did the 30 day plank challenge last winter, and can easily do 2 minutes now, which i think is awesome. so i do 3 x 2 min planks a day, plus some side planks which i hold for a minute. I mouth wash twice a day for 60 seconds and have combined this with holding a squat!! ha ha! multi-tasking at its finest!!
  • mmatusevici1
    mmatusevici1 Posts: 11 Member
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    Hi, i was wondering...Based on the fact that you have lost 40lb on 1200 calories diet, does it mean that you will have to reduce caloric intake even more to loose more weight because lighter body needs less amount of energy to function?

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    mmatusevici1 wrote: »
    Hi, i was wondering...Based on the fact that you have lost 40lb on 1200 calories diet, does it mean that you will have to reduce caloric intake even more to loose more weight because lighter body needs less amount of energy to function?

    @mmatusevici1 I didn't lose my weight on 1200 calories. That was far too low for me. I ate around 1600-1800 calories.

    You are correct that we have to adjust our intake as we lose weight, but if you take steps to maintain your lean mass (adequate protein and lifting weights) then the adjustments will be fairly small. 1200 calories is only appropriate for a small portion of the community. I suggest you use an online calculator (like I mentioned in the first post) to determine what your maintenance calories should be, then subtract 20% from that. That's an appropriate intake.
  • heather0709
    heather0709 Posts: 110 Member
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    I still need to lose 25 pounds, and read crunches won't help my stomach? I been doing them
  • Imelda275
    Imelda275 Posts: 13 Member
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    H4rpy wrote: »
    OP, this post was very helpful AND lets me know I'm on the right track with my program. It brightened my day, so thank you! :flowerforyou:

  • waldo11690
    waldo11690 Posts: 51 Member
    edited March 2015
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    heather0709 wrote: »
    I still need to lose 25 pounds, and read crunches won't help my stomach? I been doing them

    Crunches won't help you lose belly fat, but they can help strengthen your abs and core especially if you do weighted cruches with a dumbbell or plate. To lose belly fat, you need a calorie deficit (and cardio).
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    You want to lose belly fat and have a nice flat toned mid section? We see that a lot on this site. Hell, that was my goal for my birthday last year. We all want to be able to take our shirt off at the pool or beach and look great, but how do we do it?

    1. Slight calorie deficit. Eating 800 calories and killing yourself in the gym is not going to get you there any faster. You need to fuel your body appropriately. I suggest the TDEE-20% method. www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc (If you have questions please feel free to ask them here). Make sure to weigh everything you eat! Guessing could put you well over your calories.

    2. Strength training. If you want that toned mid section look you have to put some muscle there. If you just want a nice flat stomach muscle will still help it look tight. You can begin with Strong Lifts, a hypertrophy routine or a strength program from bodybuilding.com (free!). One that includes compound lifts like deadlift, squat, bench press and pull ups will help. Work on increasing the amount of weight you use. When the weight gets heavier you engage your core more and it builds the muscle.

    3. Muscle insurance. There are a variety of studies done on the amount of protein the body needs. I like to think of higher protein as muscle insurance. My suggestion is about 1gram of protein per pound of lean mass. Make sure to get fat in your diet to help joints and metabolic processes. Make sure to get carbs in your diet to fuel workouts.

    4. Cardio. I like cardio once or twice a week for 30 minutes. It's good for the heart and lungs. It doesn't add much to the calorie burn for the week, but it helps even things out in case you haven't been completely accurate weighing food.

    5. Patience! It is not going to happen overnight. If you stick with it you could lose around 1% body fat a month. We aren't going to be perfect all the time. Enjoy birthdays and holidays. It is life and things will happen. Don't stress, learn to love the process.

    FINALLY: Losing fat is like trying to dry out a sponge. You can't dry a corner while the rest of it is still wet. You won't magically lose belly fat or thigh fat or any other fat. It will come off where it wants to. Keep working at it! It is possible!

    Just bringing the OP forward for good advice that still stands...for new posters asking about low calorie intake, spot training, and cardio.
  • cowgirlama
    cowgirlama Posts: 1 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    You want to lose belly fat and have a nice flat toned mid section? We see that a lot on this site. Hell, that was my goal for my birthday last year. We all want to be able to take our shirt off at the pool or beach and look great, but how do we do it?

    1. Slight calorie deficit. Eating 800 calories and killing yourself in the gym is not going to get you there any faster. You need to fuel your body appropriately. I suggest the TDEE-20% method. www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc (If you have questions please feel free to ask them here). Make sure to weigh everything you eat! Guessing could put you well over your calories.

    2. Strength training. If you want that toned mid section look you have to put some muscle there. If you just want a nice flat stomach muscle will still help it look tight. You can begin with Strong Lifts, a hypertrophy routine or a strength program from bodybuilding.com (free!). One that includes compound lifts like deadlift, squat, bench press and pull ups will help. Work on increasing the amount of weight you use. When the weight gets heavier you engage your core more and it builds the muscle.

    3. Muscle insurance. There are a variety of studies done on the amount of protein the body needs. I like to think of higher protein as muscle insurance. My suggestion is about 1gram of protein per pound of lean mass. Make sure to get fat in your diet to help joints and metabolic processes. Make sure to get carbs in your diet to fuel workouts.

    4. Cardio. I like cardio once or twice a week for 30 minutes. It's good for the heart and lungs. It doesn't add much to the calorie burn for the week, but it helps even things out in case you haven't been completely accurate weighing food.

    5. Patience! It is not going to happen overnight. If you stick with it you could lose around 1% body fat a month. We aren't going to be perfect all the time. Enjoy birthdays and holidays. It is life and things will happen. Don't stress, learn to love the process.

    FINALLY: Losing fat is like trying to dry out a sponge. You can't dry a corner while the rest of it is still wet. You won't magically lose belly fat or thigh fat or any other fat. It will come off where it wants to. Keep working at it! It is possible!

  • _QueenE_
    _QueenE_ Posts: 459 Member
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    Thank you for sharing
  • mrsswisspea
    mrsswisspea Posts: 51 Member
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    I'm chiming in with the masses. You're great :)
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited March 2015
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    waldo11690 wrote: »
    heather0709 wrote: »
    I still need to lose 25 pounds, and read crunches won't help my stomach? I been doing them

    Crunches won't help you lose belly fat, but they can help strengthen your abs and core especially if you do weighted cruches with a dumbbell or plate. To lose belly fat, you need a calorie deficit (and cardio).

    You don't NEED cardio to attain a nice stomach, but it can be beneficial for creating a larger caloric deficit and general cardiovascular health.
  • bigb2001
    bigb2001 Posts: 57 Member
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    Bump
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    waldo11690 wrote: »
    heather0709 wrote: »
    I still need to lose 25 pounds, and read crunches won't help my stomach? I been doing them

    Crunches won't help you lose belly fat, but they can help strengthen your abs and core especially if you do weighted cruches with a dumbbell or plate. To lose belly fat, you need a calorie deficit (and cardio).

    You don't NEED cardio. You can achieve a flat stomach without it if you can adhere to an appropriate calorie goal. Cardio can help increase the calorie deficit and is great for the heart and lungs. Lifting can do both of those as well as help you retain your lean mass, meaning you lose mostly fat.
  • princessfatty2015
    princessfatty2015 Posts: 2
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    Thanks OP! My friend has been telling me this forever and I was an avid fan of bodybuilding's super interval training for women back in my gym rat days but my consistency and willpower in terms of food sucked. And then I started grad school. And I keep finding excuses but I miss my gym and hate that I don't weigh 125 and that my stomach is flat. Hoping to find some motivation using this app :smile: thank you for this thread!
  • LettyTomy
    LettyTomy Posts: 15 Member
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    I hear that! Managing the calories is not as easy with exercise, bug I have got a good routine going and this app helps! Love the motivation in the group, I really want to keep learning on how to maintain a flat stomach!
  • supreme_soulja1
    supreme_soulja1 Posts: 1
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    Awesome post
  • hopecare
    hopecare Posts: 2
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    All good points. But there is more than one way to skin a cat.

    I do not lift heavy in the gym, I do kettlebell workouts. Involves lots of core work. I don't do any specific abdominal work at all. And I do lots of cardio, because I love it (running) and it helps me increase my calorie debt if I so desire. AND it decreases my appetite.

    You're right, there is more than one way.

    You still activate your muscles and eat at a calorie deficit. Those are the the main keys to success.

  • hopecare
    hopecare Posts: 2
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    Love it
  • kungfuterka
    kungfuterka Posts: 11
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    Is deficit of 550 calorie good or is it too much?
  • waldo11690
    waldo11690 Posts: 51 Member
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    kungfuterka wrote: »
    Is deficit of 550 calorie good or is it too much?

    A 500 calorie deficit for 7 days would have you losing 1 pound, so I'd say 550 is fine, but it depends on your goals. To safely lose weight, it's recommended to shoot for 1 to 2 pounds per week.

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