What are my best options for losing belly fat?

I actually created my own site thinking that I could follow the articles and posts to help assist in my own weight loss. Well it's not going so well. I still maintain and follow the site but I need motivation. from browsing here I think I found it.

I already cut out soda, pork, bread, candy, rice, pasta and only eat turkey, chicken and seafood. I do eat an occasional cookies and chips here and there. I'm interested in losing a lil belly fat that I have picked up. What's are my options? I weight 180 and stand 5'10. 44 yrs old.

Thanks!

Replies

  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    That seems like a really random list of avoided food. I would add the chicken and turkey back and ditch the cookies and chips, personally. I found that limiting my carb intake to carbs from veggies and fruits in the less than 50/day category shrunk my tummy quickly. I don't retain a lot of water anymore.
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
    Cardio
  • MorbidMander
    MorbidMander Posts: 349 Member
    Waist trimmer (which actually do work to a certain degree) and cardio!
  • Yea cardio sounds good since I'm not as active as I use to be. Random list? I cut those things out because they turn into sugars inside the body. And yes the cookies and chips have to go.... lol
  • blood6338
    blood6338 Posts: 90 Member
    I'm not expert and I'm sure someone on here will correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know you can't spot reduce fat. You just have to burn more calories than your take in. I have the same problem although maybe to a greater extent that I carry the majority of my body fat in my belly. It's going down but slowly over time. You just have to stick with it.
  • cmcis
    cmcis Posts: 300 Member
    "I found that limiting my carb intake to carbs from veggies and fruits in the less than 50/day category shrunk my tummy quickly."

    What does veggies and fruits in the less than 50/day category mean?
  • Strength2Succeed
    Strength2Succeed Posts: 126 Member
    I'm not expert and I'm sure someone on here will correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know you can't spot reduce fat. You just have to burn more calories than your take in. I have the same problem although maybe to a greater extent that I carry the majority of my body fat in my belly. It's going down but slowly over time. You just have to stick with it.

    ^Exactly!!
    Some suggestions I have gotten before are running/squats/lunges/planks other lower body strength/resistance training
  • ntdrive
    ntdrive Posts: 105 Member
    Along with adding cardio ... you should add weight lifting. Build muscle to increase your metabolic rate.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    Research visceral fat, this is likely what your talking about. It's the fat that builds up in your abdomen around your organs.

    You can not spot reduce fat so any exercise will help to reduce fat everywhere. Cardio is good for the immediate burn, lifting or resistance exercises will help by increasing the amount your body burns all the time even at rest.

    Cut back on your carbs, try to get them from good sources but don't eliminate them completely.

    Also typically your body takes off fat in the order it put it on so if your belly is the first to gain its often the last to lose.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    double post
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    "I found that limiting my carb intake to carbs from veggies and fruits in the less than 50/day category shrunk my tummy quickly."

    What does veggies and fruits in the less than 50/day category mean?

    It means I get my carbs from fruits and veggies that are low in carbs. Things like asparagus, spinach, rapini, broccoli, kale, and fruits like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries & apples. I limit it to 50g of carbs/day. It's pretty easy with the things I listed. Not so easy with mangoes and bananas for example.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    You have to maintain a calorie deficit so that you will continue to burn fat, but you can't choose the spot fat is burned from. It's an all-over thing. Also do your ab workouts - like planks. There's a new group you can join for the plank-a-day challenge.
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    IMO diet is going to be > cardio in terms of seeing results. You can look at a lot of people that rigorously train but have no abs if they eat like crap. I personally found this out the hard way. Once I got my eating in check is when the abs started to appear.
  • gemmaleigh1989
    gemmaleigh1989 Posts: 241 Member
    It's simple. You need to bring your overall body fat percentage down as you can't spot reduce.

    1) create a calorie deficit (burning more than you consume)
    2) do this by a mix of cutting down what you eat, plus cardio and weight lifting
    3) eat healthy, nourishing foods plus plenty of protein.
    4) drink lots and lots of water.
    5) watch the results come over the upcoming months

    If you don't know what your BMR or TDEE is, here is an article to work it out. This is your starting point to know how much to cut calories by to create a deficit.

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    In addition to what the others have suggested, try doing weight training and yoga. Yeah, I know you might not think yoga will help but here's the deal-it helps reduce stress. Stress can contribute to belly fat.
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    Yea cardio sounds good since I'm not as active as I use to be. Random list? I cut those things out because they turn into sugars inside the body. And yes the cookies and chips have to go.... lol
    You cut out pork? Because it will "turn into sugars inside the body" ?

    You don't need to exclude pork, or any meat. Dietary fat does not become body fat unless you're eating an excess of calories.

    As far as losing belly fat goes, as has been mentioned by others, you MUST lose fat everywhere. With the exception of liposuction, you can't spot-reduce or otherwise target fat-loss in an area.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Almost same stats here with same goals...

    modest calorie deficit (I'm about 1/2 Lb per week). Strength Training. Some HIIT sprints 1-2 times weekly...maybe a little recover cardio on your lift days. Here's basically what my routine looks like.

    Cardio:

    A - 3 mile Run
    B- Sprint HIIT

    Strength 3x5:

    A - Squats, Bench, Dead-lift, Bosu pushups, Pull-ups, core work
    B - Squats, OH Press, BB Rows, Pull-ups, Dips, core work

    So it looks like...

    Week 1:
    Mon - Cardio A
    Tues - Strength A (maybe a 30-45 minute walk sometime during the day)
    Wed - Cardio B
    Thurs - Strength B (walk)
    Fri- Cardio A
    Sat - Strength A (walk or cycle)
    Sun - rest but generally active

    Week 2:
    Mon - Cardio B
    Tues - Strength B (walking)
    Wed - Cardio A
    Thurs - Strength A (walking)
    Fri - Cardio B
    Sat - Strength B (walking)
    Sun - rest but generally active

    And so on and so forth...

    Having your diet in check and strength training are 1A and 1B important.
  • Eat smaller meals-- so instead of eating three big meals a day, have 6 mini-meals a day. Always drink a lot of water and green tea-- Good Luck
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    you gotta cut out alcohol too. sorry.
  • FranksRumHam
    FranksRumHam Posts: 198 Member
    Waist trimmer

    777.jpg
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
    Along with adding cardio ... you should add weight lifting. Build muscle to increase your metabolic rate.

    Lifting weights and building muscle is a great idea however the amount your metabolism increases from each lb of muscle added is basically meaningless.
  • 2aycocks
    2aycocks Posts: 415 Member
    From everything I've read, to lose belly fat you must cut out all the white foods; White bread, rice, sugar, pasta, potatoes, flour.

    Whole grain bread is OK, but the refined white foods turn to sugar and go around the middle. Sweet potatoes are great for you, as is whole grain brown rice. And Yep!! no beer!
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
    Random list? I cut those things out because they turn into sugars inside the body.

    Nearly everything you eat turns into sugar inside the body....
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    Almost same stats here with same goals...

    modest calorie deficit (I'm about 1/2 Lb per week). Strength Training. Some HIIT sprints 1-2 times weekly...maybe a little recover cardio on your lift days. Here's basically what my routine looks like.

    Cardio:

    A - 3 mile Run
    B- Sprint HIIT

    Strength 3x5:

    A - Squats, Bench, Dead-lift, Bosu pushups, Pull-ups, core work
    B - Squats, OH Press, BB Rows, Pull-ups, Dips, core work

    So it looks like...

    Week 1:
    Mon - Cardio A
    Tues - Strength A (maybe a 30-45 minute walk sometime during the day)
    Wed - Cardio B
    Thurs - Strength B (walk)
    Fri- Cardio A
    Sat - Strength A (walk or cycle)
    Sun - rest but generally active

    Week 2:
    Mon - Cardio B
    Tues - Strength B (walking)
    Wed - Cardio A
    Thurs - Strength A (walking)
    Fri - Cardio B
    Sat - Strength B (walking)
    Sun - rest but generally active

    And so on and so forth...

    Having your diet in check and strength training are 1A and 1B important.

    Has this routine been working on your belly fat? This is my main area of concern, it has gone down a lot, but I am happy with my arms/back/legs/butt and extremely UNHAPPY with my belly. I have been looking for a better way to organize my s trength and cardio so that I dont over do it on any one day and end up NOT working out the following day. Just wondering if this has been working for you
  • lukedwr
    lukedwr Posts: 16
    From everything I've read, to lose belly fat you must cut out all the white foods; White bread, rice, sugar, pasta, potatoes, flour.

    Whole grain bread is OK, but the refined white foods turn to sugar and go around the middle. Sweet potatoes are great for you, as is whole grain brown rice. And Yep!! no beer!

    Reasonably good advice, as whole foods (unprocessed) are better for a few reasons, but highlighted points are just wrong
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Almost same stats here with same goals...

    modest calorie deficit (I'm about 1/2 Lb per week). Strength Training. Some HIIT sprints 1-2 times weekly...maybe a little recover cardio on your lift days. Here's basically what my routine looks like.

    Cardio:

    A - 3 mile Run
    B- Sprint HIIT

    Strength 3x5:

    A - Squats, Bench, Dead-lift, Bosu pushups, Pull-ups, core work
    B - Squats, OH Press, BB Rows, Pull-ups, Dips, core work

    So it looks like...

    Week 1:
    Mon - Cardio A
    Tues - Strength A (maybe a 30-45 minute walk sometime during the day)
    Wed - Cardio B
    Thurs - Strength B (walk)
    Fri- Cardio A
    Sat - Strength A (walk or cycle)
    Sun - rest but generally active

    Week 2:
    Mon - Cardio B
    Tues - Strength B (walking)
    Wed - Cardio A
    Thurs - Strength A (walking)
    Fri - Cardio B
    Sat - Strength B (walking)
    Sun - rest but generally active

    And so on and so forth...

    Having your diet in check and strength training are 1A and 1B important.

    Has this routine been working on your belly fat? This is my main area of concern, it has gone down a lot, but I am happy with my arms/back/legs/butt and extremely UNHAPPY with my belly. I have been looking for a better way to organize my s trength and cardio so that I dont over do it on any one day and end up NOT working out the following day. Just wondering if this has been working for you

    You should read this:

    http://preview.tinyurl.com/weighttrainingsimplified

    Actually...you all should.