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lifting is supposed to help to flatten belly?

believer1988
believer1988 Posts: 55
edited February 9 in Fitness and Exercise
just like the tittle asks. doe it help?

Replies

  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    a calorie deficit will help with removing unwanted belly fat.

    however, many people have discovered the incredible body recomposition effects that lifting has, particularly in the midsection. concentrate on compound lifts (dead lifts, squats, overhead press, and bench press). take the time to learn them, and remember that as long as they are heavy for YOU they will be effective.
  • thatonegirlwiththestuff
    thatonegirlwiththestuff Posts: 1,171 Member
    Lifting weights builds muscle and also torches fat. I have a pretty flat stomach and I weight lift 80% of my workouts.
  • be_havens
    be_havens Posts: 9 Member
    1. Lifting can help aide fat loss. If done properly it can help lose fat around the belly.
    2. It depends on the exercises you're doing. If you're building muscle size, the stomach can actually end up sticking out a bit more. If you're toning, it can help trim down the muscle size and thereby give a slimming effect.
    3. If all the surrounding muscles get bigger, it can give the appearance of a flat belly. :-)


    Bellies tend to be where a lot of people hold their fat, and for some people their most stubborn fat. A combination of muscle toning and fat loss will help 'flatten' a belly.

    And of course, you can't out-train a bad diet. No amount of work will overcome a big belly if you're putting the wrong fuels in your body. Diet paves the way for the successes of training.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    1. Lifting can help aide fat loss. If done properly it can help lose fat around the belly.
    2. It depends on the exercises you're doing. If you're building muscle size, the stomach can actually end up sticking out a bit more. If you're toning, it can help trim down the muscle size and thereby give a slimming effect.
    3. If all the surrounding muscles get bigger, it can give the appearance of a flat belly. :-)


    Bellies tend to be where a lot of people hold their fat, and for some people their most stubborn fat. A combination of muscle toning and fat loss will help 'flatten' a belly.

    And of course, you can't out-train a bad diet. No amount of work will overcome a big belly if you're putting the wrong fuels in your body. Diet paves the way for the successes of training.

    a lot of people who end up having the belly that sticks out more, are those people that are doing lots of direct abdominal work. tons of crunches and side bends and whatever will develop the muscles underneath the belly fat and cause the stomach to jut out more.
  • believer1988
    believer1988 Posts: 55
    so i should watch my diet more, correct?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    so i should watch my diet more, correct?

    and start strength training
  • believer1988
    believer1988 Posts: 55
    great. what strength training can i do at home?
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    If you build the muscle up and it is larger, it's also easier to see it under a thicker layer of fat, though. You might be able to see your abs at a higher BF% if the abs themselves are nice and big :)

    I have both visible abs and fat (abs show higher up and down the sides, not the very middle much) and I think it looks like I'm in better shape than just having the fat, lol.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    great. what strength training can i do at home?

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    http://www.marklauren.com/
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
    I build weight pretty easy, too easy, and I haven't found that lifting helps flatten my belly. I find, instead that lifting tends to puff everything out if I don't lift in combination with a sound aerobics and stretch/pilates/yoga routine and (as others have said) solid nutrition.

    I was doing weights for awhile (Joyce Vedral videos and Transformation.com has some exercises you can start with) I wasn't dropping size. Many websites out there have lists of exercises you can do.

    CrossFit really worked for awhile, and I am currently doing Insanity (which isn't lifting, but requires no equipment and I'm finding the bodyweight exercises are VERY effective for my body- yay). I'm getting toned and dropping size which I love, love, love
  • believer1988
    believer1988 Posts: 55
    I build weight pretty easy, too easy, and I haven't found that lifting helps flatten my belly. I find, instead that lifting tends to puff everything out if I don't lift in combination with a sound aerobics and stretch/pilates/yoga routine and (as others have said) solid nutrition.

    I was doing weights for awhile (Joyce Vedral videos and Transformation.com has some exercises you can start with) I wasn't dropping size. Many websites out there have lists of exercises you can do.

    CrossFit really worked for awhile, and I am currently doing Insanity (which isn't lifting, but requires no equipment and I'm finding the bodyweight exercises are VERY effective for my body- yay). I'm getting toned and dropping size which I love, love, love

    wow i have to try insanity!!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    a calorie deficit will help with removing unwanted belly fat.

    however, many people have discovered the incredible body recomposition effects that lifting has, particularly in the midsection. concentrate on compound lifts (dead lifts, squats, overhead press, and bench press). take the time to learn them, and remember that as long as they are heavy for YOU they will be effective.

    ^^^this....also exercise patience. Body re-comp work is detail work...like any detail work, it takes time...it's not a 30 day kind of thing.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    I build weight pretty easy, too easy, and I haven't found that lifting helps flatten my belly. I find, instead that lifting tends to puff everything out if I don't lift in combination with a sound aerobics and stretch/pilates/yoga routine and (as others have said) solid nutrition.

    thats the thing. you need to have more of a balance of proper nutrition, cardio, strength training, and rest.
  • believer1988
    believer1988 Posts: 55
    wouldnt lipo just be faster lol jk:laugh:
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
    I build weight pretty easy, too easy, and I haven't found that lifting helps flatten my belly. I find, instead that lifting tends to puff everything out if I don't lift in combination with a sound aerobics and stretch/pilates/yoga routine and (as others have said) solid nutrition.

    thats the thing. you need to have more of a balance of proper nutrition, cardio, strength training, and rest.

    There's some folks out there teaching that if you only have 3-4 hours to work out a week you should spend it lifting.

    The combo values of nutrition/weights/other exercise that work for each body I think are different- you have to find what works for you. I actually need more aerobics and yoga/stretching than I need lifting. I get much smaller when I cut out lifting, but I like my physique better when I lift so it's a trade-off. So there's really no one solid answer. It's what do you want and what works well for your body.

    Even though I sell workout videos on my personal site, for people starting out, I like free resources like the exercise plan on Transformation.com 25min/day
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