Tips for losing belly weight - but not muscle!

EMergise
EMergise Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys,

I am 27, height 5' 2", weigh 131 lbs. I'm a full time insgiht analyst (desk job) and part time aerobics instructor (body attack and body pump) so I'm very fit and active and I have quite a lot of muscle!!

My aim is to lose weight of my stomach, i.e to lose the flag but without losing my muscle mass. So I'm not too bothered about losing pounds, its more about inches!!

MFP says I should be eating around 1330 calories (without exercise) if I want to lost weight slowly. At the moment though I'm struggling to get in enough food to make me feel energetic for classes! I've tried ensuring I eat more protein, for the whole fuller longer and maintaining muscle but I find it doesn't seem to agree with my digestive system.

Any tips on good foods to eat that will help keep me within my calories, but give me energy for classes???

Thanks,

Em

Replies

  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    In for the responses. My gut just won't go. And if the amount of exercise you're getting isn't the answer, then I don't know what to do.
  • accelerashawn
    accelerashawn Posts: 470 Member
    VEGGIES VEGGIES VEGGIES...good fibrous carbs that are not calorie dense at all so you can stuff your face and still stay within your caloric goals.

    Ever heard the abs are built in the kitchen? True words. You can do all the situps crunches planks leglifts side bends whatever you want but you'll only get the ripped belly by cutting the fat. The only way to do that is to burn more than you eat.

    If your gut still wont go, you are still eating too much. Getting abs isnt easy. Getting those last few pounds off is hard too. I dropped from 28% to 16% body fat but i'm still dropping and I'm very close to seeing abs. All i'm doing is lifting and eating right.
  • EMergise
    EMergise Posts: 36 Member
    Thanks Shawn.

    I'm really trying hard at the moment to up the veggies and protein and reduce the fats and carbs..... I definitely couldn't fit in anymore exercise without risking overtraining..... I teach about 4 out of 7 days a week at the moment and usually do a bit of my own training either side of the class!!

    Currently eating 2 pollack steaks topped with a little pesto mixked with oat cakes (for flavour and crunch) on a bed of curly kale, broccilli and courgette!!! (boiled the veg and then fried off with a tiny bit of oil and garlic for a bit of extra flavour!!)

    Has anyone had a go at carb cycling? - where you alternate days without and without carbs? Idea is that the high carb days will fuel your exercise, and the low carb days fuel your fat loss?

    I've been trying it the last few days, whilst still staying under calorie goal..... will let you know how i get on a bit longer term!
  • accelerashawn
    accelerashawn Posts: 470 Member
    You don't need to eliminate carbs and fats...just gotta make sure the carbs and fats you eat are the good kinds. Poly and Mono unsaturated fats are good for you and everyone's heard about Omega3's...You need the fats to synthesize the proteins and lubricate your joints...etc.

    Slow digesting carbs help immensely too. Fast carbs spike blood sugar triggering insulin to respond and store the excess sugar. Slow carbs will take longer to break down therefore will not spike your blood sugar. If you can keep your blood sugar normal then insulin will chill and its much easier to burn fat when insulin is at normal levels.

    Currently i'm working with the 40% protein 30% fats, and 30% carbs macro ratio and I like it.
  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
    Just keep working on muscles, belly will probably go a bit when you lower BF%
    I'm eating around TDEE now, lifting a few times a week, trying to get atleast 100 grams of protein, slowly see it getting flatter.

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