Losing Belly Fat (Diet Help) but maintaining muscle

adammo2121
adammo2121 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

So I think for the summer i'd like to change up my goals to lose my weight in my stomach area. In the winter i'd like to do more strength training and hopefully gain some additional muscle. Just have a few questions/advice requests for a few things:

1 - I'd like to try this out for a couple of months and see how I do but am concerned I would lose muscle weight. I'm not that large muscle wise but i'd still rather shed belly fat than muscle. Should I be doing resistance weights (bowflex) a couple of times a week to keep it up?

2 - Most people recommend fish and eggs to help keep you fuller. I am not a big fan of either food. Any thought to alternatives or other power foods?

3 - My biggest issues (I think) are snacking at night and while at work (desk job). Any tips for getting over this and not being hungry? I've read about eating like 10-15 almonds, but I have tried that and am still plenty hungry afterwards.

4 - When I want to add muscle I think I should be supplementing with more protein. However since I want to lose belly fat, are there different things I should try to help this? For instance something to speed up metabolism?

Thanks all!

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

    Can't spot reduce. Losing fat is like trying to dry a sponge out. You can't dry a corner when the rest of it is still wet.

    1. You should do strength training to retain lean mass.
    2. There are no "power foods" but, eating vegetables, fruits and lean meat tend to keep you full for longer.
    3. Maybe your calories are too low and you just need real snacks.
    4. You should try to get 1g/lb lean body mass of protein. Keeps you full and helps preserve lean mass.

    You are trying to make this way more complicated than it is.
    Slight calorie deficit + strength training + some cardio = fat loss (and eventually belly fat loss)
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
    Like it was said before...you cannot spot reduce.... EVER!
    Adding more lean protein will help with muscles mass but that's pretty much it.

    Try to avoid eating too much Carbs and (bad) fat......some fat are good but there's a limit.

    Eat good fiber...this will help you (go!)....

    Try to go for basic strength workouts!..... this will help.

    You said that the snacks are your worst thing....they are!.... this is a killer. A good thing that I do .... I fill up a sandwich bag full of cucumbers,cherry tomotoes,bell peppers etc... FULL.... Eat it all and you'll be full! and it's all good and very low calories.
  • adammo2121
    adammo2121 Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks all! Reading that thread now. One things that I was concerned about from both of your posts was the indication that I should do both cardio workout, and weight workouts.

    I do my best now to do them at night from 8-9 PM, but find I am unmotivated then and have a tough time waking up early to workout. We have a toddler right now so most of the energy during the day is devoted to her :). So my thought was work on the stomach for the next few months then get to strength training when I am stuck indoors more.

    Out of curiosity when you do say do cardio and strength training workouts, what frequency were you thinking. 3 times a week for both (i.e. 6 nights a week)?

    Thanks!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Thanks all! Reading that thread now. One things that I was concerned about from both of your posts was the indication that I should do both cardio workout, and weight workouts.

    I do my best now to do them at night from 8-9 PM, but find I am unmotivated then and have a tough time waking up early to workout. We have a toddler right now so most of the energy during the day is devoted to her :). So my thought was work on the stomach for the next few months then get to strength training when I am stuck indoors more.

    Out of curiosity when you do say do cardio and strength training workouts, what frequency were you thinking. 3 times a week for both (i.e. 6 nights a week)?

    Thanks!

    I suggest 4 nights of strength and 2 of cardio. I was a stay at home mom of two and I got a cheap gym membership that had daycare. Every day we got up, had breakfast and they "went to play at the gym daycare". You can find lots of great programs on bodybuilding.com for free or you can look into Starting Strength, Stronglifts, New Rules of Lifting for Women or if you really can't get to a gym at all look into You Are Your Own gym.

    No sense in worrying about losing from one area because your body removes it from all over until you get down to your personal problem area (often the stomach or thighs).
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    I go to the gym 5x per week - 4 of which are lifting/strength, and one is a dedicated cardio session.

    Outside the gym, I usually take a couple fairly lengthy bike rides a week for additional cardio.

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