Almost to Goal But still have gut & love handles

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Wookinpanub
Wookinpanub Posts: 635 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am almost to my goal of 195 lb (I am 6 foot 3). I still have a gut or pouch and these very unsightly love handles that are pretty noticeable with my shirt off. I can still pinch a couple inches on my love handles - arghh!

I do intense cardio and weight lifting about 5X per week. How do I get rid of these? Just need to revise my goal down another 20 lbs? Focus more on ab work?

Replies

  • carolineat111
    carolineat111 Posts: 97 Member
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    I would keep on the weight training. That's a healthy weight for 6'3" so I'd focus more on gaining muscle in place of the fat versus losing weight overall. Good luck!
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Honestly 5 days heavy lifting and cardio is probably over doing it. It sounds like you need to look into body recomposition. The goal needs to be losing body fat, not weight. Even skinny, people can have rolls if they do not have the lean body mass underneath. Also you can not spot reduce body fat.
  • Wookinpanub
    Wookinpanub Posts: 635 Member
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    It sounds like you need to look into body recomposition

    As in lipo to get rid of those last pesky lbs? I will look into the body recomp.
  • BoatsnHose
    BoatsnHose Posts: 120 Member
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    Maybe change your goal?
  • chocolateandpb
    chocolateandpb Posts: 453 Member
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    Do you drink alcohol? If you drink a lot, that'll definitely contribute to a gut and love handles. I am going alcohol-free for the month of September to see if that helps me! :drinker:
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    It just takes time. My belly fat has been so much more stubborn than the rest. Continue eating at a moderate deficit and lifting.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    Goal weights are nice, but it's unless you've got some experience with how you'll look at a certain weight, it's an arbitrary number. So yes, if you're not happy with what you see in the mirror, you need to figure out how you're going to get where you need to be.

    Adding a bunch of activity on top of what you're doing probably isn't the right move. Revising your goal downward and keep doing what you're doing is probably a good idea, but you should also recognize that if your goal is to look anything beyond "average," you probably won't get there by dieting down to a certain point and stopping. You will likely need to spend some time bulking and cutting to get the physique you want.
  • jvicenty76
    jvicenty76 Posts: 6 Member
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    I lost alot of weight, and exercise everyday, no matter what i do i can't get rid of the extra stuff. The doctor told me i had good elasticity but some of my skin did stretch to much that it won't go back in. I am smooth in my back, so i don't have the back handles, but i still have a lil pouch and when i sit it's more visual then when i stand i look thinner. :( I am still happy with my results though. I feel so much better, and if someone doesn't like my love handles then pox on them lol :) Also I love Assets and Spanx they keep everything smooth for those special fitted outfits that make love handles disappear! :)
  • maizerage66
    maizerage66 Posts: 367 Member
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    It sounds like you need to look into body recomposition

    As in lipo to get rid of those last pesky lbs? I will look into the body recomp.

    Liposuction? Hell no....Body recomposition is the process in which you set your calorie intake in such a way to build muscle and burn fat somewhat simultaneously. It's a very long and slow process, and different than the conventional cut and bulk cycles that the majority of people use.
  • Wookinpanub
    Wookinpanub Posts: 635 Member
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    Do you drink alcohol? If you drink a lot, that'll definitely contribute to a gut and love handles. I am going alcohol-free for the month of September to see if that helps me! :drinker:

    I do drink at least one night per week with friends. Occasionally 2 nights. I have cut back my alcohol about 50% from where it was before. Why would alcohol affect belly fat different from other excess calories?
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    I am with you I am working on sit ups and crunches as well as weight training in general.

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  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    I'm 6" and I'm going by BF%, not actual weight. I'm aiming for a BF% of 13%, which should have most of my love handles and extra flab gone. I'm currently 230ish lbs @ 35% BF. If I were to retain my current lean mass (I know,it's subject to change as I lose weight and improve fitness), then I'll be about 170 lbs. Since you're 6'3" and weigh 193 lbs, your BF% is likely still about 20% - n which case, you're still going to have love handles.

    Just keep at it. Continue to lift heavy, maintainin a caloric deficit. Keep working, and stop looking at the numbers on the scale. In the real world, they don't mean jack.
  • Early_Riser
    Early_Riser Posts: 127 Member
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    I'm in the same boat...I've changed my goal from a weight goal to a fat% goal.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    It sounds like you need to look into body recomposition

    As in lipo to get rid of those last pesky lbs? I will look into the body recomp.

    No...Nope :noway: lipo.

    Body recomp......putting on muscle mass and gaining strength, then cutting body fat% You may even weigh more in the end, but with lower body fat and the muscle to fill it out, you will be and look fit.
  • tobybears8
    tobybears8 Posts: 87 Member
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    How do you firm up when you lose the weight?
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    How do you firm up when you lose the weight?

    It all comes down to muscle (lean body mass), and fat. Firming is a misnomer. Think of it like the fat is hiding your true body, when you remove enough fat your lean body mass is visible. If you lack in muscle then your fat would only be covering a skinny skeleton. The muscle fills everything in. So shape the muscle and retain what you have with weight lifting while you lose fat. If not it is a lot harder to lose the fat, hate what's underneath and then need to start building muscle to fill everything in. Much easier working with what you have and retaining it then build new muscle.
  • tobybears8
    tobybears8 Posts: 87 Member
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    Okay so I guess I need to start lifting weights. Thanks for your help.
  • Wookinpanub
    Wookinpanub Posts: 635 Member
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    So I have been at a pretty good calorie deficit while doing cardio and lifting. I have lost a good deal of weight. So I need to up my calories, focus more on lifting, less on cardio to add muscle, possibly increase my weight but that will cut down the fat - belly and love handles?
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    So I have been at a pretty good calorie deficit while doing cardio and lifting. I have lost a good deal of weight. So I need to up my calories, focus more on lifting, less on cardio to add muscle, possibly increase my weight but that will cut down the fat - belly and love handles?

    Pretty much yes, except that you'll likely add back some fat again when you bulk, along with the muscle. The goal is to add as much muscle and as little fat as possible while bulking, and lose as much fat and as little muscle as possible when cutting.

    Heavy lifting and careful diet planning (adjusting macros and calories accordingly) is how to do it, although like others have said, it's not a quick process.

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