So you want a nice stomach
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waldo11690 wrote: »heather0709 wrote: »I still need to lose 25 pounds, and read crunches won't help my stomach? I been doing them
Crunches won't help you lose belly fat, but they can help strengthen your abs and core especially if you do weighted cruches with a dumbbell or plate. To lose belly fat, you need a calorie deficit (and cardio).
You don't NEED cardio to attain a nice stomach, but it can be beneficial for creating a larger caloric deficit and general cardiovascular health.0 -
Bump0
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waldo11690 wrote: »heather0709 wrote: »I still need to lose 25 pounds, and read crunches won't help my stomach? I been doing them
Crunches won't help you lose belly fat, but they can help strengthen your abs and core especially if you do weighted cruches with a dumbbell or plate. To lose belly fat, you need a calorie deficit (and cardio).
You don't NEED cardio. You can achieve a flat stomach without it if you can adhere to an appropriate calorie goal. Cardio can help increase the calorie deficit and is great for the heart and lungs. Lifting can do both of those as well as help you retain your lean mass, meaning you lose mostly fat.0 -
Thanks OP! My friend has been telling me this forever and I was an avid fan of bodybuilding's super interval training for women back in my gym rat days but my consistency and willpower in terms of food sucked. And then I started grad school. And I keep finding excuses but I miss my gym and hate that I don't weigh 125 and that my stomach is flat. Hoping to find some motivation using this app
thank you for this thread! 0 -
I hear that! Managing the calories is not as easy with exercise, bug I have got a good routine going and this app helps! Love the motivation in the group, I really want to keep learning on how to maintain a flat stomach!0
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Awesome post0
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All good points. But there is more than one way to skin a cat.
I do not lift heavy in the gym, I do kettlebell workouts. Involves lots of core work. I don't do any specific abdominal work at all. And I do lots of cardio, because I love it (running) and it helps me increase my calorie debt if I so desire. AND it decreases my appetite.
You're right, there is more than one way.
You still activate your muscles and eat at a calorie deficit. Those are the the main keys to success.
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Love it0
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Is deficit of 550 calorie good or is it too much?0
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kungfuterka wrote: »Is deficit of 550 calorie good or is it too much?
A 500 calorie deficit for 7 days would have you losing 1 pound, so I'd say 550 is fine, but it depends on your goals. To safely lose weight, it's recommended to shoot for 1 to 2 pounds per week.
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This post is really interesting...........I definitely follow the above tips. Thanks a lot..!!!!!0
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kungfuterka wrote: »Is deficit of 550 calorie good or is it too much?
@kungfuterka It depends on a variety of factors. If you are short, female who isn't very active and doesn't have much to lose then 550 calories could be way too much. A 550 calorie deficit for someone who maintains weight at 3000 calories is easy compared to a 550 calorie deficit for someone who maintains weight at 1600 calories.
If you have less than 20 pounds to lose then setting your goal to lose half a pound a week is more appropriate.0 -
I have lost 75lbs, can't seem to loose the last 25. I've kept off the 75 for over 1 1/2 years. Just started to add strength training 3 day a week and cardio for 3 days a week. I'm trying not to freak out but my weight has been inch - in up again but clothes fit better. I eat cleaner than I have ever eaten in my life. Still have some issues on weekends though. I'm doing abs 6 days a week, I have plateau ed and don't know what else to do. Oh yeah I'm a 52 year old man, who is 6 feet tall.0
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I have lost 75lbs, can't seem to loose the last 25. I've kept off the 75 for over 1 1/2 years. Just started to add strength training 3 day a week and cardio for 3 days a week. I'm trying not to freak out but my weight has been inch - in up again but clothes fit better. I eat cleaner than I have ever eaten in my life. Still have some issues on weekends though. I'm doing abs 6 days a week, I have plateau ed and don't know what else to do. Oh yeah I'm a 52 year old man, who is 6 feet tall.
@tomppw Run your stats through this calculator and log accurately (even on weekends).
http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/0 -
Nice advice! We definitely think alike lol. I did the same thing and it worked like a charm (lost weight and got a flat stomach). The only thing I'd like to add is after weighing foods, over time you will most likely become experienced and can start guesstimating (which is what I did because I became used to the amounts and weights of foods). One other thing. Drink lots of water. That also made a huge difference. And eat more protein during rest days.
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Childfree1991 wrote: »Nice advice! We definitely think alike lol. I did the same thing and it worked like a charm (lost weight and got a flat stomach). The only thing I'd like to add is after weighing foods, over time you will most likely become experienced and can start guesstimating (which is what I did because I became used to the amounts and weights of foods). One other thing. Drink lots of water. That also made a huge difference. And eat more protein during rest days.
Why would someone need to eat more protein on rest days? The amount I suggested is at the high end of protein needs (especially for the general, non-bodybuilding population), so adding more protein on a day they aren't working out is highly unnecessary.0 -
If you have less than 20 pounds to lose then setting your goal to lose half a pound a week is more appropriate.
Can you expand on this? Twenty pounds from what? Is it really just a person's goal weight irrespective of what their preferred level of leanness is? From the top or bottom of the BMI range for your height? Twenty pounds from a specific body fat range? And what makes it more appropriate?
I'm currently 149lbs at 5'5. I've lost the first 15 pounds pretty easily at a rate of 1 pound per week. Now my losses seem to be slowing and I'm trying to figure out if I need to adjust expectations on loss rate or adjust one half or both of CICO. Thanks!
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AbsoluteTara79 wrote: »
If you have less than 20 pounds to lose then setting your goal to lose half a pound a week is more appropriate.
Can you expand on this? Twenty pounds from what? Is it really just a person's goal weight irrespective of what their preferred level of leanness is? From the top or bottom of the BMI range for your height? Twenty pounds from a specific body fat range? And what makes it more appropriate?
I'm currently 149lbs at 5'5. I've lost the first 15 pounds pretty easily at a rate of 1 pound per week. Now my losses seem to be slowing and I'm trying to figure out if I need to adjust expectations on loss rate or adjust one half or both of CICO. Thanks!
@AbsoluteTara79 A goal to lose 20 pounds or less. It has nothing to do with how lean or the BMI chart (which should be ignored by individuals and the focus should be more on a healthy level of body fat).
You should be in a fairly healthy range for body fat, so you shouldn't be trying to lose weight fast at this point. Setting your goal to half a pound or a up to a pound a week is appropriate.0 -
AbsoluteTara79 wrote: »
If you have less than 20 pounds to lose then setting your goal to lose half a pound a week is more appropriate.
Can you expand on this? Twenty pounds from what? Is it really just a person's goal weight irrespective of what their preferred level of leanness is? From the top or bottom of the BMI range for your height? Twenty pounds from a specific body fat range? And what makes it more appropriate?
I'm currently 149lbs at 5'5. I've lost the first 15 pounds pretty easily at a rate of 1 pound per week. Now my losses seem to be slowing and I'm trying to figure out if I need to adjust expectations on loss rate or adjust one half or both of CICO. Thanks!
If you're weight loss has plateaued, you can try reducing your calories a little. That worked for me. I only decreased my intake by 100 calories when I plateaued, and I began losing weight again. And I have the exact same activity level now as I had when I plateaued.0 -
@AbsoluteTara79 A goal to lose 20 pounds or less. It has nothing to do with how lean or the BMI chart (which should be ignored by individuals and the focus should be more on a healthy level of body fat).
You should be in a fairly healthy range for body fat, so you shouldn't be trying to lose weight fast at this point. Setting your goal to half a pound or a up to a pound a week is appropriate.
Thank you!
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waldo11690 wrote: »AbsoluteTara79 wrote: »
If you have less than 20 pounds to lose then setting your goal to lose half a pound a week is more appropriate.
Can you expand on this? Twenty pounds from what? Is it really just a person's goal weight irrespective of what their preferred level of leanness is? From the top or bottom of the BMI range for your height? Twenty pounds from a specific body fat range? And what makes it more appropriate?
I'm currently 149lbs at 5'5. I've lost the first 15 pounds pretty easily at a rate of 1 pound per week. Now my losses seem to be slowing and I'm trying to figure out if I need to adjust expectations on loss rate or adjust one half or both of CICO. Thanks!
If you're weight loss has plateaued, you can try reducing your calories a little. That worked for me. I only decreased my intake by 100 calories when I plateaued, and I began losing weight again. And I have the exact same activity level now as I had when I plateaued.
I haven't hit a plateau. I'm just losing more slowly now. I was losing 1+ pounds per week. Now I'm more like .5-.75 per week. And I actually want to relax my cardio workouts a bit. I work out after 8pm every night and it makes it hard to get to sleep at a normal time when I'm getting home 9:30/10, winding down, showering and trying to get back up at 5:30/6.0 -
waldo11690 wrote: »AbsoluteTara79 wrote: »
If you have less than 20 pounds to lose then setting your goal to lose half a pound a week is more appropriate.
Can you expand on this? Twenty pounds from what? Is it really just a person's goal weight irrespective of what their preferred level of leanness is? From the top or bottom of the BMI range for your height? Twenty pounds from a specific body fat range? And what makes it more appropriate?
I'm currently 149lbs at 5'5. I've lost the first 15 pounds pretty easily at a rate of 1 pound per week. Now my losses seem to be slowing and I'm trying to figure out if I need to adjust expectations on loss rate or adjust one half or both of CICO. Thanks!
If you're weight loss has plateaued, you can try reducing your calories a little. That worked for me. I only decreased my intake by 100 calories when I plateaued, and I began losing weight again. And I have the exact same activity level now as I had when I plateaued.
That doesn't necessarily work for everyone though. At some point it could be a hormonal issue (leptin or cortisol are the big two). There is a point where people need to eat more to balance these and begin losing again. That's actually the concept behind cheat days, although in a controlled calorie intake they would be leptin refeeds and not all out eating days. Leptin refeeds are controlled and increase the calories to maintenance or just above, many people who have cheat days undo their deficit for the week.0 -
This is so helpful thanks a million for posting!0
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Great info 0
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You want to lose belly fat and have a nice flat toned mid section? We see that a lot on this site. Hell, that was my goal for my birthday last year. We all want to be able to take our shirt off at the pool or beach and look great, but how do we do it?
1. Slight calorie deficit. Eating 800 calories and killing yourself in the gym is not going to get you there any faster. You need to fuel your body appropriately. I suggest the TDEE-20% method. www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc (If you have questions please feel free to ask them here). Make sure to weigh everything you eat! Guessing could put you well over your calories.
2. Strength training. If you want that toned mid section look you have to put some muscle there. If you just want a nice flat stomach muscle will still help it look tight. You can begin with Strong Lifts, a hypertrophy routine or a strength program from bodybuilding.com (free!). One that includes compound lifts like deadlift, squat, bench press and pull ups will help. Work on increasing the amount of weight you use. When the weight gets heavier you engage your core more and it builds the muscle.
3. Muscle insurance. There are a variety of studies done on the amount of protein the body needs. I like to think of higher protein as muscle insurance. My suggestion is about 1gram of protein per pound of lean mass. Make sure to get fat in your diet to help joints and metabolic processes. Make sure to get carbs in your diet to fuel workouts.
4. Cardio. I like cardio once or twice a week for 30 minutes. It's good for the heart and lungs. It doesn't add much to the calorie burn for the week, but it helps even things out in case you haven't been completely accurate weighing food.
5. Patience! It is not going to happen overnight. If you stick with it you could lose around 1% body fat a month. We aren't going to be perfect all the time. Enjoy birthdays and holidays. It is life and things will happen. Don't stress, learn to love the process.
FINALLY: Losing fat is like trying to dry out a sponge. You can't dry a corner while the rest of it is still wet. You won't magically lose belly fat or thigh fat or any other fat. It will come off where it wants to. Keep working at it! It is possible!
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I really really want to give you a thumbs up but your number 4 is making me cringe.
Yes...this. ^^^
What's your reason for not liking #4? My reply to him is that if diet is on point you don't need much cardio. You can add more, but it isn't necessarily helpful. All good programs should include some cardio. I also said that food logging should be accurate, but it isn't always and doing cardio can help make up for inaccuracy (like going out to eat, the dishes can vary up to 500 calories depending on restaurant).
Jumping back in, so tell me how it is not necessarily helpful.
Please explain that to me?
So go by just the rough average of say 100 cals burned per mile.
Say 10 minute miles (which we could say the average person could pull off)
Say they go for 40 minutes everyday.
That would equate to 400 cals extra burned.
Most people wouldn't come close to burning through their glycogen stores in 45 minutes. Assuming they are not sprinting for 45 minutes. So your precious muscles stay in tact and not used for energy AND you get the added bonus of 400 cals burned.
Oh, let's not forget all the added cardio bonus' you get to enjoy in the gym because of your cardio runs.
What is bizarre is your recommendation really REALLY heavy on the protein macro ratio then scared to death of the cardio monster.
What I find more funny than anything is the fact you have the usmc title in your name and you know damn well you wouldn't have anywhere close to the body you have now without all the fun cardio they made you do.
Other than that, two thumbs up.
Yeah I totally agree with this... cardio is important.. I didn't excerice at all... I started the gym 2 weeks ago & do at least an hour cardio 3 times a week & it's working 0 -
Laurafoxx81 wrote: »I really really want to give you a thumbs up but your number 4 is making me cringe.
Yes...this. ^^^
What's your reason for not liking #4? My reply to him is that if diet is on point you don't need much cardio. You can add more, but it isn't necessarily helpful. All good programs should include some cardio. I also said that food logging should be accurate, but it isn't always and doing cardio can help make up for inaccuracy (like going out to eat, the dishes can vary up to 500 calories depending on restaurant).
Jumping back in, so tell me how it is not necessarily helpful.
Please explain that to me?
So go by just the rough average of say 100 cals burned per mile.
Say 10 minute miles (which we could say the average person could pull off)
Say they go for 40 minutes everyday.
That would equate to 400 cals extra burned.
Most people wouldn't come close to burning through their glycogen stores in 45 minutes. Assuming they are not sprinting for 45 minutes. So your precious muscles stay in tact and not used for energy AND you get the added bonus of 400 cals burned.
Oh, let's not forget all the added cardio bonus' you get to enjoy in the gym because of your cardio runs.
What is bizarre is your recommendation really REALLY heavy on the protein macro ratio then scared to death of the cardio monster.
What I find more funny than anything is the fact you have the usmc title in your name and you know damn well you wouldn't have anywhere close to the body you have now without all the fun cardio they made you do.
Other than that, two thumbs up.
Yeah I totally agree with this... cardio is important.. I didn't excerice at all... I started the gym 2 weeks ago & do at least an hour cardio 3 times a week & it's working
She never said cardio is not important. She said it isn't really all that necessary to achieve a nice stomach, and good body composition - which is true. As for the bolded... it's because you are now more active.0 -
Laurafoxx81 wrote: »I really really want to give you a thumbs up but your number 4 is making me cringe.
Yes...this. ^^^
What's your reason for not liking #4? My reply to him is that if diet is on point you don't need much cardio. You can add more, but it isn't necessarily helpful. All good programs should include some cardio. I also said that food logging should be accurate, but it isn't always and doing cardio can help make up for inaccuracy (like going out to eat, the dishes can vary up to 500 calories depending on restaurant).
Jumping back in, so tell me how it is not necessarily helpful.
Please explain that to me?
So go by just the rough average of say 100 cals burned per mile.
Say 10 minute miles (which we could say the average person could pull off)
Say they go for 40 minutes everyday.
That would equate to 400 cals extra burned.
Most people wouldn't come close to burning through their glycogen stores in 45 minutes. Assuming they are not sprinting for 45 minutes. So your precious muscles stay in tact and not used for energy AND you get the added bonus of 400 cals burned.
Oh, let's not forget all the added cardio bonus' you get to enjoy in the gym because of your cardio runs.
What is bizarre is your recommendation really REALLY heavy on the protein macro ratio then scared to death of the cardio monster.
What I find more funny than anything is the fact you have the usmc title in your name and you know damn well you wouldn't have anywhere close to the body you have now without all the fun cardio they made you do.
Other than that, two thumbs up.
Yeah I totally agree with this... cardio is important.. I didn't excerice at all... I started the gym 2 weeks ago & do at least an hour cardio 3 times a week & it's working
@Laurafoxx81 You're more active, which is going to help. Doing that much cardio isn't necessary for fat loss. I hope you will consider some form of resistance/strength training as stated in my original post to ensure your weight loss comes from mostly fat.0 -
Good info in this thread. There's so much info I don't know where to start. I've been doing Crossfit for about a year 3x a week and a run or 3 in between, I've noticed muscle everywhere..: but my tummy hasn't changed. I eat natural foods, but I don't measure my proportions.
I need to get that figured out.
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jsmileyboy wrote: »Good info in this thread. There's so much info I don't know where to start. I've been doing Crossfit for about a year 3x a week and a run or 3 in between, I've noticed muscle everywhere..: but my tummy hasn't changed. I eat natural foods, but I don't measure my proportions.
I need to get that figured out.
You may be eating "natural foods", but if you aren't losing fat then your calories are still too high. You might want to start weighing your food and recording it accurately. That's the main key to losing weight.0
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