Trouble losing belly fat :(
Options
Replies
-
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »You don’t give some crucial information. Current height and weight is a good start. It seems you’re 27lbs away from your goal, so I’m not sure why you’re concerned about your belly fat at this stage. Why don’t you just focus on weight loss in general?
Where is that information coming from? I'm 150lbs/ 5'5 and I want to be around 140, but I'm more concerned about how I look, rather than what my weight is.
Your profile states you’re 17lbs away from your goal (which I misread as 27, sorry about that). If you’re concerned about how you look rather than weight, maybe start taking body measurements in several points. This can be more indicative of your progress than a scale. Aside from that, I’d focus on strength training.
Its ok
I think that was left over from a long time ago.
On that topic, you might want to update your weight and goal, because that will change your calorie goals!
Anyway, it’s important to be accurate in your logging because the closer you are to your goal weight, the smaller the deficit you are maintaining, and the easier it is to wipe it out with inaccuracies that add up. Also, exercise calories are usually really overestimated, so most people only eat back about half.
Finally, I second ndj regarding a heavy lifting program. I’m following Starting Strength and it’s making a much bigger difference in the way my body looks than running daily (which I used to do).
Perfect! I'll update it now
And that makes sense, although I definitely don't make it a point to eat back any of the calories I burn.
I will say it does concern me when I update my weight and goal because I don't want to run into an issue where my calorie intake is way too low and my body goes into starvation mode. There have been times where I logged "I want to lose 1.5 pounds a week" in MFP and it tells me to eat something like 1500 calories. I know with my activity level, that is too low. In fact, I'll input my goals into IIFYM and that tells me to eat something like 1,900 calories - a huge difference from 1500!!0 -
First, it's only been a few weeks since April 15th. Give it more time. With 27lbs left to go, the belly fat loss may be far down the road.
Second, how tall are you and what do you weigh? My guess is you're over stating your burns. Regardless, if you're not losing, you're taking in more than you're burning. Either by overstating burns or not accurately weighing/logging food.
A heart rate monitor is only good for steady state cardio- Pretty much the opposite of the HIIT you're doing. Try only logging half the calories it tells you for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference.0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
that instead of using your food scale you are using cups to measure things, which will lead to inaccuracies..
Gotcha! So I use the food scale for things like sweet potato or chicken. When I use cups is when the label says "1/2 cup of quiona is xxx amount of calories".
weigh everything that you can, that is my philosophy....
unless of course you are eating out or at a friends cookout, then just guestimate...I mean you can't drive yourself crazy trying to be accurate ALL the time....
0 -
First, it's only been a few weeks since April 15th. Give it more time. With 27lbs left to go, the belly fat loss may be far down the road.
Second, how tall are you and what do you weigh? My guess is you're over stating your burns. Regardless, if you're not losing, you're taking in more than you're burning. Either by overstating burns or not accurately weighing/logging food.
A heart rate monitor is only good for steady state cardio- Pretty much the opposite of the HIIT you're doing. Try only logging half the calories it tells you for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference.
I don't have 27lbs left to lose. I'm not sure where that came from but it is incorrect. AT THE MOST, 15lbs, but I'd be happy with 10. I am also 5'5. I also haven't gotten on the scale since I started. I don't like to put that much emphasis on what I way, especially since muscle weighs more than fat. Like I said though, I have noticed that my clothes are looser and I see some progress in my pictures.
0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
that instead of using your food scale you are using cups to measure things, which will lead to inaccuracies..
Gotcha! So I use the food scale for things like sweet potato or chicken. When I use cups is when the label says "1/2 cup of quiona is xxx amount of calories".
weigh everything that you can, that is my philosophy....
unless of course you are eating out or at a friends cookout, then just guestimate...I mean you can't drive yourself crazy trying to be accurate ALL the time....
Haha, I was about to say - do I need to carry my scale around in my purse?! 0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »You don’t give some crucial information. Current height and weight is a good start. It seems you’re 27lbs away from your goal, so I’m not sure why you’re concerned about your belly fat at this stage. Why don’t you just focus on weight loss in general?
Where is that information coming from? I'm 150lbs/ 5'5 and I want to be around 140, but I'm more concerned about how I look, rather than what my weight is.
Your profile states you’re 17lbs away from your goal (which I misread as 27, sorry about that). If you’re concerned about how you look rather than weight, maybe start taking body measurements in several points. This can be more indicative of your progress than a scale. Aside from that, I’d focus on strength training.
Its ok I think that was left over from a long time ago.
On that topic, you might want to update your weight and goal, because that will change your calorie goals!
Anyway, it’s important to be accurate in your logging because the closer you are to your goal weight, the smaller the deficit you are maintaining, and the easier it is to wipe it out with inaccuracies that add up. Also, exercise calories are usually really overestimated, so most people only eat back about half.
Finally, I second ndj regarding a heavy lifting program. I’m following Starting Strength and it’s making a much bigger difference in the way my body looks than running daily (which I used to do).
Perfect! I'll update it now
And that makes sense, although I definitely don't make it a point to eat back any of the calories I burn.
I will say it does concern me when I update my weight and goal because I don't want to run into an issue where my calorie intake is way too low and my body goes into starvation mode. There have been times where I logged "I want to lose 1.5 pounds a week" in MFP and it tells me to eat something like 1500 calories. I know with my activity level, that is too low. In fact, I'll input my goals into IIFYM and that tells me to eat something like 1,900 calories - a huge difference from 1500!!
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).0 -
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.
Lol, I mean source of fat - some people may say the fat they eat comes from candy bars or ice cream. Others really focus on only eating "healthy fat" from things like avocado, nuts and olive oil. That's what I meant. But I was also asking how many grams? I've heard varying numbers as to what someone should eat.0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.
Lol, I mean source of fat - some people may say the fat they eat comes from candy bars or ice cream. Others really focus on only eating "healthy fat" from things like avocado, nuts and olive oil. That's what I meant. But I was also asking how many grams? I've heard varying numbers as to what someone should eat.
ice cream is fine...
Here is what I would say. Don't get sucked into the good vs bad food mentality. What matters is the context of your overall diet, hitting macros/micors, and staying within your calorie target for the day.
Yes, you need to eat nutrient dense stuff like fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc, but you can also fill in your day with things that you like, like pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. Balance is what matters.
My diary is open if you want to see what I am talking about.0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.
Lol, I mean source of fat - some people may say the fat they eat comes from candy bars or ice cream. Others really focus on only eating "healthy fat" from things like avocado, nuts and olive oil. That's what I meant. But I was also asking how many grams? I've heard varying numbers as to what someone should eat.
ice cream is fine...
Here is what I would say. Don't get sucked into the good vs bad food mentality. What matters is the context of your overall diet, hitting macros/micors, and staying within your calorie target for the day.
Yes, you need to eat nutrient dense stuff like fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc, but you can also fill in your day with things that you like, like pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. Balance is what matters.
My diary is open if you want to see what I am talking about.
You only eat 2,250 calories? For some reason I expected to see more than that.0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.
Lol, I mean source of fat - some people may say the fat they eat comes from candy bars or ice cream. Others really focus on only eating "healthy fat" from things like avocado, nuts and olive oil. That's what I meant. But I was also asking how many grams? I've heard varying numbers as to what someone should eat.
ice cream is fine...
Here is what I would say. Don't get sucked into the good vs bad food mentality. What matters is the context of your overall diet, hitting macros/micors, and staying within your calorie target for the day.
Yes, you need to eat nutrient dense stuff like fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc, but you can also fill in your day with things that you like, like pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. Balance is what matters.
My diary is open if you want to see what I am talking about.
You only eat 2,250 calories? For some reason I expected to see more than that.
I am cutting right now, and losing about a pound per week. June 1 I am going to .5 pound per week loss which will be about 2500...
I ran a bulk over the winter and went from 175 to 186 ...
0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.
Lol, I mean source of fat - some people may say the fat they eat comes from candy bars or ice cream. Others really focus on only eating "healthy fat" from things like avocado, nuts and olive oil. That's what I meant. But I was also asking how many grams? I've heard varying numbers as to what someone should eat.
ice cream is fine...
Here is what I would say. Don't get sucked into the good vs bad food mentality. What matters is the context of your overall diet, hitting macros/micors, and staying within your calorie target for the day.
Yes, you need to eat nutrient dense stuff like fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc, but you can also fill in your day with things that you like, like pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. Balance is what matters.
My diary is open if you want to see what I am talking about.
You only eat 2,250 calories? For some reason I expected to see more than that.
I am cutting right now, and losing about a pound per week. June 1 I am going to .5 pound per week loss which will be about 2500...
I ran a bulk over the winter and went from 175 to 186 ...
Ok - that makes sense. I was wondering if you were cutting. It looks like you eat less fat than I do and less frequently than I do. Not that it makes a difference but because I have a desk job, I tend to graze more than eat 3 solid, pretty high calorie meals.0 -
It's only been three weeks.
Also, how do you burn 500 calories in a softball game? Do you sprint around the outfield the whole time? Maybe, maybe a competitive fast pitch pitcher would burn that much. That makes me suspect all of your other burn estimates.0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.
Lol, I mean source of fat - some people may say the fat they eat comes from candy bars or ice cream. Others really focus on only eating "healthy fat" from things like avocado, nuts and olive oil. That's what I meant. But I was also asking how many grams? I've heard varying numbers as to what someone should eat.
ice cream is fine...
Here is what I would say. Don't get sucked into the good vs bad food mentality. What matters is the context of your overall diet, hitting macros/micors, and staying within your calorie target for the day.
Yes, you need to eat nutrient dense stuff like fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc, but you can also fill in your day with things that you like, like pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. Balance is what matters.
My diary is open if you want to see what I am talking about.
You only eat 2,250 calories? For some reason I expected to see more than that.
I am cutting right now, and losing about a pound per week. June 1 I am going to .5 pound per week loss which will be about 2500...
I ran a bulk over the winter and went from 175 to 186 ...
Ok - that makes sense. I was wondering if you were cutting. It looks like you eat less fat than I do and less frequently than I do. Not that it makes a difference but because I have a desk job, I tend to graze more than eat 3 solid, pretty high calorie meals.
I eat about three large meals a day + my evening ice cream ...
just works for my lifestyle a little better...0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »It's only been three weeks.
Also, how do you burn 500 calories in a softball game? Do you sprint around the outfield the whole time? Maybe, maybe a competitive fast pitch pitcher would burn that much. That makes me suspect all of your other burn estimates.
Well, I do a mixture of movements. I sprint on and off the field. I typically get on base every time so I'm running the bases, most of the time getting doubles or triples. I move a lot, running after ground balls or as a cut off out to the outfield. There are also other few instances where I'm running, whether its to first/third base to be the base coach or running after a foul ball that went over the fence.
Maybe it is off but I base my calorie burn off my polar watch.0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »It's only been three weeks.
Also, how do you burn 500 calories in a softball game? Do you sprint around the outfield the whole time? Maybe, maybe a competitive fast pitch pitcher would burn that much. That makes me suspect all of your other burn estimates.
Well, I do a mixture of movements. I sprint on and off the field. I typically get on base every time so I'm running the bases, most of the time getting doubles or triples. I move a lot, running after ground balls or as a cut off out to the outfield. There are also other few instances where I'm running, whether its to first/third base to be the base coach or running after a foul ball that went over the fence.
Maybe it is off but I base my calorie burn off my polar watch.
you may want to eat back only half of those calories...
I know that HRM's are supposed to be the most accurate for cardio, but I am not sure about a polar watch ....just my .020 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »It's only been three weeks.
Also, how do you burn 500 calories in a softball game? Do you sprint around the outfield the whole time? Maybe, maybe a competitive fast pitch pitcher would burn that much. That makes me suspect all of your other burn estimates.
Well, I do a mixture of movements. I sprint on and off the field. I typically get on base every time so I'm running the bases, most of the time getting doubles or triples. I move a lot, running after ground balls or as a cut off out to the outfield. There are also other few instances where I'm running, whether its to first/third base to be the base coach or running after a foul ball that went over the fence.
Maybe it is off but I base my calorie burn off my polar watch.
you may want to eat back only half of those calories...
I know that HRM's are supposed to be the most accurate for cardio, but I am not sure about a polar watch ....just my .02
I don't eat back my calories at all though...
0 -
sweetjess195 wrote: »sweetjess195 wrote: »
Starvation mode is a myth, by the way, according to the most recent research etc. Besides, seeing as you’re 10-15lbs at most (see, I learn!) away from your goal weight, I’d say 1.5lb/week loss is way too aggressive. Nonetheless, the idea is that you eat back part of your exercise calories on top of this daily allowance, so if you’re working out a lot you get more calories (I just wouldn’t eat back all of them, because they are usually overestimated).
Really?! I didn't know it was a myth!!
What do you eat when it comes to fat? What kind and how much? And do you follow a "lower carb" diet or just eat carbs as you see necessary?
what do you mean "what kind of fat?" fat = fat and is not bad for you.
The only reason to eat low carb would be if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to carbs.
A good macro setting is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .4 to .45 fats per pound of body weight, and fill in rest with carbs....
or you can set your %'s to 35P/35C/30F and that should come close to the numbers I listed in grams.
Lol, I mean source of fat - some people may say the fat they eat comes from candy bars or ice cream. Others really focus on only eating "healthy fat" from things like avocado, nuts and olive oil. That's what I meant. But I was also asking how many grams? I've heard varying numbers as to what someone should eat.
ice cream is fine...
Here is what I would say. Don't get sucked into the good vs bad food mentality. What matters is the context of your overall diet, hitting macros/micors, and staying within your calorie target for the day.
Yes, you need to eat nutrient dense stuff like fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc, but you can also fill in your day with things that you like, like pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. Balance is what matters.
My diary is open if you want to see what I am talking about.
This is great advice. I can’t speak to fat, as the only macro I really care about is protein - I eat anything, as long as I hit my protein target. You can meet your nutritional needs without giving up a bunch of foods.
Also, I do have to agree that those exercise burns are probably overestimated - they usually are - but if you don’t eat back the calories, then you don’t have to worry about it.
0 -
I would lift weights more consistently. Go for 5-8 reps with 5 sets. Muscles won't show if they are small! They need to grow! Keep doing what you are doing and add the lifting. You also might have some water retention, so be sure to get lots of water and have a relatively moderate level of sodium intake. You don't need to low carb.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392.1K Introduce Yourself
- 43.6K Getting Started
- 259.9K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 403 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 999 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.4K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions