Fat and muscle...HOW?

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KarmaxKitty
KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm new to the site (hi by the way...), but I've lost around 24 pounds since january (ignore my ticker, haha.) I've finally settled into a routine, and hit that point where I NEED to go to the gym. If I don't, I get antsy! I'm doing great on strentgh training, and I'm slowly getting smaller but...my stomach. Everything has shrunk, except for that. And its keeping my weight steady, because right after I lose something, I realize that I'm gaining it back in muscle. I guess the point is... I know I can't spot reduce... But has anyone had this same problem? And what did you do to help/stay motivated/not give in to the random "i need to lose weight now now now" thoughts?
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Replies

  • MelodAngel
    MelodAngel Posts: 27
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    My stomach seems huge to me but hiking and doing an ab and back video with a small ball, it's going down, according to my best friend. Several people have told me my belly is smaller but who knows lol. When I feel like I need to lose weight NOW, I do the only thing I can, I get on the floor and do 10 minutes of exercise, even if its 12am.. (im a night owl) it helps me to feel better :)
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I'm new to the site (hi by the way...), but I've lost around 24 pounds since january (ignore my ticker, haha.) I've finally settled into a routine, and hit that point where I NEED to go to the gym. If I don't, I get antsy! I'm doing great on strentgh training, and I'm slowly getting smaller but...my stomach. Everything has shrunk, except for that. And its keeping my weight steady, because right after I lose something, I realize that I'm gaining it back in muscle. I guess the point is... I know I can't spot reduce... But has anyone had this same problem? And what did you do to help/stay motivated/not give in to the random "i need to lose weight now now now" thoughts?

    I don't want to be the bearer of bad news...but it's only possible for the human body to gain about 1lb of lean mass (muscle) a month. That's on a male bodybuilder's diet and workout routine. Anyone else gains less, with females gaining the least. The weight you're seeing sticking around, is water to repair those muscles you're building up at the gym.

    I love working out too...and I STILL have a middle issue (as well as love handles.../sigh). You just have to keep at it until all of the fat is gone lol. It sucks...but it's the way it is. It's not that bad though, I went from 30% plus bodyfat, to 19% where I'm at now, in just a few short months. Just KEEP AT IT!!
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    I've been reading on the message boards that running helps a lot with shedding belly fat so I started running two weeks ago......it works! My stomach is getting smaller! :flowerforyou:
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I've been reading on the message boards that running helps a lot with shedding belly fat so I started running two weeks ago......it works! My stomach is getting smaller! :flowerforyou:

    Read this hun:

    http://members.rachelcosgrove.com/public/The_Final_Nail_in_the_Cardio_Coffin.cfm
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Sadly, the belly always seems to be the last to go. It should eventually shrink, though...:flowerforyou:

    ETA: Cross-country running is the very best if you are looking for a flat stomach. It's a lot of work, though.
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    I've been reading on the message boards that running helps a lot with shedding belly fat so I started running two weeks ago......it works! My stomach is getting smaller! :flowerforyou:

    Read this hun:

    http://members.rachelcosgrove.com/public/The_Final_Nail_in_the_Cardio_Coffin.cfm

    I go by MY results and I just took my measurements today and I've lost 2.8 this week and 1.5" off both my waist and my hips........not bad for a myth. :laugh:
  • cheddarboy
    cheddarboy Posts: 124 Member
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    Great article Chris, that's what I'm trying to do. I've lost weight by running in the past, but also lost muscle, and retained some gut.
  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
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    Strength training is great for building muscle but cardio is great for reducing stubborn fat. The reason being fat lies over the muscle and fat is just that - full fat cells. The more energy you expend the more the fat cells will shrink and you'll start seeing a smaller middle. Keep up with the strength training so that once you lose the weight, you'll have a nice toned stomach to show off :wink: but don't skip out on the cardio - whatever cardio you'll stick with (running, ellipticals, etc).

    Calories (energy) in < calories (energy) out = fat loss
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I've been reading on the message boards that running helps a lot with shedding belly fat so I started running two weeks ago......it works! My stomach is getting smaller! :flowerforyou:

    Read this hun:

    http://members.rachelcosgrove.com/public/The_Final_Nail_in_the_Cardio_Coffin.cfm

    I go by MY results and I just took my measurements today and I've lost 2.8 this week and 1.5" off both my waist and my hips........not bad for a myth. :laugh:

    I'm not saying it doesn't work...I'm saying there's better ways. I'm also not saying that you shouldn't do cardio...I'm saying that the cardio you should do should be in interval format for best results.
    Calories in < calories out = fat loss

    This is true...in a very, very simplistic manner. There's all kinds of other thigns going on in your body. Hormones control all of it. Basic format, steady state cardio actually produces hormones that chew up your muscles. Yes, you're burning calories...but you're doing it in a very ineffecient manner. This is a proven fact. Interval format cardio (along with weight training)...produces hormones that SHED FAT. Your body says 'HOLY CRAP...all this fat is making my job HARDER!!!' and bam, here comes the growth hormone etc to get rid of it.

    I don't run, don't use the elliptical, don't ride the bikes, and don't do ANY FORM of steady state cardio. I've lost 30lbs (I'm 177 today) in about 3mos...6 weeks of which I was on a plateau, because I was eating wrong. In the last three weeks, I've cut 5" off my waist, along with gaining 3/8" on my biceps. I do bodyweight strength training, and interval format (my favorite is tabata) heavy bag work...pretty much exclusively. I burn 350-380cal in a 30 minute workout...and only work out 3 days a week. I eat like a horse for the most part (though I've started 'Eat Stop Eat' recently).

    Believe me, you can run to your hearts content, and over time it will cut weight if coupled with the right diet. Or you can do interval format cardio along with strength training...and see real, FAST results.

    By the way, I'm not telling anyone they are wrong...I'm telling you all how I've done it...and how many others are doing it as well.
  • cheddarboy
    cheddarboy Posts: 124 Member
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    I guess EPOC is not just a theory

    Excessive Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption


    good to know ime not wasting my time, lol
  • portexploit
    portexploit Posts: 378 Member
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    I gained 21lbs of muscle and lost 25lbs of fat this month. To the OP, the stomach is usually the last thing to go. It's usually the biggest part of a male where he caries most of his fat, like i said It's the last thing to go, you said you're losing weight, just be patient.

    And yes, my results where done naturally. My bodyfat went down 7%. The scale only showed a 4lbs loss. This just shows how the scale doesn't tell the entire story.

    I personally feel that resistance training is better for fat burning then cardio. Some will say I am crazy for stating this. When you do cardio you burn more calories for a certain amount of time, if you want to take the post oxygen consumption in to account go ahead, makes no difference. There will be a point when you go back to your normal metabolic rate. When you're done doing resistance training your body is trying to repair the muscle whcih will also raise your metabolic rate. When you add more muscle you have a new metabolic rate burning more calories over a 24hr period of time, cardio doesn't have this effect.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Great article Chris, that's what I'm trying to do. I've lost weight by running in the past, but also lost muscle, and retained some gut.

    Exactly!!

    Think of it like this. Who is going to live in either of these two scenarios, fatty person, or lean person:

    First, a looooong haul, walking, jogging, or running...across a barren landscape where you're only rationed 1200-1500cal worth of food a day.

    Second, a lush, but small island, full of unlimited food and trees, but you're being chased by a seriously pissed off tiger. Lots of places to hide, but...well, it's a tiger lol.

    Your body can tell the difference in your activity...and it's going to do what it can to promote the kind of state your body needs to survive either example. YES!! If the haul is long enough, you'll eventually end up lean from the first scenario...energy input < energy output as was stated. However, you'll eventually kill yourself too, assuming the conditions last long enough. However, in the second scenario...the leaner and faster you are...with unlimited food to eat whenever you're hungry...you've got a pretty good chance of living indefinitely...just gotta be smarter than the tiger =D.

    I know how I'm doing it lol.
  • KarmaxKitty
    KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
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    Wow, these are all really great responses... and in such a short time! officially love this place. The running thing sounds great. Is there a certain way to get started, or... I have no idea what to do. I'm such a noob, haha. (um, also, just to clarify, i'm female... i don't know if that has anything to do with anything...) :D
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I personally feel that resistance training is better for fat burning then cardio. Some will say I am crazy for stating this. When you do cardio you burn more calories for a certain amount of time, if you want to take the post oxygen consumption in to account go ahead, makes no difference. There will be a point when you go back to your normal metabolic rate. When you're done doing resistance training your body is trying to repair the muscle whcih will also raise your metabolic rate. When you add more muscle you have a new metabolic rate burning more calories over a 24hr period of time, cardio doesn't have this effect.

    Exactly, and it's using growth hormone to do it...among other things. THESE SHED FAT.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Wow, these are all really great responses... and in such a short time! officially love this place. The running thing sounds great. Is there a certain way to get started, or... I have no idea what to do. I'm such a noob, haha. (um, also, just to clarify, i'm female... i don't know if that has anything to do with anything...) :D

    I'd reread that link before deciding lol. If running is simply easier, by all means do it...but realize, as a woman you can strength train to your hearts content...and you're never going to bulk up...particularly using bodyweight strength training in the format I do (fast circuit, heart rate never below 150 for the whole 30 minutes).
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    I've been reading on the message boards that running helps a lot with shedding belly fat so I started running two weeks ago......it works! My stomach is getting smaller! :flowerforyou:

    Read this hun:

    http://members.rachelcosgrove.com/public/The_Final_Nail_in_the_Cardio_Coffin.cfm

    I go by MY results and I just took my measurements today and I've lost 2.8 this week and 1.5" off both my waist and my hips........not bad for a myth. :laugh:

    I'm not saying it doesn't work...I'm saying there's better ways. I'm also not saying that you shouldn't do cardio...I'm saying that the cardio you should do should be in interval format for best results.
    Calories in < calories out = fat loss

    This is true...in a very, very simplistic manner. There's all kinds of other thigns going on in your body. Hormones control all of it. Basic format, steady state cardio actually produces hormones that chew up your muscles. Yes, you're burning calories...but you're doing it in a very ineffecient manner. This is a proven fact. Interval format cardio (along with weight training)...produces hormones that SHED FAT. Your body says 'HOLY CRAP...all this fat is making my job HARDER!!!' and bam, here comes the growth hormone etc to get rid of it.

    I don't run, don't use the elliptical, don't ride the bikes, and don't do ANY FORM of steady state cardio. I've lost 30lbs (I'm 177 today) in about 3mos...6 weeks of which I was on a plateau, because I was eating wrong. In the last three weeks, I've cut 5" off my waist, along with gaining 3/8" on my biceps. I do bodyweight strength training, and interval format (my favorite is tabata) heavy bag work...pretty much exclusively. I burn 350-380cal in a 30 minute workout...and only work out 3 days a week. I eat like a horse for the most part (though I've started 'Eat Stop Eat' recently).

    Believe me, you can run to your hearts content, and over time it will cut weight if coupled with the right diet. Or you can do interval format cardio along with strength training...and see real, FAST results.

    By the way, I'm not telling anyone they are wrong...I'm telling you all how I've done it...and how many others are doing it as well.

    Once again proving we all have our own way of losing weight.....everybody responds differently to different things and I'm glad your way is working for you......is it the ONLY way....NO. So I will stick to what is working for me. Let me add that since you don't know me, you also don't know that running isn't the only form of exercise that I do....I've been consistently losing weight for 7 months.....haven't plateaued, haven't had ONE week where I didn't lose weight and I eat on average 1500 -2200 calories a day. What I am also consistent in is switching it up.....it works for me but I thank you for your input. :flowerforyou:
  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
    Options
    I've been reading on the message boards that running helps a lot with shedding belly fat so I started running two weeks ago......it works! My stomach is getting smaller! :flowerforyou:

    Read this hun:

    http://members.rachelcosgrove.com/public/The_Final_Nail_in_the_Cardio_Coffin.cfm

    I go by MY results and I just took my measurements today and I've lost 2.8 this week and 1.5" off both my waist and my hips........not bad for a myth. :laugh:

    I'm not saying it doesn't work...I'm saying there's better ways. I'm also not saying that you shouldn't do cardio...I'm saying that the cardio you should do should be in interval format for best results.
    Calories in < calories out = fat loss

    This is true...in a very, very simplistic manner. There's all kinds of other thigns going on in your body. Hormones control all of it. Basic format, steady state cardio actually produces hormones that chew up your muscles. Yes, you're burning calories...but you're doing it in a very ineffecient manner. This is a proven fact. Interval format cardio (along with weight training)...produces hormones that SHED FAT. Your body says 'HOLY CRAP...all this fat is making my job HARDER!!!' and bam, here comes the growth hormone etc to get rid of it.

    I don't run, don't use the elliptical, don't ride the bikes, and don't do ANY FORM of steady state cardio. I've lost 30lbs (I'm 177 today) in about 3mos...6 weeks of which I was on a plateau, because I was eating wrong. In the last three weeks, I've cut 5" off my waist, along with gaining 3/8" on my biceps. I do bodyweight strength training, and interval format (my favorite is tabata) heavy bag work...pretty much exclusively. I burn 350-380cal in a 30 minute workout...and only work out 3 days a week. I eat like a horse for the most part (though I've started 'Eat Stop Eat' recently).

    Believe me, you can run to your hearts content, and over time it will cut weight if coupled with the right diet. Or you can do interval format cardio along with strength training...and see real, FAST results.

    By the way, I'm not telling anyone they are wrong...I'm telling you all how I've done it...and how many others are doing it as well.

    Once again proving we all have our own way of losing weight.....everybody responds differently to different things and I'm glad your way is working for you......is it the ONLY way....NO. So I will stick to what is working for me. Let me add that since you don't know me, you also don't know that running isn't the only form of exercise that I do....I've been consistently losing weight for 7 months.....haven't plateaued, haven't had ONE week where I didn't lose weight and I eat on average 1500 -2200 calories a day. What I am also consistent in is switching it up.....it works for me but I thank you for your input. :flowerforyou:


    ^Agreed

    When I said to use the elliptical, treadmill, bike etc., I didn't mean she had to do it in a steady state. You can run in intervals. You can do interval training with almost anything really - as long as you're hitting your maximum. I don't do cardio in a steady state and I don't run to my hearts desire. I run for 35 minutes 2x a week. Running is just one of the easier ways to get your heart pumping.

    2.5 mins - warm up at a steady pace
    1 mins - sprint
    2 mins - jog
    1 mins - sprint
    2 mins - jog
    ..continue up to 32:30
    2.5 mins cool down

    If someone wanted to change that up for the Tabata 4 minute format they could. The reason the runner in the article wasnt losing anything is that her body was adapting to her long steady runs.. not intervals and not switching up her heart rate.

    I lost 9 lbs overall, net of the considerable amount of muscle I've gained. My BF has gone down 7% and I eat like my stomach is a bottomless pit. Of course the numbers will be smaller because I didn't have much to lose (I'm female and short and have never been overweight).

    I wasn't putting down resistance training. I've done a lot of experimenting and I feel like a good workout regimen is a balance - for me.. I use 2/5 cardio, 3/5 resistance training.

    If I wanted to keep my belly fat down through weight training, I don't doubt that it would work but for the amount of calories you burn weight training, even with the after burn, the results would just be slower for a female. Our hormones aren't programmed to help our bodies build a lot of muscle.
  • portexploit
    portexploit Posts: 378 Member
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    Interval training shouldn't be done untill you have done a while of LSD (long steady distance) work.
  • KarmaxKitty
    KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
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    Oh wow, everyone... I understand about intervals, I get bored if it's a steady pace, so I usually speed things up/add resistance/add incline/switch machines and do it all again. Seems like everyone has their own way off doing it. :) (also, I read that article... i feel like it doesn't apply to everyone. A lot of people lose in different ways. The whole thing is confusing.)
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Well, not once did I say my way was the only way...and as for not doing intervals until you've done awhile on steady state cardio...I've never done an ounce of steady state cardio. And as for our bodies all responding 'differently' to different forms of exercise...that's basically (again, BASICALLY) untrue as well. What our bodies are actually responding to is differences in the ENTIRE input, food quality, food quantity, nutrient content, exercise, our daily routine, stress we may or may not be experiencing, the amount of water we drink...there's just too much to list.

    But facts are facts. One type of cardio produces certain hormones in your body, which causes certain results. Another type produces another, which causes other results. Again, these are scientifically proven facts, in your body, my body, anyones body. Your food intake, your food quality, all the things I listed above may impact those results, or even sometimes modify them almost beyond recognition (weight loss IS 80% diet), but what those hormones do, is irrefutable. Take advantage of it if you want, ignore it if you want, or work against it if you want...I'm not asking you to change one thing about what you're doing.

    Just giving additional information for those that want it.

    Cris

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