Belly fat
xraychick01
Posts: 10 Member
I'm a 36/f. 5'5" 120#.Alwyas been very thin. I carry fat on my stomach. No where else. I'm trying to gain muscle definition and mass. I've been lifting weights for a couple months (more recently started following AWorkoutRoutine). I'm eating a caloric surplus and eating healthy, good foods. I'm starting to see some muscle definition and growth and I'm definitely feeling stronger. My stomach still looks the same. I know you can't spot reduce but what the heck can I do to get rid of the belly fat? I have not been doing cardio for fear it won't be good for the muscle I've gained and am trying to gain. Am I just being impatient?
1
Replies
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If you're in a surplus you're going to gain fat with the muscle, not lose it. Once you feel you've bulked enough, you can cut to lose the fat.6
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So how does a cut work? I'm completely new to all this, terms and all. Do you lose muscle when cutting?1
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Reduce your surplus but ensure you are still getting enough protein. For recomp (changing body composition without changing weight), maintenance calories or even a very small deficit is best. Also be patient. Recomp takes lots of time.
Alternately, do a bulk and cut. Since you are already bulking (heavy lifting in a caloric surplus), it might be time to consider a cut. You'll still have to be patient but a bulk and cut is a faster process than recomp.
I am recomping so I can't give you any more direction on a bulk and cut but you should be able to find plenty of others here who can. Good luck to you!2 -
If you are new to weight training (6 months to 1 yearish) you will probably be able to get lean (lose fat) and build muscle at the same time. I'd suggest reducing calories to around maintenance, getting your protein up to around 0.6 - 1.6 g/lb/day (body weight) and weight lift and do a bit of cardio at your discretion. You could also try a slight calorie deficit so long as you keep your protein up.
You need more protein for losing fat and keeping muscle while on a deficit than you do for gaining muscle on a surplus. If you try at maintenance then go for the lower range (say 0.6 g/lb/day) and if you go into deficit go to the higher range (say above 1 g/lb/day)
Give something a try for a few weeks and see how you feel, then adjust
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Thank you all for the wonderful information! It's much appreciated!1
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Do hiit cardio for a short time while continuing to lift heavy. I'm also skinny fat and have been battling with this but with my cardio and strength training I see results with eliminating my belly fat.1
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Delicate balance but can be done with the right training. I see clients belly fat start to dimish as they are on a consistent nutrition plan with a slight deficit of their calorie expenditure. The type of training you do will determine the structure of muscle that you build in your core and torso. Feel free to message me anytime with questions!
Christine Coen0 -
parrischristina wrote: »Do hiit cardio for a short time while continuing to lift heavy. I'm also skinny fat and have been battling with this but with my cardio and strength training I see results with eliminating my belly fat.
I've been considering hiit. I will give this a try. Do you personally eat at maintenance, surplus, or deficit?0 -
Delicate balance but can be done with the right training. I see clients belly fat start to dimish as they are on a consistent nutrition plan with a slight deficit of their calorie expenditure. The type of training you do will determine the structure of muscle that you build in your core and torso. Feel free to message me anytime with questions!
Christine Coen
Thank you so much for your response! Right now I just want to get rid of the belly fat as much as I can and then focus on building my core. Do you recommend doing a little hiit cardio?0 -
As mentioned.. if you are bulking, there is no way around gaining fat. You can lower your surplus to reduce the amount gained (but obviously you will be gaining less muscle too). You can recomp, eat at maintenance and lift (lose fat build muscle) it can take some time though.
HIIT is fine and all, good for your heart and burning calories but it can put you into deficit. Is that what you want? At your stats I don't know if you really want to lose more weight. I don't know what you look like so I really can't say.0 -
xraychick01 wrote: »Delicate balance but can be done with the right training. I see clients belly fat start to dimish as they are on a consistent nutrition plan with a slight deficit of their calorie expenditure. The type of training you do will determine the structure of muscle that you build in your core and torso. Feel free to message me anytime with questions!
Christine Coen
Thank you so much for your response! Right now I just want to get rid of the belly fat as much as I can and then focus on building my core. Do you recommend doing a little hiit cardio?
eat in a small deficit of 250 calories per day, keep protein high, and follow a structured lifting regimen.1 -
xraychick01 wrote: »Delicate balance but can be done with the right training. I see clients belly fat start to dimish as they are on a consistent nutrition plan with a slight deficit of their calorie expenditure. The type of training you do will determine the structure of muscle that you build in your core and torso. Feel free to message me anytime with questions!
Christine Coen
Thank you so much for your response! Right now I just want to get rid of the belly fat as much as I can and then focus on building my core. Do you recommend doing a little hiit cardio?
Have a real think about your priorities and goals, both short and long term. Including ultimate goal weight.
Yes we want everything and want it now but life is rarely like that!
If losing fat is your #1 priority then you clearly don't want to be eating in a surplus.
If building muscle as quick as possible is your #1 priority and you eat in a surplus then accept you will add some fat along the way which you will have to lose later.
As regard HIIT, personally I don't think it's a great match when you are doing a taxing weights routine - especially when you are new to that workout. Both stress your body heavily (talking about proper HIIT by the way) and both demand recovery time. If it impacts your lifting performance then it's not a good choice.
My advice would be eat at or close to maintenance for a while as you are new to lifting and reassess after a few months or when your lifting progress starts to slow down.4 -
xraychick01 wrote: »Delicate balance but can be done with the right training. I see clients belly fat start to dimish as they are on a consistent nutrition plan with a slight deficit of their calorie expenditure. The type of training you do will determine the structure of muscle that you build in your core and torso. Feel free to message me anytime with questions!
Christine Coen
Thank you so much for your response! Right now I just want to get rid of the belly fat as much as I can and then focus on building my core. Do you recommend doing a little hiit cardio?
Have a real think about your priorities and goals, both short and long term. Including ultimate goal weight.
Yes we want everything and want it now but life is rarely like that!
If losing fat is your #1 priority then you clearly don't want to be eating in a surplus.
If building muscle as quick as possible is your #1 priority and you eat in a surplus then accept you will add some fat along the way which you will have to lose later.
As regard HIIT, personally I don't think it's a great match when you are doing a taxing weights routine - especially when you are new to that workout. Both stress your body heavily (talking about proper HIIT by the way) and both demand recovery time. If it impacts your lifting performance then it's not a good choice.
My advice would be eat at or close to maintenance for a while as you are new to lifting and reassess after a few months or when your lifting progress starts to slow down.
Like I always say, we all have priorities.. we just have to figure out what our number one is. But solid advice as usual.1
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