The over-the -age-50-belly bulge

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  • mburgess458
    mburgess458 Posts: 480 Member
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    annaskiski wrote: »
    Jayco141 wrote: »
    The way the body metabolizes them for one, and thats a big one. Staying away from processed sugar which is a gateway to fat. Weight training is key as it burns calories even after your workout, especially for over 50's who lose muscle mass much quicker. Blindly saying calories in/calories out is not the right way to get fit or healthy.

    Ummmm, no.

    Kriss seems a little more knowledgeable

    Ummmm, no. Disagree on that one, Jayco seems spot on. Why do people want to over-simplify weight loss with this whole CICO "formula"? Our bodies are MUCH more complex and different foods ARE metabolized differently which absolutely CAN influence weight loss. Go to any medical library and read stuff for yourself. If it were so totally simple as "eat less and move more", would we really have a global pandemic of obesity? Come on, people, wake up and smell the coffee! Why is everyone so afraid of admitting there's GOT to be more going on than CICO?

    Everyone tries to be 100% black and white on this issue. CICO is the answer for most of us. Without eating fewer calories than you expend you will not lose weight. Period.

    The other side of the argument has a point in that eating better can also help. If you go on the famous Twinkie diet you'll lose weight... if you do the same calorie reduction but with good foods you'll end up looking and feeling better (at roughly the same weight as the Twinkie person).

    For most people on this board CICO is all they need. It might only get them to 90% of where they could be if they also ate perfectly at that calorie level but that's good enough for most of us. If you're trying to compete in the olympics or something you will definitely need to eat correctly.
  • MissMaggieMuffin
    MissMaggieMuffin Posts: 444 Member
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    The calorie deficit and of course exercise makes sense but when you are over 50 the metabolism is shot. I walk, bike and canoe but nothing changes. Ive added 8lb dumbbells to my routine to start. I agree weight lifting is needed when you get older so hopefully the dumbbells will help. I'm not fat but its irritating when all the effort shows no change. At least I'm staying the same. I look 10 years younger than my age, so I'm told, so doing something right. Thankful to be healthy. Loosing some fat would be a bonus. :o)

    Uhh, NO! At 59, I can assure you that my metabolism isn't shot! Like you, I do all of those things - walk, bike, run, kayak and, like you, not that long ago, I would have said that nothing changes. It was only when I started to honestly track/log my CI that the weight started to come off. Granted, I am only 2 months into this journey but acknowledging that I couldn't depend on exercise alone to lose the weight was key.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    Jayco141 wrote: »



    "The Metabolic Rate (Calories Out) Can Change Depending on What You Eat"

    Sorry, but anything that states THAT^^, is not to be taken seriously.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    annaskiski wrote: »
    Jayco141 wrote: »
    The way the body metabolizes them for one, and thats a big one. Staying away from processed sugar which is a gateway to fat. Weight training is key as it burns calories even after your workout, especially for over 50's who lose muscle mass much quicker. Blindly saying calories in/calories out is not the right way to get fit or healthy.

    Ummmm, no.

    Kriss seems a little more knowledgeable

    Ummmm, no. Disagree on that one, Jayco seems spot on. Why do people want to over-simplify weight loss with this whole CICO "formula"? Our bodies are MUCH more complex and different foods ARE metabolized differently which absolutely CAN influence weight loss. Go to any medical library and read stuff for yourself. If it were so totally simple as "eat less and move more", would we really have a global pandemic of obesity? Come on, people, wake up and smell the coffee! Why is everyone so afraid of admitting there's GOT to be more going on than CICO?

    I'm confused as to what your saying here...

    Are you saying that because foods are metabolised differently then this means that CICO is invalid?
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    I've lost 2 1/2 stone on MFP and maintained it, logging everything and exercising - not massive sessions, but 2 x 15 minute walks mon-fri with 20 mins morning aerobics/toning and 3 nights a week 20 mins more aerobics/Wii zumba core, plus 2 x 45 min classes (zumba and clubbercise) Wednesday and I've just added another clubbercise Fridays. Although I look way better than when I started, still have a post-c section belly. I am over 50 and probably the fittest I've ever been - certainly doing way more exercise than in my younger days - but just can't lose that wobble. I'm limited in lifting anything due to carpal tunnel weakening my hands, but I do use hand weights for some of my workouts, and have even added wrist weights to workouts to try to get some more results. Don't know why they couldn't have just done a tuck while they were getting the baby out :D
  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Its been proven so many times that the best way to improve your health is to lose weight, regardless of WHAT you eat. (please note, I'm not saying you should eat junk food all day).

    People's health marker improve most notably when they drop body weight.
    Check out the Twinkie Diet:
    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/
    ^^ Professor tests CICO theory, eats mostly twinkies, drops weight, improves health

    We have a great example here :
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348650/cico-still-skeptical-come-inside-for-a-meticulous-log-that-proves-it/p1
    ^^ Another skeptical body-builder putting CICO to the test.

    Start a thread on the main forum:
    'Did you get fat eating 'healthy' foods.' You'll be surprised by the responses.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    Is it possible to shrink the subcutaneous belly bulge when your over 50? What exercises or any legitimate supplements that would help?

    Sounds like you aren't planning to lose the bulge through weight loss, where were you thinking pills or special exercises would move the fat?
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    Somebody just kill me now. ;) I wasn't aware of this so I'm guessing this increased energy I've been having since my 60 pound weight loss has all been in my head. I think I'll just get back on the couch and nurse my shot metabolism. :p I'm in better shape now than I've been in past 30 years, both physically and mentally. I challenge myself daily to improve and it's working. I'm 63 and will be climbing the Grand Teton this summer with my 45 year old son who also doesn't know he's on the road to having a shot metabolism. I'm not going to tell him either!

    Sounds like you are having a blast!! ;)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    And......
    Back to the OP as opposed to the woo merchants of doom.

    Yes - lose the fat through a calorie deficit.
    Build the body you want through exercise that you enjoy (or will endure for the results).

    I'm 57 and lost my belly bulge. Didn't eat any "special calories" or "special supplements" my metabolism isn't shot to pieces.

    Is it easy? Maybe not.
    Is it complicated? No not at all.

  • Cylphin60
    Cylphin60 Posts: 863 Member
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    I'm 57 and my metabolism is kind of out of control, according to my wife anyway. I eat at a slight deficit, and don't eat exercise calories back most days, so that widens the deficit, and subcutaneous belly fat is much less visible than it used to be.

    Maybe I'm doing it wrong? B)

    Oh, and I did target the belly fat with great success. It just took a year and a half of targeting (15 lbs) for the results to show..... o:)
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    I'm going to have to agree with @Look_Its_Kriss, only a calorie deficit for fat burning can reduce the belly. Age does not matter. I'm 47 and have reduced my belly 90% in size by CICO. I eat chocolate, carbs, ice cream, candy, carbs when I want, etc. all within my calorie goals and have done so for the last two years and have had great results. There's nothing anyone can do besides surgery to force your body to lose fat in one spot over another. 10% of my belly still remains, and underneath it is a solid as hell six pack. Not much more I can do to build those muscles so all that is left is to burn the rest of the fat with a calorie deficit. No amount of squats, heavy lifting, etc. is going to do that for me besides a calorie deficit. I'm not saying lifting or weight training, or even resistance training is bad. Quite the opposite. It's all good to build muscle because when you do manage to burn off the fat using a calorie deficit you'll have something to show for it. But exercise itself, unless it creates the calorie deficit, won't do it.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    I'm pushing 61 this year, and from November 2016 to now, I have lost over 100 lbs with my "crapped out" metabolism.

    I think you are making excuses for even trying. thats definitely not going to move the belly fat, which you CAN shift by losing weight generally, and especially if you pair it with some focused exercise.

    I didnt do any intentional exercise while I was losing, due to mobility issues. So it can be done even if you dont do a single jumping jack or lift a single weight.

    You're only kidding yourself - time to get real, Sister!
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
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    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    Somebody just kill me now. ;) I wasn't aware of this so I'm guessing this increased energy I've been having since my 60 pound weight loss has all been in my head. I think I'll just get back on the couch and nurse my shot metabolism. :p I'm in better shape now than I've been in past 30 years, both physically and mentally. I challenge myself daily to improve and it's working. I'm 63 and will be climbing the Grand Teton this summer with my 45 year old son who also doesn't know he's on the road to having a shot metabolism. I'm not going to tell him either!

    Sounds like you are having a blast!! ;)

    Nah. With his metabolism being shot he's just going to have no fun and be completely miserable being outside, climbing mountains and *kitten*. Same for me. I will be 52 and I plan to be 220-230 by summer and get towed behind a boat in one of those big parachute things. I'm going to hate it because my metabolism is as shot as it was at 330 lbs last summer. It is going to really suck to golf more and bike more as well.

    And I hate that he's going to lie to his 45 yr old son as well.

    Ummm...I'm a girl. ;)