One key to losing belly fat

annlhughes
annlhughes Posts: 10 Member
edited October 5 in Food and Nutrition
My nutrionist has put me on a low fat, low carb, low calorie diet that I am managing pretty well. The biggest change is that there are NO carbs allowed with dinner and that includes all peas and beans (except snow peas), winter squash and gourds and the usual rice and potatoes. She says this is a major key to losing belly-fat. I had to write down that those things are starches and while yogurt is a milk - cottage cheese is a protein.

The diet is simple and breaks down into units: Breakfast is 1 starch (2 slices of nature's own 40 cal bread or a 100cal english muffin, 1C special K protein, 1 whole wheat tortilla etc), 4 oz protien (eggs, deli ham or turkey), 1 milk (8oz). I like to make egg whites or egg-beaters with veggies and 1 oz of cabots 75% Fat free cheese with a slice of tomato on a toasted english - Take that MikeyD! A mid morning snack of 5oz of plain greek yogurt with 3/4 cup of fruit and a lunch with 1 starch, 3oz protein and lots of veggies with 1 fat (1tbs oil or salad dressing). Mid afternoon I have a granola bar or 12 almonds mixed with 1 cup of Kellogs Special K Protein. Dinner is the same as lunch minus the Starch/carbs. Mounds of salad and/or fresh veggies plus 2fats (2tbs FF salad dress or oil or 12 almonds). When you write it out on a chart it's very easy to follow and has more variety than you might think. It helps avoid using my daily calories up on higher fat and starchy foods and concentrate more on nutrition and a well balanced meal.

I have been doing this for 4 weeks but won't weigh for another 3 weeks to keep my head on straight. My friend who has been on this diet for 6 weeks has lost 16.5 pounds and you can really tell the difference.

Hope this helps out anyone struggling with a big belly like mine!

Replies

  • phnx72
    phnx72 Posts: 47 Member
    Thank you, I'm so glad the "key" wasn't a banana (ad reference).
  • 2NORTE
    2NORTE Posts: 2
    Very helpful to get tips like this. Thanks
  • annlhughes
    annlhughes Posts: 10 Member
    :laugh: I guess that does sound like the opening of an ad!! oops!
  • TripleJ3
    TripleJ3 Posts: 945 Member
    This sounds similar to the 17 Day Diet.
  • AddA2UDE
    AddA2UDE Posts: 382
    I'm sure your nutritionist is a very nice person. However, I also see you have just recently joined here. Welcome. As you begin to peruse these boards on a regular basis, you are going to quickly find that there are a LOT of people on here who have lost a LOT of weight by not playing any games like that. The general consensus is it is as simple as eating at a deficit of your TDEE. Nothing more, nothing less. Find 20 or 30 people on here who have tickers that say they have lost at least as much as you want to lose (or more) and then add them as friends. Follow them and see how they are doing/have done what you want to do.

    Also, there is a link in my profile to a lot of excellent information that has been put together by some of these people I am talking about. Check it out.

    Best wishes!
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
    If this works for you - great!!!! Reading it though, it sounds like it may be lacking (IMHO) in adequate amounts of protein, but maybe not.

    I also think a major key component to losing belly fat (in addition to eating clean) is lifting heavy weights - so that one may become a lean, fat burnin' machine!
  • dukes418
    dukes418 Posts: 207 Member
    Carb sync-ing is definitely the key. If you load your carbs (whatever you consume) at the front end of your day, you stand a better chance of burning most if not all before you end your day. Best times to consume carbs are typically in the AM or before any workouts. By 3pm, you should be eating less carbs with the back of your day including a healthy portion of your protein. You'll be surprise just how much energy you have during the day as well as how fast your body recovers each night.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Glad you can manage eating a restricted diet OP! :D

    Btw, there is no way to specifically lose belly fat. You cannot "spot reduce", i.e. target where to lose fat from. It comes off wherever it likes. Nothing you do, no diet, no ab exercises, etc will help remove fat from the belly. Just lose fat overall, and eventually it will come off the belly. :)
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
    The general consensus is it is as simple as eating at a deficit of your TDEE. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Actually ^^^THIS^^^ is a hotly debated topic as well. While it is helpful to stay within recommended calorie allotments, I'm actually in the eat clean camp. Qaulity DOES count.

    But again, welcome. Find what works for you and stick with it! :flowerforyou:
  • jhardenbergh
    jhardenbergh Posts: 1,035 Member
    sounds similar to what I am doing, but I can eat carbs at any time. My waist has gone from a 60-62 to a 36 I do have some loose skin though, but it's diminishing by the day
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    it doesn't matter when you eat your carbs, there is no magical way of eating to spot reduce belly fat. maintain a consistent caloric deficit and it will go away eventually.

    also there is a min. amount of fats you should be getting a day, just how low is low fat?
  • annlhughes
    annlhughes Posts: 10 Member
    Hi adda2ude! :smile: I'm sure you are also a very nice person. It's always good to find an authority like yourself to turn to with questions. Although I've been a member here since 2009 I have recently returned and am always interested in the opinions of others, no matter how brusquely they are stated.This is a very lively discussion site,and look forward to what I'm sure will be many more of your postings.
  • annlhughes
    annlhughes Posts: 10 Member
    wow you are awesome!! Thanks for responding jhardenbergh
  • jeanwoodhouse
    jeanwoodhouse Posts: 2
    Hi Ann, nice of you to take the time to give all that detail. If you want a trim firm waistline then my daughter has the answer. She used to be a chubby apple shape until she took up running. Her body shape completely changed and she now has a shapely body with slim waist. Walking does not have the same effect ( sadly, because thats my exercise). She used to do 6 mile runs but you could start with maybe just 500 yards and slowly increase it, assuming your doctor says its ok for you.
  • LeBlackstone
    LeBlackstone Posts: 26
    Carb sync-ing is definitely the key. If you load your carbs (whatever you consume) at the front end of your day, you stand a better chance of burning most if not all before you end your day. Best times to consume carbs are typically in the AM or before any workouts. By 3pm, you should be eating less carbs with the back of your day including a healthy portion of your protein. You'll be surprise just how much energy you have during the day as well as how fast your body recovers each night.

    Not even remotely true.

    Calories in < Calories out is all that matters. Carb timing is irrelevant to fat loss.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    I'm steadily lost belly fat (as well as fat every well else) and I don't watch carbs (I <3 bananas, potatoes, and simple carbs AND I eat them at night). There is a lot of good foods on your list, so if it works for you, go for it! But also think long term...can you eat like this forever? That's the key to long term weight loss (fat loss) success.
  • TWrecks1968
    TWrecks1968 Posts: 138 Member
    sounds similar to what I am doing, but I can eat carbs at any time. My waist has gone from a 60-62 to a 36 I do have some loose skin though, but it's diminishing by the day

    Really, does the loose skin finally go away. I am very lean except for the loose fat/skin that hangs on my mid-section. It just does not want to come off. Is it just time?
  • Gunff
    Gunff Posts: 47
    Glad you can manage eating a restricted diet OP! :D

    Btw, there is no way to specifically lose belly fat. You cannot "spot reduce", i.e. target where to lose fat from. It comes off wherever it likes. Nothing you do, no diet, no ab exercises, etc will help remove fat from the belly. Just lose fat overall, and eventually it will come off the belly. :)

    This is also a debated topic, that most people believe and have never challenged.

    http://www.bennadel.com/blog/635-Danish-Scientists-Showed-That-Spot-Reducing-Works-.htm
  • LeBlackstone
    LeBlackstone Posts: 26
    Glad you can manage eating a restricted diet OP! :D

    Btw, there is no way to specifically lose belly fat. You cannot "spot reduce", i.e. target where to lose fat from. It comes off wherever it likes. Nothing you do, no diet, no ab exercises, etc will help remove fat from the belly. Just lose fat overall, and eventually it will come off the belly. :)

    This is also a debated topic, that most people believe and have never challenged.

    http://www.bennadel.com/blog/635-Danish-Scientists-Showed-That-Spot-Reducing-Works-.htm

    LULZ.

    The study was crap. The sample size was small (10 subjects), the fat loss was statistically insignificant, and the results have never been replicated.(2007)
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