trouble losing my stomach

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hxcburrito
hxcburrito Posts: 31
in Health and Weight Loss
i think this is the right area for this post.

i cant seem to lose my stomach. i work out about 5 days a week. i am building muscle, but i dont notice my stomach getting smaller. i lost 16lbs before i started lifting. i eat pretty decent..... i think. although, it is hard to not go over calories while trying to get my full protein intake.i also dont want to lose weight, i just want to lose my stomach.

advice is welcome, appreciated and needed

Replies

  • andric1
    andric1 Posts: 23
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    Well let me put it this way.

    I have twenty burgers here and I want them to all go into my arms. How would I do that?

    Sounds impossible, huh? Why? Because your body distributes the fat where it needs it? There you have your answer: You can't lose fat where you want to.
  • mmlyn
    mmlyn Posts: 8
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    Andric1 Quoted for truth...

    The only way to get rid of belly fat is to reduce body fat %....

    Keep working out, but genetically, you may never get that 6 pack. Don't despair, just keep going.

    M
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Men have more cells that store fat in their gut. Women have more fat storage in their hips, thighs, and bottoms. That's how we're built. It's hormonal.

    I just read Why We're Fat (interesting book).

    No, you can't take fat off just in your gut. The previous poster is right - you just got to lose that fat.

    One way that will help you do it is to really lower the proportion of calories you get from carbs and increase your protein. Studies recommend 35-40% of your calories for long term sustainable weight loss and maintenance. The only other key thing is DROP THE BEER. There's a reason it's called a beer gut. Nothing like liquid carbs.

    That will help you keep your protein up for your weight lifting and keep a low, steady level of insulin in your body so you can burn that fat.

    My husband has the same problem - and he's a tai chi instructor. Good luck!
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    The stomach is there because you have body fat on you. To get rid of it, you have to get rid of the body fat. Keep lifting weights and going OVER your TDEE. This will continue your muscle growth. Once time comes that you see fit to begin the cutting stage, reduce calorie intake until the fat goes down to levels you like.
  • anticheer101
    anticheer101 Posts: 34
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    Do you do any cardio? Despite lifting weights you're not reducing your overall fat percentage. The common myth among women is "spot reducing". You cannot target any fat loss, just muscle gain. However, this muscle will not look tone until the F% is lowered.

    Start running 3 times a week along with your regular exercise and it should help you out a lot.

    Best of Luck !
  • tammietifanie
    tammietifanie Posts: 1,496 Member
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    Well let me put it this way.

    I have twenty burgers here and I want them to all go into my arms. How would I do that?

    Sounds impossible, huh? Why? Because your body distributes the fat where it needs it? There you have your answer: You can't lose fat where you want to.


    :sad: :sad: It's True !!!! and so not fair :sad: :mad:
  • Maridar
    Maridar Posts: 164 Member
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    agree with all, it must be diet and limit beer, I was reading somewhere not long ago, you can't get rid of fat in just one area of your body, it's a total burn, so eat more lean protein (fish, eggs, egg white, chicken) and veggies for carbs.
  • moonlightturk
    moonlightturk Posts: 398
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    Spot reduction is impossible, I'd say...
    You can burn fat but can't really predict where will drop first.
  • shutterbug282
    shutterbug282 Posts: 588 Member
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    Like others have said, you can't spot reduce unfortunately.
    Losing overall bodyfat should help.
  • lukadu
    lukadu Posts: 12
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    I don't agree with the statement that you can't lose weight where you want to. You can. You just have to target the set of muscles in intense intervals. You can get a six pack if you do tons of abs and core work. Have you tried Insanity? I lost 8 inches of tummy fat in 4 weeks. I didn't think I could. But I did. Now I'm doing more cardio and HIIT training to reduce my tighs and I am losing the weight where I want it. I see a difference every week.
  • hxcburrito
    hxcburrito Posts: 31
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    these have all been good responses. actually, the best responses ive received of all the psot ive made. from what ive read here, i guess that explains why ive lost everywhere but my belly. i have lost in my belly, jsut not as much as i was hoping. im sure if i work hard enough, i could end up losing it. my sodium intake is usually high every day, and i have an office job, so i know that doesnt help. i would say i dont have time to do cardio and weight training, but i cant stand hearing that. i dont make time to do cardio while lifting. i have to lift before work, so i leave myself an hour to lift, and then some time to get ready for work. if it wasnt so hot out right now, id do the p90x cardio dvds every other day. i know beer doesnt help either. i comprimised on that. i gave up pizza (ate atleast once a week for lunch), pop, coffee and the catering truck, and kept my beer. my calorie intake for a day is 2300. im hoping that as i push harder and lift more, ill burn more fat.

    please keep the advice coming
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    My husband - who has a gut even though he works out 2 hours a day - says he might as well just glue the beer bottles to his belly. And it's true.

    For different reasons, he's only had around 5 beers in the last month and his gut halved in size. Came back and had a few and he's all blown up.

    The alcohol is processed by the liver and deposited as fat there (unless you're working so hard you need it immediately). The carbs go straight into where guys store fat - your gut.

    I'll tell you what I tell him . . .

    Drink one beer instead of two
    Drink half a beer instead of one
    Drink lighter beers instead of those yummy heavy darks

    Or limit yourself to say three a week and pick when you really want them
  • mazasmusings
    mazasmusings Posts: 74 Member
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    I'll tell you what I tell him . . .

    Drink one beer instead of two
    Drink half a beer instead of one
    Drink lighter beers instead of those yummy heavy darks

    That is blasphemy!
    Sorry...I write a beer column. Just a natural reaction.
    There is a lot of truth to what you say. Honestly, I just try to stick to having beer one day a week. Sometimes I'll just buy one expensive bottle, split it with my wife and enjoy it instead of getting a six- or 12-pack.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
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    Sorry to tell you but you can't do both at the same time. If you want to lose those flab in your stomach, you must reduce your overall body fat percentage which you can only achieve by eating at a calorie deficit which makes you lose weight a bit.

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