How to get rid of your belly........

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parigi723
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How to get rid of your belly........

Post by parigi723 »

Hello everyone:
This is not a "personal consumer" question,more of a health question.
Have any of you improved your health by decreasing the size of your belly successfully?
Would you care to share the regime followed? If not.....can you suggest a web site helpful in this
matter? I have learned a ton by checking every day on your postings,many thanks!
Happy New Year to you all! Parigi. :confused
ny_rn
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by ny_rn »

Exercise, diet and consistency.
floz
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by floz »

Cut sugar out completely and also eliminate bread, pasta, and other grains including beer. Google paleo diet...Mark's Daily Apple is helpful. If you haven't tried before, you'll get great results.
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blueblock
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by blueblock »

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updat ... t-it.shtml

From the article:
So what can we do about tubby tummies? A lot, it turns out. The starting point for bringing weight under control, in general, and combating abdominal fat, in particular, is regular moderate-intensity physical activity — at least 30 minutes per day (and perhaps up to 60 minutes per day) to control weight. Strength training (exercising with weights) may also help fight abdominal fat. Spot exercising, such as doing sit-ups, can tighten abdominal muscles, but it won't get at visceral fat.

Diet is also important. Pay attention to portion size, and emphasize complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and lean protein over simple carbohydrates such as white bread, refined-grain pasta, and sugary drinks. Replacing saturated fats and trans fats with polyunsaturated fats can also help.
rowinginvestor
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by rowinginvestor »

I believe major part lies in what you eat. Exercise is only part of the equation (even if helps you to get healthier, stronger etc.). Perhaps one or two of the posts on the below little blog (only few entries) can be of interest/help:

http://rowinginvestor.blogspot.com
livesoft
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by livesoft »

Unsurprisingly, this subject has come up before.on bogleheads.org.

I completely agree with the previous responses to this thread: Remove most sugar, carbs, alcohol from your diet.

Here is one post about a simple method that establishes a daily routine for diet and exercise which will get you part of the way there: It is about cooking oatmeal in a simple way while doing core abs exercises. The reward is not only great abs, but a good tasty breakfast. Every day:
viewtopic.php?p=2242092#p2242092

PS: You may mix it up with 1 minute "planks", too. And I'd be happy to post a photo or two as well. :)

PPS: Start slow with the exercises. 5 sec planks or 10 sec planks for the first weeks. Same for crunches; no need to 4 sets of 25, but maybe 4 sets of 5 to start. Then increase slowly over the next year. Take the long view; take your time.
Last edited by livesoft on Mon Dec 26, 2016 7:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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seanmerron
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by seanmerron »

My parents did weight watchers and lost a lot of weight. However as they've laxed it's started to come back. It's important to keep up with a workout routine and clear your house of the belly foods, in particular starches and breads that are hard to break down and affect your insulin levels. If it's in your house, you will eat it. Also cardio isn't the answer for weight loss you also need some muscle resistance in the areas with fat over the muscle. Simple body weight calisthenics can go a long way. It's a lifestyle commitment but a year from now you won't believe where you were today if you take the right steps.

Good luck!
bungalow10
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by bungalow10 »

Here's my 30-something, working mom of three approach...

I got a Fitbit and started walking. 15,000 steps a day. It seems like a lot at first, but I found my body and mind are happier (less stress, better quality sleep) at that number.

Use MyFitnessPal to track calories. I used a target of .5 lbs per week weight loss, but I'm fairly small to start with. Most people I've talked to target 1 lb/week.

I did this for a a year and a half and lost 20 lbs and have kept it off. I started at 145 and now weigh 125.

At the one year point I started running and backed off a bit on the calorie counting. I always do the 15,000 steps and add the calorie counting back in if my weight creeps up.
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Tycoon
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Tycoon »

Calories in < Calories burned
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larklea
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by larklea »

The book that really tied it all together for me is Agaston's South Beach Diet. It's probably 15 years old and you can likely get a used copy somewhere for next to nothing. I volunteer at the Friends of the Library nearby and we have 3-4 copies for 50c. It''s similar advice to that already given. Stay away from the sugary foods, white bread etc. His deal is to avoid the high glycemic index foods.

I've stuck with body weight exercises as long or longer than anything else I've done. "You are Your Own Gym". I can mix it up and keep it from getting boring.
mouses
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by mouses »

Calorie counting. Keep track of your calories each day and stay under a limit. Your doctor can tell you what the limit for your body should be. When you start keeping track, you will be surprised at how much you have been eating. Exercise is helpful, but it's losing weight that's the primary thing.
cheesepep
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by cheesepep »

Tycoon wrote:Calories in < Calories burned
This is the only thing that matters in the long run. As for the gylcemic index thing is that if you can lessen the effects of high GI foods by eating it with low GI foods ( or no GI foods). For example, eating jasmine rice (moderate to high) with veggies will decrease the GI by 20-40%, thus placing the meal into the low GI range.
carolinaman
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by carolinaman »

My wife has dieted many times in our marriage and successfully lost weight. She also included exercise in her regimen. Unfortunately, the weight always came back.

I am 5'9" and weighed 190 when we were married 48 years ago. I lost 30 lbs when I built our house 44 years ago and have never gained it back. I exercise daily, usually either elliptical or walking, and watch what I eat. I am not zealous about either but I am consistent in what I have done.

I do not think these are unique situations. I believe the most important thing is to pick a combination of diet and exercise that is sustainable for a lifetime. There are a lot of fab diets and strategies that will help you lose weight but the vast majority of people cannot keep the weight off. Again, IMHO the key is sustainability.
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by LadyGeek »

As a reminder medical advice (claiming that certain foods will change / improve medical conditions) is off-topic. The reasons medical advice is not permitted in this forum:

1. This is an anonymous internet forum. It is not possible to verify anyone's identity (nor do we want to). Credentials also imply accurate advice, which may not always be the case.
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5. Readers will misinterpret the given advice.

Since real harm can be done, we do not permit medical advice and is the reason for the first sentence in: Medical Issues
Questions on medical issues are beyond the scope of the forum. If you are looking for medical information online, I'd like to suggest you start with the Medical Library Association's User's Guide to Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web which, in addition to providing guidance on evaluating health information, includes lists of their top recommended sites in the following categories: consumer health, cancer, diabetes and heart disease. They also provide a larger, but less frequently updated, list called Top 100 List: Health Websites You Can Trust.
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JoinToday
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by JoinToday »

livesoft wrote: ....Remove most sugar, carbs, alcohol from your diet.

Here is one post about a simple method that establishes a daily routine for diet and exercise which will get you part of the way there: It is about cooking oatmeal in a simple way while doing core abs exercises. The reward is not only great abs, but a good tasty breakfast. Every day:
viewtopic.php?p=2242092#p2242092
.....
You mean removing simple carbs, not complex carbs. Is this correct? Oatmeal is a carb.

My plan for the new year is to greatly reduce simple carbs (except fruit), get more exercise (bodyweight and cardio), and stretch. And maybe count calories. I hope it fixes the jelly roll that hangs past my belt line. 15 lbs to loose
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livesoft
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by livesoft »

JoinToday wrote:
livesoft wrote: ....Remove most sugar, carbs, alcohol from your diet.

Here is one post about a simple method that establishes a daily routine for diet and exercise which will get you part of the way there: It is about cooking oatmeal in a simple way while doing core abs exercises. The reward is not only great abs, but a good tasty breakfast. Every day:
viewtopic.php?p=2242092#p2242092
.....
You mean removing simple carbs, not complex carbs. Is this correct? Oatmeal is a carb.
No. I wrote what I meant: "Remove most ...." Oh, and use diet Dr Pepper, too.
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desiderium
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by desiderium »

JoinToday wrote:
livesoft wrote: ....Remove most sugar, carbs, alcohol from your diet.

Here is one post about a simple method that establishes a daily routine for diet and exercise which will get you part of the way there: It is about cooking oatmeal in a simple way while doing core abs exercises. The reward is not only great abs, but a good tasty breakfast. Every day:
viewtopic.php?p=2242092#p2242092
.....
You mean removing simple carbs, not complex carbs. Is this correct? Oatmeal is a carb.

My plan for the new year is to greatly reduce simple carbs (except fruit), get more exercise (bodyweight and cardio), and stretch. And maybe count calories. I hope it fixes the jelly roll that hangs past my belt line. 15 lbs to loose
In my experience the low carb approach has really changed things. 2 eggs for breakfast, 140 calories and I no longer have any cravings before lunch. I stopped counting calories altogether and my weight drifted down 15lb. Fruit is something I have for dessert, but only rarely now. Giving in to high carb temptation over the holidays has had a direct effect on weight and motivation--gained a few pounds and feel lethargic after snacking. If you concentrate a bit on how food makes you feel, it will help train you to a better set of habits.

Exercise is also important. In addition to whatever program you pursue, consider weight lifting 1-2 times weekly--you should be a bit sore. This will build strength and help with remodeling your body. I think it also offers a short cut on burning calories; there is a metabolic cost to tissue remodeling. I also try to do some intense exercise with big muscles--legs and buttocks. Examples include squat jumps, lunge jumps, burpees, etc., where I am aiming for heavy breathing. I try do do at least a few minutes a day. Since I work all the time, I look to do something medium--45-60 minutes--and something long--2-4 hours--each weekend. Hike up a mountain, long bike ride etc.

It helped me to chart my progress over 12 weeks when I really focused on this program. I weighed myself every week and did body fat measurements using a caliper. I also took measurements. The remodeling effects were pretty significant and that contributed to a virtual circle.

Good luck!
tim1999
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by tim1999 »

Give up beer and switch to vodka/whiskey/brandy/tequila if you don't want to give up the sauce entirely. No carbs in those, while as we all know, beer is carb city.
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jabberwockOG
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by jabberwockOG »

I recently lost about 25lbs. Definitely increased exercise with walking and 5 x week fitness classes and lowered high carb foods and sugars drastically. Fasted 1 day a week plus on other days eating in an 8 hour long window and then not eating the remaining 16 hours. Waist size decreased 6 inches in 11 months. Risking the displeasure of our ever vigilant and highly diligent forum "medical advice police" I have to say unequivocally that this is just my purely anecdotal experience in decreasing waist size (which may or not work for others) and is not meant to be medical or health advice.
harrychan
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by harrychan »

I also went the low carb route and lost roughly 23 lbs and most importantly kept it off. I'm 6'2" and went from 213 and now down to 190. More info here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq
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likegarden
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by likegarden »

Whenever my belts are tight, I know I have to eat less, and I will eat less of what I ate before and more vegetables and fruits. I also do all my yard work and snow removal myself, which is inexpensive exercise. There is no need for gurus, fitness plans and special diets. I also never drink soft drinks, only 1 beer a day. I am 5'11" and 176 lbs.
mpsz
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by mpsz »

No soda, alcohol, fancy coffees, etc. There are ~250 calories in a 20oz bottle of soda, which is over 2 miles on a treadmill. Stick to water, tea, seltzer, black coffee (if ordering, specify unsweetened -- Starbucks has added sugar to a black iced coffee more than once).

Watch portion sizes and eat more slowly.

Prepare your food at home, and be conscious of what you put in your food.

If you eat out, get a salad with an oil-based dressing (nothing creamy) and a protein.

Buffalo chicken wings are not a food group (I lost 30 lbs when I learned this).

It's okay to cheat on your diet once in a while... remember that you get a cheat MEAL, not a cheat DAY. You still need to watch your portion size.
livesoft
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by livesoft »

tim1999 wrote:Give up beer and switch to vodka/whiskey/brandy/tequila if you don't want to give up the sauce entirely. No carbs in those, while as we all know, beer is carb city.
Sugars and alcohols are just subclasses of carbohydrates in the chemical sense.
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mhalley
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by mhalley »

I lost weight multiple time over my life, but it always tries to come back. I have kept it off by counting calories. I have tried multiple diets in the past. Atkins worked well for me, but is unsustainable for me over the long term. I did find that I wasn't hungry on Atkins and the weight came off fast, but it was difficult transitioning back to a regular diet.
So my weight had crept up to 278 a couple years ago after I developed plantar fasciitis and stopped going to the gym I started using my fitness pal to count calories and figure out how much to eat. They have a website and apps for iOS and android. They have a great forum with recipes, support and tips on weight loss, diets, exercise, etc.
myfitnesspal.com
I started going to the gym, and started using the elliptical. I started at 5 minutes and increased it 5 minutes a week until I was doing an hour a day. I also started lifting weights. I used the 5x5 program. There are several out there, such as staring strength and stronglifts.
After I became more fit, I also incorporated high intensity interval training into my routine. ( see your doctor before starting any fitness routine)
Now that the weight is off, I continue to count calories using the app, do a modified maintenance on the weights, and d 30 minutes of aerobic bike a day, with h.i.i.t. 3 times a week.
One thing that helped me during the weight loss phase was to eat a snack such as a handful of nuts or fruit between meals so I never bp felt starved.
PoppyA
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by PoppyA »

This helps: when you go out, order the small size....coffee, popcorn, etc. often once you get a taste, your craving is usually satisfied.

Most of my trim friends do this, in addition to being picky eaters.

I like the Mayo Clinic healthy eating guidelines, and yes a fit bit and lose it app will help too.
simmias
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by simmias »

likegarden wrote:Whenever my belts are tight, I know I have to eat less, and I will eat less of what I ate before and more vegetables and fruits.
Ha, we have the same trigger for dieting!

The only thing that's ever worked for me to actually get rid of the flab and see the abs is a combination of eating right and cardio. Jogging melts away fat for me, but I hate jogging. Biking takes (much) longer for me to see results, but they come eventually.

I've read lots of things that suggest that weight is much harder to keep off the bigger you get, so I'm fortunate to have never gotten to that point of no return.
Rodc
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Rodc »

cheesepep wrote:
Tycoon wrote:Calories in < Calories burned
This is the only thing that matters in the long run. As for the gylcemic index thing is that if you can lessen the effects of high GI foods by eating it with low GI foods ( or no GI foods). For example, eating jasmine rice (moderate to high) with veggies will decrease the GI by 20-40%, thus placing the meal into the low GI range.
Just add lots of olive oil, butter or cheese and you have "low carb/gylcemic" foods! That is how I do it!

(I think it is likely that lowering carbs/GI is helpful, but you also need to get food intake down. Exercise is great, and I have come to think a mix of high intensity interval type work, long low intensity endurance, and strength training is likely best for most people. Of course if you are training for a specific event you would skew this highly toward whatever event you are interested in. In the end though it is hard to get in an extra 1000 Cal per day for exercise for most people and it is very easy to get an extra 1000 Cal in your diet, so up the exercise for sure, but you for most people getting calories down is going to be very important).

And if this is to have some long term benefit you need to orient your lifestyle around healthy eating and exercise - if you go back to your old habits you will go back to your old belly.

Best of luck!
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Desert
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Desert »

bungalow10 wrote:Here's my 30-something, working mom of three approach...

I got a Fitbit and started walking. 15,000 steps a day. It seems like a lot at first, but I found my body and mind are happier (less stress, better quality sleep) at that number.

Use MyFitnessPal to track calories. I used a target of .5 lbs per week weight loss, but I'm fairly small to start with. Most people I've talked to target 1 lb/week.

I did this for a a year and a half and lost 20 lbs and have kept it off. I started at 145 and now weigh 125.

At the one year point I started running and backed off a bit on the calorie counting. I always do the 15,000 steps and add the calorie counting back in if my weight creeps up.
I'm curious how those 15,000 steps are distributed throughout your day: do you do most of them in one long walk?
Elena
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Elena »

Diet is a larger part of the equation, but exercise is crucial to increase metabolic caloric expenditure. Since you want to do this long-term, I suggest you search for an exercise plan that you actually like. For some people, it involves being in a team, others prefer lifting weights+cardio on their own, others hire a trainer; there are more sports than people, so find one you look forward to doing. It should not be a daily mental struggle, which is the easiest way for failure.
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Cosmo
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Cosmo »

I started the Primal Diet back in June, which is a high fat and protein diet but cutting out sugars and ALL grains. Basically all your carbs are coming from fruits and vegetables, which means you really need to increase your intake of these. I love eggs and consume over a dozen a week. I quickly lost around 20 lbs which I was never able to achieve even though I was also training for a half IM triathlon. While I cannot comment on anything specifically medical related, I am convinced that many issues went away on this diet. As a result, I was highly motivated to stay on this diet since then although I did slightly fall off the wagon over the holidays. Here is the specific diet, if anyone is interested.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/

Cosmo
rgs92
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by rgs92 »

I've been going to the same gyms to exercise for over 10 years now and have seen the same people over all these years. Many people.
It looks like people's body-types just don't change. The stick-thin people and the fatter people just stay the same.

I can't recall one person who has changed even slightly. There is some strong force of inertia going on even among people who are motivated enough to keep up exercising over the long term.

I see it in myself. I watch what I eat pretty carefully and count calories each day and have exercised for decades frequently and vigorously and my setpoint just stays where it is.

Maybe if I gave up all carbs or did something extreme things would change, but I'd be miserable.
Young Fellow
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Young Fellow »

Here is a interesting article on NY times, some of these yoga poses move whole bunch of muscles in entire body, for decreasing belly you need whole body exercise, you can begin with holding these poses for one breth and increase to 30 sec duration, if you do everyday 10 min, you will see a change in 3-6 months. I tried this with walking and by taking nutritive and variety of foods, reducing my rice consumption, but did not decrease calorie intake whole lot, I decreased my size from 38 to 34.

http://www.nytimes.com/well/guides/beginner-yoga
tyrnup13
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by tyrnup13 »

I have found that diet is more important than exercise. Most folks eat too many calories, by a lot. An app, like My Fitness Pal, is very useful to help one determine how many calories are needed, and also to help one track the number of calories consumed. I think this is extremely important, to be cognizant of what goes into your body.

The type of exercise one picks should be enjoyable, so that it is sustainable. I personally like to do a mix of running, biking, elliptical and weight training. I do something everyday. If one desires rapid results, then a program like P90X is great. Another alternative is to do a week long endurance trip, like trekking in the mountains or a hut to hut bike trip.
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Cosmo
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Cosmo »

floz wrote:Cut sugar out completely and also eliminate bread, pasta, and other grains including beer. Google paleo diet...Mark's Daily Apple is helpful. If you haven't tried before, you'll get great results.
Mark's Daily Apple is actually a variation of the Paleo Diet or Primal. The difference here is on the Primal Diet, dairy is acceptable. Both diets advocate if we just eat what our ancestors originally ate, we will be much healthier. I am all Primal here but I also apply that Primal spirit to endurance training as well, which allowed me to get much faster both on the bike and in running.

Cosmo
CFM300
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by CFM300 »

Some useful general facts:

1. In order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume.

2. Some bodies burn more calories than others.

3. Some bodies are better at extracting and storing calories than others.

4. Neither (2), nor (3), nor their combination contradict (1).

5. When you lose weight, you will lose bone and muscle as well as fat.

6. You can minimize bone and muscle loss by strength training.

7. You cannot control or change where your body stores fat.

8. You cannot spot reduce fat.

(Doing crunches or other abdominal-focused exercise will not “burn” the fat from your stomach.)

9. Fat storage in your body is a LIFO system: last in, first out. Conversely: first in, last out.

(If you gained fat around your midsection first, and on the back of your triceps later, when you lose fat, it will be from your triceps first and your midsection last.)

Some general advice:

There are dozens of ways to diet and dozens of ways to exercise. You must find a sustainable combination that works for you.

I recommend strength training for everyone, regardless of age or body composition. If you are weak, getting stronger is the perhaps the single best thing you can do to improve your health and quality of life. Getting stronger also has a tremendous positive effect on mental outlook. I have witnessed some truly amazing transformations.

This newly published book, The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40, is a fantastic guide:

https://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Prescrip ... 0982522770
livesoft
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by livesoft »

Wow, there hasn't been a thread with this much consensus on bogleheads.org in a long time. Amazing!
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rbaldini
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by rbaldini »

Disclaimer: I've never really had to lose weight, so what I say does not come from personal experience.

Some light reading (and common experience) suggests that genetics play a large role in weight and body shape. It's still true, of course, that you can lose weight by - surprise - eating fewer calories and doing more exercise. But I think it's like this: suppose you weigh 180 lbs. This is because you live your 180 lbs lifestyle (I say "your" lifestyle because someone else living that lifestyle might be a different weight). To get down to 160 lbs long-term will require a long-term shift in life-style - eating fewer calories and/or doing more physical work, forever. If you change back to what you did before, you'll revert to 180. Changing your life forever is hard to do (probably because you are innately predisposed to certain behavioral and diet choices), so most people fail to do this.

As someone else mentioned, don't expect any exercises to "target" abdominal fat - from what I've read, it doesn't work that way. You can target abdominal muscles with ab work outs, but getting rid of fat means changing your energy balance - eat less, move more.

As for diet, the nutrition and exercise textbooks mostly say the same boring thing we've heard for a while now: Watch your calories. Actively make an effort to avoid sugars, since it's very easy in today's world to get too many. Make soda and juice a rare treat (replace fruit juice with fruit). Try to make your fats the unsaturated kind - like from plants and fish, instead of dairy and meats. Make a conscious effort to eat more fiber, which I believe most Americans fail to get enough of. That means making sure you get your carbs from whole grains instead of sugars and refined grains. So eat whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and corn tortillas (I think) - instead of white bread and white rice. Most guidelines do not discourage "carbs" per se. In fact they recommend that most calories should come from carbs. But, again, they should be whole grain complex carbs instead of sugars and refined starches.

FYI the NIH recommendations for exercise are at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Moderate exercise means anything with 3+ METs (metabolic equivalents, where 1 MET = sitting down and doing nothing; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_equivalent), which even a brisk walk will accomplish. It doesn't sound hard, but I wouldn't be surprised if most Americans fail to meet this (including myself, most of the year).
livesoft
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by livesoft »

rbaldini wrote: That means making sure you get your carbs from whole grains instead of sugars and refined grains. So eat whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and corn tortillas (I think) - instead of white bread and white rice. Most guidelines do not discourage "carbs" per se. In fact they recommend that most calories should come from carbs. But, again, they should be whole grain complex carbs instead of sugars and refined starches.
I think if one is trying to maintain weight or gain weight, then eating whole-wheat whatever, brown rice, oatmeal, etc would be OK. But if one is trying to have their body metabolize the fat that is stored around the belly and other places, then one should not eat much of these things. I've personally experienced folks eating MORE "whole-wheat" whatever because they claim it is healthy. They have not lost weight.

Case in point: Whoever thought of "wheat thins" was a genius. :)
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rbaldini
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by rbaldini »

livesoft wrote: I think if one is trying to maintain weight or gain weight, then eating whole-wheat whatever, brown rice, oatmeal, etc would be OK. But if one is trying to have their body metabolize the fat that is stored around the belly and other places, then one should not eat much of these things. I've personally experienced folks eating MORE "whole-wheat" whatever because they claim it is healthy. They have not lost weight.
I'd think that if one's goal is to lose weight, then eating "more" of anything doesn't really make sense. The question, I suppose is: given that you will eat x calories, where should they come from? Most basic nutrition recommendations say a lot should come from whole grains, which provide a more nutritious source of carbs than "white" grains and sugars. But they're not intended to be "fat burning" foods - I'm not sure that such things exist. Regardless of what you eat, losing weight means eating less and doing more.
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Alexa9
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Alexa9 »

Salad for lunch and vegetable soup for dinner at least on weekdays. Tears also have water weight which come with any diet.
reggiesimpson
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by reggiesimpson »

See if your insurance will cover a weight loss program/gym membership etc. If you are diabetic or elderly they may also contribute to a program. Then make it a way of life and never stop.
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by livesoft »

rbaldini wrote:But they're not intended to be "fat burning" foods - I'm not sure that such things exist.
I don't think there is such a thing as "fat burning food" unless made up by the food industry to sell something. But I am pretty sure there is such a thing as "non-fat-burning food." :)
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Miriam2
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Miriam2 »

livesoft wrote:Here is one post about a simple method that establishes a daily routine for diet and exercise which will get you part of the way there: It is about cooking oatmeal in a simple way while doing core abs exercises. The reward is not only great abs, but a good tasty breakfast. Every day:
viewtopic.php?p=2242092#p2242092

PS: You may mix it up with 1 minute "planks", too. And I'd be happy to post a photo or two as well. :)

PPS: Start slow with the exercises. 5 sec planks or 10 sec planks for the first weeks. Same for crunches; no need to 4 sets of 25, but maybe 4 sets of 5 to start. Then increase slowly over the next year. Take the long view; take your time.
Yes, please post photos of livesoft doing crunches and planks - and please don't forget photos of livesoft's awesome abs 8-)
CFM300
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by CFM300 »

Feel free to skip the ab photos, but I'd like to see...
livesoft wrote:25 crunches with BARBELLS in each hand held near your ears. [emphasis added]
Copernicus
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Copernicus »

I think that having extra weight makes exercising a bit difficult, and the focus stays on having extra weight, instead of having a positive state of mind. People think of aggressive dieting/exercising as a sign of positive mindset, but I think its just ego, which will always defeat us. I suggest a simple 'recipe' to slim waist using slight increase in regular physical activities, and with little or no elaborate diet:

- Weigh first to get the baseline.
- Set an easily achievable target to lose say, only 2% of the weight or an inch off your waist.
- Set an easy timeline - Give yourself a month or three to achieve your goal.
- Make a commitment to someone you care about, and promise them to stick to your goal.

- Use a 3/4th smaller dinner plate and no refills.
- Eat everything, but 3/4th of what you used to have.
- While standing, hold open a bottle of vitamin pills. Turn it over. Bend down and pick up one pill, stand up, and put it into the bottle. Then do the same over again until all pills are picked up.

It is surprising that losing weight actually becomes easier as one loses weight, and you can increase your goal more after the initial success. Positive results might surprise you!
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

Follow a Green Diet - you may eat as much as you like, so long as it is a green vegetable. Eat your beans. Sparingly use starchy vegetables - potatoes, etc. Salads, soups are popular, refrain from using oil based dressings - oil has plenty of calories. Drink water, avoid refined sugars and flours. Drink fruit/vegetable based smoothies. Exercise. Be patient. Read a few books on nutrition along the way.
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MoonOrb
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by MoonOrb »

Two really good forums for this: http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/

https://www.nerdfitness.com/


I've managed to get pretty lean several time in the last fifteen years and here are some things that have made a huge difference for me. Whenever I've been successful it's never really been "I just made one tweak here and one tweak there, like cutting out sodas or starting to walk more" and it's been more like "when I make a concentrated effort, i get RESULTS. There are no short cuts. So:

1. Plan out in advance what I'm going to have for every single meal and then stick to that plan. You can plan this out up to a week in advance. You can prepare the meals you're going to cook, your shopping lists, etc. And for those times when you must go out, make a plan ("I'm going to have one beer" or "I'll have seltzer tonight and a beer at that thing on Friday" or "I'm not sticking to the plan for this one meal but beginning at the very next meal I'm back on it ASAP and already know what that next meal will be" etc). Writing down in advance what I was going to eat and then eating it was the single biggest thing I did that helped.

2. Measure yourself no more than once a week using a soft tape measure around the fattest part of your abdomen. This is your measuring stick, not scale weight. Use a scale if you want to, in addition, but it doesn't matter how much you weigh.

3. Whatever exercise you choose to do, do it regularly and do it in a way that will not result in even minor, nagging injuries. Once you are in the habit of regular exercise, work on increasing its intensity.

4. Add weight training in to part of your work out routine.

5. Take a picture of yourself with your shirt off in the mirror every 3 weeks.

6. Join a forum/group where you can be surrounded with likeminded people, find support and inspiration, motivate each other, and be held accountable.

7. Reward yourself for minor and major victories with purchases/experiences that you look forward to.

8. The first 10 days are the worst. If you can have self-discipline during the first ten days, you start to feel better and momentum will take over.

9. Become familiar with an online calorie counting tool like myfitnesspal or fitday. Use this in conjunction with the Harris-Benedict formula for calorie expenditure and use this as a rule of thumb for figuring out how many calories you "should" be consuming each day. Refine your amount via trial and error.

10. Consistency, longevity, and intensity are the keys. You can do this.
jackietreehorn
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by jackietreehorn »

OP, you've received many replies with similar advice, none of which is exactly the same. If there's 3 things to pull from all of this advice, it is:

1. Diet

There are lots of diets out there. Find one that works for you and stick to it. I like a diet that is mostly vegetables, some lean meats, some fruit (its of the Paleo ilk). I believe it is the best diet. There is no proof that it is the best diet. I can show you great bodies that eat high carb diets and I can show you great bodies that eat low carb diets.

2. Exercise

There are lots of ways to exercise. Find one that works for you and stick to it. If you're the type of person that doesn't exercise at all, any movement is better than no movement. There are more efficient ways to exercise. Strength training is the most efficient. If you'd rather run, go ahead, it would just take you longer to burn the same amount of calories. You should enjoy the exercise that you are partaking in.

3. Consistency

So you've now picked a lifestyle, stick to it. Doing it for a month and then reverting back for a month will get you no where. Stick to it. Consistency is key.

It's your choice as to which advice you follow, just understand outcome is consistently confused with strategy on this website, in regards to fitness. This statement would apply to the public as well.
rgs92
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by rgs92 »

I saw comments that fruit can add a lot to your weight. I thought fresh fruit (not juices) was a good thing. What is true here?
MoonOrb
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Re: How to get rid of your belly........

Post by MoonOrb »

No one is going to get fat/prevent themselves from losing weight by eating a lot of whole fruit.* This is a red herring. It's of course the case that fruit is higher in sugar than other choices, but it's also generally high in micronutrients and fiber and any thinking about this kind of thing that is grounded in "but should I eat fruit?" is probably counter-productive.

*with exception of grapes, maybe. They seem to be mostly water and sugar and roughly the functional equivalent of juice.
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