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Everywhere but the gut.

post #1 of 11
11/5/07 at 5:54pm
Thread Starter 
I've lost about 25 lbs thru diet and mild (and I mean mild) exercise. I seem thinner and healthier but I have not lost much weight in my my waist though I see a noticeable difference everywhere else.

An advice on working those extra lbs in my waist. Something I can do from a hotel room or on the road. I know sit ups work, but anything else. I want to drop a few inches in the waist by Xmas and have go from a 44R to a 42R (I used to be a 46R, yeech).
thanks...
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post #2 of 11
11/5/07 at 6:00pm
You can't spot reduce. Sit-ups don't really work except to give you stronger abs beneath the gut. If you are losing weight but not losing the fat around the middle, you have to be careful that you're not losing equal amounts of muscle as well as body fat. Usually guys can lose gut fat pretty easily if they work out, so you have to watch out that you're not becoming skinny-fat (skinny everywhere but fat in the middle) by only dieting. Make sure you're eating enough protein and do overall resistance exercises. Pushups, bodyweight squats, lunges, duckwalks, plyometrics, etc, can all be done anywhere but for best results, use weights.
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post #3 of 11
11/5/07 at 6:17pm
Like TheHoff says, you can't spot-burn fat. However, are you sure it's not a question of (i) bad posture or (ii) weak inner abdominals. Look at yourself in the mirror, from the side, and see if your lower back is very curved forward. Instead, shoot your hips forward and imagine a rope pulling on your spine through the top of your head to straighten up. Better? Also, weak inner abdominals lead to a pouty stomach that is sometimes seen even on very lean bodybuilders (but whose abs and belly noticably pout). There's a bodybuilder exercise called "stomach vacuum" or something to that effect where you suck your gut in as hard as you can, navel towards the spine. Hold your gut in for 30-sec to 1min and you'll feel the muscle burn. This helps reduce stomach pout. Good luck!
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post #4 of 11
11/5/07 at 8:29pm
There's always liposuction.
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post #5 of 11
11/5/07 at 9:31pm
I understand the need to dispute the common misconception that sit-ups or ab work will burn fat around your waist, but aren't there some factors that contribute to fat forming around the waist? IIRC, An excess of cortisol in the body, which can be from a variety of causes, will promote fat formation at the gut. And I think there are some other factors I seem to remember reading but can't put my finger on off the top of my head.
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post #6 of 11
11/5/07 at 9:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian278 View Post
IIRC, An excess of cortisol in the body, which can be from a variety of causes, will promote fat formation at the gut. And I think there are some other factors I seem to remember reading but can't put my finger on off the top of my head.

Stress and sleep patterns, mostly. Keeping stress low and sleep patterns regular nightly (at least 8 hours, blah blah) are the best ways to naturally keep cortisol in check.
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post #7 of 11
11/5/07 at 9:45pm
your gut is your body's main fat store. that's why it's the last thing to go when dieting and the first area where you put on fat. keep doing what you are doing and you will eventually shed the fat that's covering your midsection.
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post #8 of 11
11/6/07 at 12:07am
If it makes you feel any better it's the first place I gain and the last place I lose from. Sucks, but it happens. Just gotta stay bone thin the whole time!
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post #9 of 11
11/6/07 at 12:43am
My body is extremely slim...except for my gut. It portrudes a little bit, and I've been working on portion control/exercise to get rid of it. I'm gonna start trying those stomach vacuum exercises.
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post #10 of 11
11/6/07 at 3:21pm
Muscle mass is the first thing to consider. Then self-care. Hormones could be involved, yes. One related area is hydration - there is some evidence that a lack of fluids is bad for testosterone and cortisol levels.
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post #11 of 11
11/6/07 at 3:39pm
Well here goes a chance for me to pipe in with totally amateur diet advice: I cut out muffins, bagels, donuts and cakes. I used to eat these for breakfast, at coffee breaks and in the car on commutes home. The gut, most of it; disappeared. I still eat big meals and McDonalds food once a week :>)
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