Tips for shedding excess fat on torso

[evilsatan]

I am looking to shed some fat which is sitting around my pecks and over my abs. I am small built and don't get much exercise, luckily my metabolism has seemed to sort me out in the past as I was always very skinny even though my diet was not too great. This year I have seen myself grow a lot and all of it is fat.

I don't intend to bulk up, would just like to tone up a bit for healthy definition. I have read on a few forums and most suggest that the answer is to implement a healthier diet and do regular cardio to burn fat off and hope it is used from the right places. I have a downhill bike and enjoy riding so this would be my choice of exercise, perhaps get up an hour earlier each day and go our for a ride before I start work. The bike has dirt tyres which makes riding on the road quite hard work, from what I have read this should help with the fat burning process.

At weekends I indulge in alcohol and fast foods. My plan is to balance this out during the week with healthy foods. I don't drink during the week.

What would be the best foods for me? Generally I don't eat breakfast during the week and have a pretty light lunch, dinner during the week is always well balanced with vegetables and meat. I need to get into the habit of drinking more water, I am always dehydrated as I forget to drink.

Any tips much appreciated, want to get started on this asap and summer is probably the easiest time to have enthusiasm to get it off of the ground.

[AspectUK]

Good luck with it .. I'll be very interested in seeing some replies as I too need to lose some more weight, particularly from my tummy area, everywhere else seems fine.

I'm like you and eat no breakfast during the week, I have vegetable curry with white rice every dinner during the week and a normal tea.
Weekends I just eat normal, I don't drink a lot.

I'm almost 6' 3" and 13st 10lb.
I cycle to work and back every day (6.5 miles each way) and that, coupled with regular (2-3 times a week) table tennis sessions has took 2 stone off me in the last 12-18 months, but I'm now

I can wholeheartedly recommend cycling and dirt tyres on the road will make it much more difficult.

.. also, if anyone can tell me the "weird old wives tip for losing weight" that's advertised all over torrent sites etc .. that would be great too

[mikeair46]

I'm not an expert, but I know eating breakfast is very important if you want to be healthier and lose weight. Eating breakfast starts your metabolism, which continues to burn all day. I know from experience eating a sensible healthy breakfast, i.e porridge oats with fruit etc I am hungrier at lunch, because my metabolism is initiated. I don't know verbatim the exact science behind it all, but its important in starting your day correctly. You'll find your exercise will be more productive in the day because of this. Some people swear by fasted cardio in the morning, whereby you train lightly for 30 mins or so on an empty stomach, perhaps just a strong black coffee, but no food. If done at the right tempo it is supposed to hit your fat reserves because your body isn't expecting it, and has nothing in the stomach to burn. But I'm sure if you go at it at too high a tempo you can do the adverse and the body will burn away at muscle. I've never been a fan of this, always preferred to eat a good healthy breakfast and then exercise hard later on. Just my 2 pence worth, good luck.

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[lloydi]

I have a downhill bike and enjoy riding so this would be my choice of exercise

I am no expert can i suggest you trade it for an Uphill Bike, this might help LOL

[evilsatan]

Downhill bikes are much harder to ride on a road/up a hill than a mountain bike or road bike so should help when I take it downhill riding you use a lot of upper body strength to control the bike and sweat buckets. Btw I got the joke lol.

[Nibb]

Low carbs...high protein diet....plenty of cardio and light weight work will all help to reduce body fat.

Try a spin class if your already into cycling as being on the road doesnt always work you in the way that a set class does.

You could also try an type class no weights are needed and they work on the principle of fast explosive sessions with short recovery periods.

The DVDs are available on the net in the usual places.

[RSV]

I would definately agree with Nibb on the spin classes. I started a few months ago (after reading one of Nibbs previous posts) and im now totally hooked, this week i have just upped from 2 sessions to 3 sessions per week.
I also do a local "bootcamp" on a Saturday morning which has helped tone up a bit (especially core area) and i replace at least one if not two of my meals a day with "USN Diet Fuel" ultra lean protein shake.
Reckon i've probobally lost around 3 stone in the last year. Still think i need to loose about another half stone of fat and i'm now starting some weights to properly tone up. Thing i struggle with is the time to do all this.

[crashtestmac]

Right then......

Basically what you are trying to do is not possible, there is no way to target weight loss....

NONE....

All these diets and exercise classes that work abs or gluteus do just that. They work the muscles.
Fat loss happens over the whole body and you cannot target it.

Insanity is a great work out and also Asylum...
Mental and explosive power.
I did about 60% of P90X before my body rebelled. It is a great work out and has a diet plan that goes with it. It is easy enough to do the workouts but the problem is time, you have to do 6 workouts a week 7 if you want to do the extra stretching class, these range from 50 mins to 90 mins and are set so that you do not work the same muscles 2 days in a row to reduce fatigue.

I broke my toe and had to stop but in the recovery time for that i have discovered that the reason that i get so much pain in my ankles is that they are collapsing. I am on the waiting list to have them rebuilt. To say i am a bit pissed off is an understatement.

I have a very good understanding of the diet and the levels but i am struggling with motivation know that i am going to spend the next 2 years in and out of surgery.

-With the diet, to start with go easy on the carbs and eat them early in the day.
-Be careful with fruit, it may be healthy but it contains MASSIVE amounts of sugar, yes it is natural but it is still sugar.
-Water is the biggest key. keep hydrated but also before you eat drink a pint of water and you will feel full faster and it will pass though easier.
-Always take the wholewheat option even over the wholemeal option.
-Couscous is great for a quick meal but again use the wholewheat version.
-Tins of tuna a great for protein and you can cover it in chilli sause.... (Tesco do one that is great, not blue dragon sweet chilli.....)

I will keep coming back as i think of stuff.......

[evilsatan]

I found with my research that you can't target fat.

Today I had an advocado with lemon juice for breakfast, a Boots Shapers prawn mayonnaise sandwich for lunch with apple pieces and red grapes and a bottle of Strawberry Volvic water. Dinner won't be so healthy as I am meeting an old mate so probs Nandos but I will have chicken off the bone and try to find some sides which aren't full of carbs.

I just need to get into a routine, this is quite hard as my working day follows no routine at all so I will have to plan my food ahead of time and take lunch with me on jobs rather than skip it altogether. Some days my first meal is dinner so I will have to ensure that doesn't happen from now on. I have noticed that recently my appetite has increased, previously I never had much of an appetite so I will try a less and often approach.

[crashtestmac]

Don't touch that flavoured water with a barge pole check the sugar in it... You might as well drink Coke....

As for nandos...

Fill your boots.
Chicken in a pitta gor for something like the peas side rather than coleslaw.

Or just get the whole chicken....
But leave the skin.

Drink Pills larger as it has less sugar in or vodka with diet/zero mixer....

[crashtestmac]

You need to aim for 4-6 meals a day...
Even if 1 or 2 are a tin of tuna, or a protein shake.
I used the myprotein stuff and it worked very well.

[mikeair46]

You can get a bit bogged down with all this diet stuff, I know its important to watch what you eat, but as long as things are eaten/drank in moderation and you exercise correctly and regularly, you will notice great results and feel healthier. At the end of the day unless your an athlete competing for london 2012 I wouldnt be too upset about having a nando's! You have to live your life Just do it with one eye on a sensible diet, and exercise properly.

[super mike]

If possible then weights will also help massively. Not to get massive or anything like that, the actual weight lifting if done properly will use a lot of calories and energy reserves. So after 30-45 minutes on the free weights you can jog/get on your bike and cycle home. This mixed with adequate rest and a generally good diet will work wonders.

It's also worth remembering, the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn whilst sat on your arse at work.

Also, get into the habit of drinking water. Keep a bottle with you all the time, it's good for you and it fills you up.

[lloydi]

That's exactly what I wanted to hear mike, been going to the gym for about 3 weeks every other day and have cleaned up my diet but cardio bores me to death. My plan set out by the gym is bike, row and then work on the machines, lats pull down, shoulder press etc. I am 5' 10" and was 16stone2 now 15stone6 so it's working. I want to shed the weight but strengthen and tone as well. I am on the lookout for a good free weight routine if you can point me in the right direction? I'm also looking at purchasing some meal replacement protein shakes, mainly for breakfast as I have always been bad with breakfast, mainly down to my dislike for cereals. Been reading up on protein, creatine and glutomine too to help with muscle repair etc, what are your thoughts on these?

[crashtestmac]

Look at MyProtein they do everything.
The Whey Isolate Protein is good and mixes well, they have offers for buy 1 get 1 half price regularly as well.

I would advise getting a plain flavour then you can add flavour to it. I got a choc nut and it is rancid......
Creatine is good but taking the stuff is horrible, if you do the best way to do it is in near boiling water with some neat squash in it then chug it down.....

I never found a decent supplier of Glutamine but i have read mixed results on it.
Start with protein and creatine if you want to go that way.

Diet wise i found i lost more weight when i cut out all the supplements and just focused on the diet to get it all.

[andmor]

.....
Diet wise i found i lost more weight when i cut out all the supplements and just focused on the diet to get it all.

Exactly..if it's body fat you want to lose then you would be wasting money on lots of different supplements...they don't come cheap.

Stay away from processed carbs...sugar & white flour products (bread, pasta etc) and as mentioned before fruit juice as well. You can read a lot of articles about burning body fat and most will mention that it comes down to 80% diet and 20% exercise.

[evilsatan]

I am going to try and heavily reduce carbs. I love fruit juice so will have to substitute it with water or cordial. trying to get out on my bike this morning when I get a couple of jobs out the way.

Thanks for all replies!

[dalboy]

Do a search on here for replies to other posts I have made on the same topic.

If you are in a calorie deficit you will lose weight.

Concentrate on cleaning up your diet and understanding how your body reacts. When you are at a decent bodyfat level then work on building lean muscle. The word "toning" is just lazy. What does it mean exactly? Its either lose bodyfat or build muscle.

On a weight loss diet, a free weight routine will work wonders and will help prevent the "skinny/fat" look as you will lose muscle if you are in a calorie deficit and are not doing a weight routine. A lot of people neglect this. Get a basic program, be consistent with your diet and you will be golden.

Yes, reduce carbs, processed foods, high salt etc... but eat if you eat 90% of the week healthy then treat yourself to whatever you like for the other 10%. It will make no difference to the grand scheme of things and will keep you motivated to stick to the diet.

Like I said read my other posts, and if you want any further help on routines, nutrition drop me a PM I am happy to help if I can.

Oh and if cardio really bores you then dont do it. Weight loss is down to diet i.e. calories in and out.

[evilsatan]

I am trying to set a routine. Today I got up and had a bowl of fruit and fibre with a large glass of water with a very little robinsons summer fruits in it (I hate water, just need to add a little bit of taste and I can deal with it). I plan to go for a bike ride shortly and have a banana when I get back. Not sure about lunch yet.

As for between meal snacks I intend to stick to bananas, mango, kiwi, salted pistachios (I know salt is bad but I don't add salt to any of my meals and never have done so would this be ok?). The idea is to substitute that odd packet of crisps or chocolate bar for something more healthy yet still enjoyable to make sure I stick at it.

Can anyone recommend me a decent lunch plan? I like tuna so that is fine but is it best to eat it with something or alone? i.e. I used to eat Tuna on toast but I am phasing out carbs.

Cheers

[AD]

This all sounds good advice, need to get back into shape myself and will be looking at this thread very closely.
Decided myself that the gym isnt going to work for me as I did it for years and paid so much but had time to go. Now I have kids money is tight and so is time, so spending half and hour to an hour a day on free weights at home and cutting down on the bad stuff is the way to go.

BTW evilsatan, you need a little salt intake.. So if you dont have it on anything else and you watch for it on your foods you buy, you should be ok.