Need to lose belly fat!

[Ttaskmaster]

Have you tried intermittent fasting?

Well, I mostly just gave up breakfast and then lunch.
Aside from occasional weekends and certain family functions like weddings where it's rather expected, I haven't really had either for about 7 years or so... Last time I actually had a breakfast was 2012 - Full Scottish breakfast, in Scotland, because it was our honeymoon and because I love stuff like haggis, lorne sausage and tatty scones... and 'cause I'm technically Scottish.

But yeah, having quit smoking a few years back, I've just gotten fatter, really. You'd think one meal a day and having three dogs would help keep the chub off, but apparently not...

[Lowe]

Eating less and less causes the body to go into a survival mode whereby it'll burn off muscle to feed itself. Metabolism slows etc and you end up in a bit of a state, energy levels are low so you end up craving sugar and carb heavy foods. Bad times, ends up being counter productive. I went through something similar but fell lucky, let me explain.

I turned 40 about this time last year. Through my wife's work I'd met a couple of chaps who were fairly big lads - arguably as much muscle as fat. Over a 10 week period I watched these guys slim down to the point where both of them were absolutely ripped. I couldn't believe it, so one day struck up a conversation and bluntly asked how they'd done it. They put me in touch with a personal trainer who's a world finalist body builder. I set myself a goal of getting a six pack once in my life. I didn't know how long it'd take but told my PT that was what I wanted and so we got to work. My diet wasn't especially bad before but there was a lot of treats and weekend alcohol. That got sorted and I went from three large meals a day to 5 smaller ones eaten at more regular intervals. Did a weekly gym session alongside my normal exercise (Jujitsu) and in three months I went from 22% fat to under 10%, at which point I got my six pack. Lost a total of nearly 3 stone which was pretty nuts, and I didn't feel the need to snack or cheat the change in diet. One of the best things I've ever done.

[kalniel]

What did the PT have you do in the gym session?

[Ttaskmaster]

Eating less and less causes the body to go into a survival mode whereby it'll burn off muscle to feed itself.

I keep hearing about that... but so far I've just lost a load of belly fat and hip flab. Not measured anything lately, but probably lost 3-4" off the waistline.

The plan was to keep going at least until there was no longer anything overhanging the belt. Maybe see if I could lose the 4" thick belly roll that lollops out when I sit down.
In ye olde dayes, I was never anything but scrawny in the first place anyway, so I guess I'm just re-normalising.

I also keep being told about fat-burning ketosis too, and I know plenty of people who did 500 calorie per day diets to get it.

Metabolism slows etc and you end up in a bit of a state, energy levels are low so you end up craving sugar and carb heavy foods.

None of that so far... well, no more than usual, anyway. Certainly no sugar. Some carb craves, but mostly protein and veggies. Hankering for salmon and peas pottage, maybe burgers, or a biiiiiiiiiig barbecue with boerewors, steaks and chops...!

That got sorted and I went from three large meals a day to 5 smaller ones eaten at more regular intervals. Did a weekly gym session alongside my normal exercise

I barely get around to two meals even at weekends. I'd never manage five, especially on a regular schedule like that. Life doesn't work like that for me.
Same for going up the gym, really, and even less likely over the next few years at least.

[CodeMonkey23]

Eating less is wrong way to go about, so is restricting yourself to 3 meals a day(people tend to over indulge when limited) the key is too eat little and often and try to avoid processed foods. Another great tip is to drink a pint of water with breakfast, have caffeine via coffee or tablets and do some form of brief exercise (I like press ups) all help to kick start your metabolism so I do them all ASAP after waking up

[Ttaskmaster]

the key is too eat little and often

That is exactly how I got fat in the first place...

[Lowe]

That is exactly how I got fat in the first place...

Only if your portions are out of control. Typical weight loss meal - 100g meat (when raw), 60g veg, 75g rice (when cooked).

[Lowe]

What did the PT have you do in the gym session?

20 minutes worth of HIIT on a cross trainer, then relatively light weight but high rep weights. I’ve now switched to eating lots and doing high weight, low rep work.

[Disturbedguy]

What did the PT have you do in the gym session?

It wouldn't surprise me if his PT had him doing some sort of HIIT workout, possibly with low weight but high reps, with little rest between sets to keep the heart rate up.
Or half the session as HIIT with low weight and high reps and the second half with heavy weights and low reps (Yes my PT liked to make it feel like I was being tortured...)

When I had my PT, that's what he had me doing, twice a week and in a little of 1.5 year i lost 7 stone. Going at it alone now, little bit more weight to shift then i want to get the fabled six pack...

Edit: Cross post

[Disturbedguy]

I barely get around to two meals even at weekends. I'd never manage five, especially on a regular schedule like that. Life doesn't work like that for me.
Same for going up the gym, really, and even less likely over the next few years at least.

This was the hardest thing for me. It took me a while to get used to eating the five smaller meals.
I found the gym especially hard due to struggling with anxiety, I often found myself physically shaking just going in the gym, getting a PT helped massively for me as it meant rather than just "going gym" I was going to meet someone, so less eyes on me (even though I know now, most people in the gym dont really care what someone else is doing - and, to put it bluntly, the chances are there will be people in the gym in worse shape than yourself..)

[CodeMonkey23]

I found weight training to be more effective at losing fat, for me any way but everyone is different. I like to use heavy weights 6-8 reps(to failure) with correct form but keep the rest times short, 30 secs max, try that for a few weeks and see how you get on. Diet is key though so lots of protein and no processed/sugary stuff, it's also important to have a cheat day every so often

[pp05]

Eating less and less causes the body to go into a survival mode whereby it'll burn off muscle to feed itself. Metabolism slows etc and you end up in a bit of a state, energy levels are low so you end up craving sugar and carb heavy foods. Bad times, ends up being counter productive. I went through something similar but fell lucky, let me explain.

Key is to switch your routine up as ultimately you're trying to trick your brain.

[Disturbedguy]

So I've posted a few times about how much weight I've lost so I thought I'd make a slightly more detailed post about what my first meal plan was and workout routine was with my PT. Almost all of my routines were HIIT, weight related work outs, but with super sets thrown in for good measure. When I initially started with my PT, I was doing two, 1 hour sessions a week.

So first up, the meal plan -

Meal 1
Item	Measure	Calories	Protein (grams)	Fats (grams)	Carbs (grams)
Steak & Eggs Hash	1/2 tbsp olive oil or 1/2 tbso butter 1/4 lb beef short loin 1/2 potato 1/4 tsp salt 1 / 4 medium onion 1 large egg	516	31	33	20
Nonfat greek yogurt	1 cup	141.6	24.5	1	9

Meal 2 - Post Workout
Item	Measure	Calories	Protein (grams)	Fats (grams)	Carbs (grams)
Cottage cheese & pineapple	1 cup cottage cheese 1//2 cup sliced pineapple	202	29	2	16
Peanut butter and carrots	4 tbsp peanut butter 2 cup chopped carrots	482	18	32	38

Meal 3
Item	Measure	Calories	Protein (grams)	Fats (grams)	Carbs (grams)
Orecchiette with Pancetta & Broccoli	3/4 tbsp Olive Oil 1/4 Cup grated Paermesan cheese 3/4 Tbsp pine nuts 1/2 Tbsp butter 1/4 Cup chopped scallions 1/4 Cloves minced Garlic 3 Oz Whole wheat pasta 1/2 Cup chopped Broccoli 3/4 Oz Pork Leg	672	31	33	70

Meal 4
Item	Measure	Calories	Protein (grams)	Fats (grams)	Carbs (grams)
Antipasto rollups (No bread)	1 slice ham 1 Oz deli cut turkey 1 slice provolone cheese 1 slice beef salami 1 Oz roasted red peppers 1 small banana pepper	265	20	15	10

Meal 5
Item	Measure	Calories	Protein (grams)	Fats (grams)	Carbs (grams)
Ham and Cheese Sandwich	2 slice bread 4 slices ham 1/2 cup lettuce 1 tbsp light mayo 1 Oz cheddar cheese	478	33	25	31

Meal 6
Item	Measure	Calories	Protein (grams)	Fats (grams)	Carbs (grams)
Chicken and Avocado Salad	1 plain chicken breast 3 spring cilantro Lettuce Tiny bit of salt	403	35	25	12
Item	Measure	Calories	Protein (grams)	Fats (grams)	Carbs (grams)

Macros
Nutrient	Target
Calories	Actual	Protein (Grams)	Protein - Actual	Fat (Grams)	Fat - Actual	Carbs (Grams)	Carbs - Actual
3306	2838	289	227	146	174	206	219

Each of the meals were eaten between 2 and 3 hours, with me always trying to time things so I had a meal 30 - 40 minutes before a gym session.

Workout wise, when I started with my PT they were generally something like the below -

Chest press
Low row
Shoulder press
T bar row
Squats

Each set consisted of 15 reps, with no rest between sets, at the end of the 5 sets, I had a 30 second - to 1 minute rest before starting again (Should have been 30 seconds all the time, but my fitness was in the toilet when I started_ for a total of usually 5 sets, this would typically take about 30 minutes. For the remaining thirty means I would do some Thai boxing, with some other little exercises -

• Battle Ropes
• Box pushes
• Walking lunges
• Medicine ball slams
• Step ups
• Mountain Climbers

Both 1 hour sessions started with HIIT similar to the above and ended with Thai boxing or some other form or cardio.

For the first month or so, I was loosing on average 2 - 3lbs a week, sometimes more. For me, a big chunk of this was due to the drastic change in my diet, I instantly cut out the following -

• Fizzy drinks
• Sweets
• Chocolate
• Crisps
• Fruit juices

The only liquid that I drank until recently, other than Protein shakes, was water. If people are interested, I could post a side by side comparison of the day I started with my PT, until the beginning of the year.

It was and continues to be hard work and with my anxiety, a struggle to get myself in the gym now I've dropped my PT and decided to go it alone, but it's been worth it, not only for the weight loss, but I feel better and more energetic and my confidence is increasing (all be it quite slowly)

[Ttaskmaster]

I found the gym especially hard due to struggling with anxiety

Happily, I don't have that so much. More just no time when it is convenient to go, either because I don't have the time for working out, or because it'll take so long to get there I'd have been better off (time-wise) running there and then heading straight home.
I have too many other 'life' things to do as is, and my task list is now much longer, and will be so for likely the next 18 years...

I have to say, though, that since stopping food wherever possible I have not only lost a few inches but gotten a few more things done. I did have to go somewhere and had to have food recently, and my belly is now starting to bulge again.
One was a burger, the other was a mushroom linguini. Calories in, calories out, as they always say, so clearly each meal had thousands of calories, based on my increasing waistline...

Only if your portions are out of control. Typical weight loss meal - 100g meat (when raw), 60g veg, 75g rice (when cooked).

I often don't get the opportunity to have my meal components weighed, either.

[Disturbedguy]

Happily, I don't have that so much.

Luckily at the moment I have more good days then bad with regards to the anxiety.

More just no time when it is convenient to go, either because I don't have the time for working out, or because it'll take so long to get there I'd have been better off (time-wise) running there and then heading straight home.

My issue is that during the day I'm hyped for the gym, but after sitting in the car for an hour, by time i get home / near the gym, I find that hype has got up and left. For weekends I'm attempting to adopt a "wake up and go" attitude, which is why, on Saturday, I was in the gym for 05:30AM..

I have to say, though, that since stopping food wherever possible I have not only lost a few inches but gotten a few more things done. I did have to go somewhere and had to have food recently, and my belly is now starting to bulge again.
One was a burger, the other was a mushroom linguini. Calories in, calories out, as they always say, so clearly each meal had thousands of calories, based on my increasing waistline...

I often don't get the opportunity to have my meal components weighed, either.

I'm generally ok with the extra meals side of things, but if I eat more carbs than I usually do, then I notice it as I feel and look bloated....damn carbs holdig water.

To be honest, I've stopped weighing food, i gauge it more by eye than anything now.

[patrick20]

Thanks for sharing your meals guys, got some great inspirations!