Working out

[mustlovedogs]

About what I eat

 

If eating causes you panic, I would speculate you have, or are approaching, an eating disorder. Please take care of yourself

[Batya33]

In my younger days I had defined and, I'm 33 now. I'm not fat I just have a little pudge tummy. My thighs were always thicker.

 

33 is young. Its not about age IMO. I also recommend a nirtritioist or even a group like weight watchers so you can be around typical people who are trying to lose weight and be more fit. If you're in panic mode about eating that's not going to help you develop or maintain a more healthy lifestyle or relationship to food. You're making some good choices and you seem open to suggestion so you'll be fine with a little tweaking. Good luck!

[anicole]

If eating causes you panic, I would speculate you have, or are approaching, an eating disorder. Please take care of yourself

I meant I won't be as cautious as I was before about the food I eat. Tonight I ate 3 slices of pizza

[catfeeder]

Those shakes are 35 grams of sugar. All in one pop! No wonder you're tired. That's like drinking soda.

 

I'd quit the shakes. Increase protein and greens. Stagger calorie intake, or your body will go into preservation mode and HOLD water and fat while your skin, nails and hair will suffer--along with your heart and other organs.

 

Fast weight loss will create a 'pouch' around your stomach of loose skin. You can't build the supporting muscles underneath by starving them. So the goal isn't to starve the body down, it's to NOURISH the body as you build muscle tone. Heavy sugars won't accomplish that--it's like subsisting on candy.

 

You can defend what you're doing, but that won't get you the results you want. CUT sugars, add nourishment, stagger calories moderately, stagger your types of workouts to allow the sets you've worked one day to recover the next. Trade most cardio for weight bearing strength, and increase your sleep--that's when we do more fat burning than most people realize.

 

The point is to create a lifestyle you can maintain rather than shock your body into starvation and exhaustion.

[Jibralta]

Those shakes are 35 grams of sugar.

 

I know. Same with the protein/granola/energy bars that are touted as "healthy" these days. They're like candy bars sprinkled with protein.

[annie24]

how many calories are you taking in a day?

[anicole]

how many calories are you taking in a day?

1,200 sometimes more sometimes less

[annie24]

1,200 sometimes more sometimes less

 

if it's too little, weight loss can stall. Yes, I do recommend weight watchers or another plan to help out. Stomach fat is really stubborn sometimes so just keep with it and you will notice results. Personally, I do best with high fiber, lots of vegetables, and not so much fat in my diet. Some people do best with one type of diet, some with others. I personally can't do the no carb, high fat diets because I need some carbs to feel like a normal person every day.

[anicole]

if it's too little, weight loss can stall. Yes, I do recommend weight watchers or another plan to help out. Stomach fat is really stubborn sometimes so just keep with it and you will notice results. Personally, I do best with high fiber, lots of vegetables, and not so much fat in my diet. Some people do best with one type of diet, some with others. I personally can't do the no carb, high fat diets because I need some carbs to feel like a normal person every day.

I agree, I'm just going to freely eat what I want and cook out sugars and slow down on carbs.

[maccerz]

It's all diet when it comes to losing weight on your stomach. 1200 calories is too little if you're working out, do you count your macros?

Also a month isn't very long, be patient, keep going, you'll start seeing results soon!

[avoidatallcost]

My daily caloric intake is 1,200

 

Yeah but if this intake is full of high sugar fruit shakes then this is why you're not seeing more definition.

 

Your diet needs to be more strict. You need high protein and low fat/low carb/low sugar selections.

 

Eat nothing but fish and vegetables for a month, and then come back and tell us how toned and defined you are

 

Fat loss is 90% about diet. Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.

[anicole]

Yeah but if this intake is full of high sugar fruit shakes then this is why you're not seeing more definition.

 

Your diet needs to be more strict. You need high protein and low fat/low carb/low sugar selections.

 

Eat nothing but fish and vegetables for a month, and then come back and tell us how toned and defined you are

 

Fat loss is 90% about diet. Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.

I will definitely do that and see what happens

[Matto85]

Yea I'd say before anything cut off the shakes completely. I was advised a long time ago by the guy serving shakes at the juice bar not to partake. He says it just makes you fat and are only money makers for their business.

[Sportster2005]

I started working out a month ago and I'm not noticing any changes to my belly area. I have a personal trainer 2 times a week I also do toning once a week and R.I.P.P.E.D. I have not noticed a difference in belly fat.

I am eating healthier no processed foods at all, I drink lots of water, veggies and fruit protein shakes. I am 5,4" 145lbs which fluctuates to 150 since I started working out.

I work out a total of 4 days a week, I was planning on have some definition in my belly area, I only see some changes in my legs and arms.

 

Keep going. I find the belly fat is the last to go.

 

There's small things you can do to make a difference. Smaller portions, park far away and walk. Move more. These small things can make a difference. It's more about healthy eating than exercise. It's also long term. Fitness isn't a destination it's a way of life.

[notalady]

What you're doing is not sustainable. Eating so little and exercising so much. Hard to tell if your weight gain is from gaining muscle or fat, of course the former is a good thing but I doubt it's muscle gain if you're not eating enough and doing so much exercise (esp if you do a lot of cardio).

 

If you noticed more toning that's good. But if you have problem with body tone more so than weight (as you said you're not fat), then I would focus on weight training and doing less cardio, and cut overall exercise a bit - there IS such a thing as over exercising especially when you don't eat much. I would also suggest cutting the shakes, instead increase veggies and lean protein.

 

I'm 5'4, 119lb, like you I used to have flat tummy when I was younger but for the last 5 years or so, have been having a bit of a little tummy (lower abdomen), I had been trying to lose weight in the past to get back my flat tummy (which I would have if was back to around 112lb), but dieting has never worked for me because it's not sustainable, it's not a lifestyle, it's a temporary measure. Even if I reach that weight again, which I did a couple years ago, I slowly gained it back 6 months later when I went back to eating normally. That's the issue with dieting, if what you're doing is not a sustainable lifestyle, you won't keep your flat tummy (or whatever you wanted to achieve) even if you do get there.

 

In the last 6 months or so I realised what I really want to achieve is more definition and toning (with a focus on my tummy), not weight loss, because there's no issue with my weight.

 

So first of all I stopped weighing myself (hid my scale) because it was affecting my perception of progress when I see that number on the scale not moving, even if I can physically see more definition.

 

I focused on eating healthy whole food, stopping eating and drinking things that made me bloated, such as carbonated drinks and coffee (opted for green tea and peppermint tea instead). Cut my meal portions, so when I serve myself at home, I put in my bowl half to 2/3 of what I normally put in. But my number one rule for portion cutting is - make sure I do not feel hungry or starved. Because I know if I let myself feel hungry for too long, I'll end up eating too much at some point to make up for it (even eating too much on healthy food is no good).

 

So I eat a filling healthy breakfast so I don't feel starving, decent sized lunch, small dinner. Keeping satisfied but not eat till feeling full full.

 

Simply not feeling bloated, eating smaller meals and drinking tea had already helped my tummy get flatter.

 

I also do weight training (upper body and tummy, a bit of lower too but I'm not too focused on my legs as I think they are fine) for 30-40 mins then about 15 min high intensity cardio in the end (high intensity less time is better than longer low intensity cardio for maintaining and building muscles while helping to reduce fat), I do it 2-3 times a week, using the program my initial PT session helped me set up. I know it's not sustainable, for me anyway, if I do more than that (per session or per week). Again, the focus is not quick results, it's on sustainability, it's a lifestyle change.

 

So, I did weigh myself recently, no weight change, but my tummy measurement is the same as if I was weighing 4-5lb less, my arms are more toned (as it was getting a bit lunch-lady-like lol...) and I feel stronger and fitter, I feel good about the way I look and the number on the scale doesn't bother me anymore, because that's not what counts is it? It's how you actually look. I'm not keeping track of time either anymore (eg achieving x weight within y time).

 

So, I suggest focus on sustainability rather than fast results, and focus on how you look and feel (over time) than the number on the scale. Make a permanent lifestyle change instead of having a temporary goal.