ShapeFit.com

DanielleL · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

Hi everyone,
I was hoping you'd be able to help with a problem I've been having. I've been actively trying to lose weight for about a year now and I do cardio 5 days a week (a 30 minute run) and every other day I do about 15 minutes of ab workouts. No matter how much I try, I can't get a rid of what I call my pooch. I've tried working "lower abs" because it's fat below my belly button that just kind of juts out, but it just doesn't seem to want to go away. Above my belly button is pretty flat. I'm not really sure how the fat got distributed this way, but I'd like to have a flat tummy.
Any tips would be more than welcome.
Thanks!

Boss Man · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject:

Sounds like a diet and water issue. What's diet like? Meals? Times?

DanielleL · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

I usually eat 3 meals a day. Oatmeal for breakfast, salad with chicken in it for lunch and either steak or chicken for dinner with vegetables and some kind of rice/carb. I'll have a granola bar if I'm hungry between meals. I usually drink 2 poland spring bottles of water throughout the day and drink water with all of my meals. It's probably about 5-6 8oz glasses a day.

Boss Man · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject:

There's probably your answer then. You can't lose it eating 3 times a day. as that's not condusive to fat loss. You're not getting enough nutrition and spending too long each day, using muscle as energy.

If all you do is eat a Granola Bar?? between meals 1-2 and meals 2-3, so you eat 5 times a day. Better something perhaps low cal but healthy, than not having anything at all.

Rest of your diet looks fine.

DanielleL · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

OK thanks! I'll give it a try

SarahPT · Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 523 Location: Western Maine

Hi Danielle,
Working your abs will NOT burn the fat off of them. That's a major misconception. When you work your abs you are strengthening the muscle, but not doing anything more to the fat on the abs than you are to the fat on your legs or arms.

Bossman is right that diet is very important for losing that fat. Eating smaller portions more often throughout the day will be good for your metabolismj. Also, adding strength training to your exercise routine would be very beneficial for fat loss. Strength training is very important, even if you don't want to lose weight, to maintain muscle mass and bone mass, which we naturally lose as we age.