How do you get rid of the tire - older guys. Six Pack Abs - not a beer six pack

Fubard

Well-Known Member
Scottish also have among the worst diets in the world not including alcohol. Generally not their fault either. Quality food is expensive in Scotland. A lot of people die of heart disease. Sadly, many 1970s rockers in the UK died young of heart disease plus booze.

Sadly this shitty packaged food has become a global disaster. Many Americans are starving to death and are fat pigs because they eat junk.

I have improved with less food, longer bike rides and also leg lifts on a situp bench at the gym plus plans, etc. The only downside is I was lazy warming up and tweaked my back for a few days. 5 mins on an elliptical before starting in the gym gets you warmed up and stretched.
Quality food USED to be expensive in Scotland, but we're talking quite a few years ago. There's no excuse for it now, and I shamed my sister and one of my nieces who claimed they struggled to lose weight, they both make me look anorexic, the niece has more chins than a chinese phone book, by dropping 15kg in 5 months simply by not shovelling so much shit down my throat.

But they like their take away kebabs, curries, burgers, chinese, etc, whereas I'll maybe have a takeaway once every 3 months, so you can guess why they struggle to lose weight.

Also binned the deep-fat fryer for an air fryer so I can still have things like home-made fries occasionally

I still have my curries and so on, but I make them myself so I know they're full-flavour and low-fat.

If I can get my BMI into the "normal" range that easily, so can anyone else.
 

Joint Monster

Well-Known Member
OP Diet plays a huge factor... a much larger factor than working out imo. There are always new "fad" diets... have you tried low carb? low fat? gluten free? paleo? should I continue lol? ....Diets don't last. You need to learn to eat healthy and learnt to incorporate that into your own lifestyle/culture/food-taste-desires.

You need to find balance between eating junk (cheating) and sticking to your plan. When you eat junk, you need to limit the amount/size you have.

Eat balanced meals, think Macro Nutrients - FAT, PROTIENT, CARBOHYDRATES. Know how much you should eat... and eat an equal balanced portions throughout the day.
Once you are eating healthy in terms of Macro nutrients, then you can begin to focus on limiting bad Micro nutrients (like SALT) and increase good micro nutrients.

In a nut-shell.. Eat surplus of your "maintainance" calories and you gain weight. Eat less and you lose weight.

Machines are good for bulking, but to cut you have to slow burn your abs... Planks, leg lifts, bicycles. Slowly rotate during crunches. If you can do more than 15 reps in anything ab, you are not doing them right.
I highly disagree. I've worked for a few years with IFBB pro's, your advice is incomplete. The amount of reps depends on which muscle groups within your abdominals you are working and what exercise you are doing.

When going for definition we would do very high reps, drop-sets, (other advanced resistance techniques) and high internal/intensity with minimal breaks in-between. (Mind you this is for bodybuilding/ general fitness. People in cross-fit, power-lifting, alternative-sports do things in different ways.)

If you have low body fat, you have Visible Abs. Then you work out your abs for muscle definition. If you have high fat you can still work out your abs for definition, but they won't be visible until you lose that fat. How do you lose fat and get a 6-pack, definitely not by doing ab exercises. Think complete work-outs and full body exercises, diet and cardio. Squats and Lunges are great for Abs!
^Try doing 24 Lunges, then 12 ab twists, then 20 full length sit ups (lower abs), then 20 partial-length sit ups (upper abs). Then 12 sit-ups while your trainer throws a ball at you and you sit and throw it back. Then do some jump squats. Then take a 2 minute break. Repeat twice more.Then feel the burn and try not to throw up ;).
^ In reality the numbers mean NOTHING. It's all about Mind-Muscle connections and feeling the micro-tears!
 

Wilksey

Well-Known Member
HITT/Intervals for about 30 minutes.
Belly fat is hard to lose for dudes because your body considers it "emergency" fat, and will use fat from other areas first, and even muscle that you're not using.

Regardless, if you expend more calories than you consume, you'll lose weight. Look at your diet and see if you can cut calories anywhere. Use fresh vegetables seasoned with garlics, spices, herbs, vinegars, chili peppers, and such to fill your stomach to help fight hunger.

Studies done back in the 90's demonstrated that it takes about 20 minutes, or so, of sustained aerobic activity before your body will start to look at fat stores for energy. This means that you need to up your cardio game and shoot for a goal of maintaining an aerobic heart rate for 30 mins at a minimum, and pushing it out to at least an hour. If you can do this 4 times a week, than you'll start to see that fat reduce pretty significantly after a few weeks.
 

Joint Monster

Well-Known Member
So in other words, that would be 20 minutes of sustained activity before you "burn fat". That shouldn't be your main priority when exercising.. that aspect should come in the kitchen. In the gym you should prioritize improvement.. micro improvement over-time.

That constant-slow rate exercise might be good for a runner, or someone wanting to do a triathlon. But who wants to get on a treadmill for an hour straight. There are better, more motivating more efficient ways to go about things.

Or you can to 20 minutes of HIT training, 1 minute walking 3 minutes sprinting and achieve similar results.

Activities like picking up weights actually work your body more than cardio. So if you do weights and then do a 15-20 minutes cardio session, you achieve similar results, as your body's heart rate is already going from the weight session.
 
I am in my 50's hurt my neck and back and put on maybe 30 pounds over the years.

In mid february I started hiking in the nearby state forest. I go in smoke a bowl and come back. After about a month I was fitter but lost little weight. Then the weight started falling off. Lost 15 pounds in the last couple weeks without changing my diet one bit, about 20 overall. I can now hike about 4 miles 5 days a week. I can even run a mile of it. Some days I just explore though. I figure by June or July I will be back to my ideal weight and much fitter. Does not feel like exercising. Last week I saw a bunch of deer and 30 Turkeys one day, also giant hawks flying around.
 

Fubard

Well-Known Member
I am in my 50's hurt my neck and back and put on maybe 30 pounds over the years.

In mid february I started hiking in the nearby state forest. I go in smoke a bowl and come back. After about a month I was fitter but lost little weight. Then the weight started falling off. Lost 15 pounds in the last couple weeks without changing my diet one bit, about 20 overall. I can now hike about 4 miles 5 days a week. I can even run a mile of it. Some days I just explore though. I figure by June or July I will be back to my ideal weight and much fitter. Does not feel like exercising. Last week I saw a bunch of deer and 30 Turkeys one day, also giant hawks flying around.
First you would have had muscles building up at the same rate as weight was being burned, so it would seem you were losing nothing, then the muscles stopped bulking so quickly and the burn rate takes over.

Best exercise you can have, all them happy chemicals being released like that.
 

eyderbuddy

Well-Known Member
I used to weigh almost 300 LB, and now i'm stable between 180 and 190... I tried everything you can find on google and after lots of exercise i got strong, but i was still fat... I was doing 600LB deadlifts... but what helped me finally see my abs was cutting out processed carbs: cake, cookies, pizza, bread, etc....

Every time i binge on bread-like stuff i just puff up and gain 5-10 pounds in a few days. And my mood also turns to shit. So now i eat a lot of fiber, oils, fat, protein, unprocessed carbs like fruits and veggies, but barely any processed carbs.
 

Fubard

Well-Known Member
I used to weigh almost 300 LB, and now i'm stable between 180 and 190... I tried everything you can find on google and after lots of exercise i got strong, but i was still fat... I was doing 600LB deadlifts... but what helped me finally see my abs was cutting out processed carbs: cake, cookies, pizza, bread, etc....

Every time i binge on bread-like stuff i just puff up and gain 5-10 pounds in a few days. And my mood also turns to shit. So now i eat a lot of fiber, oils, fat, protein, unprocessed carbs like fruits and veggies, but barely any processed carbs.
Does all bread type stuff affect you like that or is it more the "pre cooked", "cheap", "etc", stuff in plastic packing that's an issue?

If it's only the cheap and nasty pre-made and/or pre-cooked stuff like frozen pizza, or even deep pan from a takeaway as then you have the extra soaked in fats, then try making your own pizza base using buckwheat flour instead of the usual wheat that is used, give yourself a pleasant surprise.

There's no cheap white flour in this house, buckwheat is used for making home made sauces and pizza bases, and cheap white bread, or bread in any kind of plastic bag, is not allowed in this house.
 

eyderbuddy

Well-Known Member
Does all bread type stuff affect you like that or is it more the "pre cooked", "cheap", "etc", stuff in plastic packing that's an issue?

If it's only the cheap and nasty pre-made and/or pre-cooked stuff like frozen pizza, or even deep pan from a takeaway as then you have the extra soaked in fats, then try making your own pizza base using buckwheat flour instead of the usual wheat that is used, give yourself a pleasant surprise.

There's no cheap white flour in this house, buckwheat is used for making home made sauces and pizza bases, and cheap white bread, or bread in any kind of plastic bag, is not allowed in this house.
Did a quick google search and i'm definitely going to give this a try, i haven't had a slice of pizza that hasn't made me feel guilty in a long time now, this may be it! Thanks
 

Master_Tabi

Well-Known Member
Diet and exercise will reduce all fat in your body. last year at this time I was 197 lbs big gut double chin ect. Currently 180 lbs +- no gut no double chin with gains of lean muscle. First thing I did was to cut out carbs, however rice has stayed in my diet because I burn through a lot of energy in my day to day. Second white sugar out of diet, also no sweets, junk food, fast food, anything with saturated fat or MSG OUT. Salty foods out. Basically anything that has taste you shouldn't be eating. I cook for myself and family, lots of times I get comments like "that needs salt" or "Its bland" usually that means its healthy. Lots of soups with all sorts of vegetables and meat that's my favorite meal don't forget the rice.

Steamed vegetables for vitamins and minerals. Fruit smoothies for glucose if you like sweet get it by eating fruit not going to lie I drink 2-4 smoothies a day, different ingredients depending on season and prices.

That was the diet aspect now exercise, you need to move the muscles to burn the fat. I am a firm believer that the human brain can control all aspects of the human body. You can train yourself say to flex your abs, or flex your pecks. This training will allow you to burn fat in those areas as well as build muscle. You don't need to do crunches or workouts, all you need todo is flex the muscle till it hurts, and you're ripping it up. I wall over 10 miles a day and life heavy objects at my current job so I get paid to get a god workout essentially, at least that what I tell myself when the pain starts to set in.

anyway I hope that you can use something from this post
 

eyderbuddy

Well-Known Member
Diet and exercise will reduce all fat in your body. last year at this time I was 197 lbs big gut double chin ect. Currently 180 lbs +- no gut no double chin with gains of lean muscle. First thing I did was to cut out carbs, however rice has stayed in my diet because I burn through a lot of energy in my day to day. Second white sugar out of diet, also no sweets, junk food, fast food, anything with saturated fat or MSG OUT. Salty foods out. Basically anything that has taste you shouldn't be eating. I cook for myself and family, lots of times I get comments like "that needs salt" or "Its bland" usually that means its healthy. Lots of soups with all sorts of vegetables and meat that's my favorite meal don't forget the rice.

Steamed vegetables for vitamins and minerals. Fruit smoothies for glucose if you like sweet get it by eating fruit not going to lie I drink 2-4 smoothies a day, different ingredients depending on season and prices.

That was the diet aspect now exercise, you need to move the muscles to burn the fat. I am a firm believer that the human brain can control all aspects of the human body. You can train yourself say to flex your abs, or flex your pecks. This training will allow you to burn fat in those areas as well as build muscle. You don't need to do crunches or workouts, all you need todo is flex the muscle till it hurts, and you're ripping it up. I wall over 10 miles a day and life heavy objects at my current job so I get paid to get a god workout essentially, at least that what I tell myself when the pain starts to set in.

anyway I hope that you can use something from this post
i think you're oversimplifying it a lot... Salt is not necessarily bad, and is needed for a lot of bodily functions.

Taste itself doesn't mean that food isn't healthy. Take fruits for example...

Also fiber is probably the most important constituent in a healthy gut (and i mean good, real fiber assimilated from natural sources such as fruits and vegetables that haven't been boiled to destruction)
 

DSnutz

Active Member
I haven't read every post in this thread, but something that I've noticed as I get older -- you need to find the BALANCE. From the sound of it, there's a good chance you're going too hard at the gym (or whatever else you might do).

Let me try explain more - working out really hard takes energy - calories! But what really changes as you get older, and the more you work out, is how much energy you ALSO need for RECOVERY! When you go hard you need to also go hard on rest and nutrition or you won't feel very good. This means rest, especially sleep, and eating enough good foods.

What happens to me when I try to go too hard on both ends is I hit a wall, and start to feel very tired, sluggish, cranky. So then I start to crave junk foods that aren't good for me, which fills me up but doesn't provide much nutrition, so I don't fully recover. This cycle continues until I either catch it and fix it, or sometimes get sick!

The closer you get to that 6 pack, the smaller the spare tire gets, the harder and slower the rest will come off. This is normal. You can't compare someone like Penn Gillette because he was a big fatso... the first few hundred(!!) pounds come off super fast compared to the last ten.

So, while I am no expert and can only speak about what has and hasn't worked for me, I'll offer these pointers:

1. make it a full lifestyle change. Not a 'diet' or a 'workout routine' but just how you live your life. The best way to stick with it is to make it something you don't even think about. This is especially useful if you can build in small workouts to your life. Walk more, like for me if it's less than 2 miles and I'm not in a rush, I walk. Even if it's cold or raining. But I also effing hate the subway so it works out hah. Find things that are fun and also good for you, but don't consider them your workout, they are just fun things you do. I love to rollerblade for example, and ride a bike, and go hiking. But I still hit the gym if it's a gym day.

2. take it easy on yourself mentally. Those magazine fitness models are A - professionals (they have LOTS of time to take care of their appearance) and B - look like that for a few hours - JUST for the shoot - and there's lots of airbrushing. I've read stories about how they have to basically dehydrate themselves before a shoot to look shredded enough. Maybe it's BS, but the point stands - fitness/model photos aren't real life. It's pointless to be discouraged by not looking like that. Instead focus on the good things you're doing and the progress you've already made.

3. take it east on yourself physically. Don't overtrain, which can be easy to do. Going harder past a certain point is NOT better. I find I progress better (especially if I'm trying to LOSE weight while I'm training) if I increase frequency of training and decrease intensity. So like instead of 2 heavy days of chest, do 3 or 4 much lighter ones. It makes the workout suck less and I've seen good progress, especially when it comes to shredding (as opposed to bulking -- disclaimer, I have never had a 6 pack personally, but close... LOVE pizza too much!)

4. as someone else said, a 6 pack is mostly made in the kitchen. Eat smart, eat healthy, and eat enough GOOD food. This is by FAR the hardest part for me, and I think for most people. Phone apps like mapmyfitness can help especially at first, but as I mentioned earlier I find I do best when I don't overthink it. Instead I learn what I need to do, and then make it part of my lifestyle.

Hope this helps!
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
I stopped drinking 2 months ago and have lost ~ 6% of my body weight, BUT, I still have a belly. Turns out it is due to a fatty liver, no doubt caused by excessive drinking over many years. Lots of YT videos for correcting it, but it takes discipline and resolve
 

charface

Well-Known Member
I also promise you most peoples downfall is cheat days, cheat meals etc...
Forget them. 1 leads to two leads to a cheat week and you are right back to where you are.

Once you get the system clean you wont have the constant cravings
Until you cheat and the carbs trigger the insulin response.

You have cheated enough no?

No grains, no sugar except fruit.
Lactos equals sugar
Potatoes - sugar
Flour - sugar
Quinoa will be converted to sugar
It might as well be rice.

If you stall out stop the fruit.

Your body will live nicely on fat
Your brain will function great as well

You Don't need to eat simple carbs.

Remember we are talking about someone trying to sculpt the last bit.

However it has to be a lifestyle or you will revert.
You Don't have to like this info
You can continue to be fat.
I still love you

There are extreme endurance athletes living keto, nsng, etc

Surely you don't require more than them.
 

Master_Tabi

Well-Known Member
i think you're oversimplifying it a lot... Salt is not necessarily bad, and is needed for a lot of bodily functions.

Taste itself doesn't mean that food isn't healthy. Take fruits for example...

Also fiber is probably the most important constituent in a healthy gut (and i mean good, real fiber assimilated from natural sources such as fruits and vegetables that haven't been boiled to destruction)

That's what works for me, to each their own ya know. Salt is used for water retention, taste comes from adding certain spices including but not limited to salt. Salt will bring out the taste of a dish ten fold but at the same time the salt in said dish will add more water retention to your body, so you will gain weight if you eat salty food. The worst type of salt is MSG, that's put in lots of Chinese foods buffets and as well as a multitude of other establishments use this as a preservative and flavor enhancer. My man salt is bad in the quantities that people consume on a daily in the United States.

Life is supposed to be simple, we as humans are the ones who complicate it.
 

Jeeyah

Well-Known Member
That's what works for me, to each their own ya know. Salt is used for water retention, taste comes from adding certain spices including but not limited to salt. Salt will bring out the taste of a dish ten fold but at the same time the salt in said dish will add more water retention to your body, so you will gain weight if you eat salty food. The worst type of salt is MSG, that's put in lots of Chinese foods buffets and as well as a multitude of other establishments use this as a preservative and flavor enhancer. My man salt is bad in the quantities that people consume on a daily in the United States.

Life is supposed to be simple, we as humans are the ones who complicate it.
You want pink Himalayan salt. Athletes and bodybuilders are adding sodium. Not white iodized salt. Pink salt. It has healthy minerals.

I eat meat and vegetables. But, once a month I eat pizza.

Prepare your own foods. Don’t eat food or drinks from the aisles in the grocery store.
 
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