Fat belly!!!!

[Doodles123]

My main reason for starting this programme was to lose weight. Although I can feel my fitness is improving I can see & have read many disappointing but probably true comments that say you are not likely to lose weight as such. Can anyone offer suggestions that will work alongside c25K to help me slim down please???? I don't want to lose motivation but it was my main motivator.

[builtforcomfort Graduate]

I have managed to lose over 2 stone over the past six months, including a wobbly tummy by cutting out most sugary foods (I am a confirmed cake addict so it hasn't been easy), this has made a huge difference I eat and enjoy loads of fruit and veg now and have even been juicing (not a phrase I thought I would ever use), not really counting calories or anything but just thinking about nutritional value of foods.  Now that I am running I find I am considering what to eat it terms of helping me run.  It has been a complete turnaround for me cos I am really a greedy person who loves to eat!  I do a couple of exercise classes a week too including Clubbercise which really burns off the calories.

[Doodles123 Graduate in reply to builtforcomfort]

My diet isn't generally too bad. I too am a juicer & there is a little improvement but not in the areas that need it... My trunk. That's why I thought targeted exercises are needed. Well done for your loss. Sounds like you are making huge improvements in your lifestyle

[Sarah-A Graduate in reply to Doodles123]

Be careful with juices - they can often contain a lot of calories you don't expect/think about. I have a nutri-bullet thingy and made that mistake. It may be all good-stuff going in, but the calorie intake still adds up. Make sure that if you have one in the morning for example that it is instead of brekkie not as well as. 

[aligra Graduate]

HI Doodles, yes, you do need to combine C25K with another sport or a class or two a week.  That and keeping an eye on your food intake will soon shift the weight.

[farawaytree74 Graduate]

Hi, losing weight is more about what and how much you eat but I think exercise can help. I have lost a little weight since starting the programme but my shape is definitely changing. I still have a 'spare tyre' although slightly more deflated ,round my middle but my core is definitely stronger and I can actually see muscle under the blubber. I don't like diets but rather see being fitter and healthier as being more important. If I lose pounds along the way that is a bonus but having a strong heart, lungs and legs to me is what will keep me going into old age, not how thin I look! I think running has really changed my perspective on diets. I do stop and think what I eat more now cos I realise that extra cake will be another few more pounds to carry when I run but I don't count calories or get obsessed . Running will change you for the better! Let being fitter and healthier be you main motivator! 😊

[Doodles123 Graduate in reply to farawaytree74]

I agree totally. I'm not & don't want to be a dieter. I am trying quite hard with food & hoped running would help but no real change. I do like my wine or a g&t too which is maybe my downfall

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Doodles123]

Hi Doodles,

In case you weren't aware, 1 glass of wine is approximately 100 calories which equates to roughly 1 mile of running. A 'sobering' thought.

I ran 10k (6 miles) on Thursday, and burnt/used about 600 calories. That's about 1 decent portion of food - 1 meal, say.

Doing C25k in itself won't lose you much weight if any - the distances you're doing just aren't long enough. 5k is about 300 cals. The weight loss will come with regular longer runs, combined with sensible food intake of course.

John

[Doodles123 Graduate in reply to John_W]

Yes I am aware of that but do still want some pleasure in life as I don't have much else. That's why I was asking for motivational ideas for exercises to target certain areas. Thanks

[Hidden]

I have to agree with John_W  regarding longer runs and cal burns against what you eat and drink .

Weight loss wasn't a prime driver for me but with watching what I eat, pretty much cut out sugary stuff and having more veg and fruit has all helped along the way.

I have trimmed down maybe not as much as I would like but as they saying goes it is a work in progress  

[Doodles123 Graduate]

As I said my diet isn't bad. It is additional exercise ideas I was asking for that target the trunk area. I am clued up on food & drink just not exercise

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Doodles123]

Only one thing for it. You need ... The Rig.

Calling Rignold ...

[misswobble Graduate]

I lost weight before starting C25k but I have lost a further stone since then.  I combine running with healthy eating, walking and doing core strengthening exercise. I am careful about what I eat now and don't do junk or booze any more. I did far too much of both in my previous life.  I think being healthy is what we all want to be and you sort of drift into it a healthier lifestyle because of it.  So, if you want to lose weight then keep running, walk more, and watch the alcohol intake and cut out foods that won't help your waistline, and we all know what they are.  

[Rignold]

There is no targetting specific body areas for weight loss unfortunately. We lose fat from all over the body as we burn calories. There is no diet that will cause you to specifically burn abdominal fat, and no amount of crunches will produce a visible result if you still have duvet tummy over the top.

That said, a combination of consistent nutrition and exercise aimed at fat-burning (as opposed to weight loss) and core-strengthening, will, over time meet in the middle (no pun intended), so as the flab thins out, the muscles beneath will peep through and you will look lean (as opposed to 'toned' which is a word that actually brings me out in hives). It's a long-term strategy though. I do an hour and a half to 2 hours of pretty hardcore exercise every day and live on nothing but protein powder, kale and fish oil capsules and after two years I still have a spare tyre. It is more of a bicycle inner tube now rather than the monster truck tyre it once was but it's still a work in progress. My upper abs are quite visible now, as I constantly share with everyone I encounter, much to the chagrin of my wife and kids (school parents evening is apparently not the place to display your stomach muscles), but I expect it to be another year to 2 years before I can claim a legit six-pack. It's my challenge to myself for my 50th.

In terms of bang for the buck, the best fat-burning, core-tightening exrecise you can do is kettlebell swings. Nothing burns fat faster. I do 10 minutes a day of 30 seconds of swings (equates to 15 swings, give or take), 30 seconds rest. In fact I alternate a minute of swings and a minute of kettlebell goblet squats, because, y'know, always be squatting - no point being a sexuagenarian with a six-pack if you can't sit on the loo - so 20 mins in total, which is still not a lot of time investment. Also do a few sessions of HIIT exercise a week - there are loads of good ones on YouTube. Fitness Blender, Millionaire Hoy etc. Keep running, as that will improve your heart health and longevity but switch up a gear or two to shift the kilos.

Nutritionwise, beware fruit if you are juicing. 200ml of orange juice is 100 cal, and 91% of that is carbs. Carbs in the form of fructose, which while not as bad as refined sugar, is still sugar, and sugar is the Great Satan. Sugar and processed carbs is what put the junk in our trunks in the first place. 

[secan Graduate]

"To slim down" (improve your body shape by losing fat) and "to lose weight" (losing body mass) are two very different things. If you lose one limb you lose weight without slimming down...

Although it is true that, especially at the beginning, you won't lose weight, you can and you will slim down as you replace fat with muscles.

Having said that, including some strength exercises (pull ups, push ups, squats, crunches) during your rest days will maximise the results by toning you up and making sure that whatever weight you lose won't be a loss of lean mass.

[JoolieB1 Graduate]

I lost 2 stone using My Fitness Pal which is a free App that allows me to count my daily calories and monitor exercise and there is also a very friendly forum.  Since I started running, my weight loss has slowed down.  Not sure why this would be as I still count calories.  However, my shape has greatly improved and my fat around the middle tummy is much smaller, my breathing is good and my heart is great too, much better than before.  I have gone from not being able to run for 3 minutes and yesterday I ran for 1 1/2 hrs - 15 kms.  My confidence and motivation is so much better too, wouldn't change a thing!

[Clawmum Graduate in reply to JoolieB1]

i too use MFP, great app, quick and easy to use, i started just logging the food i was eating the using the app to see where my "bad foods" were, it has changed my look on food and makes me appreciate that I can eat so much more if I eat the "right" things

[Celtprof Graduate]

Food, food, food. You need a calorie deficit of 3,000 a week to shift a pound so it's definitely not easy, as I'm sure you know. Generally, the things that work for me are a light breakfast of cereal, porridge or fruit and yoghurt. Lunch can be eggs, a salad with chicken or a wrap with lean meat and veggies. Dinner is where I come unstuck sometimes as I'm cooking for the family so portion control is a mine forks! Twice a week I'm eating separately by having a very low cal dinner of poached eggs or salmon. I have a stone to go and this is proving to be very difficult! I've got a couple of DVDs to exercise to and I swim once or twice a week. Basically, I'm eating no more than 1500 calories a day and exercising at least 5 times a week. 

Now- this is in an ideal world. This Easter weekend I have invented an entirely new eating plan consisting mainly of mini-eggs. And not the poached kind...Nobody's perfect. You'll get there! Hopefully, I will too! Good luck. 

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

I'm in the same boat, I need to tone my six pack duvet (that's what I call it ☺) I'm doing some strength work which is some weights using my own body.  I use the runastic phone  apps because they have a structure and they allow you to make a move it dosent bleep until it thinks youve done  it correctly.  I do the pushup, squat and situp ones.  I've paid for the pro version but you can trial the free version.  Its an easy way to see if it suits you.  

[Doodles123 Graduate]

Thanks, nice to know I'm not the only one. Was beginning to feel like a freak

[Hidden]

I really like  to do some of the workout videos from Jessica Smith TV (just type it into Google) The ones which build up muscles are ideal for rest days and remember the more muscles you have the more calories you burn

[slowmover Graduate]

I've also seen that running alone looses you weight, but not very quickly. I've lost about 2 stone since starting this, but I dramatically reduced my chocolate and alcohol intake, I go on my cross trainer everyday and I have a kettlebell dvd. My friend has been running the same length of time as me and has lost 4.5 stone by running and doing slimming world. 

My weight loss is now at about a pound a week, never a gain, but sometimes no change too. I'm planning to join a class of some description: kickboxing / zumba to change my routine 

Take care x

[hannah141 Graduate]

Hey Doodles, welcome! I'm on week 6 and my priorities have shifted. I also had weight loss as a massive incentive but now it's so much more about the feel good side of things. I feel that I'm less likely to sabotage the run I just had with goodies and an unhealthy meal so it's just changed my attitude for the better. I haven't lost much weight but I know for a fact that I feel more toned (underneath my duvet tummy as Rigs put it!) and a lot more healthy. You'll soon find that you feel so much better for it - more energised, less lethargic. Keep us posted. We've all been where you are.  Good luck!

[Doodles123 Graduate]

Thanks. Lost all motivation at mo.wish ID never asked the question. Haven't run for a week now and was only 2 runs off graduating. Lost it

[folkieboater Graduate]

When I set of on mission "sort yer life out" and joined the gym I was doing Kettlebell swings and planking most days - long before I ran. That, along with healthier eating and cutting down the alcohol enabled me to lose 20kg and get the waist down to 25in. Since I stopped the gym and just run (who'd ever have thought those two words belonged together!) the belly is creeping back - and so is the alcohol intake tbh. 

Moral of this story - spend the upcoming birthday money on a Kettlebell rather than cider  

Stick with it Doodles - you'll get there...