The dreaded belly

Situps won't spot reduce fat on the abdomen, no (nothing will - well nothing legal anyway). They might reduce how far the abdomen bulges a bit though, so making you appear slimmer.

I remember reading an article online that had compared the effectiveness of various types of situps, and I recall those done on an exercise ball has coming out very highly. These are what I do and I certainly find that they target my abs much better than conventional situps.

 

Not what I read before but these might be of interest:

http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/fit/star/alert05222001.jsp

http://www.exercare.com/exerinfo/abs2.htm

 

Just for interest, 8 pints of beer in a session is about 1440 calories in one outing (not counting the crisps, nuts, Indian meal afterwards). If I had a large mrs and she claimed to be thinking about her gut and wanting to diminish it, and she was taking active steps except for the social aspect where she goes out once a week with the "girls" to a cafe and has 10 slices of hot buttered toast with her milkless and sugarless tea, what would you think? Could you take her seriously? It's about the same calorie content

 

sex is a very healthy way to shed extra pounds.

 

Catch 22

Some may have to shed pounds before they can have sex

 

I drink loads. Its part of being young, so dont worry about it - nearly everyone does it. Theres plenty of time for growing up when your old.

I've hit something of a brick wall lately with losing weight, but nevertheless, I managed to lose a stone in 2 months by doing nothing other than a 30 minute walk at least once a day and stop eating and drink crap and eat salads and drink water instead - save the crap for the weekend.

That was it!

And because i'm getting my recommended fruit and veg intake, regardless of weight lost, i feel better.

However, i do drink far too much, a lot more than you by the sounds of it, and if i didnt i guess i would have lost more.

 

Paul you're from the North East, you're supposed to drink a lot : Everybody I know from that way seem to be drink twice their weight in drink every weekend, Newcastle dosn't get its party reputation for nothing

I have stopped worrying about it really, I didn't drink much at the weekend and I have started drinking soft drinks in between pints in the pub. I still have a good time and get tipsy, but I am not drinking dangerious amounts in the long run.

 

Its probably worth pointing out that men tend to carry weight on the belly, it does not have to entail beer at all. More over men that carry it predominately on their belly are at much higher risk of a heart attack.

So if cutting out the beer is not possible (I don't think I could do it) then have a look also at your diet. Tonight I made a risotto with mushrooms, onion, mixed organic beans, carrot and fresh peas.

What did you eat?

I am not preaching as I am around a stone over weight and I have sod all will power. What I do know is a run around like a maniac at work (which unfortunately is where I get a fair proportion of my calories) and I walk the dog daily. All I can assume is, if I was sat on my arse at a computer all day I would be a house.

 

I am the same I must easily walk at least 4 miles a day, not having a car really helps and I am wizzing round catching buses to get to jobs all over south Manchester, it does keep help keep me fit.

I walk a mile it if meant cutting out a load of traffic thus getting a quicker bus.

My problem with my diet at the moment is I work really strange hours so I often have to eat junk in between jobs. I need to find a solution to this in order to cut out the Greggs syndrome.

 

There is never a reason or excuse to eat crap. You can;t play that card with me.

Its as easy to walk into marks and sparks and get a tuna sandwich as in Miccy Ds and get some sh1t.

 

...or make one before you go out!

 

Problem with M&S sandwiches though is they are smothered in mayonaisse. If they werent, they wouldnt have half the calories. Better then to go to a proper sarnie shop and get one without mayo.

Today I've eaten:-
1 banana sandwich in brown bun
1 apple
1 bunch of grapes
1 yoghurt
1 mixed cheese salad (two types of cheese, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, beetroot, carrot and celery drenched in vinegar)
Bangers and mash for tea
1 glass of grapefruit juice
Lots of water

And I think now, I will have a couple of slices of toast and a mug of hot chocolate as a treat.

There must be something in that lot you would like AT?

I try to walk half an hour a day, but lately havent been (because its too damn hot).

At weekends, I drink like a fish, but still try to make sure I eat at least something healthy, otherwise I please myself.

Doing that I've lost a stone in 2 months.

Its not hard. Just stop eating so much crap. Replace pop with water. Replace chocolate with fruit. It sucks at first, but you get used to it, and you end up feeling loads better, I do.

I must look better as well - i got laid at the weekend, and that doesnt happen every week, haha

 

I've talked a lot with Julian about how he's lost his weight.

I am a stone and a half overweight (reasonably physically fit, but carrying some stored fat).

Since Saturday I have started eating carbs with just one meal a day.. (muesli for breakfast, or a sandwich at lunchtime). The other daytime meal is fruit, and evening is salad with meat or fish.



Just since Saturday I've lost 1/4 of a stone.

(so now just a stone and a 1/4 overweight)


You do want to bear in mind that I'm at the gym 3 times a week and riding bikes on the weekend.... but it shows you how fast it can come off if you put your back into it.

(and I feel great for eating 10 fruit/veg portions per day).

 

I do eat a lot of simple subways when I am out as well, they are healthy if you keep them simple and don't add salt/pepper and sources on them.

Cardboard sandwiches are arguably not healthy, they contain lots of sugar and salt.

 

Weight loss needs to be sustainable and sensible.

quarter of a stone in one week seems great but its just as likely to be water loss, or weight that will pimp back on if you stop the diet. I don't mean to put you down, just do it carefully.

And weight loss has to be part of a lifestyle you can sustain. Typically people can't sustain the gym or physical things. These usually fall by the side. The best bet is changing the diet.

It occurs to me I have four weeks until I start my new job. Perhaps now is a good time for me to start being a bit more sensible.

 

AT in context an M&S sarnie is a lot healthier than a burger, you know it I know it so lets not mess around.

 

I'm no diet expert, and this diet is clearly helping you lose lots of weight (well done!) but I'd be inclined to try to add a bit more protein to that diet or your body is likely to be losing more muscle than I guess you'd like? Cans of tuna are cheap and basically just contain protein and water.

 

Also, if you drink tea, try drinking chinese teas without milk or sugar. The milk and sugar in 3-4 cups of tea in a day adds up to quite a bit of fat and calories. www.whittard.co.uk have a good selection, my favourites being Black Dragon formosa oolong and Lapsang Souchong. Talking of tea, green teas (and white teas, but they're very expensive indeed) are said to increase metabolic rate and burning of fat.

 

Tuna mixed with baked beans is a classic student dinner. Very good for you.

Also people should try to get into mixed beans. Waitrose do some which are organic and ready to go in cans. Unlike some producers, their's is only in water, not water and sugar.

All you need to do is fry some onions and veg slowly and a can of tomatoes and some mixed beans. Mabye some curry powder, jobs a goodin.

 

Don't forget the Mercury