Belly fat

Mrs. Robinson said:
I have an online friend who is having excess skin removal surgery in Dec.-necessary after losing 150 pounds and having four children. She is a workout fanatic-in fact that is her occupation-but no amount of working out will help with the skin. Hers is really severe-she has an "apron" of skin that causes her all sorts of problems. She gets horrific infections that cause her horrible pain. She and her doctor have been trying to get her insurance to pay for surgery for over a year but they have a criteria where you have to have like 6 infections and be treated with several different drugs for a period of 3 months each before they will consider covering it. Oddly enough,if she had lost the weight by having gastric bypass surgery,they would cover it no questions asked. Weird,huh? She has posted pictures on her private blog of what these infections look like and I`m telling you,they are just awful. Anyway,she has sold pretty much everything she owns to come up with the money herself and is now having the surgery. And yes,they will be "resituating" her belly button.
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Hope her surgery goes well! If someone loses a ton of weight that loose skin will never tighten up and surgery is the only way. My couple of spots with loose skin are just an annoyance. My peak weight (5'5") was 167 lbs. Ideal weight for me is about 130.
 

Debby said:
Maybe if you started doing some weight bearing exercises that target your calves and thighs, you'd get past the skinny legs. My daughter has that problem and she doubles up on her leg exercises and they're looking less 'bird-like' than they used to. It would also be great for bone density and strengthen your hips probably. Less chance of being the old lady in bed five who broker her hip!

Good luck with the struggle.
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Ditto, until I added "uphill walking" to my walking routine, build muscle, I didn't start losing the fat from all parts of my body. Also, I did cut back on the breads and pasta. So either it was a combo, or just the exercise. I love building muscle/toning because I think how cool it is that it is "still" burning fat all the rest of the day and night. Sufficient water, vegies, fruits, proteins. I also started using real butter, Olive oil, Coconut oil. Lost 10 lbs in 6 weeks and my legs never looked better in my life.
 
nwlady said:
Ditto, until I added "uphill walking" to my walking routine, build muscle, I didn't start losing the fat from all parts of my body. Also, I did cut back on the breads and pasta. So either it was a combo, or just the exercise. I love building muscle/toning because I think how cool it is that it is "still" burning fat all the rest of the day and night. Sufficient water, vegies, fruits, proteins. I also started using real butter, Olive oil, Coconut oil. Lost 10 lbs in 6 weeks and my legs never looked better in my life.
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Ditto! More muscle means more efficient calorie burning as well. Interval training is really good - when I do the treadmill I alternate between steep incline and fast paced walk. Same with the other cardio - intervals of slow/fast.
 

https://www.marklauren.com/about/

The best information I ever read. And it's all online, so you don't even have to purchase anything. This guy is awesome, and every body-weight exercise he shows us can be done from any age to any age you are still able to move. And can be done anywhere, even the tiny spaces, no equipment other than using a wall, doorway, table, floor.

For example, I could not do pushups. No problem, he taught me to do them off a wall, stand and push off, and as I got stronger, I put my feet further from the wall etc. Then I graduated down to a counter top, push off. It's worth the read if you want to build muscle and burn fat with expensive equipment, and no gym membership;)

I will show pics to the ladies if they want to see what I've accomplished in the last year and a half. Yes I was only 140, but pear-shaped all the same. I am up to 136 because of the illness, but I had lost several inches, and the scale dropped to 130 when I was in full swing.
 
nwlady said:
I agree! I do aerobic type exercise only for the fun of it, like walking. I've had to slow down through this illness, but I seem to be recovering, another thread for that though;)
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I do spin bike for 30 mins 3 times/week, and then add in either rowing machine, treadmill, or elliptical for 15 more minutes. About 2.5 hours cardio a week and 4.5 hours muscle work.
 
QuickSilver said:
So long as you realize that muscle weighs more than fat.. so the scale shouldn't be your gauge in measuring goals.
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Oh, it certainly does weigh a lot more! A tape measure around the waist is normally the best guage. But all I have to do is go by how my clothes fit and which ones are too tight or baggy.
 
I do not believe fat weighs less than muscle, here's 5 lbs of fat, and 5 lbs of muscle. The only difference is the shape/size.

muslce_weigh_fat.jpg
 
Ameriscot said:
Oh, it certainly does weigh a lot more! A tape measure around the waist is normally the best guage. But all I have to do is go by how my clothes fit and which ones are too tight or baggy.
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The scale should not be your main guide to ongoing fat-loss because you don't know what is water, fat, muscle. I weigh first thing in the a.m. after my 7-8 or more hours of fasting through the night. You can come close to your actual weight then I imo. That scale will fluctuate, a lot. The tape measure is the best guide in my opinion, as well as clothing fitting better etc.
 
Ameriscot said:
No, targeting certain areas does not work. Unfortunately, you can't choose what area the fat comes off of (otherwise no women would have fat thighs!) If you're going to lose another 20 pounds surely your belly will shrink as well.
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This is something I believe as well. When I hear someone on a commercial talking about "targeting" or even "shaping" your body exactly how you want it, I just think they are lying, or false advertising. I was taught working on the largest muscles will burn/pull fat from all parts of the body. It takes time, there are short-cuts to losing weight but a lifestyle change is best for me I've found. I researched the type of weight I wanted to lose, and I decided against losing lean, muscle mass.
 
Debby said:
The flours in general act like that whether whole wheat or white flour. In the case of that book you mentioned, he also contends that over the decades the wheat plant itself that's used for our modern day flour has been changed by crossing with other varieties of grasses and our bodies react to it differently and not in a healthy way. It's been a while since I read the book but I think that's what he said. Then of course there's the fact that we eat so much of it (pasta, breads, baked goods) and so many processed foods have wheat in it.

And when the 'starch' is digested, it turns into sugars, which causes your body to produce insulin which then causes your cells to absorb glucose and if you aren't burning those calories then it gets saved up as fat. So if you eat too much of any kind of wheat product (or other flours or sugary foods or potato's) that's what is going on inside.

So keep to the whole wheat (because there are more benefits in that than the white) but if you're thinking of your weight and health, then cut way back or get ready to work 'your buns off'.

After reading that book I began limiting my intake of wheat and don't eat sandwiches or any kind of baked goods anymore and a very small portion of an organic corn pasta maybe once a week. The one grain that I do eat on a regular basis is rolled oats but only about 1/4 cup every morning.
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Good info Debby, agree on this from what has happened in my life. I do have treats, like cake, or pie, but only in moderation. I will have a piece of toast, or English muffin, usually one a day. I notice how much better I feel without all the carbs (I eat a lot of complex carbs though;) ) No more hunger pangs in between meals, or those "border line" hypo glycemic the doc said I had. No shakes, no headaches. I just know it's meal time, with normal hungries (is that a word) LOL! Water has changed my life as well, can't believe I went years drinking anything but water. Now I usually make 6 of the 8 a day, at least;) Progress, not perfection!!
 
Denise, you're doing better than me on the water score. I just can't remind myself enough to get in enough water. Maybe that poor memory is because the edges of my thinking parts are drying up and becoming non-functional or something. I've tried the big pitcher on the country, walking around with a water bottle (until I forget where I put it- but who cares because I don't remember I even had it!), making a pact that every time I did go to the restroom, I'm make sure to re-tank right that moment.....as a matter of fact, it's late at night right now, my lips feel kind of dry and papery and I know it's because I didn't drink enough water today, but I'm going to bed in a minute and I don't want ANY reason to get up in the middle of the night!

Share your secret. Maybe it's one I haven't tried yet.
 
Debby said:
Denise, you're doing better than me on the water score. I just can't remind myself enough to get in enough water. Maybe that poor memory is because the edges of my thinking parts are drying up and becoming non-functional or something. I've tried the big pitcher on the country, walking around with a water bottle (until I forget where I put it- but who cares because I don't remember I even had it!), making a pact that every time I did go to the restroom, I'm make sure to re-tank right that moment.....as a matter of fact, it's late at night right now, my lips feel kind of dry and papery and I know it's because I didn't drink enough water today, but I'm going to bed in a minute and I don't want ANY reason to get up in the middle of the night!

Share your secret. Maybe it's one I haven't tried yet.
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Hi Debby,

Well, the only way I can do it, is drink/guzzle 8 ounces at a time, just drink it down. I won't sip all day, hate it, LOL! I am buying bottled now, Dansani, it's just worth it to me because the water isn't "bad" here, it's just I like the bottled. I know how much I am drinking that way too;) I keep one with me, but again, I don't sip. I guess I chug it as if it's medicine I have to get down, LOL! I don't overdue it though, and oh yeah, I drink room temp only. I mean I don't gulp too much down at once, kind of another listen to your body thing;)

I just know I need it because I used to get a lot of headaches, and, realized that dehydration can disguise itself as hunger. So I got used to drinking 8 ounces or so when I felt hungry. It worked although somewhere around my meal times I was ready to eat as well;)

I'm not always on target Debby, I just do the best I can and try not to beat myself up if I miss a day of good intake on the water. I also chose to get up and pee in the night rather than be thirsty, but that's personal choice;) Don't blame you for not wanting to get out of a warm bed, run to the toity, run back, LOL!

See you tomorrow, Denise;)
 
nwlady said:
I do not believe fat weighs less than muscle, here's 5 lbs of fat, and 5 lbs of muscle. The only difference is the shape/size.

muslce_weigh_fat.jpg
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Look at the volume difference. There's a LOT more of the fat. Imagine the size of 140 pounds of fat vs 140 pounds of muscle. It's the size.
 
nwlady said:
This is something I believe as well. When I hear someone on a commercial talking about "targeting" or even "shaping" your body exactly how you want it, I just think they are lying, or false advertising. I was taught working on the largest muscles will burn/pull fat from all parts of the body. It takes time, there are short-cuts to losing weight but a lifestyle change is best for me I've found. I researched the type of weight I wanted to lose, and I decided against losing lean, muscle mass.
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I don't understand how people can still believe they can choose where the fat comes off. If you could we would all have thin thighs! A lady at my gym thinks if she does exercises for certain areas fast, the fat will come off that area! Argghh!

I have focused more and more on muscle work the last 3 years as there are so many benefits, aside from how it looks. I got the most serious about eating right and working out properly when I hit 59 as 60 was loomimg. I feel great!
 
Debby said:
Denise, you're doing better than me on the water score. I just can't remind myself enough to get in enough water. Maybe that poor memory is because the edges of my thinking parts are drying up and becoming non-functional or something. I've tried the big pitcher on the country, walking around with a water bottle (until I forget where I put it- but who cares because I don't remember I even had it!), making a pact that every time I did go to the restroom, I'm make sure to re-tank right that moment.....as a matter of fact, it's late at night right now, my lips feel kind of dry and papery and I know it's because I didn't drink enough water today, but I'm going to bed in a minute and I don't want ANY reason to get up in the middle of the night!

Share your secret. Maybe it's one I haven't tried yet.
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I have found that the more I made myself drink water, the more I craved it. I keep a glass of water next to my bed. I bring water with me when I go out for the day. And I keep a glass of water next to me at home while on the computer, reading, watching TV. I drink a ton when I work out.
 
Ameriscot said:
Look at the volume difference. There's a LOT more of the fat. Imagine the size of 140 pounds of fat vs 140 pounds of muscle. It's the size.
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Yes, it is, as I said, although it's also the shape/texture. It's like 5 lbs of cotton balls, and 5 lbs of meat. I really like how that muscle is shaped way better, LOL!!
 
Ameriscot said:
I don't understand how people can still believe they can choose where the fat comes off. If you could we would all have thin thighs! A lady at my gym thinks if she does exercises for certain areas fast, the fat will come off that area! Argghh!

I have focused more and more on muscle work the last 3 years as there are so many benefits, aside from how it looks. I got the most serious about eating right and working out properly when I hit 59 as 60 was loomimg. I feel great!
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That's great! It's fun too when you are into the "lifestyle". I think the weight-training is my fave too, and I realize a lot of folks either have mobility problems, or they don't have the willingness or the money to go to a gym. That's why I mentioned the body-weight thing. Although I was surprised at the muscle work you do climbing/hiking/walking uphill, and that IS my fave because I love being outdoors.
 
The same VOLUME of muscle will weigh more than the same VOLUME of fat.. Muscle weighs more than fat. If you replaced the fat on the scale with muscle that was as large, it would weight much more.
 
Yes, you are correct. It is the size/shape, and ill effects of fat that are the culprits.
 

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