Lose belly with weight lifting

DezUk

DezUk

DezUk

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I have been thinking I need to loose my beer gut lately and one cheap way I thought would be to start lifting weights. I am 6ft 3" and weigh about 14st mostly skinny build with a very noticeable beer gut these days. I have cut down my beer in take and dont eat as big portions but i need to get my heart rate pumping.

I recently went to Banatynes health suite to hear it would be £50 a month for full access which I didnt think was bad but I did think I could try and start myself first. Thinking just some dumb bells and lifting crunches in the arms.

Is this a good way to start?
 
A gym is going to have loads of equipment to use that will allow you to work your whole body, which is what you need if you are to loose weight and effectively change your body shape. It will probably motivate you more with everyone else working around you.

If you are serious I would just bite the bullet and sign up :)
 
dumbell curls are going to be largely a waste of time for you.
Ideally get to the gym and focus on a full body routine (not neglecting your legs *SQUAT*) lots of people will give you advice on a good routine I'm sure.

To be honest, some dumbells at home could give you a good workout, but it wouldn't be curls, dumbell swings, snatches, overhead squats, turkish get ups, presses. could pull you into some pretty decent shape.

Oh and weight loss is purely a function of calories in - calories out. make sure your diet is in good order.
 
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Admittedly 14st maybe a bit off probably morelike 16 :P

So where is the best deal on a set of dumbbells to get started on some of those exercises, would any dumbbell setup do or should i be looking at certain
 
14st at 6ft3"? its off way off im 100% sure.. i barely have a belly at 5.9 and 12.9st.. :/ just do some running.. you might even like it :)
 
First sort out the diet, then sort out an exercise routine.

Invoking more than one set of muscles at a time burns more calories. This is why when starting out a lot of advice is to do a full body routine based on compound exercises. Compounds use more than one set of muscles and also help strengthen the body overall rather than just one area. Most common compounds would be squats, bench press, deadlifts, shoulder press (military press), pullups, chinups, dips. Just concentrating on the first 4 with either a barbell or a set of dumbbells will give you a decent set of initial results if you work hard enough, often enough, eat right and sleep well.

Try to maximise effort for the first month as this is when you will see the biggest gains in the shortest amount of time. The body will then adapt and the changes will slow down. Keep at it though and they will not stop. If you do hit a wall, change the routine and your body will need to re-adapt.

Give us details of your diet and proposed routine and there are lots of good people here who will offer knowledgeable advice. At the end of the day, you get out what you put in and everyone is different so you may have different results to others using the same routines.

RB
 
grudas said:
14st at 6ft3"? its off way off im 100% sure.. i barely have a belly at 5.9 and 12.9st.. :/ just do some running.. you might even like it :)
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Nope, I'm 6'4" and 14s 6lbs and have a noticeable belly which is somewhat annoying. People describe me as slim yet I've got a 38" waist. I could do with losing a good few pounds to get my 'washboard' abs back lol.
 
Well my routine stinks to be honest, basically I get up get in my car and drive the 5 minute drive to work then sit at my desk all day. For lunch I usually have something from Greggs or head home and have toast n scrambled egg or soup or something similar. Then after work it's another quick drive home and for dinner me and the Mrs usually have a cooked meal with mince, steak, chicken or fish with potatoes/chips and a bit veg. I do enjoy pasta dishes as well.

Then in the eveneings it's more of the same just sitting about watching TV or on the laptop so all in all I do no exercise at all. I used to be very fit back when I was about 17/18 (now 27), so 10 years ago :( I played squash at a high level and football 3 times a week or more.

Tbh I am seriously considering Bannatyne's health suite as I was impresssed with the facilities and I think it would inspire me to go especially at weekends when my Mrs is working and I have nothing much to do. In the mean time I might buy some simple dumbbell weights and get started on some of the excercises mentioned above.

I will try and post some pictures of the situation tonight to give you a better idea of whats involved here :)

I appreciate the advice guys!
 
Walk to work, cut out the crap in your diet, join the gym and forget buying dumbbells.

Do a weights routine based on compound movements like deadlifts,squats,military press,bench press, squat until your sick do some cardio 2-3 times a week.

This along with a good diet and you'll shift that belly.
 
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burtieb1 said:
Walk to work, cut out the crap in your diet, join the gym and forget buying dumbbells.

Do a weights routine based on compound movements like deadlifts,squats,military press,bench press, squat until your sick do some cardio 2-3 times a week.

This along with a good diet and you'll shift that belly.
Click to expand...

Most here is sound. But if you've led a sedentary life and are overweight, you'll probably find good form on deads and squats is beyond you. Start with fixed resistance for some of the more complex compounds and make use of (read: knowledgeable) staff at the gym.

Ant :cool:
 
I find that benching over my stomach helps, but at the end of the negi, drop it onto your belly, compacting it down.

Should work wonders in a few weeks (I am not responsible for any truth in this statement or any injuries sustained)

Just cut out buying stuff at lunch and make stuff at home that is a lot more healthy. Walk a lot more if possible and try to cut out meaningless alcohol if possible (but not totally as this could be very difficult). Just start running for the hell of it but make sure you have some decent trainers.

Changes are hard to make suddenly and will possibly make you feel worse, so gradually start changing your diet and exercise and soon enough it will become routine.
 
Crikey, you tall folk dont weigh very much! I'm only 5'7" and i weigh 14st!!

:D

Like the rest say here. If you can drive to work in 5 minutes, then you can walk it in 15. Change your lunch from greggs (even the sandwiches, full of full fat mayo etc) to either a sandwich you have made yourself or boxed salas etc. Take along a snack box to nibble on when hungry, carrot sticks, celery etc

For the evening meal try cutting out the potatoes/chips and putting in something like sweet potato mash instead or have it with a salad.

Get your arse out of the chair on the weekends and go for a walk with the girlfriend. Pretty sure there will be some nice walks around you, even work it so that there is a 'treat' beer in the middle at a nice pub, then walk home.

If you do want a drink in the first few weeks of an evening try something like Vodka/Diet coke or Slim Tonic etc.

I wouldnt recommend joining a bannatynes etc just yet, you will be tied in for a good few months and may not get the full benefit at first. Have a look at your local council run sports centres, they will do things like circuit training, boxercise etc for about £3 a time, you could even drag your g/f down there too and do something like badminton which isnt usually that expensive. Far easier way to get into the exercise. They also have gyms that are kitted out to nearly as good a level as a private gym nowadays (at least mine are) and cost half as much.

(rambling a bit here as also watching a server 2003 build going on beside me!)
 
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