Ah ok, will take your advice on that. Sounds like my scales are accurate enough then. But I'll be happy once I notice my stomach flattening out. I know this isn't the sports arena, but would you recommend I do daily sit ups to reduce stomach fat?
Reducing fat intake
- Thread starter Merlin5
- Start date
Ah ok, will take your advice on that. Sounds like my scales are accurate enough then. But I'll be happy once I notice my stomach flattening out. I know this isn't the sports arena, but would you recommend I do daily sit ups to reduce stomach fat?
Exercise will reduce stomach fat HOWEVER you can't specify just stomach fat.
Your genetics decide how your body likes to store fat and it "inflates" your fat stores proportionally across your whole body.
To reduce belly fat you need to reduce your total fat level.
Ironically sit ups can make your belly look bigger because you are targeting your abdominal muscles so as they get stronger and bigger they'll make the fat stick out further
you'll be stronger there but it's not what you wanted.Smaller belly stick to weight loss maybe throw in cardio (see sport forum) for more weight loss, sit ups aren't cardio.
Exercise will reduce stomach fat HOWEVER you can't specify just stomach fat.
Your genetics decide how your body likes to store fat and it "inflates" your fat stores proportionally across your whole body.
To reduce belly fat you need to reduce your total fat level.
Ironically sit ups can make your belly look bigger because you are targeting your abdominal muscles so as they get stronger and bigger they'll make the fat stick out further
Smaller belly stick to weight loss maybe throw in cardio (see sport forum) for more weight loss, sit ups aren't cardio.
Ah interesting. I always thought crunches were a good way to target and reduce belly fat as well as strengthening abs.
But yeah, basically just continue as I am with the calorie diet. But I'll find out in the sports arena what exercise they'd recommend to go with the diet. Maybe running or brisk walking.
Sidewinder, regarding protein and aiming for 100g through the day, can you tell me if I should have altered the lunch I had? Here's what I had: a few slices of cucumber 4 cal, one tomato 12 cal, and here's the rest:
Altogether, my lunch was 564 calories. The drained tin of mackerel has the most protein, 20g protein. I know there's some protein in some of the other items, but would I have been better off having two tins of mackerel and cutting any of the other items out? The potatoes were just two pieces. I'm trying to be careful to keep calories down per meal so I have enough to 'spend' for a half decent dinner later and some fruit. Breakfast was one apple and a cup of tea, 86 cal.
Consigliere
Hey @Merlin5 
My fault, I should have specified as i am putting on muscle so the amount of protein needed varies person to person and their goal.
IMO 80-100g is a great target plus protein is harder for the body to break down = you feel more full.
The meal looks great - do what works for you though! As long as you hit your cal target, then all ok.
Check out Jeremy Either (spelling) on YouTube - specifically his diet videos. Very useful!
My fault, I should have specified as i am putting on muscle so the amount of protein needed varies person to person and their goal.
IMO 80-100g is a great target plus protein is harder for the body to break down = you feel more full.
The meal looks great - do what works for you though! As long as you hit your cal target, then all ok.
Check out Jeremy Either (spelling) on YouTube - specifically his diet videos. Very useful!
Hey @Merlin5
My fault, I should have specified as i am putting on muscle so the amount of protein needed varies person to person and their goal.
IMO 80-100g is a great target plus protein is harder for the body to break down = you feel more full.
The meal looks great - do what works for you though! As long as you hit your cal target, then all ok.
Check out Jeremy Either (spelling) on YouTube - specifically his diet videos. Very useful!
Thanks Sidewinder, I'll have a watch of that video. I didn't realise protein is harder to break down, so now I know why it's important to eat more of it to stop me feeling hungry all the time. Thanks for that bit of info.
Well I found out today that someone mildly active like me apparently needs to consume 0.36g protein per one pound body weight. I'm 182 pounds and that's 65.5g protein. I worked out I'd eaten just under 61g so I got close!
I went about 160 calories past my target to about 1730. But I installed three other highly rated calorie counting apps and they all varied between 1600 and 2100 to lose a pound a week. So I don't really know what the correct amount should be, but I suspect going to 1730 should still be ok to lose that much.
Last edited:
Caporegime
If you have access to a Waitrose (and they have it in stock), I highly recommend Livlife bread.
https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/livlife-seriously-seeded-sliced-bread/869667-288713-288714
One of the lowest carb commercial breads out there, and it isn't ludicrously expensive.
Whilst a slice might have twice the calories of a Ryvita, the macros are way better and will be more satiating than said Ryvita slice.
Protein and fibre keep you feeling full, and Ryvita is 25% when you add those 2, whereas Livlife is 39%.
https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/livlife-seriously-seeded-sliced-bread/869667-288713-288714
One of the lowest carb commercial breads out there, and it isn't ludicrously expensive.
Whilst a slice might have twice the calories of a Ryvita, the macros are way better and will be more satiating than said Ryvita slice.
Protein and fibre keep you feeling full, and Ryvita is 25% when you add those 2, whereas Livlife is 39%.
Thank you for that recommendation. I do have a Waitrose near me so shall go and pick a loaf up. Two slices seems to be about 17g protein and 8g fibre which is good. And about 167 calories which I guess is not too bad considering a lot of loaves have almost as much in one slice. Maybe I could have a LivLife sandwich two or three times a week.
Consigliere
Thanks Sidewinder, I'll have a watch of that video. I didn't realise protein is harder to break down, so now I know why it's important to eat more of it to stop me feeling hungry all the time. Thanks for that bit of info.
Well I found out today that someone mildly active like me apparently needs to consume 0.36g protein per one pound body weight. I'm 182 pounds and that's 65.5g protein. I worked out I'd eaten just under 61g so I got close!
I went about 160 calories past my target to about 1730. But I installed three other highly rated calorie counting apps and they all varied between 1600 and 2100 to lose a pound a week. So I don't really know what the correct amount should be, but I suspect going to 1730 should still be ok to lose that much.
No problem!
Just remember, these things take time and the body has to adjust. People are shocked when I say i don't eat from 8pm until 1pm the next day.
I do get hungry but know it is better to wait and can see the changes in my body.
I bought a loaf of Livlife and had a sandwich with 50% reduced fat mature cheddar and a couple of cherry tomatoes. Tasted pretty good! Could easily have eaten more as the slices are very small. And I had a stick of celery. But half an hour later I can feel the effect, it has somewhat taken the edge off my appetite.
No problem!
Just remember, these things take time and the body has to adjust. People are shocked when I say i don't eat from 8pm until 1pm the next day.
I do get hungry but know it is better to wait and can see the changes in my body.
The only time I'm prepared to not eat from that early in the evening to that late the next day is If I have to fast for a blood test. Otherwise, no thanks, it's hard enough not feeling hungry with what I'm currently eating on this diet, and as I go to bed late there'd be too many hours of climbing the walls wanting snacks.
Caporegime
I also IF, midday to 8pm is my window for food, before then is water or black coffee, and evenings water or tea, you soon adapt. Took about a week for my body to unlearn "food happens at 9am".
I must admit I've been getting up late recently and not eating anything till about midday. I had 109g of protein today and was within my calorie maximum. I must admit, all that protein really did help fill me up and take away cravings and the protein bread you recommended is great, it did help to make me less hungry.
The only time I'm prepared to not eat from that early in the evening to that late the next day is If I have to fast for a blood test. Otherwise, no thanks, it's hard enough not feeling hungry with what I'm currently eating on this diet, and as I go to bed late there'd be too many hours of climbing the walls wanting snacks.
I wouldn't worry about it, I wouldn't follow a fad like IF you wont keep it up forever, stick with a sustainable healthy mixed diet and you wont go far wrong.
I wouldn't say IF is a fad. There is a lot of benefits from fasting, I do it out of a habit I created about ten years ago. Yes - I don't stick it it strictly but I do most days. It definitely helps me maintain weight I believe. But I don't believe in following anything that close, IF/Macros etc. Life is too good to not be eating good bread, or fatty foods. I do roughly count my calories, but I'd never considering counting macros - but then it's been a long time since I had a six pack
Man of Honour
A lot of people will have an IF style eating patter without even realising to be fair.
I do at the weekends simply because I like to have a lie in and then get up and get bits done before I eat which can mean I'm not having "breakfast" until after midday.
I do at the weekends simply because I like to have a lie in and then get up and get bits done before I eat which can mean I'm not having "breakfast" until after midday.
Caporegime
I wouldn't say IF is a fad. There is a lot of benefits from fasting, I do it out of a habit I created about ten years ago. Yes - I don't stick it it strictly but I do most days. It definitely helps me maintain weight I believe. But I don't believe in following anything that close, IF/Macros etc. Life is too good to not be eating good bread, or fatty foods. I do roughly count my calories, but I'd never considering counting macros - but then it's been a long time since I had a six pack
Not only that, intermittent IF (fnar fnar) can still have benefits, it's not an all-or-nothing approach. That would be like saying there is no point eating 2-3 healthy meals a week, when in truth that is still better than just 7 days of junk.
The autophagy stuff is fascinating, and I hope we learn more about it soon.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-44005092
Man of Honour
I bought a loaf of Livlife and had a sandwich with 50% reduced fat mature cheddar and a couple of cherry tomatoes. Tasted pretty good! Could easily have eaten more as the slices are very small. And I had a stick of celery. But half an hour later I can feel the effect, it has somewhat taken the edge off my appetite.
The only time I'm prepared to not eat from that early in the evening to that late the next day is If I have to fast for a blood test. Otherwise, no thanks, it's hard enough not feeling hungry with what I'm currently eating on this diet, and as I go to bed late there'd be too many hours of climbing the walls wanting snacks.
Going to say it again, I reckon you're doing this backwards. Stop counting cals, start counting carbs and meal timings and the rest leads naturally. Calorie counting can come later once you get the broad strokes down, but doing so at first is a recipe for disaster IMO. The only reason I'd count cals at this stage is to make sure I'm actually getting enough calories while making the other changes.
You need to recognise that the daily hunger isn't something that has to happen. It's not caused by a lack of, or even a requirement for food, it's caused by a relatively simple mechanism that our modern diet completely wrecks. Google ghrelin and insulin and you'll start down that road. The decisions you're making now are somewhat reinforcing the problem. Reduced fat cheese? Get it in the bin my dude. You *want* the fat. If you like coffee, stick a tablespoon or two of double cream in that first morning badboy and you will kiss goodbye to morning hunger forever while reaping the benefits of IF. Yeah, it's 100-250kcals but so what? It's zero carb, so causes next to no hormonal response, which is what you want to be worrying about most IMO.
Well I thought the dieting I've been doing since last Thursday was a good thing?
The reduced fat cheese I bought has 5g more protein per 100g than regular cheese.
So if I stop the calorie counting and start counting carbs, how many carbs am I supposed to have a day? I don't have regular meal times as I'm not a routine person, I generally eat when I want to, or do you mean my lunch and dinner can be at different times each day as long as I'm fasting and I only eat between x and y hours of the day? What about the jogging I'm planning to do to try and burn off about 500 calories, how would I have enough energy to do that if I'm fasting and skipping meals?
It all sounds a bit complicated to me compared to what I'm currently doing plus I'm not keen on the idea of fasting. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding what you mean?
Last edited:
Doesn't matter what its called or how it's arranged.
The fundamental fact is to lose weight you need less calories going in than you're using and because this is somewhat uncomfortable you need willpower and organisation to see it through then sustain the weight you get to.
You can dress it up and specify certain foods or special times to eat but it has to follow the above or it's not going to get you weight loss.
Some find unconventional methods of eating less calories more suitable for their lifestyle.
Many hop from fad diet to fad diet hoping the next one will be easier and require less effort rather than sticking to the basics.
The fundamental fact is to lose weight you need less calories going in than you're using and because this is somewhat uncomfortable you need willpower and organisation to see it through then sustain the weight you get to.
You can dress it up and specify certain foods or special times to eat but it has to follow the above or it's not going to get you weight loss.
Some find unconventional methods of eating less calories more suitable for their lifestyle.
Many hop from fad diet to fad diet hoping the next one will be easier and require less effort rather than sticking to the basics.
Man of Honour
If you're sticking with it then keep doing what you're doing at least for a month or two to see how it goes. The most important thing when it comes to dieting/healthy eating is that it's sustainable.Well I thought the dieting I've been doing since last Thursday was a good thing?
So if I stop the calorie counting and start counting carbs, how many carbs am I supposed to have a day? I don't have regular meal times as I'm not a routine person, I generally eat when I want to, or do you mean my lunch and dinner can be at different times each day as long as I'm fasting and I only eat between x and y hours of the day? What about the jogging I'm planning to do to try and burn off about 500 calories, how would I have enough energy to do that if I'm fasting and skipping meals?
It all sounds a bit complicated to me compared to what I'm currently doing plus I'm not keen on the idea of fasting. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding what you mean?
Carbs are not the devil, rubbish carbs are.
I can eat 100g oats, 300g oven chips, 2 slices of toast plus some rice through the day and still lose fat. The most important thing though is that I enjoy all those things so it's not a chore thinking "Oh here comes another chicken and salad meal because I can't have carbs".
Eat what you want when you want but make sensible choices i.e. don't stuff yourself or go for cake/biscuits when you could fit a decent chunk of good carbs and proper food into those macros. Keep an eye on your calories for a while and you'll soon learn what a sensible portion of food is, stick plenty of salad/mixed veg in with each meal to really bulk it out for minimal calories.
Basically don't sweat it. Get your walks/jogs in each day, keep an eye on what you eat and you will see results.