Stubborn Stomach

[D3vildog]

So i have been at the loosing weight game for a few months now and seem to have hit a plateau... i lose around 70lbs when i went to USMC boot camp, after which i started to loose weight and see improvements... however im constantly having issues with dropping weight from the obliques and abs area. I have changed my diet several times.. currently im in the middle of revamping it again after 5-6 weeks of no improvements.

Basically my workouts are ABs/Sides every other day... I do leg lift crunches, and side bends

Pushups everyday and a variety of them including incline/decline

Cardio is rough for me as i try to stay away from running (allergic to pain killers and rolling my ankle again is something i don't find all that entertaining) I get in some swimming and jump rope.

Free weights include Bench workouts, curls, squats. i have a split where i alternate chest/arms/ abs one day

Legs/abs the next

Back and shoulders/ abs the next take a day off and go again.

Meals consist of a protein shake in the morning, with toast (no butter)

during school or work i eat either an apple or a small sandwhich
lunch is a snadwhich or something similiar

midday i eat a can of tuna (mixed with lemon juice and pepper)

Dinner is normally chicken and cottage cheese.

Something tells me that i need some help in my entire area, seeing as im relatively new to the serious workout game.. id like to try and get some improvements in..

Thanks!

[sreed11]

First of all congrats on the weight loss bro good job. Are you currently on any supps or have you ever been on any supps? the reason i ask is because high estrogen levels can cause a little fat storage in the obliques and abdominal area. I dont think this is the reason but i thought i'd ask just to make sure. What is your total macro count? pro/carbs/fat grams? and caloric intake? your meal plan seems decent because you're going for a lot of small meals.

I'm a little confused on your lifting split. you're working abs 6 times a week? you can work your abs more seeing as they recover fast but if you work any muscle 6 times a week it's gonna be a ***** to see improvement in that area. So maybe 6 times a week is a little overkill. Could you go into a little more detail for each workout?

[D3vildog]

Carbs i really try to only eat in the morning or with my sandwiches... Always Whole Wheat... For what i can afford

Currently i take Multivitamin in the morning with some fish oil...

Post workout i hit up 60 Gram protein shake 5G glutamine and 5G Creatine.. i try and get those twice a day

I was on Hydroxycut Hardcore for around two years.. things got bad and i was kinnnddaa addicted to it so i had to quite and id like to stay away from any fat burners..

Workouts are very random.. one thing i try to do is keep me from getting into a Rut so i change it up at least every two weeks.

Mostly free weights...

Curls/ bench for arms and chest

squats/calf raises/ lunges and cardio for my legs

back and shoulders i do tricep lifts and im close grip bench back i do lat pull downs...


I try what i can with dumbells and my bench/ bar


I don't have money for a gym so i am limited to free weights.

[striking]

First off welcome to AM!

It looks like you have a good start on your weight loss.
A few things I would like to throw out there for you to mull over.

1. Have you ever counted your kcals for say a week getting an average intake?
2. When you lift are you lifting heavy lower reps say 5-8?
3. Have you ever looked at your macro split of carbs/protein/fat during the day and week?

Some suggestions:
Don't like to run? Try hopping on a bike it can be an effective means to help someone in your position.

Those random work outs, Honestly your right you should change every so often *however* I would give it more then two weeks. When you start one program give it time and push it to its fullest. At some point you you will see less gains from it and that will be your note to switch it up.

A few thigns about fat loss:
Diet is key and has to be in check you seem to have got at least a grip on it once you go through it anwsering what I have asked maybe you will see your problem areas.

Got lean muscle mass? Lifting those heavy weights will only help you shed off that fat. More muscle mass more kcals burned more fat loss!

I would suggest finding out the amount of calories needed to keep you where you are right now based off your activity level (not including your workouts) Then after you have counted your kcals for say a week you will know if your number is > or = the number needed to keep you where your at fat loss is going to be very hard

Intake should < Output

In short:
Diet
Workouts
Gain mass
Cardio

Those abs are only goign to bloom when your B/F gets low enough!

Best of luck!

[D3vildog]

Yes i have counted my calories intake, but i like i said earlier i have started over so i don't want to look at those numbers...if i could even remember them. So i have started again for the week. Im looking at about 2000 calories a day. for maitenece.

Specs are 190lbs, 5'10". When i was in the Marines my BF% was 19% but i have lost more weight since then and it may be lower, i have no real way of telling

I use what i can when i lift. I dont have much for weights and cannot afford a gym. bills and car repairs come first. so when i lift the max weight i can get on a bar at one time is maybe 130-140lbs. Which is good for curls... or anything like that but my bench has suffered, along with my squats. Good thing about the Corps is that you learn numerous ways to kill the body.

its not that i don't like running... cause i do... its the being allergic to pain killers that gets me. Last time i rolled my ankle i was down for a week. I can work through shin splits thats no problem for me. so i try to Swim as much as i can

Diet wise like i said i m getting pretty strict about.. being in college and having 5 hour classes 8-1 monday through thursday.. and i work 12 hour shifts on the weekends plus another couple of 8 hour shifts during the week make standardizing kinda hard. But i stick to easy to make foods and such as tuna sandwiches or straight from the can for mid meal snacks. I try and keep a daily carb intake for the morning with a few pieces of unbuttered toast. (whole wheat) and then i have a 3 scoop protein shake that i got from ***...which i have learned may not be the best place lunch is normally a sandwhich with cottage cheese or maybe a salad. dinner is chicken or steak (**** i was a cook in the marines i know how to eat )

All in all im just looking to get some help and information on my diet, dropping weight and getting back into lifting like i was. which means i save up money for a gym membership i guess. (say goodbye to the new TB HDD and 512 8800 gtx graphics card)

[sreed11]

In all reality you dont wanna look up all these things but it's best that you do. Whether you do or not is obviously your call. But, i found that when i got really specific in counting calls and how many carbs, proteins, and fats i got in a day i started really reaching my goals. You usually wanna stick with a certain kind of workout for about 4-6 weeks.

So overall Striking's post covered everything pretty much

[Resolve]

First off welcome to AM!

It looks like you have a good start on your weight loss.
A few things I would like to throw out there for you to mull over.

1. Have you ever counted your kcals for say a week getting an average intake?
2. When you lift are you lifting heavy lower reps say 5-8?
3. Have you ever looked at your macro split of carbs/protein/fat during the day and week?

Some suggestions:
Don't like to run? Try hopping on a bike it can be an effective means to help someone in your position.

Those random work outs, Honestly your right you should change every so often *however* I would give it more then two weeks. When you start one program give it time and push it to its fullest. At some point you you will see less gains from it and that will be your note to switch it up.

A few thigns about fat loss:
Diet is key and has to be in check you seem to have got at least a grip on it once you go through it anwsering what I have asked maybe you will see your problem areas.

Got lean muscle mass? Lifting those heavy weights will only help you shed off that fat. More muscle mass more kcals burned more fat loss!

I would suggest finding out the amount of calories needed to keep you where you are right now based off your activity level (not including your workouts) Then after you have counted your kcals for say a week you will know if your number is > or = the number needed to keep you where your at fat loss is going to be very hard

Intake should < Output

In short:
Diet
Workouts
Gain mass
Cardio

Those abs are only goign to bloom when your B/F gets low enough!

Best of luck!

Wow. Good post! You said everything I was gonna add Nicely done Striking.

[Rugger]

Get exact on your diet. Exact amounts with exact calculations. Report total calories, fats, proteins, carbs and sugars and then we'll see where you're at.

PS- you don't need cardio to lose fat.

[luclyluciano]

PS- you don't need cardio to lose fat.

Is this true???? Then why do so many of us bother with Cardio to stay lean?

[Resolve]

Cuz it's easy. And it does help, but it isn't absolutely necessary.

[pinchharmonic]

seems like you are probalby < 100 grams of carbs a day, with no mention of a carb up. all your carbs are from toast in the morning and maybe during lunch on a sandiwch.

i'd consider it very low carb for someone of your size,a nd I have no idea how you are living through that diet on top of that hectic work schedule. you may be very catabolic and possibly in ketosis...

i'd check out some of the CKD threads and it may help.

[redemption79]

Maybe I missed something, and I apologize if I have...But from what I've read, you've lost 70 lbs, but you're having issues with that fat that is still stored in your abdomen. Correct? I didn't see anything that said your weight loss progress has stopped, so I'm assuming you're still losing weight, just not from where you want it. If you've stopped losing weight, it may be time to try something different, but otherwise, keep it up dude! That weight will eventually come off. My basic rule is first on, last off. By this I mean that the last extra weight you gained will be the easiest to lose, and the problematic areas such as the waistline will be the last few pounds you lose.
I personally store weight in the abdomen and even a little in the nipple area when I am anything but lean. My legs can be ripped, while I store fat in my upper body. That stuff is the last to come off, but it does eventually come off.

One other reccomendation I have - If you don't already, make sure you work on your back, your shoulders, lats, ect. Alot of people put tons of effort in their abs, but adding mass up top and improving your V-shape will net you aesthetic results much quicker than extensive ab work.

Good luck bro. Keep us updated.

[D3vildog]

Thanks Guys! haven't checked back on this since striking's post. But i have been working on it, and after some family and other personal issues i am on the right track. AM is easily the best site!