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My god, losing belly fat in your forties is hard! I've lost 6kg by eating two meals a day and regular exercise but the belly is holding on in there. I've read that this is normal but that doesn't make it anyless annoying. I'm just going to persevere and hope it goes eventually. Just to let you know, my diet is decent with plenty of frut, veg and lean meat, I've given up alcohol and try to get 8 hours sleep a night.
Anyone else in a similar boat with stubborn belly fat?
Yeah, belly fat is the last thing to go. I’ve got it down really low in the past but my wife says I look gaunt in the face. I can have veins showing in my arms and still carry a bit.
It's a combination of weaker abdominals and insulin tolerance, both connected with getting older, I think are the culprits.
Edit: I think that genetics probably plays a part too. I have a triathlon competing riding buddy, he is extraordinarily fit, and he carries a belly which he can't shift. I have another riding buddy who has lost much of fitness in recent years but he has as much fat as a celery stick.
There is veg and there is veg...
Root veg are stuffed full of carbs.
Do you cook from fresh or partake of processed meals?
Giving up wheat is a good idea, and sugar, and bananas.
Eat plenty of leafy greens and legumes.
(90kg , down to 77, in 6 months here)
Yes, except I'm in my 50s. More than a year now with graduated implementation of lifestyle changes. I can touch my toes without warming up and am BMI normal but still got too many waist inches. It's enough to drive a man to drink.
Edit:
insulin tolerance
Can you elaborate, I know I could google it but this is a discussion forum.
In a similar boat here but in my 50's.
We are slowly changing habits and hoping to move the dial. Had our first 800 calorie day yesterday. That felt fine but even though I ate breakfast this morning (muesli and greek yoghurt) I didn't have much oomph on the bike today.
Yeah, belly fat is the last thing to go. I’ve got it down really low in the past but my wife says I look gaunt in the face. I can have veins showing in my arms and still carry a bit.
Yep Mrs DoD said I look'd pretty rough when I'd reached my lowest bodyfat%, still had a teeny gutlet.
I just never could get the six-pack in my late 40's.
Probably needed liposuction and roids/speed tbh 🙁
Just losing weight seems to be getting more & more difficult now I've hit mid-forties, although I am making some progress.
4 lbs off since beginning of January. I've got another 11 lbs I want to shift. Mine seems to just be all over my upper body to be honest.
I've got no conditioning in my abs, which I think would help tighten up the dad paunch a bit.
I've been off the booze since start of January & am just trying to be better with what I'm eating & cutting out snacks.
A decent amount of Zwift riding, but that's about the only specific exercise - perhaps 5 hours/week.
I was well into my 60s before discovering that running would shift more of my belly fat than cycling ever did. Having said that, I was also pairing it with more bodyweight exercises and general "conditioning" so I wouldn't ascribe the loss all to one thing. FWIW I've not altered my diet either.
I was well into my 60s before discovering that running would shift more of my belly fat than cycling ever did.
+1 for running. Doesn't have to be far, and just 2 or 3 times a week. It's the only thing that's worked for me in shifting a decent amount of weight.
There is veg and there is veg…
Root veg are stuffed full of carbs.
Do you cook from fresh or partake of processed meals?
Giving up wheat is a good idea, and sugar, and bananas.
Eat plenty of leafy greens and legumes.
(90kg , down to 77, in 6 months here)
Impressive weight loss....
And only took a couple of weeks over Christmas to put half of it back on...
Now 79kg again...
liposuction would do it if you are that bothered about it.
It may get harder but it's still basically a combination of eating a bit less and exercising a bit more.
+1 for running, that really helps trim me down.
We cook most of our meals from scratch and I try to not snack. Plus I do a 2km run as part of my gym warmup which I know isn't much for running. I'm in the gym 2-3 days a week (on top of the cycling and walking).
I've gone from 80kg (at 180cm tall) to just above 74kg. I was 72kg when I was a sparky so think this is my ideal weight.
I've lost visible mass from all over my body and my clothes are looser. The belly has reduced is size but if anything looks worse now as it is predominantly just in the centre. I'll keep at it and hopefully will get there eventually.
Anyone else in a similar boat with stubborn belly fat?
How much of a daily calorie deficit are you running and how are you tracking it? I remember in my late 20's it took months of strict calorie deficit to shift my belly. I'm now approaching 40 and upping the exercise and trying to eat better isnt working so will shortly be back to a food diary and targeting a daily calorie deficit of 400 calories.
-1 for running.
Lifting heavy (and, of course, eating right) has me looking most ripped.
I was in 33m30s 10k shape this time last year and I look better now, having ****ed my hip and run twice since August.
I'm only 40 though.
liposuction would do it if you are that bothered about it.
TBH if you've lost a fair bit of weight probably want a tummy tuck as well.
IMHO I think there's a certain point where dieting and exercise and aesthetically pleasing don't work the way we wish 🙂
As others have alluded to... After a certain age losing weight really ages you. You can lose the belly but look about 10 years older in the face. Its your call.
Personally i like to enjoy my life (@52) so i don't mind carrying a little bit upfront. Plus i'm neither on tinder nor grinder so don't feel to need to be ripped in any way.
Wife and I are in our 50s and have lost a chunk of weight, particularly around the midriff, on the Mosley Keto 800* diet. *(I eat way more than 800 calories, especially if exercising.) Bit concerned at the amount of bacon, eggs, cheese, full fat yogurt and crème fresh we eat but it certainly works for weight loss. Don't know how high my cholesterol is though. For balance, we also eat plenty of green veggies and some berries and nuts.
The crux seems to be that carb heavy western diets create lots of insulin spikes, encouraging our bodies to store energy, much of which isn't burned off. Snacking and eating late don't help either. By cutting out most carbs; sugar, milk, bread, pasta, rice/ grains, potatoes, root veg and fruit, we can stop the spikes. Replacing carbs with healthier fats in fish, olive oil, avocado and cheese apparently trains our bodies to burn energy more efficiently. Everything is cooked from scratch, nothing processed. Another helpful practice is fasting from 19.00 to 13.00. This is surprisingly easy as fat and protein don't cause hunger pangs the way carbs do.
The detailed science behind Keto and fasting is beyond me but I'm genuinely impressed at how easy weight control is on this way of eating. My 6 pack is actually visible again.
downshep
Full MemberWife and I are in our 50s and have lost a chunk of weight, particularly around the midriff, on the Mosley Keto 800* diet. *(I eat way more than 800 calories, especially if exercising.) Bit concerned at the amount of bacon, eggs, cheese, full fat yogurt and crème fresh we eat but it certainly works for weight loss. Don’t know how high my cholesterol is though. For balance, we also eat plenty of green veggies and some berries and nuts.
The crux seems to be that carb heavy western diets create lots of insulin spikes, encouraging our bodies to store energy, much of which isn’t burned off. Snacking and eating late don’t help either. By cutting out most carbs; sugar, milk, bread, pasta, rice/ grains, potatoes, root veg and fruit, we can stop the spikes. Replacing carbs with healthier fats in fish, olive oil, avocado and cheese apparently trains our bodies to burn energy more efficiently. Everything is cooked from scratch, nothing processed. Another helpful practice is fasting from 19.00 to 13.00. This is surprisingly easy as fat and protein don’t cause hunger pangs the way carbs do.
The detailed science behind Keto and fasting is beyond me but I’m genuinely impressed at how easy weight control is on this way of eating. My 6 pack is actually visible again.
Keto worked amazingly for me, the weight fell off but I really take my hat off to anyone who can stick it long-term.
After 6 months or so, the thought of another plate of eggy meat, veggy fish or meaty beans was distinctly unappealing.
Plus it's a major pain in the manchebs for things like going out for a family meal or a beer. And basically forget buying anything pre-packaged as you can guarantee it's gonna have some carbs in it.
How much of a daily calorie deficit are you running and how are you tracking it?
Around 500 calories a day but if I exercise then I do not eat extra to accommodate, the deficit could be more like 1000 calories some days (use My fitness pal but not all the time).
If I exercise in the morning (normally at the weekend) then I do it fasted.
I've been doing intermittent fasting as part of my weight loss, it's been easy enough to follow.
I only eat lunch and dinner
For lunch I eat an omelette or chicken with spinach or onions and tomatos. Generally no bread or rice or pasta.
For dinner I eat what my wife or I have made, which is home cooked meals, these are essentially meat and three veg.
If I exercise in the morning (normally at the weekend) then I do it fasted.
I do not snack
I do not drink alcohol
I do not drink juice or fizzy pop.
I only drink water and tea with an occasional coffee.
Any hoos. I'll keep on going, if I hit 70kg and it's still there then I'll need to either just except it, or get some liposuction 😳
Plus it’s a major pain in the manchebs for things like going out for a family meal or a beer. And basically forget buying anything pre-packaged as you can guarantee it’s gonna have some carbs in it.
Indeed, ANY Italian, Chinese, Indian, Burger, Fish n Chips etc is full of carbs.
That is a remarkably clean diet. If you're doing that without cheating for any decent length of time you should look like a god.
That said, how are your testosterone levels? I'm wondering if that's an issue - running a calorie deficit definitely depletes test, compounded if you're doing much cardio exercise too.
You can make a qualitative assessment based on, er, how randy you are. There are various supplements worth trying you can try and use to increase test naturally e.g. fenugreek.
I'm in my 40's, I've got a BMI of 22, and a noticeable gut which really annoys me! Definitely would like to lose an inch or two off the waistline...
Late forties here.
Divorce and being back on the market made me knuckle down with regards to getting back in shape. I pretty much gave up booze and hammered the core exercises, got my six pack back and everything. Then bang, hernia... slowly the spare tyre crept back, a really annoying look when you're slender! Met my partner and have gradually worked off the belly again, but it has been hard work on the core (fixed after an op last spring). Diet is important, and I've tweaked that since being told I was pre-diabetic last autumn...
But it is effort, I'm lucky that I seem to enjoy doing the exercise, but even so cramming in core exercises with life in general has been a challenge!
I still want to lose a bit more around the waist, but I don't want to lose any more weight, I'm back to hovering around 80kg, BMI presently 21.4.
That is a remarkably clean diet. If you’re doing that without cheating for any decent length of time you should look like a god.
These are the rules and there is always an exception to the the rules. I was out for a family lunch on Sunday and had a full roast, a pint of lime and soda and a slice of carrot cake. There might also be the odd misdemeanor but in the vast majority I'm sticking to it pretty well.
If I exercise in the morning (normally at the weekend) then I do it fasted.
I’ve been doing intermittent fasting as part of my weight loss, it’s been easy enough to follow.
I think you are doing exactly what you should be doing to avoid insulin tolerance, which I believe is the primary cause of belly/visceral fat in later life. So in my non-expert opinion I reckon genetics might be playing a significant role in your case.
The article below doesn't go into the detailed mechanics of how exactly insulin causes belly/visceral fat to develop but it does point out its role, which you were asking earlier.
https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/01/29/7-ways-permanently-banish-belly-fat/
-1 for running.
Lifting heavy (and, of course, eating right) has me looking most ripped.
I was in 33m30s 10k shape this time last year and I look better now, having ****ed my hip and run twice since August.
Well, there's your problem. How much weight loss can you expect in less than 34 minutes? 😉
Sit ups do a lot to sort it. try 10 in the morning after you get up as a starting point. Or so a slim friend used to tell me, till the silly bugger drank himself to death, so wtf does he know 😆
But seriously sit ups are god for belly fat, its just a hard exercise to do especially if youre going to have to do a lot of them daily.
But seriously sit ups are god for belly fat,
ive always thought you cant specifically target fat loss, so not sure these are the answer. yes youll have a cracking 6-pack, but unfortunately itd still be hidden under your belly fat unless you lose more weight.
nearly 60 here and trying once more to lose my belly after a period of splurging following a shoulder op.
had success around 10 years ago, dropping from 14 stone to 11 and a quarter in 7 months by intermittent fasting. basically skipping breakfast, fasted weight training just before lunch, protein heavy lunch then a smallish tea.
it wasnt sustainable tho obviously but kept in decent shape by always having some sort of gym routine until my shoulder injury, so just trying to get down from 13 and a quarter stone to around 12 and a quarter ideally now.
i think as long as you keep at the weights to minimise muscle loss, and have a calorie deficit of some sort you should be successful.
EDIT:
In Arnie’s words “Abs are made in the kitchen” exercise alone won’t get you there.
true dat.
Thanks @ernielynch, that was a good read. My job is a Project Manager so has plenty of stress and sitting on my rear so I know it is not good for me health wise. Neither is the work trips away to site, as I end up eating out and I don't sleep well away from home. So some of the points in that article ring true.
Thanks Mugaboo. I think my problem lies here:
We are often told that we should snack between meals to avoid getting hungry. There are two
serious problems with this advice. Firstly, the more often people eat, the more they eat overall. And
secondly, if you are snacking all the time that means you constantly have lots of sugar circulating in
your blood. Constantly topping up your blood sugars is a bad idea.
I eat 3 or 4 pieces of fruit and handfuls of nuts between meals at work.
I have heard it suggested that fruit should be eaten with a main meal and not on an empty stomach to slow down the absorption of fructose, fructose being the main contributor to belly fat.
Unfortunately fresh fruit is my greatest dietary weakness and I can easily eat 12 pieces of fruit on a bad day. Presumably it is the fructose which keeps me going back for more.
Skipping a meal a day seems to help me. If I don't ride/run/walk on a given day, I don't eat lunch.
Unfortunately fresh fruit is my greatest dietary weakness and I can easily eat 12 pieces of fruit on a bad day. Presumably it is the fructose which keeps me going back for more.
If I'm going to snack on fruit I normally have some cheese and/or milk as well. Mostly because I love fruit and cheese together but I wonder if it also helps alleviate the need to come back for more.
I eat 3 or 4 pieces of fruit and handfuls of nuts between meals at work.
Without sounding a bit factious, why are you eating all that? I'm not trying to have a go, but presumably you're not on the brink of starvation? Why are you eating all that food when you probably don't really need to?
Anyway belly fat can come as either subcutaneous fat - mostly harmless, mostly cosmetic, and visceral fat - surrounding your organs, and can lead to some unpleasant outcomes; high blood pressure, fat in your bloodstream, sleep apnoea, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and increased risk of death from all causes.
Anyway, eat less, drink less alcohol, prey that you have the right genetics. do some exercise, get some proper sleep. Get your mind set for it taking a loooong time to sort.
We are often told that we should snack between meals to avoid getting hungry.
Or, alternatively, don't, and just be a bit hungry. If you're not hungry by the time you eat a meal, why are you eating it?
Anyhoo, I've gained about half a stone since we had the dog put down in October (RIP René, you useless but lovely hair shedding ****), and I reckon that's mainly dueto the fact that I'm now one hour's walk a day down, exercise-wise (and I suppose a fasted one too, as I generally took him first thing in the morning, so it was a couple of hours between getting up and eating breakfast).
You can’t spot lose weight it’s an all over body thing and as previously stated belly fat is the last to go.
Im now 53, coming up for a year since I quit drinking for health reasons (physical and mental). Have been eating a low carb, low sugar diet. Intermittently fast most days. 16-20 hours usually.
I’m lucky enough to have a job where I walk about 10k steps a day and I do some resistance training at home. Kettlebells, chin up bar and doing the plank. I’ve lost 3 stone and am now maintaining my weight at about 11 stone 4lbs, I’m 6 foot tall. I have a six pack emerging from the depths of my core but guess what? I still have a little bit of fat on my gut. Hopefully if I continue to live the way I do it’ll go eventually. There are theories about autophagy which sound interesting. I’ll just keep at it.
I was always told that it was:
"Abs are made in the gym, but revealed in the kitchen."
I am planning to go on a diet at the end of March.
Cut out all of the snacks, increase my cardio and protein intake and try to maintain the same level of intensity whilst strength training to give my muscles a reason to hang around.
I can normally do this for about 10 weeks and lose a stone and a half, but it does become hard work after that length of time.
I've lost a lot (for me) over the past year.
16 hour fast - 830pm to 1230pm. Include exercise at the end of the fast period. If you're new to that, don't be afraid of lacking energy.
Cut down on simple carbs - replace pasta, rice etc with legumes and lots of veg. I used to have a pile of sandwiches for lunch, now I eat a pile of kale, mushrooms and eggs with a spicy sauce of some kind.
Fasting will inherently cut out snacking but just avoid eating rubbish (i.e. UPF).
I eat a pile of kale,
Kale is inedible though, there's no compelling reason why it should be part of anyone's diet. I swear farmers grow it as a piss-take
I'm of Asian ethnic origin, so belly fat past your 40s is pretty much a given. Mine's not too bad, but not helped by my penchant for beer. And nice food. I do exercise regularly, do lots of swimming and walking, but the truth is that as my metabolism has slowed, so I don't burn fat like I did in my youth (when I could eat pretty much anything and not gain any weight). So a good bit of it is down to genetics. All the men in my family sprout a belly once past 40, some even earlier, regardless of how active they are. But it does require increasing amounts of effort as you get older, to keep in check. Ride your bikes more!
"Kale is inedible though, there’s no compelling reason why it should be part of anyone’s diet. I swear farmers grow it as a piss-take"
Kale is delicious!
And stuffed full of fibre...
Just start doing heavy deadlifts and squats.
Then it's not unsightly gut fat, it's a power belly!
Kale is delicious!
No, it is not. Kale is a punishment beating in vegetable form.
Grow lots of kale in the garden, it makes a fantastic pesto (might be the most middle class thing i've ever said after offering to smoosh, not smash, daughters avocado!)
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/kale-pesto
I so wish I had properly documented my ~20Kg weight loss to ~73Kg from June '16 to August '17 in my mid forties.
Now back up to ~93Kg, not helped by being unable to exercise anywhere near as hard or as often over the last ~16 months, as well as the medication I've been taking for the last year.
Kale is excellent in minestrone.
Kale is great in fish curries.
Kale is great in fish curries.
And in veggie curries
Kale is great just sat in a field where it grows. Who on earth was eating cabbage and thought - 'you know what, we really need to eat something tougher and less tasty than this!'.
Kale sauteed in a bit of butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar is very tasty. My wife and kids like it baked and crispy with almonds and sesame seeds which aint bad.
Kale was apparently very popular in Scotland in the past as it's so hardy and nutritios.
Kale is full of anti nutrients, lectins and oxalates. Humans can’t digest fibre so it basically passes straight through doing not much good in the process.
Have some eggs instead.
uh huh, but then the Scots pretend to enjoy porridge, so I'll not be taking culinary advice from them.
Kale sauteed in a bit of butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar is very tasty.
Cabbage is very tasty sauteed in just butter.
The rest of the what you're doing is hiding how shit Kale is! 🙂
Eat lots of celery and/or ice cubes.
Both of them have a negative calorific value.
Kale, garlic, butter, salt and a spash of white wine is a staple of our roast dinners!
Cooking kale in a way that disguises its flavour is perhaps not as compelling a reason to eat it as you think it is.
So, agreed then? The best way to get rid of belly fat is have a discussion about whether Kale is in fact just animal fodder, all the while you're doing that, you're not eating!
job jobbed...
Kale, cabbage (maybe except Savoy 😬), cavalo Nero, greens - they're all great.
maybe except Savoy
What? Savoy is splendid.
Interesting thread to read while half-listening to a work webinar.
But seriously sit ups are god for belly fat, its just a hard exercise to do especially if youre going to have to do a lot of them daily.
I used to do 20 every morning, in addition to running twice a week, and had a decent enough 6-pack - but as someone else said, it was hidden under an inch or so of flab. Form is vital though: I stopped when I slipped a disc, which I think was contributed to by my (poor) situps.
Pilates can be a good one for tone; and as others have said, running is surprisingly good at shifting belly inches, especially if it involves more than just flat pavement.
Kale is full of anti nutrients, lectins and oxalates.
So are many other foods which is why they need preparation - aka cooking. The anti nutrient thing from what I have read causes issues when fed to lab rats in large quantities. In human beings, in normal quantities, it seems no great problem has been found other than some with particular medical issues, e.g. thyroid malfunction.
The kale is fairly indigestible with all that fibre so it helps cos it flushes the system pretty well
Why are you eating all that food when you probably don’t really need to?
Because I'm hungry. Not out of boredom, as a distraction or just happen to be passing the fridge, I am aware of the difference.
I read somewhere, probably in a recemt New Scientist, that low bmi does not correlate with longevity in older peeps. It was surmised that oldies need some energy reserves to cope better with the shit that happens to them through illness and accident, which can result in periods of low food uptake.
Ozempic is good apparently, though it's not very targeted and apparently you'll lose subcutaneous fat where you might not want to, eg. Cheeks, ocular and other facial areas - making you look haggard pretty quickly, leading to additional expense of aesthetic fillers to replump those areas
that low bmi does not correlate with longevity in older peeps.
Scientists are beginning to see that the new weight loss drugs (Wegovy and the like) that are being prescribed in startling numbers to older folks in the USA (it is going to go bananas when its available through Medicaid) are causing some older folk who're not doing weight or resistance work, to loose both fat and muscle. There may be some evidence of reduced bone density. In those cases; while the disease issues related to obesity are reducing, they are facing different health issues caused by frailty.
Sometimes it giveth...
Grow lots of kale in the garden, it makes a fantastic pesto (might be the most middle class thing i’ve ever said after offering to smoosh, not smash, daughters avocado!)
I had way too much parsley once and made a parsley and walnut pesto.
Tasted great but there was more trumping than a brass band.
Anyway, I'm not so sure the belly fat is stubborn as much as it is inevitable for those of us in sedentary occupations - unless you've following a regime like Lambchop's above.
Everyone really is different, I don't think you'll find a single solution for the masses.
The majority here seem to agree on an 'eat less, move more'=calorie deficit (abs are made in the kitchen) solution.
I had belly fat through most of my 40's (I still have a little, but I've got clearly visible abs now). My results came by cutting out booze (over a year ago for mental health reasons).
Once I cut out alcohol I lost 2 inches off my waist in about 4 months (putting me back to a 34" waist which is what I was in my 20's and 30's), with no other changes in my life.
FYI I'm late 40's, 6'3" and weigh 85kg but want to get that to 90kg, I cycle and row for cardio, and lift weights for stress relief.
I walk my dogs an hour or 2 most days and I always aim to consume more calories than I need as I have a hard time maintaining weight, that's why I think it was only the alcohol that caused the spare tyre.
I logged my food until I became good at knowing when I've got through 3K calories each day, so I can relate to grazing on nuts and fruit in-between meals.
My 2 brothers seem to have the same metabolism, however my older brother does loads of cardio and is leaner than me, and my younger brother doesn't exercise and has a desk job and a fantastic beer gut! So genetics only get you so far!
I'd stick with what you're doing, it should work!
People mentioned being pushed for time, and one of the best exercises for upperbody and core I've found, which is extremely time efficient, is the macebell.
https://youtube.com/shorts/IP-M_PVFFn0?si=XtZtDBVrq8J9DujD
I just do 360s with it, but it is surprising how much your core is involved, especially as you bring your feet together.
[I had a physical therapist looking at a knee problem I was having. He mentoned that he had shoulder problems from his manipulation work, so I showed im the macebell, and he was so impressed that he bought one and then he told me his shoulder problems had been fixed, and he has now recommended it to 3 of his other clients, who then bought one as well.]
And I spend a fair bit of time walking the dog, so I've just tried rucking - starting with 8Kg in my rucksack. It certainly upped my work rate going up hill (did 15 mile and 2800 ft ascent) and I enjoyed it so much I've just bought a proper ruckiing rucksack and some weight plates to do it more often to make the most use of my dog walking time.
Fundamentally I think I am someone that needs to run (although I don't enjoy it) and am waiting until I drop another stone before I start again to keep the stress off my 60 year old knees. There is something different about running vs cycling, and particularly for helping beat off depression (although it hasn't worked for the guy across the road).