big fat (not weight) loss question

C

cr06

New Member
hi everyone,

im new here and am hoping someone could help me with some questions.

basically my problem is with the actual fat on my body, not so much the pounds. Im 124 lbs right now and i definitely wouldnt mind losing 5-10 pounds but im ok being at this weight, not so much with the way i look. It seems like i should have a lot less body fat for the amount of exercise im doing. Although i think i have too much all over its the most upsetting to me on my stomach and i would really, really appreciate if anyone had any tips on what im doing wrong.

I workout 5 or 6 times a week. I do 35 mins of cardio on the cross trainer elliptical. I do intervals for two mins on levels of 18 and 20 and i burn between 420-460 calories. Then i switch off every other day between abs/arms and legs/butt for workouts.

My ab workout consists of 1:30 plank, 75 bicycle crunches, 15 leg lifts, 15 circle leg lifts, 100 half crunches with legs in frog position, 25 hip lifts, 30 double crunches, 20 full crunches, then 1:00 of flutter crunches.

To me, this seems like alot but i really dont have abs. I really only have slight indents, and ive been doing this routine for about 8 months. I can feel that theyre strong underneath , but i can also feel a layer of fat over them.

So basically, my questions is what can i do to remove some of my body fat? is it just mostly diet? i eat pretty well but ive never put myself on a truly strict lean protein/ only whole grain carbs type of diet . Do i need to do 45 mins or an hour of cardio? Am i not doing enough ab work, is it not challenging me enough? Should i be doing more, or doing them every day? Should i be running instead of on the elliptical? (i burn fewer calories running) Or should i just change my routine all together?

I feel like this should be attainable for me since im willing to put in the work. at least in terms of losing the fat on my stomach, i have a pretty typical hourglass shape, so i really dont carry weight in my stomach area. Its just extremely frustrating because i feel like i should be farther along than this.

Im sorry for the super long post, but if anyone has any routines or tips or suggestions at all i would really like to hear them.

thank you, i appreciate it!!! :D
 
You posted your weight, but not your height. Without your height, it's difficult to understand the reference point.
As as as diet, I'm sure other cathletes can give more specifics, but much of what I've read suggests limiting carbs, and using the carbs you do eat to fuel your workouts. carbs attach to water in your body, and many articles say to restrict your carbs to see ab definition.
So lots of lean protein and low carb veggies. especially dinner.
Ex:Grilled chicken salad and roasted green beans and peppers. a bit of olive oil and seasoning adds flavor to the veggies, and helps fill you up.
Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and your choice of lean protein is another cheap and easy example.
 
cr06 said:
hi everyone,

im new here and am hoping someone could help me with some questions.

basically my problem is with the actual fat on my body, not so much the pounds. Im 124 lbs right now and i definitely wouldnt mind losing 5-10 pounds but im ok being at this weight, not so much with the way i look. It seems like i should have a lot less body fat for the amount of exercise im doing. Although i think i have too much all over its the most upsetting to me on my stomach and i would really, really appreciate if anyone had any tips on what im doing wrong.

I workout 5 or 6 times a week. I do 35 mins of cardio on the cross trainer elliptical. I do intervals for two mins on levels of 18 and 20 and i burn between 420-460 calories. Then i switch off every other day between abs/arms and legs/butt for workouts.

My ab workout consists of 1:30 plank, 75 bicycle crunches, 15 leg lifts, 15 circle leg lifts, 100 half crunches with legs in frog position, 25 hip lifts, 30 double crunches, 20 full crunches, then 1:00 of flutter crunches.

To me, this seems like alot but i really dont have abs. I really only have slight indents, and ive been doing this routine for about 8 months. I can feel that theyre strong underneath , but i can also feel a layer of fat over them.

So basically, my questions is what can i do to remove some of my body fat? is it just mostly diet? i eat pretty well but ive never put myself on a truly strict lean protein/ only whole grain carbs type of diet . Do i need to do 45 mins or an hour of cardio? Am i not doing enough ab work, is it not challenging me enough? Should i be doing more, or doing them every day? Should i be running instead of on the elliptical? (i burn fewer calories running) Or should i just change my routine all together?

I feel like this should be attainable for me since im willing to put in the work. at least in terms of losing the fat on my stomach, i have a pretty typical hourglass shape, so i really dont carry weight in my stomach area. Its just extremely frustrating because i feel like i should be farther along than this.

Im sorry for the super long post, but if anyone has any routines or tips or suggestions at all i would really like to hear them.

thank you, i appreciate it!!! :D
Click to expand...

I bet you look pretty good, toned and better than the majority of sedentary Americans. Is it bothering you that you do not look as the fitness models in the magazines? You are aware that these are professionals who work out for HOURS each day, have a very STRICT diet, often have had surgical help, and are photoshopped.

Diet and genetics play a huge part on how much muscle definition you will show. If you want professional results, eating a 'pretty good diet' is not going to cut it. You will have to cut out ALL the junk, alcohol, etc., find the perfect calorie balance, and add at least another hour of high intensity exercise each day. Ask yourself if those sacrifices would be worth your best body because it would take determination and decipline to get to the goal. Additonally, realize that physical achievements are temporary and your body will soften up again once it is used to your new routine and you are ageing. You constantly would have to tweak and adjust your diet/workout plan.

Having a strong and healthy body is more important than having a picture perfect physique. Life should be satisfying and in balance.
 
Hi - you mentioned that you are working arms, legs and butt in addition to abs and cardio, but you didn't give any detail. Are you doing any weight training? I find this is critical for me to get my body fat down. You should cover legs, butt, chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps. You should try to hit each body part twice a week.

Diet is critical too, as Katerchen and mom418 point out. The more squeaky clean it is, the better your results. I don't know your age, but I am over 50 and I find that my body isn't very forgiving anymore - if I eat really clean (no processed carbs, less than 150 grams of "good" carbs, lots of veg and lean protein, and some fruit) I look and feel pretty good. If I hit the wine, desserts and processed foods, it shows immediately. The older you are, the more true this is.

Stebby
 
I would second that. I bet she looks awesome, and I have trouble understanding how anyone in the 120's could be 'fat' in any definition other than having an eating disorder or someone that is training for competitions where body fat % is in the single digits. I haven't been under 130 since sometime in junior high, and I'm average height, (and healthy) but I have more muscle than average, and I'm just not built to be so lean. However, I know for some petite women even 110 lbs is a healthy weight, so I try not to judge negatively. I'm trying harder to empathize with people on that side of the spectrum, so called 'skinny' people do have real issues with getting in shape, building muscle, or even gaining weight. I hope the OP isn't setting unrealistic expectations for herself, based on magazines or other fake role-models. Just make sure your goals are for you, and your health, not someone else. I also suggest using a tracker to record your typical foods for a week or 2, to see where you need to improve nutritionally/carbs/protein/fat wise.

I would also agree that you need more intense cardio. unless i missed something, elliptical alone doesn't sound very challenging. Also, switching up your routine is crucial, I hope you haven't done the exact same routine for months. You need to switch it up every 1-4 weeks depending on the exercise. If you have any cathe workouts following a rotation she has designed works great to balance your workouts while challenging your body. If you aren't interested in using her workouts, you could still look over several of her rotations emphasizing the abs as a template for your own rotation.
 
I'm going to suggest heavy lifting with minimal cardio for muscle gain. Shift your focus to muscle building. The more muscle you gain, the more willing your body will let go of fat.
Ditch the scale, and use a tape measure. A scale is really not a great way to measure success. You can lose inches without losing one pound on the scale. Focus on what you see...mold your body with weight training and a healthy diet.

If you want to follow Cathe, I would recommend STS.

If you can't purchase STS, here is a free program designed by Jamie Eason.
Bodybuilding.com - Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer - Bodybuilding.com

I'm a member of Jamie Eason's 12 week trainer on facebook and it's a great place to be for diet support.

Natalie Hodson's (Live Fit trainer) blog-
Clean Eating Works!
 
124lbs is not big. I'm 125 at 5'2" and look pretty lean. Not sure how tall you are.

I can tell you, though, that you can only shrink fat. You can't remove it without surgery.
I can also tell you that sometimes, no matter what you do, you can't get muscle tone without "help".
I struggled with my arms for years. No amount of diet, no type of lifting, etc... nothing mattered.
I had liposuction done a year ago on my upper arms, and now I'm finally getting a hint of definition. There was just no way to see it through where the fat was located on my arms.

Obviously that's an extreme...I also had a full tummy tuck to repair damage from 2 pregnancies.

My point is, unless you're willing to go under the "tube", if you will....there is nothing else you can do other than eating clean and working out.
 
fit44 said:
I'm going to suggest heavy lifting with minimal cardio for muscle gain. Shift your focus to muscle building. The more muscle you gain, the more willing your body will let go of fat.
Ditch the scale, and use a tape measure. A scale is really not a great way to measure success. You can lose inches without losing one pound on the scale. Focus on what you see...mold your body with weight training and a healthy diet.
Click to expand...

I'm not a fitness trainer or a nutritionist, but I can tell you from my own experiences that what Fit44 is saying accurate. It was not until I started doing more heavy weight training that my body started to change. I'm in a much smaller size now than in my early 20's when I weighed far less and rarely lifted weights. Strength training is awesome :cool:.

I also agree about the scale. They don't tell the whole truth about your body composition. Great advice given here :)

Good luck :)

Natasha
 
Boy do I hear ya! I'm petite 5ft tall and weigh about 105 with some pretty good muscle tone. I know I look healthy but there are times when I question myself. Speciall when I look at the celebrities who are so thin for example (kelly Ripa) She's super skinny and but has proven over and over that she is fit and strong. I work my butt off and I have never, ever, been that skinny!! I'm guessing there diets have to be super clean. For the most part I love the way I look and feel but there are days when I wish I was super skinny so nothing would hang out on the waist and lower tummy. What are your thoughts on Kelly Ripa...as far as being fit and healthy?
 
I found that calorie cycling and longer cardio sessions to be more effective than a hyper clean diet. I did clean and counted everything for six months, I didn't lose a pound. But, when I allow myself an extra 600 to 800 calories two days a week, I noticed more of a weight loss. The fat on your tummy is only about diet and cardio. The ab workouts help with strength and spinal alignment, it prevents injury. They will show when the fat on top is burned off. Extra protein did not help me, but extra healthy fats (coconut oil and olive oil) did help. Extra veggies do help.
 
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