Please help! Midsection Issues.

W

weightloss98

New member
Hi Guys,

Right where do I start. I'm 27, 5 foot 9 inches and 12 stone (76 kg). I live a very active life, I exercise 4 - 5 times a week (cardio mainly but in the last 6 weeks started resistence training again).

I've been up and down in weight since I was 20. Up as high as 13 stone 8 pounds (86kg) and down as low as 11 stone 9 pounds. Its important to note that I've spent most of the last seven years at just under 13 stone so being this weight I know I've kinda got my weight under control.

I've stayed around 12 stone for most of this year with constant training and dieting.

This is my issue, my whole body is lean apart from my midsection (stomach and lower back). It's not like I'm carrying a little fat either its alot (sticks out a fair deal). Nothing I do affects it at all it seams.

My diet is as follows:-

Mon - Fri I eat virtually the same thing.

Breakfast - Oats (with water)
10:30 - snak bar (special K, Nutragrain etc)
12;30 - Brown rice / cous cous with chicken / prawns - peppers - onion etc
3:30 - snack bar
evening - time varys due to work training etc same as lunch.

Weekends I'll be honest I drink and for one day I'll eat what I want!

I mean I've got to have a life to you know.

I used to eat lots of bread, pasta, white rice this has been cut out from the start of the year.

Now don't get me wrong I'm down to 12 stone and maintaining it but my stomach is still the same. Arghhh

Any advice?

Thanks for reading this LONG post lol.
 
weightloss98 said:
Hi Guys,

Right where do I start. I'm 27, 5 foot 9 inches and 12 stone (76 kg). I live a very active life, I exercise 4 - 5 times a week (cardio mainly but in the last 6 weeks started resistence training again).

I've been up and down in weight since I was 20. Up as high as 13 stone 8 pounds (86kg) and down as low as 11 stone 9 pounds. Its important to note that I've spent most of the last seven years at just under 13 stone so being this weight I know I've kinda got my weight under control.

I've stayed around 12 stone for most of this year with constant training and dieting.

This is my issue, my whole body is lean apart from my midsection (stomach and lower back). It's not like I'm carrying a little fat either its alot (sticks out a fair deal). Nothing I do affects it at all it seams.

My diet is as follows:-

Mon - Fri I eat virtually the same thing.

Breakfast - Oats (with water)
10:30 - snak bar (special K, Nutragrain etc)
12;30 - Brown rice / cous cous with chicken / prawns - peppers - onion etc
3:30 - snack bar
evening - time varys due to work training etc same as lunch.

Weekends I'll be honest I drink and for one day I'll eat what I want!

I mean I've got to have a life to you know.

I used to eat lots of bread, pasta, white rice this has been cut out from the start of the year.

Now don't get me wrong I'm down to 12 stone and maintaining it but my stomach is still the same. Arghhh

Any advice?

Thanks for reading this LONG post lol.
Click to expand...


Welcome to the forum!

The types of food you are listing seem to be in line with your goals. My only question is are you sticking with realistic portion sizes?

I just googled the 12 stone conversion, and that puts you at 168lb. That is pretty lean. 9/10 times the answer to seeing abs is to KEEP lowering body fat. Unless you have an unnaturally high BF%, I have no answers for ya. Perhaps consult a dietician.


EDIT: Do you know what your current BF% is?
 
Andy said:
Welcome to the forum!

The types of food you are listing seem to be in line with your goals. My only question is are you sticking with realistic portion sizes?

I just googled the 12 stone conversion, and that puts you at 168lb. That is pretty lean. 9/10 times the answer to seeing abs is to KEEP lowering body fat. Unless you have an unnaturally high BF%, I have no answers for ya. Perhaps consult a dietician.


EDIT: Do you know what your current BF% is?
Click to expand...

Hi Andy, thanks for the quick reply. Yeah I feel my portion sizes are on point. When you say seeing abs . . .I'm no where near that lol. I've got lots of fat to grab. Thats why Im stuck because even if I had quite alot of fat and it was flatter I wouldn't mind but it got quite a round belly I'm afraid lol.

Also no I don't know my current body fat. I'll find out shortly tho.

Thanks anyways!
 
Looks like your not getting enough protein: you need 1.5 to 2 grams per kilo of your body weight. An example, 1 chicken breast weighing around 200grams will have around 40-50g of protein, you need about 3 or 4 times that amount- but be careful to stay within your calorie allowance.

Could be cortisol? Are you stressed or anxious alot? Cortisol is a stress related hormone and too much of it can result in our bodies laying fat around our middles. De-stressing is the best advice but how you do that is really your call. Yoga, meditation, relaxation, holidays, chatting with mates ....depends whats available to you and what you prefer doing. But also note that foods high in sugar: eg cereal bars, alcohol, sugary drinks....etc can give you a blood sugar rush and then drop- this can also promote high cortisol levels. Eat complex carbs and stick to low sugar foods.

Also drinking enough every day. Its hard to see if you hyave fat or bloating or both around your middle without actually being there with you, but if there is any bloating then drinking enough water can really help this.

Have you lose weight suddenly? it could be that your body just needs that bit longer to adjust to it.
 
Is it possible that your weekend drinks and day off are negating your hard work? Maybe your doing so well thru the week that your going overboard on weekends?

You didn't list your off day calorie consumption, but sometimes those things, especially drinks, could add up quick. Just a thought.
 
Alcoholic beverages are high in calories, and you say one day you eat whatever you want. Have you counted how much you intake on those days? You could be overindulging and negating all the calorie deficiency you accumulated throughout the week.

I'm not an expert, but I constantly see the "beer" belly on people who drink beer and alcohol regularly. I'm not saying don't have a life, but just because you're good throughout the week doesn't mean that one day of eating whatever doesn't count. It does count.
 
Hi Guys,
Thanks for the advice.
1, I don’t drink anything but water.
2, I don’t touch a bit of alcohol on weekdays.
3, I’m not stressed at all.
4, I drink plenty of water.
So with the above in mind It must be my over indulging on weekends. . . I’m thinking of seeing a dietician. For £55 per hour it better be worth it! (I’ll only be doing 1 hour ha)

Ps, It’s a shame I can’t do pics to show what I mean, not sure If I want pics on the net anyways lol.
 
weightloss98 said:
So with the above in mind It must be my over indulging on weekends. . . I’m thinking of seeing a dietician. For £55 per hour it better be worth it! (I’ll only be doing 1 hour ha)
Click to expand...

You could save your $5, just stop all the extras for a few weeks and see if it works...
 
Hi, i would add that central fat distribution is asscoaited with higher insulin levels, higher fasting glucose and higher testosterone levels in people with a high waist to hip ratio (WHR) compared to people with a "normal" WHR. I think this fat distribution is quite common as we eat a lot more processed foods and food rich in carbohydrates.

I would suggest that you are not controlling your insulin as well as you could do and are eating too little protein and essential fats.

Try a smaller serving of oats and add some whey protein and ground seeds and berries to
it. Also try eating eggs now and then. The cereal bars you describe are high in sugar so try eating some fruit such as apples, pears, plums or berries with a handful of cashews or walnuts instead.

For you lunch and dinner i would suggest you don't need to eat rice or cous cous at all and replace them with vegetables and salads. You are still going to get carbohydrates and fibre from the vegetables. If you do want to eat grains try small servings of quinoa or amaranth. Make sure you get a good serving of meat, fish or seafood and don't be scared to use a drissle of olive oil or flax seed oil on your food.

Alcohol with disrupt your insulin levels, but the odd glass of wine here or there won't set you back too much in terms of weight loss and drinking a little alcohol is actually healthy.

in terms of exercise, up your weight training and cut down on a session or two of cardio for a fwe weeks. Building a little muscle makes you more insulin sensitive and speeds up your metabolism.

Good luck.
 
weightloss98 said:
Hi Guys,
Thanks for the advice.
1, I don’t drink anything but water.
2, I don’t touch a bit of alcohol on weekdays.
3, I’m not stressed at all.
4, I drink plenty of water.
So with the above in mind It must be my over indulging on weekends. . . I’m thinking of seeing a dietician. For £55 per hour it better be worth it! (I’ll only be doing 1 hour ha)

Ps, It’s a shame I can’t do pics to show what I mean, not sure If I want pics on the net anyways lol.
Click to expand...

Clearly you are stressed if you felt the need to post this here for advice- its obviously getting to you. Stress does add cortisol and alcohol is a quickly absorbed sugar which will land you with a blood sugar level drop, stressing your body (not your mind, your body) and adding to the cortisol levels.

If you are going to see a dietition, keep a food diary for a week or two before hand. The more info they have, the better they can advise. Make several columns in the diary:
1. Time
2. What you ate including quantities and weight amounts.
3. Kcals in what you ate
4. Any exercise or activity or work you did that day
5. Any thoughts or ideas you had that day (eg I wish I hadn't eaten that, very very hungry or had some bad news...etc).

Dietition would probably set you some goals, its a good idea to at least have two sessions.
 
Peakxvfitness said:
For you lunch and dinner i would suggest you don't need to eat rice or cous cous at all and replace them with vegetables and salads. You are still going to get carbohydrates and fibre from the vegetables. If you do want to eat grains try small servings of quinoa or amaranth. Make sure you get a good serving of meat, fish or seafood and don't be scared to use a drissle of olive oil or flax seed oil on your food.
Click to expand...

Sorry but whole grain rice and cous cous, and other whole grains, are just as important as vegetables. You can't get everything you need from vegetables/fruits. It isn't just about carbohydrates and fibre. Grain Products are second only to vegetables in terms of the recommended number of food guide servings/day, so it isn't a good idea to suggest to people to eliminate this group, or severely restrict it. What about B vitamins, which are high in grain products and relatively low in vegetables? Also, not all vegetables/fruits are a good source of fiber (soluble fiber in particular), and eating whole grains can ensure you are eating all the fiber you need each day.
 
shygemini said:
Sorry but whole grain rice and cous cous, and other whole grains, are just as important as vegetables. You can't get everything you need from vegetables/fruits. It isn't just about carbohydrates and fibre. Grain Products are second only to vegetables in terms of the recommended number of food guide servings/day, so it isn't a good idea to suggest to people to eliminate this group, or severely restrict it. What about B vitamins, which are high in grain products and relatively low in vegetables? Also, not all vegetables/fruits are a good source of fiber (soluble fiber in particular), and eating whole grains can ensure you are eating all the fiber you need each day.
Click to expand...

FYI couscous is not a whole grain, but technically pasta made from ground semolina. It is less refined and therefore has a lower glycemic load than white pasta, but the GL of couscous is actually higher than traditional whole wheat pasta.
 
Avocado said:
FYI couscous is not a whole grain, but technically pasta made from ground semolina. It is less refined and therefore has a lower glycemic load than white pasta, but the GL of couscous is actually higher than traditional whole wheat pasta.
Click to expand...

Actually, one can get whole grain couscous. :) Just as you can get whole grain pasta :)
 
shygemini said:
Actually, one can get whole grain couscous. :) Just as you can get whole grain pasta :)
Click to expand...

Yes, I realize that. I'm just saying couscous is not a whole grain itself, rather it is a grain product just as bread and pasta are (couscous is generally considered a pasta.) There is no such thing as a couscous plant just as there is no such thing as a pasta plant.

It's just semantics, and not all that important, but I was just pointing out a common misconception that couscous itself is a grain. Even whole wheat couscous is somewhat refined and in most cases, will not be nutritionally equivalent to an actual whole grain.
 
I ran across this article the other day about a very fit female athlete who wanted to take 10 inches off her waist. See what you think:
 
Avocado said:
Yes, I realize that. I'm just saying couscous is not a whole grain itself, rather it is a grain product just as bread and pasta are (couscous is generally considered a pasta.) There is no such thing as a couscous plant just as there is no such thing as a pasta plant.

It's just semantics, and not all that important, but I was just pointing out a common misconception that couscous itself is a grain. Even whole wheat couscous is somewhat refined and in most cases, will not be nutritionally equivalent to an actual whole grain.
Click to expand...

Very true. :) lol @ couscous plant :smilielol5:
 
I'm afraid i have to disagree, if you are referring to the USDA food pyramid as your information about needing grains -then i think this is way off. Respected researcher Walter Willet agrees - he has been the lead researcher on three of the biggest studies in history looking at what we eat and diseases we suffer from. He suggests less grains and more Fruit and Veg. He also recommends a multivitamin and mineral. I believe as do many other respected Nutritionists that the obesity epidemic that we have is caused by eating too much carbs – grains being one of the offenders (along with processed carbs and sugar of course)

Grains are simply not needed in the diet, in fact a lot of gluten containing grains actually cause a lot of problems for people. However like i said if you chose to eat them go for quinoa (i know this is a seed - it is generally eaten as a grain), amaranth or whole grain brown rice. Some oats are also ok from time to time.

You are right - you don't get everything you need from fruit and vegetables - you don't get much protein and essential fats that's why we eat animal products and some other food groups. But you DO get plenty of B vitamins, and other vitamins, minerals and soluble fibre (fruits are high in soluble fibre) especially if you eat nuts, seeds, and some beans and legumes with your fruit and veg. You obviously need to get B12 from animal products. Did you know that beans and berries have much higher fibre content than grains? Check out Jonny Bowden’s book – the 150 healthiest foods on earth a very well researched book on what is in food.

Grains actually lose most of their vitamins and minerals when they are processed (the nutrients are in the germ of the grain with is discarded) so I would suggests they are poor source of B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium.

I maintain a body fat of between 7-10 percent year round (this is lean), I rarely eat grains - some brown rice , quinoa or oats occasionally. I recommend my clients reduce grains and they always lose some degree of weight – some quite dramatically, many others also have symptoms such as IBS clear up as well. Go see my testimonials and before and after pictures on my website for proof.

I hope this changes your opinion – if not we will respectfully disagree with each other. Thanks for stimulating this discussion.
 
Peakxvfitness said:
I'm afraid i have to disagree, if you are referring to the USDA food pyramid as your information about needing grains -then i think this is way off. Respected researcher Walter Willet agrees - he has been the lead researcher on three of the biggest studies in history looking at what we eat and diseases we suffer from. He suggests less grains and more Fruit and Veg. He also recommends a multivitamin and mineral. I believe as do many other respected Nutritionists that the obesity epidemic that we have is caused by eating too much carbs – grains being one of the offenders (along with processed carbs and sugar of course)

Grains are simply not needed in the diet, in fact a lot of gluten containing grains actually cause a lot of problems for people. However like i said if you chose to eat them go for quinoa (i know this is a seed - it is generally eaten as a grain), amaranth or whole grain brown rice. Some oats are also ok from time to time.

You are right - you don't get everything you need from fruit and vegetables - you don't get much protein and essential fats that's why we eat animal products and some other food groups. But you DO get plenty of B vitamins, and other vitamins, minerals and soluble fibre (fruits are high in soluble fibre) especially if you eat nuts, seeds, and some beans and legumes with your fruit and veg. You obviously need to get B12 from animal products. Did you know that beans and berries have much higher fibre content than grains? Check out Jonny Bowden’s book – the 150 healthiest foods on earth a very well researched book on what is in food.

Grains actually lose most of their vitamins and minerals when they are processed (the nutrients are in the germ of the grain with is discarded) so I would suggests they are poor source of B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium.

I maintain a body fat of between 7-10 percent year round (this is lean), I rarely eat grains - some brown rice , quinoa or oats occasionally. I recommend my clients reduce grains and they always lose some degree of weight – some quite dramatically, many others also have symptoms such as IBS clear up as well. Go see my testimonials and before and after pictures on my website for proof.

I hope this changes your opinion – if not we will respectfully disagree with each other. Thanks for stimulating this discussion.
Click to expand...

A nutritionist is not a health professional. A dietitian is. Anyone can be a nutritionist, in fact everyone on this forum could call themselves one. So yes, it is easy to find nutritionists who agree with all sorts of health claims.
That being said, some dietitians may call themselves a nutritionists as a choice since that is better recognized by the public.

Anytime you eliminate a food group, this is a bad idea, and no respected health professional would agree with this choice. Grains are a necessary part of our diet, and sorry but fruits and vegetables are NOT good sources of B-vitamins. Look it up. There are also only very few Fruits and vegetables which are good sources of soluble fiber. Look it up. If you maintain your claim that fruits are high in soluble fiber, that simply means you are basing this on no information. I would like to see a resource (a reputable one) stating fruits are a good source of soluble fiber, because they are not with the exception of 1 or 2 particular types.

Of course grains lose vitamins and minerals when they are processed. However this is why it is important to eat whole grains rather than processed grains. In additon, even in white bread etc it is required by law to add back several nutrients, so it is incorrect to take the stance that they are devoid of nutrients. Naturally though whole grains are much healthier than enriched white products.

Testimonials and before and after pictures will not change my mind about science. Science is science.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top