Hiya, unfortunately there isn't such a thing as site specific fat loss. Our bodies just don't work like that. The best thing to do is to ensure that weight loss is at a gradual and maintainable rate and not a rushed effort, to avoid excess skin that won't be able to adjust to the sudden change. I myself went through such a change from 93kgs at almost 30% bodyfat to 78kgs around 16% bodyfat in just under 6 months. I now have more loose skin than I'd like and the only way I can really deal with this is by filling back up with lean muscle tissue in place of the fat while it gradually adjusts to my changing body.

Eat right, train right and you'll be laughing! :-)

Thanks for the kind words! :-)

In regards to your situation, I'd suggest turning towards some of the great cardiovascular machines we have access to such as the Rowing Machines, the Cross Trainers may even be an option as they cause minimal stress on Knee Flexion movements at lighter resistances.

I definitely think working through the pain, while great testament to your will, will be detrimental to you both in the long term and short term. Your body is sending these pain signals for a good reason.

Without knowing more, that's about as thorough as I can be in regards to suggestions. I wish you all the best in recovery and your fitness.

Best wishes from Australia! :-)

Never fear regarding the lack of spot reduction, a good example is my waist line, I have a 32cm waist line, I am 5'10 in height which I consider slightly short for a guy. The only way I can have that nice V shaped taper going on is by working on my Lats on my back (wings), in turn widening my overall frame so that my waist in proportion looks thinner. My hip bone and my obliques (side abdominal muscles) are naturally thick, not covered in fat as I'm sitting around 7% body fat at this point. So try working on increasing the size of areas that may take away the focus from your areas of concern.

In regards to my diet, it's all very strict, I stick to a moderate carbohydrate, high fat, high protein diet. I ensure to steer clear from packaged foods as a general rule. I only drink green tea and water, the occasional coffee. No alcohol for sure. Foods consist of lean meats, seafood, nuts, fruits and vegetables as a staple. I don't use supplements of any kind except a balanced Multi-vitamin, Fish Oils, Organic Pure Whey Protein Isolate & Organic Casein Protein, Pro-biotics & Digestive Enzymes as well as Joint Support Formula.

In regards to training, I'm in my hypertrophy phase at this point, my weight sessions go for around 45 minutes, usually a minimum of 16 sets of 4 different compound exercises and a few supplementary sets of isolation, ab/core/balance training follows for around 10 minutes of high repetition low rest burning, followed immediately by interval training for cardio, usually around 20 minutes in duration. I train 5 days a week, on the off days I participate in other sports/leisure activities to stay on it.

Best of luck! :-D

Not at all, the glycogen is stored in all your muscles as well as your liver to be used. It doesn't just store in specific areas of muscles. What I was referring to was body fat. In order to reduce your chest area and mid section is by improving the efficiency/effectiveness of the training/diet/rest routine you are on to burn fat from all over your body, as eventually the fat stores from your chest and abdomen will shrink with the rest. :-)

Hiya, you're very welcome, I'm just happy to help!

Firstly, good work with staying in shape! Plateaus are certainly a daunting and unpleasant reality when it comes to training and I'd like to start by saying, the reason your body has come to plateau is very likely due to the fact that your body has your routine figured out over the times and has strengthened and grown to withstand it with relative ease, despite all the sweating, panting and puffing involved! What you'll need to do to break past this stage is to think of ways to change your routines, resistance and cardio. Our bodies tend to respond best to the things it isn't already prepared for/familiar with.

Eg. From Flat Bench Barbells to Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Press. From continuous rowing to suicide interval sprints outdoors/on a treadmill.

As far as targeted toning goes, it doesn't really exist, the body utilizes fat stores from where it sees most efficient, unfortunately it isn't concerned about where we're comfortable with storing fat haha.

The last thing I can think of knowing limited information is your diet must support your goals, if you're looking to lean up and your training regime is taxing your nutrition intake at a deficit, you should be leaning up steadily as far as a healthy metabolic system is concerned.

A nutritionist may be expensive, but for yourself eating the vegan lifestyle (good for you by the way!), it's definitely worth the investment to have a meal plan tailored to your goals and needs.

P.S - Don't work with a dietitian, they are generally more concerned with calories than anything. Funny fact, I don't count calories for my clients or myself. :-) Best of luck!

I believe what that the 15-20 pounds extra you mentioned, is above what you're recommended to be weighing based on your age/height etc. However it's not the ideal method in measuring whether you are 'over fat' or not. As we need to put into account the ratio between your lean muscle tissue, organs, skeletal system etc in comparison to your fat, this is known as your body fat percentage. Some larger professional athletes often reach up to Obesity Class 1-2 on the traditional Body Mass Index charts yet they are completely healthy and lean.

Most people would happily look and feel leaner than worry about a specific poundage they wish to lose, as volume wise muscle does weigh more than fat. :-)

Howdy, great input. I'm happy for you that the Ketogenic diet has helped you and I'm well aware that it can be very beneficial for those suffering from certain conditions. The bigger picture is, despite the minimal necessity of carbohydrates for the body to function, anyone undertaking resistance training who actually wants to function correctly and optimally, needs more than the proposed 30grams of carbohydrates. Your glycogen stores are already running minimally and would leave you working out at less than desirable efficiency to perform and endure as your energy systems rely on having a sufficient supply of loaded glycogen which occurs through glycolysis which occurs through carbohydrate intake.

It's interesting that the Ketogenic diet has you in a better mood as I've trained countless clients who've tried it and they've felt irritable and lethargic throughout their time on it. Each to their own however. Thanks for your listing your experiences.

In regards, to leg workouts. That's not really old science, he's just pointing out they are indeed the largest and calorie taxing muscle groups to work. He didn't mention neglecting other muscle groups, and you do know 5 times is probably not feasible for the average person wanting to stay in shape. 3 times is certainly better than dreaming of 5. :-)

Welcome! :-)

Hiya! I'm not so familiar with the military fitness standards in the states, as I'm from Australia and have only dealt with our troops mainly. As far as I know, standards around the world are all set quite high. In regards to your query, I don't blame you at all! 12 hour shifts at midnight! You're a machine haha, but I suppose we have to do what we have to do. I feel you as all throughout University I was doing the same graveyard hours heading straight to lectures from work.

First thing's first, your body clock must be so out of the zone, we're really not meant to be nocturnal beings. The sunlight/moonlight is there for a very good reason and that's to guide our active and rest phases daily. Sleeping isn't the issue as your body is taxed from challenging days at work. Food shouldn't be a vice either as if you are conscious of healthy choices and you truly eat cleanly, one dose of unhealthy food will spike your insulin, inflame your inner organs and having you dropping like an anvil, voiding you from doing so again.

The main thing I'll point out for certain is that we are creatures of habit. Once we make it a habit to work 12 hours a day whilst we're meant to be asleep, sleeping 8-10 hours during the day we're supposed to be awake, leaves us little time left for other activities. Our habits tend to stick, all you'll need to break out of the mold is well... To break out of the mold.

7 hours sleep is sufficient, oversleeping is a habit, not a necessity. I'd suggest balancing your diet if you're always feeling fatigued and unmotivated. A one off killer workout should fill you with enough endorphin's to reignite your passion for looking after yourself too. Get high... On life you know? :-)

I hope you can prioritize your health & fitness again soon, I know you'll rock it for sure! Workouts don't have to go for hours on end, 5 minutes warm up, 45 minutes resistance training, 10 minutes core/balance, 20-30 minutes cardio and then 5 minutes of cooldowns and stretching 3 times a week would be great!

All the best!

I'm sorry you were subjected to that kind of malpractice/inexperience during a procedure preparation shot that should have been simple, it's not so hard to locate between the L3-L4. I can't claim expertise on the spinal column, have you had a professional look at it? If indeed the pain stems from the actual spine, I'd definitely recommend a credible and recommended Chiropractor, if it's the tissue surrounding, a Myotherapist would be a good start. I hope you find a way to alleviate the pain, keep up the good work, it's great that you fight through the pain, but definitely need to have it looked at and treated properly.

Good tip buddy! I just threw this all together, didn't intend for it to cover all angles, just some tips is all. Thanks for additional tips! Not only are your Quadriceps and Hamstrings among the largest muscles (Gluteus Maximus is rather large too!), working them via Resistance Training also increases the Testosterone production internally which promotes maximum growth and metabolic function. :-)




First off, congratulations on your efforts thus far! Indeed the road is long, but it's worth it! It's great that you're staying mobile and your diet listings sound fantastic indeed. If your respiratory/cardiovascular system is without issue, I'd suggest doing interval training 3-4 times a week if not more. In saying that, a cross trainer or incline seated exercise bike can assist/support your back as a form of cardiovascular exercise.

In terms of your back issues, is it the spinal column or joints/ligaments that are causing the pain/discomfort?

Thank you ladies for the warm welcome!

Just a link to a post I've written regarding Weight Loss in the Health & Fitness section here for those interested.

http://mingle2.com/topic/show/323745

:-)

Howdy all,

Just thought I'd shed some light on 'weight loss'. Let's be real here, most of us are referring to fat loss more so than weight loss. So that's what I'll be referring to for the remainder of this post.

I suppose I'll introduce myself, my name is Dave, I'm a Personal Trainer, Dietitian, Nutritionist, Sports Science Specialist and I work with all kinds of people ranging from special needs clients (disabled, autistic, diabetic, obese, asthmatic, pregnant women) to elite level athletes, body builders and those who just have fitness goals and need guidance to help achieve them.

Below are 5 bits of information that I hope will help you with your fitness goals, let's do this!

#1 - Resistance Training (weights) is one of the best ways of burning unwanted fat! Using full range of motion, controlled movements, correct form as well as appropriate weights stresses your body big time! With rest intervals between sets at only 30 seconds, your routine will act as cardiovascular training also, keeping your heart rate high and metabolism firing for hours after as well as the days after recovering.

#2 - Warming up is essential! Warming up for a leg routine does NOT involve swinging your arms around for 10 seconds like a windmill. Dynamic movements such as 2 sets of 1:1:1 tempo full body weight squats is a warm up for a leg session, as is light weight Military press for shoulders. This is to pump blood into the areas to be worked so they are efficient and ready for the working sets ahead as well as practicing full range of motion.

#3 - Drink water! A glass of cold water has been proven to up your metabolism up to 30% temporarily. It's the elixir of life, please steer clear of the energy drinks and sodas!

#4 - Eat your fats! This is going to be a big one, but bear with me please. Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated & saturated. Yes, I said saturated fats. It has been known for a while now that the correlation between cholesterol and saturated fat intake is false as the produce industry has been focused on a 99% fat free strategy for the last decade only to have more deaths than ever from coronary heart disease. Heart surgeons and research institutes have released numerous studies showing this. Only 30% of your cholesterol comes from your diet, the rest is produced and regulated by our bodies. So yes... Eat your egg yolks people!

Here's a link regarding saturated fats, heart disease, cholesterol etc for those interested. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease

#5 - Low carbohydrate crash diets do not work! Our bodies need carbohydrates to maintain optimal function, let alone getting pummeled in the gym! Sure, initially this starvation will drop a few pounds, but what happens after? To put it simply, we're all descendants of the 'hunter gatherers', there was no guarantee that foraging/hunting would provide sustenance for them, so whilst famine was in the midst they sure as hell didn't run around to burn calories, their bodies would resort to using their fat stores to sustain life, lower fat stores result in the body winding down the metabolism so they could hum along during the hungry times on bare minimum. Whereas during fruitful seasons they would have sufficient feeds, their fat stores would be up and the metabolism would be firing all pistons. Anyway, basically it means, don't starve yourself to lose fat. Eat the right foods, exercise right for long term results!

Last but not least, here are some ingredients that will really vamp up your fat loss. Let me know how you go with them!

Cinnamon, Green Tea, Coconut Oil, Cold Water, Grape fruit, Pineapple, Avocado, Chili, Fish Oils, Flax Seed Oils.

Health & Fitness is my passion, it's my life and I'd love for anyone and everyone to give it a chance and to make it part of their lives too. All the best with your fitness goals!

Any questions, please feel free to inbox me. Or comment below with feedback. Thanks for reading! :-)

The truth is that a photo doesn't always tell the truth, adding to that, people don't always know the truth either. Why do you need to lose those 15-20 pounds? Are you looking to achieve a specific body fat percentage by a certain time frame? Do you know what metabolic type you are? Can you define to me what 'eating right' means to you? Can you tell me what macro nutrients (carbohydrates/fats/protein) you're eating everyday?

Let's start with your height/weight/body fat percentage and target body fat percentage before we ask any other questions. I'm more than happy to help! :-)

Oh and me? I'm a Personal Trainer, Sports Science Specialist and Nutritionist.

Howdy, just thought I'd shed some light on your questions.

Staying in shape has more to do with what you eat and your lifestyle than solely spending hours in the gym. As a general rule of thumb, low fat diets, low calorie diets are useless. Stick to high protein, moderate fat (polyunsaturated/monounsaturated/saturated) and moderate complex carbohydrates (low glycemic index) diets. We're talking natures way, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, beans, fish, the less packaged/processed goods the better!

Your metabolism is the key to staying in shape, only 20-30% of your metabolism stems from exercise through the gym. The reason a workout contributes more is the recovery process from a strenuous session. Even so, weight sessions shouldn't extend further than 45 minutes, and core/balance routines should always come after resistance training, followed by cardiovascular training, all up including warming up to begin with, cooling down and stretching to finish with, the entire workout shouldn't extend longer than an hour and a half.

3 workouts as above a week would be plenty with supplementary 30minute walks/jogs through other days that prove too busy.

Truth is, it's not supposed to be easy. This silly notion that the things in life that are worth achieving should be easy befuddles me.

If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me a message as I'm a Personal Trainer for special populations (diabetics/asthmatics etc), a specialist in Sports Science as well as Nutritionist/Dietitian, I'm currently also studying a course in Kinesiology. Health & Fitness is my life and I encourage anyone and everyone to be a part of it. :-)

All the best in your fitness goals!

Just poking my head out here. As some of you can relate, I work 3 jobs that I love and barely have time to socialize outside of my existing circles of friends. Here to meet some fresh faces. Hope everyone is well. :-)