# Question about stomach fat



## MantisStyle21 (Jun 18, 2008)

What is the best way to cut it down, I am in good shape and I don't even have a chubby stomach, but I have more stomach fat than I want, I want it gone just for an aesthetic reason, I have well-developed ab muscles, I would just like to see them.

Any tips of cutting the fat back, any help is greatly appreciated ^_^


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## bluekey88 (Jun 19, 2008)

Welp, the bad news is that you can't spot reduce.  The good news is that losing fat is as simple as taking in fewer calories than you expend.  Do that long enough with a balanced diet, good excercise, etc. and in time your overall bodyfat percentage will decrease and tyour abs will begin to peek through. 

Peace,
Erik


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## MJS (Jun 19, 2008)

MantisStyle21 said:


> What is the best way to cut it down, I am in good shape and I don't even have a chubby stomach, but I have more stomach fat than I want, I want it gone just for an aesthetic reason, I have well-developed ab muscles, I would just like to see them.
> 
> Any tips of cutting the fat back, any help is greatly appreciated ^_^


 
Great points already brought up.   Diet, exercise and cardio are key.


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## terryl965 (Jun 19, 2008)

That pretty much sums it up.


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## exile (Jun 19, 2008)

If you want to do it fast, there's only one way: interval training. It's metabolically much more cost-effective than standard the steady-pace kind of cardio most people do (as well as conditioning you more realistically for the stop/start kind of rhythm that MA training seems to involve). The downside is, it's rather unpleasant. If, say, you run for twenty minutes, three times a week, using the formula 50 sec jog/10 sec full sprint for each of those 20 minutes, and combine that regime with a 250 calorie reduction in your intake, you'll easily lose between one and two lbs a week. Over three months, that'll be between 12 and 15 lbs. And your workout times will be shorter than with plain old jogging or whatever. 

But as I say, intervals don't feel very good after the first few minutes. That 50 seconds seems to go by very quickly and the 10 second all-out sprint seems to take forever, and by the time you finish you are really wasted... no such thing as a free lunch, even a low-fat calorie reduced one... still, if you want reliable, steady weight loss pretty much guaranteed in a relatively short time, interval training is the way.


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## rmclain (Jun 19, 2008)

exile said:


> If you want to do it fast, there's only one way: interval training. It's metabolically much more cost-effective than standard the steady-pace kind of cardio most people do (as well as conditioning you more realistically for the stop/start kind of rhythm that MA training seems to involve). The downside is, it's rather unpleasant. If, say, you run for twenty minutes, three times a week, using the formula 50 sec jog/10 sec full sprint for each of those 20 minutes, and combine that regime with a 250 calorie reduction in your intake, you'll easily lose between one and two lbs a week. Over three months, that'll be between 12 and 15 lbs. And your workout times will be shorter than with plain old jogging or whatever.
> 
> But as I say, intervals don't feel very good after the first few minutes. That 50 seconds seems to go by very quickly and the 10 second all-out sprint seems to take forever, and by the time you finish you are really wasted... no such thing as a free lunch, even a low-fat calorie reduced one... still, if you want reliable, steady weight loss pretty much guaranteed in a relatively short time, interval training is the way.


 
Seconded.  Plus, you will get much stronger this way than with standard same-pace jogging. 

R. McLain


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## punisher73 (Jun 19, 2008)

bluekey88 said:


> Welp, the bad news is that you can't spot reduce. The good news is that losing fat is as simple as taking in fewer calories than you expend. Do that long enough with a balanced diet, good excercise, etc. and in time your overall bodyfat percentage will decrease and tyour abs will begin to peek through.
> 
> Peace,
> Erik


 
No, it's really not as simple as that.  You need to be taking in healthy calories and a balance of what you need as well.  The body is designed to prepare for times of famine.  That is why if you cut calories too much you will gain fat because the body will attempt to store as much as possible for an emergency.  Also, if your muscles are peaked for their glycogen extra carbs that are taken in that aren't immediately used are stored as fat for later energy as well.

This is why many dieticians are recommending to not eat only carbs at one time, but to have a protein as well.  This will help regulate their digestion and help with the insulin spike.  The types of carbs you are taking in is very important too.  Stay away from soda/pop of ANY kind, diet or not (new research supports that the body is conditioned to release insulin when it takes in a "sweet taste" so you are more likely to store stuff as fat.  There is also research that shows diet pops "trick" the body through the sweet taste and mess up it's internal system leading to metabolic disorder).  Also, stay away from sugars (especially high fructose) and processed carbs (like most breads and pastas).  Your carbs should come mainly from vegetables and fruits, along with nuts.

You will be surprised how much faster your body burns off the fat by sticking to healthy fruits and vegetables when coupled with your exercise program.  As has been mentioned diet and exercise SHOULD go hand in hand to maximize the effects of both.


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## Topeng (Jun 19, 2008)

I'm not huge on supplements but be sure you are at least getting the right vitamins. 
I have read that Vitamin C is great for keeping your body from cannabilizing muscle instead of burning fat. I used to eat an orange right after a workout for this though I personally didn't see or feel any difference. 
Some claim Chromium Picolinate is great for regulating insulin though there is no FDA recommended allowance. I've used it in the past and felt a SLIGHT improvement.
I guess when it comes to this stuff it depends on what you are willing to believe and how much you are willing to spend. If you are looking at some of these, goto the grocery store where you can buy the more common minerals for 10 times less than at GNC.
I agree with exile on the interval training.  Ask yourself what you would rather look and perform like: A long distance runner or sprinter? In the arts, I'd say train like a sprinter.


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## shesulsa (Jun 19, 2008)

I echo the need for *healthy* calories as opposed to just calories.

Scientifically, one calorie is the energy required to heat one milliliter of water one degree, so it's often argued that "calories are calories."  While that's true in the most literal sense, it just cannot be argued that your body will use 100 calories from a small green salad with no dressing far better than it will 100 calories from a tiny bite of cheeseburger.

Also - the fat burning BPM range is *lower* than the cardiovascular training range.  You *do* need to get your body moving, but you don't have to kill yourself doing it.  I'll see if I can find a reference to a source for that information, but it shocked me and I found it to be quite true for my physical fitness when training for my black belt test.

But in the end, it's all about nutrition and exercise.


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