Recipe for a Flat Stomach

Anonymous Says:

February 5th, 2007, 1:09 am

You’re making some key mistakes if you you want a “flat stomach” (low bodyfat.)

You’re right about cutting out sugar, but cutting out meat, eggs and fat won’t help you. Cut out the carbs instead. Drop them way, way down — to under 20 grams/day.

By the way, cutting carbs that low is impossible on a vegan diet, and that’s why you’ll never see those abs on a plant diet. And fruit is disastrous for you. It’s all sugar! Why do you think it tastes so good?

Finally, cardio is the wrong exercise. If you want to cut bodyfat, build muscle, which burns calories even when you’re sleeping. That means weights, weights, weights, not cardio. (And you’re just going to injure yourself doing 2 hours of cardio a day!)

Leo Says:

February 5th, 2007, 2:14 am

Hi there … thanks for the comment. I disagree with your points, which are pretty common ones in pop culture these days. This could actually be a very long debate, so I won’t go into detail, but briefly:

1) low-carb, high protein fad diets make you sick and only work in the short term. This has been proven and is accepted by the medical establishment. I think I’ll do an article about this soon, with references.

2) Vegans are, on average, way slimmer with less bodyfat than those with higher protein diets. There’s nothing wrong with eating carbs as long as they’re not refined (eat whole grains) and as long as you’re burning it off through exercise.

3) The “muscle burns calories when you’re not working out” thing is largely a myth … while technically it’s true, the amount of extra calories you burn through an additional pound of muscle is very small.

4) Cardio is the best way to burn calories, because you can do it for longer. You can only burn so many calories with weights. You can burn many more through cardio. I should do an article on this, with a comparison chart.

5) Many people do 2 hours of cardio a day without injuring themselves. Triathletes, for example, do it all the time, and by the way, they have very little bodyfat on average.

Leo Says:

February 5th, 2007, 2:16 am

Oh, and there’s also nothing wrong with eating fruit. Sure, there is a lot of fructose, but there’s also a lot of vitamins and fiber. The high amount of fiber in fruit means that you have to burn a lot of calories to digest it.

Now, I wouldn’t advocate eating mostly fruit, as that would probably be too much sugar, but eating a few pieces of fruit a day is not harmful to fat burning.

Going without fruit *is* likely to be harmful, though. You are more likely to be deficient in essential vitamins.

Anonymous Says:

February 5th, 2007, 8:29 am

Well, you might have difficulty finding references for the points you’re making. (And by references, I mean actual scientific studies, rather than authority figures saying things like, “It is well-known that…”, etc.

Leo Says:

February 5th, 2007, 12:57 pm

There have been no studies to prove that low-carb diets work (for weight loss or fat loss) in the long term. There are many studies proving that vegetarian diets do work in the long term. On average, vegans have less fat and are less obese than their meat-eating counterparts. People on low-carb diets have difficulty staying on them for long (including founders of Atkins and Zone diets), while people can and have stayed on vegetarian diets for life.

By the way, I am following my prescription in this article, and I am losing fat. Not in a quick-fix, dramatic way, I’ll grant you, but in a slower, sustained way. Carbohydrates are a fuel, and as long as I am burning them, they do not convert to fat.

Ryan Says:

March 4th, 2007, 23:06 pm

Hi, I only recently found this blog and am enjoying it very much. As someone who went from a high of 265 pounds down to 185 (and someone who cycles and runs), I’m really enjoying your progress and using it to help continue to inspire mine.

Because I’m diabetic, even non-refined carbohydrates are somewhat of an issue for me. I’ve found it pretty difficult to stick to a largely vegetarian diet and keep my blood sugars down, so I do take in quite a bit of meat (mostly turkey and chicken breast) and cheese (as well as other stuff like low carbohydrate soy milk, oatmeal, whey powder, and some fruit). I’ve read a few diet books recently and I think that Ultrametabolism is most accurate in its content (but the suggested diet is really difficult for me to deal with). I think the Abs Diet series is actually the most realistic one to deal with and I credit that for my success.

I also figured out when I started losing weight that while I liked weight training (mostly because I don’t have a lot of time), it’s really the cardio stuff that helps my blood sugar.

I’m now training for a faster century ride time this year as well as bringing up my running endurance. Good luck on your goals!

Leo Says:

March 4th, 2007, 23:17 pm

Wow, Ryan, congrats on your amazing weight loss and fitness success! I’m glad to hear that you’ve been using many of the same concepts I’ve been using, and that it’s working for you. It sounds like you’re a much better cyclist than I am.

If you would like to write a guest post about how you’ve been so successful at your goals, please email me at zenhabits (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks for the great comment!

Ryan Says:

March 6th, 2007, 0:16 am

Leo,

Thanks for your warm wishes. I’ll certainly think about doing a post here when I can.

While I might be more accomplished as a cyclist at this point, you’re far more accomplished than I am as a runner. I barely do 2.25 miles for my runs right now and I’m not sure I’ll ever do a marathon. I am, however, considering some shorter organized runs (I considered but failed to do this one).

Maybe I’ll make doing that guest post one of my March goals.

Leo Says:

March 6th, 2007, 0:22 am

Hi Ryan … well, email me whenever you’re interested. I think shorter races (like 5Ks) are a great way to motivate yourself to train. I know it always helps me. Good luck with your training!

Ryan (another one) Says:

April 26th, 2007, 18:05 pm

[insert your reasonable physique goal here] = (eat right + hard work ) x consistent basis x a long period of time

:^)

Jenny Says:

May 27th, 2007, 7:53 am

avoiding bread, buns etc (which contains yeast) will help a lot in order to maintain a flat stomach.

Kath Says:

May 27th, 2007, 10:08 am

While it does not need to be meat, it is very important to have some substantial protein in your diet. Carbs alone will not do that. You MUST have protein (essential amino acids) to build muscle. The more exercise you do, the more protein you need or you will essentially break down the muscle you do have in order to provide the fuel you need to exercise more. You do need carbs as well and the balance of carbs, fat and protein can be very individual.

Klaus Says:

May 29th, 2007, 6:16 am

Hey, thanks for all this information! I discovered your site only recently, but find it very useful in several fields.

As for a flat stomach: don’t. You stomach is a darn important organ - train for a flat belly instead ;)

And for a very nice training system, I’d recommend “Body For Life” (http://www.bodyforlife.com). While the book is nice, you can get all info free on their website. And while you probably won’t change as much as the people on the photos, it does work very well, as I have found out :)
(And no, you don’t need any additives)

ThatGirlTrill Says:

May 29th, 2007, 9:45 am

It’s a bit confounding, isn’t it? So much information, some of which seems to be contradictory. A flat tummy for me might be elusive, but hey, I managed to say goodbye to 100+ pounds (ok, if you look at my very heaviest, it’s about 130 pounds. ouch.), and I did it by remaining a vegetarian. Even vegetarians can get fat by eating unhealthy foods, and by that I generally mean eating too much processed food and refined carbs. Vegans, of course, are another story.
So what did I do? Ate less, exercised more. I never starve. I eat lots of good, whole sprouted grains (I can’t say enough about the Ezekial line of breads and cereals!), I choose organic when possible, lots of veggies, some fruits, I too love veganaise, and I am a big fan of shirataki noodles (they’re a miracle). Work-outs are 30-60 minutes, 5-6 days a week. I try to mix it up, some days doing yoga, some working with weights, others with toning, and I use the rebounder a good bit, too. Treats are things like a bit of 88% cacao chocolate. When I go out to eat, I choose wisely but don’t sweat a french fry now and then. As soon as you say “Never” to any food, you let that food own you.
I don’t know about eating for flat tummies, but what I do know is that generally, diets don’t work. A friend and I were recently talking about wieight loss, and he said “yeah, it’s always a fight.” I replied “Well, it doesn’t feel that way anymore. I’ve simply fallen in love with a better way of living.”

Joel D Says:

June 2nd, 2007, 20:13 pm

Stanford University just did a study on this:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=64716

Personally, because I have Crohn’s disease I had to switch to a diet where I eat tons of lean meat, eggs (probably 2-3 a day), low-lactose cheeses, real butter, veggies, and fruit, and no refined carbs or starches (no sugar, bread, or potatoes). I’ve never been more fit. I lost 30 lbs on the diet and can see veins in my stomach. I eat a ton of healthy fats and maintain my omega-3/omega-6 ratio.

I just had my blood tested and my total cholesterol is 135 (very low). I also have never had more energy. Maybe it’s a property of my genetics, but a high-protein, high-fat diet (healthy fats from avacados and fish) with plenty of green veggies has me slimmer and more energetic than ever. I don’t miss bread or potatoes at all.

zImage Says:

June 3rd, 2007, 4:48 am

I’m on Low Carb/High Fat diet for about 18 months already. And I could confirm 100% what Joel D says - I’ve never been more fit and I also have never had more energy.

I did a cholesterol profiling about 4 months ago and the results were very good:

Total cholesterol: 4.88 mmol/l (reference: 1)
LDL: 3.0 mmol/l (reference:

John Says:

June 11th, 2007, 17:19 pm

Great article but I agree with some of the comments regarding some of your perspectives suffering from “pop” viewpoints. I’d love to suggest that you read some of Alwyn Cosgrove’s articles on fat loss and strength training. He has some great insights. Take a look at this link for his take on cardio (relatively ineffective) versus interval training (highly effective) for fat loss:

http://www.alwyncosgrove.com/Energy-System-Training.html

BTW, just recently came across the blog and have enjoyed your perspectives!

Jeff Brown Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 13:37 pm

Leo - Enjoy your site very much.

I can possibly lend a different viewpoint here as it relates to cardio vs resistance training.

My qualifications are not professional in nature, but extensive experience in both. I’ve been trained by a champion body builder from the ‘old school’ and have several years of running experience, including six marathons, a couple dozen half marathons, and roughly 200 weeks of 50-70 mile (running) weeks.

I also competed in bodybuilding, though I never won, just had fun getting there. Here’s what my experience has taught me.

The bodybuilding you will absolutely burn fat 24/7 because muscles prefer fat as their primary fuel. Your body actually sends fat to them for this purpose. Also, you don’t need to spend, as you mentioned, nearly as much time as cardio.

Running resulted in, as expected, lost weight and inches, plus a totally different body type. My body fat went into single digits for a short time. My doctor however, told me my body had started using muscle for energy! Not good. It was my fault though, because I’d been eating while using the ‘combining’ theory, which turned out to be injurious.

In the end, what’s worked out best for me is three days of resistance training, and three days of cardio weekly. My diet now is the one a nutritionist specializing in athletes gave me in the ’80’s.

NO processed foods. 1-2 multiple vegetable salads daily. Multi-grain sprouted breads. Red meat just once a week. Chicken, fish, and turkey the rest of the time.

This approach to diet and exercise has resulted in a consistent body fat of 12-15%, a flat tummy, perfect blood pressure, and a resting heartbeat of 58-62.

A moderate resistance training program for women is especially effective in leaning and shaping. When combined with moderate cardio and the above mentioned approach to diet, the results are predictable and life changing.

Kevin Says:

July 5th, 2007, 18:52 pm

Jeff definitely has it right. The best combo is weight training and cardio. Cardio burns calories while doing it and very minimal afterwards, where as weight training burns calories while doing it, and calories for a long time afterwards. A pound of muscle burns about 50 calories a day. Adding 5 lbs of muscle would then burn an extra 250 calories a day, 1700 a week, or 91,000 per year, or the equivalent of 26 lbs. Thats a HUGE benefit. to put that in comparison with trying to do cardio, lets say you are doing a half hour session, burning a generous 15 calories a minute, that would require almost 200 extra sessions just to match that 5 lbs of muscle. If you want some great info on this subject matter, check out http://www.wannabebig.com , or http://www.bodybuilding.com . Both sites have a wealth of information.

Leo Says:

July 5th, 2007, 21:27 pm

OK, I’ve already mentioned this above, but I should mention it again … the muscle-burns-calories thing is overhyped by sites such as the ones you mentioned. Technically, it’s true, but the numbers you’re using are a bit misleading.

Muscles only burn 50 calories per pound of lean muscle if you count the activity that the muscles perform — such as lifting weights, doing yard work, or cardio exercise. Unfortunately, those activities are already counted when you calculate how many calories you burn in a day — in the level of exercise you performed, which is added to your basal metabolic rate. You can’t count them again in your BMR, or you’re double counting.

But if you’re talking about how much that pound of muscle burns at rest, it’s about 13 calories a day. That’s a big difference when you do the math you provided.

The most efficient way to burn fat is to drop your caloric intake while increasing your caloric burn (cardio exercise is great for that). I’m not knocking building muscle, which is great for many reasons, and can help in a fat-burning program, but it’s definitely not the biggest factor by a long shot.

Shaun P. Says:

July 11th, 2007, 23:17 pm

I agree with Leo. Having a better muscle to fat ratio will definitely leave you in better shape to burn more calories at rest, but NOT to the degree some bogus sites/blogs claim. Think of what you are saying, that if some random person put on 5 pounds of muscle, then they would burn 26 additional pounds within one year. However, what if they did not put any muscle on at all, and remained the same, are you saying that they would be 26 pounds heavier than they were the year before? Makes no sense.

From the ages of 22-25, I abused my body with eating unhealthy foods and drinking tons and tons of beer. I am 5′ 9, and my heaviest was 180lbs(doesn’t sound bad, but trust me there was a lot of fat in terms of composition, especially on my face and stomach and chest)

I am 28 now, and 2 months ago, I weighed about 167lbs. I then started my program, and now I weigh 151lbs. I got to this state by running 5-6 times a week(for 45mins), and eating WAY better(4-5 meals with roughly 300-400 calories in each) I also eliminated eating fats(I maybe get in 7g or less every day since I know you need some), and I always substitute whole wheat/brown instead of white, whether it is rice/pasta/bread. I also drink a lot of water everyday.

Doing all of the above for ONLY 2 months has been the best days of my life, not only do I look better but I feel better, and I know I am adding healthy years to my life. I lost 3 inches off the fattest part of my stomach(across the belly button), my face is as skinny as it can get(yup, got the adam’s apple back), and my man boobs are 85-90% gone. Now I started lifting weights in combination with the running(I may stick to running 4-5 times a week max now) I do not plan to get huge and bulky, but I want the cut/strong/lean look, and I am almost there without even lifting. I will try to NEVER stop this routine, why would anyone once they become educated and motivated about the benefits of exercise and eating healthy!

I learned all of this by simply doing a lot of research online, you have to take everything you read online with a grain of salt, be totally sure you are reading valid info. before you incorporate it into your lifestyle…

Leo Says:

July 11th, 2007, 23:24 pm

Shaun, congrats on your success! It sounds like you’ve done a great job implementing very healthy habits, and it sounds like something you can do for life (although I would eventually add a little more fats in once you get close to your goal weight/fat percentage).

Keep up the good work! Email me if you’d like your story to be featured on Zen Habits.

Neeraj Says:

July 18th, 2007, 4:21 am

It is indeed a pleasure reading your Post. I’ve recently completed my first Bodyforlife challenge. I think the mix of Cardio and Resistance training is best as described in Bill Phillips Boldy for Life and Eating for Life. The important goal to set is “Where do you want to go and what are the resources available to you?” In terms of time resource planning i prefer the bodyforlife program as it is more doable. I’ve had extremely good results and am now entering my 2nd BFL challenge. Best of Luck to everyone for their individual goals.

pat Says:

July 18th, 2007, 4:31 am

I am addicted sweet test and carbohydrate. How do I quit these habbit because it is really hard ?

bleak Says:

July 20th, 2007, 11:58 am

Yes the subject is infinitely debatable but let me state just four yet major points.

Point 1:
Basic biology paradigm states with hundred percent confidence that the type of nutrients which are essential for human metabolism is protein and lipid (i.e. fat). Just dont ignore the word “essential”.

Point 2:
Since i assume that you may want to stay as objective as possible, i suggest you have some little research of micro communities who rely on this kind of diet, and how perfect their health parameters are. wikipedia:low carb diets may be a good starting point.

Point 3:
We all appreciate your skeptic approach on muscle mass vs. caloric requirement relationship but this is not a difficult or uncertain question that medical biology can not answer; as you could witness with your own little effort research, caloric requirement for a gram of muscle tissue is quite definite and certain which mostly advocates the “weight training burns more in long run” approach perfectly. (sorry not remembering the exact value)

Point 4:
For the long cardio part, you should consider that athletes you refer has a training history at least 1 year or so. The point with this is that, although your muscles may be well-performing to cardio for 2 hours, they are not the only part of your body involved: in other words, unless one has stronger ligaments and tendons (like an athlete’s), it won’t be hard to end up with some serious and cumulatively irreversible damage on his joints.

I hope this post will be of some help to alter your opinion objective-wise.

and hope you have a flat stomach soon.

PS: for the carb addiction part; it is never suprise, since your blood sugar alters with carb intake, but never with protein or lipid intake. so you has a mental addiction as it would be for cannibis etc. which is quite curable.
and as in for soft drugs, you should stay away of your addiciton, in this case it is to excercise a low carb diet, for the period of recovery ; )

Zigzo Links Says:

July 25th, 2007, 16:40 pm

Hi Leo,

Was wondering how your progress is going so far? It has been a few months since this was posted and I’m just wondering if you have stayed on track and/or seen the results you were looking for!?

Leo Says:

July 26th, 2007, 11:05 am

@Zigzo … it was going well, but then (as I wrote elsewhere) I stopped exercising due to illness and then a back injury. I’ve gotten back into the exercise program this month, and it’s been going great! I expect to see more results next month.

Tony Says:

August 10th, 2007, 6:47 am

I go running every morning. I didn’t see much of a difference in my fat%. I think cardio should be in every lifestyle for lots of reasons (also mental benefits). Its only after I did interval-training that i started to loose weight, weight training is very good too. I think it all comes down to pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Most persons don’t have enough character (myself included sometimes) to do interval-training on their own. Thats why i recommend group training like spinning or some kind of tae-bo or other group work-out after you established a base (you will burn big amounts of calories). I’m down to 15,9 % bodyfat and going for

jason Says:

August 23rd, 2007, 5:41 am

I read this article with great interest. It does have the fundamantels right. Maybe Americans can also incorporate pranayam and yoga into their lives for reducing stomach fat. Infact Pilates is basically derived from a yogic breathing technique called ‘Kapal Bharati. ” If the Americans can pay more attention to yoga, surely not only will they get flatter stomachs, but more flexible stomachs also, which is a more desirable goal. One of the gr8 practitioneres of Yoga and pranayam, Swami Ramdev has done a trip to the US, and I hope the Americans listened to him…

Anonymous Says:

September 16th, 2007, 4:07 am

Good thing I didn’t read your blog when I started dieting (limited complex carbs + loads of low fat animal proteins).
Extra muscle mass helping to burn fat may be a myth, but this myth helped me get rid of 90 lbs of fat and keep it off for 5 years.

Jeff Brown Says:

September 16th, 2007, 5:05 am

Trust me Anonymous - it’s NOT a myth. Great job by the way on losing so much weight.

elena Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 17:32 pm

This is a great article. I recently became a vegetarian, after being exposed to a bodybuilders high protein diet, and I am very happy with the current results. People are very confused about the whole low carb diet. I believed it would work so I tried it. You can get results as less body fat for a very short period of time. Now I am vegetarian enjoying the variety of foods I was before avoiding and I am leaner than I have ever been.

I am still eating fish and lots and lots of musli;)

pyko Says:

October 1st, 2007, 23:10 pm

hihi,
I think this is a great article! I’m also trying to be healthier and slim down a bit, and my general plan is to exercise more and eat healthier!

Where exercise includes both cardio and strength training (you need both I reckon). I do more cardio as it is easier to just put on joggers and go out for a run.

Eating healthier is much harder, as I live in a college in the university campus, so the food is well oil+oil+more oil!

What I’m wondering is I’ve heard heaps of people say to cut out (or reduce carbs) so bread, rice, cereals etc…but I practically live on them!

I have..
Breakfast: cereal+bread
Lunch: sandwich
Dinner: rice+meat+vegies

And to be honest, I could probably go for a while without meat, but I would not be able to go without bread! I do eat multigrain whenever I can as it is supposedly better…

As for cutting down on sweets, I try to eat apples instead…though as someone mentioned that still means sugar…but i guess there is fibre to balance out?

so what do people think? reduce carbs as much as possible? or is it ok with the “brown” carbs..? and apples/fruits in general too much sugar? or does the fibre make it all better?

cheers,
pyko

Ryan Says:

October 2nd, 2007, 16:19 pm

Guys, while the muscle-burning-calories idea is a great way to motivate, it’s also fundamentally flawed. You just don’t burn that much extra while slouching about the house! The reality is that you burn much less than that. It doesn’t take a lot of work to see this, either.

http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/f/muscle.htm

Now, that said, I still think weight training is a more effective way to reshape your body. Strict cardio will burn weight, but lots of that weight will come in the form of lost muscle unless you are reinforcing the cardio with weights. That means minimal reduction of your body fat percentage, and even possibly a gain — not what you want to happen!

But the main thing (aesthetically speaking) is that even if you can’t get the six pack abs because of your genes, a little muscle definition goes a long way to making the fat layer less defined. Thin and flabby looks unhealthy just the same way that fat and flabby does.

Katie Says:

October 16th, 2007, 10:11 am

I am a collge gymnast, and I just so happen to know the key to flat abs! Exercise!! you can eat anything you want, as long as its in moderation. email me for some great exercises :)
kegger1215@hotmail.com

Noel Says:

October 20th, 2007, 9:36 am

Guys…Read The Abs Diet by David Zinczenko… absolutely astounding. It’s all you need to know.

Teya Says:

October 24th, 2007, 22:13 pm

Hi All,

This might be of particular interest to Pyko.. A great way i’ve been minimising carbs is by serving stir frys on a garden salad (i found a simple lettuce, tomato and capsicum salad works beautifully) as opposed to rice.

Thanks to everyone who has made comments- i will now have a much more knowledgeable (and hopefully shorter) trip to a flatter stomach!

BS Says:

October 26th, 2007, 23:44 pm

Just read the comments and John hit the nail on the head back in June with recommending Alwyn Cosgrove. The guy is a genius when it comes to fitness. I strongly suggest picking up the book The New Rules of Lifting by Lou Schuller and Alwyn Cosgrove. Read it cover to cover and then actually do the routines Alwyn provided. I’ve been doing them for the last 6 months and I’ve gotten the best results in over 17 years of training.

Lea Says:

November 9th, 2007, 0:14 am

Great debates going on here!

As an qualified (but no longer coaching) personal trainer and health coach, the diet question is a biggie. One approach I’ve used successfully with clients in the past is the individual nutrition approach (aka metabolic typing). It goes some way to explaining why low carb diets work for some and not for others and vice versa.

From an exercise perspective, Cosgrove, Poliquin, Siff, Chek, Gray etc. are all worth checking out.

There’s a site I’ve been involved in http://getbetterabs.com which promotes the healthy/more holistic approach to getting great abs - with contributions from some great trainers from the UK and Australia. It addresses many of the points raised above from the perspectives of a number of different trainers who have all had success with their approaches.

OlliS Says:

November 16th, 2007, 6:12 am

I’d recommend you to take a look at:
http://www.crossfit.com

And I totally disagree with cardio,cardio,cardio -thing on getting a flat “stomach”. There are many scintific results that high intensity intervall traning works much better on cutting the bodyfat and improving your max VO2 than low intensity long lasting training.

I´ve been doing cross-fit now three months and during that time I´ve improved on every fitness aspect there is (endurance, flexibility, strength, power etc.)

read this for basic information:
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-download/CFJ-trial.pdf

A25 Says:

January 22nd, 2008, 16:50 pm

I totally don’t agree with Anonymous at the top of the list. I gained about 25 lbs since I got out of the Military and decided I needed a change. I turned off the tv, got off the recliner and now I eat a ton of fruit and I do all different types of running (no weights lifting) and in about 3 months I”ve lost 18.5 of that 25 I gained. Some people just think they know everything! Oh, and my runs are never 2 hours long, the most is 1 hour. Some times 30 min., sometimes 30 min. at lunch and then again when I get home at the end of the day, and some times maybe and hour in a row, but I’ve never had to spend 2 hours running (I run every other day). About 75% to 85% of my food is raw fruits and vegetables, and then some cooked potatoes , brown rice, fish and eggs. However, if I’m at my in-laws and they’ve made something I totally love and it isn’t that healthy, I’ll still eat it, I just won’t make that stuff myself or let it become a routine type of thing. I lost 1″ around my neck, 2″ around my chest, and like 4 1/2″ around my waist. My pants fit again and it’s great!

Jeff H Says:

February 13th, 2008, 21:56 pm

@John & Leo:

I’m not so sure that Alwyn Cosgrove’s view on sprinters vs. long distance runners is true. In Jeff Galloway’s Book on Running, Galloway (who at one point set the world record for the 10,000 meter) explains that certain people are born with different amounts of muscle fibers, e.g. Galloway had about 97 percent slow twitch muscle fibers vs. 3 percent fast twitch, I believe. Some people are not made to be sprinters. Galloway does go on to point out that fast-twitch types can build themselves to be distance runners.

MOST of the same people who are genetically predisposed to being sprinters are also people who are lean in mass in the first place. Many long distance runners are not people who are blessed with these genetics.

A perfect example of this is Arthur Lydiard, the man who is credited with inventing jogging. Lydiard worked in a factory and played rugby on the weekends (massive amounts of calories consumed, alot of quick bursts of speed as well). This did not help Lydiard, as he still had quite a gut. Lydiard started doing long, slow runs and eventually lost alot of the weight. Jeff Galloway’s father had the same type of experience after he was motivated to run.

I played football in high school I did alot of sprint work, as well as alot of weight training. At one point during my freshman year, I had a low body fat percentage (12 I think) and I was in excellent shape with all of the workouts I did for football.

During this time, however, my father had just recovered from double bypass surgery, and was placed on a Mediterranean diet (fish, wheat pasta, salads, fruits, etc.), and I was eating that same foods because that was what was prepared for our family.

My sophomore year, I started eating alot of beefy products (as my dad had gotten lazy with his diet), trying an Atkins type diet so I could get big and ripped at the same time, which I thought would lead to better conditioning. As it turns out, I jumped from 160 (5′6) to 187 in nearly 6 months, with some muscle gain (I went from benching 265 to 305, squatting 135 to 355), but much more fat gain (I’m guessing bodyfat near 20 percent at sometimes, but I did not have it measured, so I am not sure). I also had my blood pressure spike to 180/60 (As mentioned before, my father has heart disease and it runs very heavily in my family).

However, when I was in middle school, I ate a very lean diet, played football AND ran the mile in track. My track workouts consisted of running nearly 3-5 miles everyday. During track season, I was very lean with a body fat around 7 percent and a BP of 120/60.

I have a friend who at one point was 300 pounds (6′3). He has built up his running from 400 yards up to nearly 3 miles a day in order to get in shape to join the marines. In 4 months, he has dropped to 227, can run 3 miles in under 21 minutes, and is much skinnier. He has cut out fried fatty foods.

This same friend took weight training and played football in high school with me. He did this for nearly a year. He did lose nearly 30 pounds playing football and doing sprints, but was not nearly as lean or as in good of shape as he is now.

It seems as though the cardio and the low fat diet helped me, and the other people mentioned, stay lean more than any other lifestyle. This is only a few drops in the ocean (so to speak), and I’m sure many people have had different successes with different lifestyles. I have become a vegetarian, and I feel much healthier, I don’t get tired during the day, and I still feel strong when I lift every so often. I feel better running (I run 1-2 miles a day as well as some eliptical/bike riding/ additional swimming that I do in the morning thanks to Leo’s get up early tips), and I feel as if my body operates better.

Once again, this is just me and my experience. More power to anyone who gains better health any way they can!

Jene Says:

February 14th, 2008, 13:26 pm

Great advice indeed, and an excellent debate in the comments.

Just look at long ditance runners they all have a flat stomach - but you dont have to go to that extreme of course.

I personally believe that running, or any other cardio workout, combined with a healthy diet is the right way to go.

Recommended reading : http://www.flatstomachtips.com/

Another Anonymous Says:

March 7th, 2008, 15:31 pm

I think what we need to keep in mind is that everyone is different. Some people really do thrive on higher-fat lower-grain diets; others do not. I do know people who lost fat and felt energetic on a vegetarian or vegan diet. I spent a year on a vegetarian diet, tweaking and tweaking and tweaking — and I never felt worse. I also didn’t lose any weight. A quick search on “Nutrigenomics” should bring up the recent research in this area.

Same with exercise. If I don’t lift weights, I get fat — even with cardio every day. Only weights gives me the right kind of “burn” for my body. Again, we’re all different — I have a friend who burned tons of fat with a fairly low amount of weekly walking and jogging, no weights.

The best advice of all is to experiment with different diets and exercise programs to find what works for you!

Mona Says:

March 10th, 2008, 16:26 pm

Hi there! I just came across your blog trying to find information on how to get comfortable with drop handlebars. I don’t know why your site popped up since I have yet to find any of the information I’m looking for but I love what you write about and found this article very interesting! I totally disagree with “Anonymous” whose comment is at the top of the list. Regardless of body composition the best guideline for EVERYONE is: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy and lean meats. Eliminating food groups because of their sugar content is ridiculous, especially when that group provides a large bulk of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber an individual requires on a daily basis.

Stomach Muscles Says:

March 19th, 2008, 17:07 pm

Great post Leo as always.

Becki Says:

March 26th, 2008, 15:30 pm

I love the cardio -vs- strength-training debate. While I see the point of view that strength-training raises metabolism in the long-run, I’ve just seen firsthand — over and over — how cardio benefits the midsection. Trainers have told me this, and I’ve seen it myself. In fact I’ve been slacking on my exercise program lately and ONLY doing strength-training, and the budda belly is back…this is b/c I’m slacking on cardio. I think people are just trying to get out of doing cardio ;) (ok, j/k about that)

Sarah Says:

April 2nd, 2008, 20:59 pm

ok I have read a lot about this sort of thing and everyone has parts of it right. To become slimmer, it isnt a battle between carbs and proteins, its eating the RIGHT ones. For carbs, fruits and vegetables are great, but stay away from starch and bread. For protein, high fat foods like hamburger or steak are bad for your cholesterol, but foods like chicken and turkey are vital for your muscles. After working out you should eat within a half hour, and foods high in protein are the best choices because the amino acids help rebuild muscle.

Ok as far as the cardio/weight training thing….Cardio is important for your heart and keeps your metabolism high, but weight training burns WAY more calories. In a half hour of intense exercise you can burn 200 calories running, but 800 calories weight lifting. However, cardio is important because no matter how much muscle you build, if you dont burn off the fat that is on top, you wont see it.

Weight loss is 60% diet and 40% nutrition and weight loss is the most important factor in having defined abs.

mrs flat tummy Says:

May 7th, 2008, 15:34 pm

wow, im a fitness instructor and ive nevver heard such rubbish in my life

Tom Says:

May 15th, 2008, 20:07 pm

for mrs flat tummy, it’s easy to knock it, but if you are a fitness instructor, why not actually tell us what is correct, and how to actually get a flat tummy? Also, run spell check if you have difficulty spelling words like “never”!

Many thanks
Tom

Jude Says:

May 17th, 2008, 5:28 am

Body for Life by Bill Phillips all the way.

I do 20 mins cardio 3 x week, and I do it INTENSELY. My heart rate soars and I literally cannot go on any longer than 20 mins.

I weight-train for 45 mins 3 x week and my muscles are becoming more defined every day.

I think this combination of the two (as outlined in Body for Life) is definately the best formula. If I didn’t weight train, I’d have to slog my guts out doing cardio for so much longer to maintain the same weight (and would definately experience muscle loss), and if I didn’t do cardio, I wouldn’t have that ’spark’ that convinces my body to shed some of the fat it’s holding on to.

As for the carb debate, again, I go with Bill Phillips. One portion of carbs and one portion of protein at each ‘meal’, with 6 meals a day. Keeps the metabolism running at a high rate throughout the day. I’m a vegetarian and find ample sources of protein. All my carbs are low-glycemic, and I eat loads of fruit - natures gift. The idea that fruit could make you gain weight is absolutely ridiculous.

Never felt or looked better in my life.

tatyana Says:

June 5th, 2008, 2:16 am

wow this is such a great idea i alwys wanted a flat tummy and this acttally works

Dan Says:

June 7th, 2008, 16:32 pm

I’m a 32 year old guy who has hit the wall with my belly and my 185lbs (I’m 5′ 7″). I have been doing daily pull ups, abdominal exercises and push-ups for over 4 months, and while my upper body has gotten toned, by belly still has that bloated look and I haven’t lost any weight. My midriff is definitely not sexy. My song at the beach is “this little gut of mine… I’m gonna let it shine!” So I’ve begun a daily running routine of about 25-30 minutes a day, and I’m praying to get back to the physique I had in college.

As far as diet goes, I’m trying to eat salads for lunch and quit the carbs. My wife got me into this wacky diet called “The Raw Foods Detox Diet,” where we juice vegetables every day. The author says that you should only have this juice and fruit in the morning, and then eat your heaviest meal at night. There are food combination rules (which are beginning to make me nuts), like not combing meat (which the author calls flesh!) and grains. The book is also obsessed with bowel movements.

Anyway, I’ll let you know if I start losing pounds and if my stomach begins to change. This blog is really great.

Leo Says:

June 9th, 2008, 17:32 pm

Congrats, Dan on your exercise and diet changes! Just start small, make gradual increases, and stick with it! You’ll get there my friend. :)

Flat Stomach Says:

June 10th, 2008, 13:20 pm

I completely agree: Cardio is the key to lose fat. To much is talked about eating, diets etc. Doing regular cardiovascular exercises is very beneficial

Henry Says:

June 17th, 2008, 17:49 pm

There are probably as many techniques for achieving an optimally fit body as there are individuals. Recipes and methods are great. Listening and responding to one’s body is greater.

Want to know what is good for your body?
Ask it.

blackistindian Says:

June 25th, 2008, 11:59 am

I think this is an excellent idea for losing those extra pounds. I’m currently doing a weight loss program myself which I am documenting on my site, and definitely plan on using these tips along my journey. Thanks!

Kelsey Says:

July 28th, 2008, 21:49 pm

Grains and hydrogenated vegetable oils are what need to be cut out, NOT meat.

Humans have been eating meat (NOT lean meat, healthy fatty meat) for over 2.5 million years.

Do some of your own research instead of blindly believing the bullshit “conventional health wisdom”.

Leo Says:

July 28th, 2008, 22:26 pm

@Kelsey: Ah, the paleo diet theory … I agree that we should cut out hydrogenated vegetable oils, but not grains.

If you think about what ancient humans ate, they ate plenty of grains … just in whole form … in fact, I’d argue that they ate whole grains, green veggies, fruits, nuts and other vegetable matter much more than meat, which was hard to come by … it’s pretty hard to catch animals without guns, and when they did, they ate it all and stored the rest as fat. Which is why fatty meat makes us fat — we’re designed to store the excess calories as fat to last us until the next hunting success.

eva carter Says:

August 26th, 2008, 13:05 pm

why are some of you bashing on fruit and carbs. First of all, i would like to point out, that fruit it very good for you. It may have sugar, but it is natural and healthy. And carbs are not bad for you, if you eat good carbs you will lose weight and keep it of. I am sick of everyone saying that carbs are so bad for you; if you eat the wrong types, from the wrong foods, then yes it is bad.

sanjay mittal Says:

August 29th, 2008, 2:36 am

I have cut down about 8 kilos of weight in two months and done it by a simple method.

Enjoyable cardio excercises and enjoyable fruits and veggies. There is one golden rule :” Eat what God wanted you to and not what the ad model on TV tells you to.”

I think we have been created to be veggies; it is impossible for human beings to eat a buffalo or a camel without cooking or without a knife. That is just with paws, claws and teeth as animals do.

So logically eating fruits and vegetables makes more sense.

Similarly excercises should not be equipment dependent. So I guess joggin running and swimming will always be enjoyable and most productive.

sanjay mittal Says:

August 29th, 2008, 2:43 am

forget to add one thing; Yoga is a fantastic excercise. Bloggers out here could try breathing excercises in Yoga called Pranayam.

One pranayam excercise called kapal bahrati can be done while you are working on your computer.

Gauranteed results and absoliutely free.

This is is God’s greatest gift to humanity…

Anna Says:

September 12th, 2008, 13:46 pm

Hi everybody.

I’m Anna…ex-smoker, ex-couch potato, ex-junk food addict, ex-“hate sports” person…
I’ve lost 15 lb and 5 inches of my waist (and girls know how hard is for girls to lose belly fat  ), went from size 10 to size 4, smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day and now runs 3.5mi every day + rides bicycle 4-8mi (combined with weight resistance training-of course). Did all this totally on my own…
I think that all this gives me the right to say a few things:

1. Don’t take anybodies advice for the face value. As with finger prints, every each of as is unique in every possible way. Knowing that, why do you think that works for me will also work for you? Find your “own thing”…what works for you and stick to it. And give you self some time, body sometimes needs a while to catch up with your mind-but it will catch up.
2. Before you undertake a task such as loosing weight, getting fit, lowering you body fat percentage,…get information first. Read on the Internet, go to library, talk to friends and colleges, and get as much information as you can. Getting the pounds on doesn’t take much knowledge, but getting it off in a safe and healthy manner is totally different game. It is a change of mental composition, change of the way you think and feel….so get informed.
3. Exercise only or diet only will not produce desired results. Yes, you’ll loose some weight, yes your dress size will drop…but that is not the only thing that you want. You want to look hot in bating suit, don’t you. If you combine diet (I hate the word diet, ‘cause this is NOT diet-this is the way you’ll eat for the rest of your life) and exercise, you will be HOT.
4. Let you goal at first be your health, low blood pressure, low cholesterol, feeling good and healthy, whatever…. And when you start seeing results, you re-check your goals. You have a right to change your mind .
5. DON’T leave any type of food out. Since you have to cut on the calories anyway, cutting on the certain types of food can damage your health. The biggest question is not: WHAT types of food are you allowed to eat but rather HOW MUCH of that food are you allowed to eat. I eat everything that I was eating before, and I still lost weight, inches and bad eating habits. But, of course, cheeseburger is not a bad choice if you eat it once a month and if after cheeseburger you have some fruit and that’s it- for whole day.
6. And last, but not least….whoever expects dramatic results in short time, ask yourself one question: would you rather lose a lot of weight in short time and than gain it back (and some more on top of it), or would you lose it gradually and stay lean, mean, muscle building machine for the rest of your life? If you answered yes to the first part of my question, I apologize for wasting you time and please go back to your “fruit the first day, meat the second day, carbs the third day…” diet.

ms. flat tummy fan Says:

October 1st, 2008, 20:39 pm

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAH
ms.flat tummy.
thats jokes
and ALOT of sugar is bad for you, as is anything
like protein even too much vitamin C
so fruits are fine.

ms. flat tummy fan Says:

October 1st, 2008, 20:40 pm

in moderation

The Flat Stomach Blog Says:

October 20th, 2008, 2:33 am

Carrying extra weight around the stomach can be uncomfortable and most importantly unhealthy. Rather than trying to have this ’six-pack’ that is so desired it’s much more of an important goal to simply try and have a flat stomach.

I believe the 2 most important factors to achieving this is a healthy diet and regular cardio workouts.

You have to cut down on your calorie intake. In the simplest of terms, you can do this by eating healthy foods that are full of fiber, good carbohydrates and protein and staying away from fat, bad carbs, sugar and sodium.

As far as cardio its one of the most effective ways to burn fat and calories. For weight loss, do your cardio routine at least five times per week for 30-60 minutes.

Jessica
http://www.flatstomachblog.com

Flat Stomach Says:

October 29th, 2008, 2:04 am

Good and useful info. You can also find such amazing information on http://www.how-to-get-a-flat-stomach.com/

Miss Gisele B | myBeautyMatch.com Says:

October 31st, 2008, 3:35 am

Losing fat takes time and it’s it’s unhealthy to lose too much weight too fast. Lose your weight slowly and not at a time. Changing your life style can help you to reduce your belly fat.

ivan Says:

November 10th, 2008, 12:16 pm

thanks you for the tips and info
i seriously need to lose weight
im 5″10, 16 years old and weigh 233 pounds
i also rarely drink water which i should drink

sanjay mittal Says:

November 12th, 2008, 3:04 am

Dear Ivan,

My name is Sanjay Mittal and I am from India!

I am now working on a revolutionary set of excersis which will change the world. Or at least the stomachs and tummies of the world…

I need volunteers who are willing to shed of their weight, because… the earth needs to feel lighter!

Anyway if you neeed help … mail me at sanjay4321@hotmail.com

sanjay

Ash.Q Says:

November 16th, 2008, 5:33 am

just got in to your sight recently and really enjoyed the debate. I used to go for exercise regularly until i injured my back and had to stop all the gym activity for a long time and next thing i knew was that i grew like a balloon
Anyway just six months back i re-joined my gym and start doing back strengthen and flex exercises (which helped my back to be more pain free and flexible) now from last 3-4 months i am involved in cardio ( 25 minutes treadmill brisk walk+ swim) along with resistance exercises.

For me combination of both has worked as “gradually” from 86 kg i came down to 78.5 kg, have to go for 70-72 kg according to my height (5.9). Upper part of the body is coming in shape but i am still fighting with the belly to be flat I am not on strict diet but trying to eat healthy 6 days a week (one day is exceptional its a treat day for the body).

Only the problem which i am facing now is that my weight from last 1.5 months is static on 78 kg it is not reducing despite of all my combined work out any one know the reason or what changes should i adopt is it food or work out techniques to be changed???

Also LEO do you have some articles or training programs for the injured lower back i sure want to know people who have moderate low back problems how they should do abb training with out injuring their back more

sanjay mittal Says:

November 16th, 2008, 7:43 am

Dear Ash. It was nice to read ur mail. I think a lot of us get stuck up at a certain point in our weight loss regimes.

I would suggest that you change ur routine a bit. You could also clean up ur pipes by taking a glass of lemon water, ( no sugar or additives) just before you sleep. That is as your last food.

The lemon is sure to clean up all the mess in ur pipes and also help in breaking the food into nutrients.

The other big trick is to keep your dinner as the lightest of your meals. Try to take in as many fruits snd salds (without factory made dressings) during dinner time. Also eat it at lest four hours before you go to sleep.

This is sure to produce results fast.

ash.Q Says:

November 17th, 2008, 7:40 am

Thanks for reply Sanjay…..I don’t know well as I am not an expert on that but having dinner 4 hours b4 sleep is kinda hard, i assume by that time we will be hungry again 2 hours is moderate. I have heard from lots of people around that dinner should be little heavier than rest of the meals as while u sleep ur body goes on fasting mode and enough food should be there for the body to consume.

Secondly does a cup of Green Tea with Ginger and cinnamon will work as same as the lemon mixed with water?

Also how can we have flat and strong stomach / belly if we have a back problem we all know strong stomach means good support to the spinal

sanjay mittal Says:

November 18th, 2008, 3:57 am

Dear Ash,

I do not have an exact idea of the problem in your back. Is it weight related or is it vice-versa?

Anyway why I suggested lemon was bcos lemon has natural corrosive action. It is also loaded with Vitamin C.

And having it as a last food will also fill you with a fantastic side effect. Ahem… a lot of desire while you sleep…

Again if your want a flat somach you would really need to reverse your eating habits; With dinner being the lightest and healthiest meal.

Reason?

Our body metabolism slows down while we are sleeping. The speed at which your stomach and liver breaks down food into acids and nutrients slows down and in case you have too much “stuff” for the organs to process, it would remain undigested.

So it is always best to have a light meal in the night. And make sure you sleep at least three- four hours after you had your food.

In case you do get hunger pangs, then grab a fruit. But never anything which is not natural… like biscuits, jams, sandwitchs… keep way from them at least four hours before your sleep.

The food processing factory inside you takes a lot of time to break the down…

Cheers~

ash.Q Says:

November 18th, 2008, 10:11 am

Thanks Sanjay spcly for the ahem… ahem… info, never new that…. lol ;)-

Ok ill try to stop eating befor 4 hours, also after reading the stuff posted above I have changed my style of cardio its 5 minutes warm-up 1 minute sprint (on 8-9 speed) 2 minutes moderate speed (6-7) and than sprint again and so on… let see if that will work!

Cheers!

ash.Q Says:

November 18th, 2008, 10:13 am

*knew

Part Mummy Part Me Says:

March 27th, 2009, 3:47 am

Thank you for such an inspiring blog. I yearn for a flat stomach and to lose a stone or so (14 pounds). I’m taking your advice and have started to do 10 minutes of stomach exercises each morning.

I have been vegetarian for years and was vegan for a few months but didn’t lose any weight which was strange. I am keen to take up running again, and to improve my diet by eating less refined carbs and watching my portion sizes.

You advise not to try to do too much at once, but I’m keen to start running soon - and to try to eat better. I’ve been doing stomach exercises for 2 weeks now. Is is too soon to introduce some short runs? What do you think?

Retangets Says:

March 31st, 2009, 20:48 pm

Второйнах XD

David Says:

April 26th, 2009, 22:57 pm

Hi, ive been working out (cardio) for 2-3 months now and i’ve gone from 220 lbs to 180 lbs. But now that i’m down to 180 pounds it seems like i cant lose any more weight, and i dont have a flat stomach. I’ve been stuck at 180 for 2 weeks or so now. I’ve been doing the low- carb diet and it has been working but it seems like my body just decided to stop burning fat. I dont know wat to do and how to get my body back to losing weight so i can complete my goal and get a flat stomach.

Miss Georgina Janette Says:

April 29th, 2009, 19:44 pm

I want to get my body toned and fit for the 12th grade and luckily i have 2 months of vacation to do so. But, i really don’t know how. I have way to much stress because of my studies and because of depression i have gained about 25 pounds in 4 months. :( So i want to lose about 30 pounds and get toned. I now weigh 167 pounds. Hopefully there is a diet plan that i can follow each day (with exercise)…and if any of you know a diet that i can follow each day…here I am :)

Anonymous Says:

May 16th, 2009, 3:16 am

you are dead wrong about people and six packs everyone is capable of getting one its just knowing about how to eat and train. When you have a strong core everything else falls into place you can do things you never thought possible.

Tony Says:

June 1st, 2009, 16:01 pm

I am not sure if this has been said yet or not, but there is a pretty simple formula for losing weight… There are all of these fad diets, and nutritional experts saying this works better then that, but the truth of it is, they all come down to one main strategy. Burn more calories then you eat… One pound of weight is equal to 3500 calories. So in order to lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit, and if you have positive net carbs, you gain weight. To create this deficit you can either cut calories, or exercise more; better yet, do both.

I also saw someone say that running only burns about 200 calories during 30 minutes and weight lifting burns about 500. I log between 30 and 40 miles a week on the road, and as someone who is constantly researching proper nutrition from reputable sources, I can tell you that you burn approximately 100 calories for every mile you run. So for me that means about 400-500 cals on a run. I also lift weights, a lot (5-6 days a week), and unless you lift hard with very little rest in between sets, you will have a hard time burning the same amount of calories as you would doing cardio. But you can’t lift like that unless you have the cardiovascular stamina… Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote a very complete book on body building, in which a big part is losing body fat, and he suggests combining both cardio and weight training (along with the correct diet to fuel your workouts and muscle rebuilding). He suggests cardio for burning the extra calories and to support the workouts.

As far as the nutrition goes, if you are exercising at a good pace for 30-60 minutes a day your body needs fuel. This is why low carb diets fail after the first few weeks. They are popular because you can drop a lot of weight relatively quickly because carbs hold water, but your body will be run down and you will be exercising in a haze (your brain is fueled by carbs alone). So most exercise nutritionist recommend a 50-25-25 ratio of calories from carbs, protein, and fat respectively. If you exercise more, say about 60-90 minutes a day at an intense level, you need more carbs, about 60 percent, to fuel your workouts. Arnold recommends 40-40-20 for building lean body mass. Notice none of these are low carb. To figure out how much of each you should eat see the bottom of the thread. The source of carbs is also important. They should be gotten from whole grains, fresh fruit (fruit does have a high sugar content, but it has a low glycemic index, it does not react the same as the processed sugars you should avoid) and vegetables, and the fats should be heart-healthy from fish, avacados, and nuts.

Once again, the most important thing is more calories out then in, but having the energy, ability, and health from proper diet and training are essential to staying motivated and able to acheive your goals.

Weight loss goal calculation
(goal in lbs per week * 3500 calories) / (7 days) = calorie deficit needed to acheive goal

For Nutritional Ratios (on 50-25-25)
Calories eaten per day * 0.5=calories from carbs (4 calories per gram)
Calories per day * 0.25 = calories from protein (4 cals per gram)
Calories per day * 0.25 = calories from fat (9 cals per gram)

Superman Says:

June 3rd, 2009, 0:07 am

its great that i visited this site, i have learned a lot, even though i know a little abt trainings, but i know know more abt the diets and thins thanks all

Personal Development Says:

June 12th, 2009, 6:40 am

I think resistance exercises are also important for toning the body. And I agree patience is the key here.

Veroneqa Says:

June 16th, 2009, 17:32 pm

Hi. I have read a few of the comments.
With some of them I agree and with some I don’t.
And to be true, I am confused most of the time.
I have learned one thing though since I started to take care of my body again. I have found out that different people have different needs. And that counts in exercise and diet as well.
I am 22 and my gym is the ladies only gym with circuits of about 15 different exercises. In 3 months I have lost 8 inches (overal loss) and 12 pounds. My current weight is 179 pounds. I want to get to 145 pounds at least.
This gym I am currently with is a great start up for someone who never went to a gym. I got to know lots of things but now I am moving to a propa gym with cardio and weight lifting seperated.
Curently I am visiting the gy up to 5 times a week for 30 min (it is only a 30 min circuit). I can feel that I gain muscle. My weight is more or less upside down now.
With the new gym, I am cutting all the sweets (I will keep my occasional ice cream until I will be 100 % sure that I can manage it without). I have currently stopped smoking after 6 years that is why my weight is mixed up. My new workout includes weight lifting (1 hour) from the simplest things like dumbell flyes to harder like pull ups (I am a complete beginer in weight lifting) and also 30 to 45 min cardio. I cycle 30 min a day (easy)and walk a lot. I don’t eat any wheat foods (I found out that it makes my tummy puffed up) and I eat a lot of fish. I don’tlike veg or fruit so there is very little for me to eat. I got used to soya. I love pasta. But because of wheat I do rice pasta or rice noodles…hell, not the same but does the deal.
I eat 6 little portions a day. Sushi, crudites, protein bar, salad, berries and lots of water and a cup of green tea.
I am hoping to progress. Cos I would do anything to get a killer body. I can give up food to look and feel sexy. Have a goal and you will do anything. I already stopped smoking just to have the breath.
Good luck.
V.

Migo Says:

June 30th, 2009, 3:42 am

Thank you leo for inspiring me and giving just a 3 simple rules to follow. I am now starting your tips hopefully, I could follow it religiously!

Thanks Again!

Chow!

zencontrol.net Says:

July 2nd, 2009, 5:42 am

Here is my recipe of flat stomach.. just one little difference here , little bit of dairy product is good and can help in reducing the fat. By dairy products I don’t mean cheese, cream etc etc I mean toned milk, buttermilk and other such dairy products with less fat :-)

http://zencontrol.net/2009/06/fitness-simplified/

Galoo Says:

July 3rd, 2009, 16:50 pm

Hello there I read some comment and the main topic and i like it, really thank you I was having problem since I lost alot of weight I was 282lbs=128killogram and now am 200.5lbs=91Killogram my goal is to reach 165.3lbs=75killogram with flat stomach
Now my problems is
1- I have a lot of stretch mark and I don’t know how to get rid of them :( and it’s really really make me sad
2-I want to have flat stomach before the end of this year today is 4-july-2009 so you think I do this ?
Please help me.
How I lose all that weight some people will ask me and alot of people ask me this
first 33lbs I lost them in bad bad way which i really don’t like to talk about it but I did it before I kill myself after I lost those 33lbs I start something called
45point diet.
It’s healthy PERFECT diet and it’s work with me by losing around 6.5lbs in week sometimes 5 lbs which is really great it’s simple diet you can follow you rate your food with point it’s french company I forget the name,
So
No oil no surge not one none never zero ! that’s why it’s hard and you take only taste the surge by eating fruit

1 toast =4point ” you cant eat more than 3 a day ”
5 raise spones =4 point ” withOUT oil “prefer not to eat

Meet/fish etc ZERO point but that’s dose not mean you need to eat ALOT
Also eggplant zero point
egg = 4 point BOILED only
you can eat only 1 fruit a day = 18 point you should not eat more than one a day
15 cherry=1 fruit = 18 point
10 strob= 1 fruit =18 point
BANANA = 22 POINT and there is alot of carbs so prefer not to eat.
any kind of vag = 2 point
cup of milk= 2 point
cup of yogurt = 2 point

So the best way is to eat 1 apple and cup of yogurt in the night because yogurt got alot of yeasts

if you taste surge you will ruin the diet for 48 hours you should not even look @ it :P hehe I don’t know if it’s bad but I really like it and I never reach 45 point never

my bad was 35

Now am in the gym I go every day @ 6:45am go out and walk to the gym so I get to the gym around 7:23-or 7:27 am
Do tread mail 10 min running to warm up
Then I have weight program
Day 1 ” chest legs abs
Day 2 “Back-Bi
Day 3 shoulder Tri and abs
So after 10 min i follow my program and then after am done I play stairs claiming for 10 min
so total cardio in gym 20 min and walking to gym every single day take around 40 min

Will you please tell me what more i should do to get flat stomach

I did not read all comment but I loved Leo comment and I really want to thank you bud
am 18 years old college student and my college start 10/9/2009 I wanna be perfect I stop last semster to start my diet because I got GOOD WELL and DETERMENT

So i got around 2 mouth till college and 5 mouth till next year