ok now im getting serious

[liljam148]

OK well first off, im not really new, I've just been more of an enthusiast, with no real drive to get into better shape.

About 2 months ago I noticed that I was getting really heavy. Since then I've joined a gym (about 2 weeks later), and my results are pretty good i have to say.

I'm 16 and went from 33% BF to about 26%, and from 226lbs to 202lbs in about a month and a half. My trainer and I are shooting for about 18% by the time school starts (august 29).

My question is what is the best way to get rid of the fat around my stomach? Its really starting to bother me because in most of the other areas of my body there has been a signifigant reduction. I dont know if its just me but the abdominal area doesnt seem to be changeing too much.

Any advice would be appriciated, thanks in advanced.

[Goosteady]

From everything I've read and heard it is impossible to spot lose fat. It will all come off together with a proper diet, cardio, and hard work in the gym. If you are paying a "trainer" (Do a search on some of the threads here about personal trainers), then I would ask him these questions and you two could sit down together and make yourself a clean diet. If this guy/girl is worth their weight in salt then they will know the proper foods you need to eat. I would also search the nutrition section here at SM and cross-reference diets posted on there with the one your trainer gives you. If his diet is far from the foods listed here then he is probably a joke and you need to either go find someone else or stop wasting your money and train yourself. The stomach is one of the last parts to lose fat in so you may have a ways to go before you see any definition there. And if your trainer has told you that you can go from 26% to 18% BF in 26 days then he is full of shit IMO.

[liljam148]

ok thanks

[Puddles]

Agreed, you can't "spot reduce" and look around this site to get an idea of what foods to be eating and how to be training, compare that with what your trainer is telling you to do and you'll know if you've got someone decent or not.

Keep in mind, just like the extra weight didn't just show up overnight, it's gonna take a while for it to come off. You've got your young age to really help you with this though! Your metabolism is high now and your natural hormones will help you develop muscle fast.

Good luck to ya!

[football89]

Hey buddy. I'm goign through the same thing as you right now. Ive lost about 3 inches off my stomach and 4 off my chest in 3 weeks. It's tough I know, but just keep the motivation, I jsut think about how good it will be when I'm down to the size I want.

[playthegame]

People are right...There is no way to spot reduce, however, one thing that causes stomach fat is insulin resistance. Start eating only low gi carbs (ie brown rice, oats, etc) and get your body's insulin resistance better and that will help with the stomach fat. In my opinion.

[SonofBone]

I'm not recommending the UD2 (Ultimate Diet 2) to you, but it has some great info. in it concerning how fat is used/lost from the body. It is a lot easier to solve a problem once you know how the problem truly works.

As many have said, there is no such thing as spot reduction, however, certain areas store what is known as stubborn fat. In women it is typically the hips/thighs while men store more in their abdominal area. These areas are the last to go.

I notice that my face, legs, upper back, & arms always go before my midsection, but if I stick w/it long enough, the midsection eventually goes too. Each person loses at different rates. For me, it seems like it takes 4-5 months for the belly. Best of luck and keep up the good work.

[NYCmitch25]

I'm not recommending the UD2 (Ultimate Diet 2) to you, but it has some great info. in it concerning how fat is used/lost from the body. It is a lot easier to solve a problem once you know how the problem truly works.

I notice that my face, legs, upper back, & arms always go before my midsection, but if I stick w/it long enough, the midsection eventually goes too. Each person loses at different rates. For me, it seems like it takes 4-5 months for the belly. Best of luck and keep up the good work.

Agreed its a good read...Why wouldnt you recommend it? Have you tried the UD2? If so how long?

[SonofBone]

Agreed its a good read...Why wouldnt you recommend it? Have you tried the UD2? If so how long?

NYCmitch25...Actually, I'm currently doing it as I recently got under 15%. I'm trying to lose BF in preparation for my Tri next month. I'm following YJ's summer cutter w/it. I did it back in January/February time frame w/some success, but my BF% was a little too high.

I was only saying that I wouldn't recommend it to liljam48 because he is currently at 26% BF, and the UD2 book says that you shouldn't do it until you're under 15% or it could actually backfire on you. Also, I don't remember McDonald saying too much about teenagers. While I'm sure it would work fine for liljam48 once he is at/under 15%, with him being 16 yrs. old, he'll have a lot of natural juices flowing that he should be able to make really good progress just by eating sensibly and following a good workout plan.

That being the case...I would recommend it in general, and I think it is great for anyone to know how the body reacts to various training and feedings. This site is great for picking up a lot of good info. & I've learned quite a bit just from reading the articles here. Even with the all the cardio I'm doing, I think I'm making good muscle gains just by taking a post workout shake immediately after walking out the door at the gym. Until I picked up that piece of advice here, I would generally eat about 45 minutes to 1 hour later. It is the little things like that which start adding up.