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beer bellies and exercise!

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
**not sure if this should be here, or in health, so its in both. Mods, feel free to delete as appropriate.**

My fella+i have recently started going to the gym again. i wanted to tone up my legs+hips, and he wants to lose his beer belly. So, im looking for advice+hints as to how he can lose it.
So far he's cut down on fizzy drinks+drunk more water (he only drinks a few beers when he goes out, about once a fortnight), started going the gym again and doing abit more walking and eating healthier.
Is there anything else he can do to help?? He has trouble doing sit-ups, as he hurt hisback a while ago.
Also, guys, how long does it take (roughly) to lose a beer belly??
thanx
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm sure I just replied to this, hope it hasnt gone somewhere else!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It'll take a while to get rid of a belly. Plenty of low impact exercise should do the trick.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if he just wants to get rid of the beer belly rather than go for a full on ripped look, not being able to do sit-ups wont be a problem. Traditional sit ups work the muscles in your back more than your stomach anyway. They also won't pull his stomach in- if anything they'll make it protrude more, and you know the 'six pack' thing? well, when you first start doing sit ups they don't work on the lower sets of the muscles until the upper ones are stronger, and it's the lower muscles he'll need to develop to 'pull in' a gut. What he needs to do is create a strong support bracket around these muscles, which will include the lower back muscles to be honest so I'd recommend he gets that checked out. A lot of lower back issues are mis-diagnosed though so look around at his symptoms before you accept a diagnosis of 'slipped disk' that gets bandied about a lot.

    Also, there is no such thing as 'spot reducing' (unless you go for lypo). Fat will come off when calorie expenditure is greater than intake, and after energy from 'adipose tissue' is used. Adipose is a liquid substance that's stored in your joints and muscles ( I think) and is only about 4% in even obese people so it's not much of an issue really. I recommend swimming twice a week- lengths at a steady pace. Check fitday.com for info on how food intake and energy ex are calculated for a man of his age/sex/weight etc. Also, if his knees can handle it- a skipping rope is wicked for burning cals and therefore reducing fat.

    Specific exercises to pull in his gut, that I have found to work, are calanetics ones and yoga type ones where you concentrate on tiny movements to train the muscles rather than sit ups which build them up and push them out. You can pick up a calanetics book and exercise vid down your local car boot for a pound- a good investment I'd say and you can do it at home without fancy expensive equipment.

    Seeing as you're memers/users of a gym, take advantage of the staff and get some advice on your routine while you're there- and make sure you tell them about his back. i've not done it, but me mate recons a couple of paid for personal coach/trainin sessions really did wonders for her...

    Good luck. Getting fit is a buzz once you get into it. Now, where's that cake? All this training talk's given me the munchies... lol
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