Need to drop belly flab
 

Ok I started this at 5'8" 52 yrs old weighing 197, I now run or bike every day, run 4-5 miles, bike 20 -40 miles...I now weigh 144 and have a 31" waist but...I still have belly flab. I do squats,and weight curls 3 times a week...
Now this other site is telling me I need to build lean muscle to loose this...THEY say my biking and running DONT build muscle...really ??? My legs are solid muscle...I dont get it, they are saying more and heavier weights and less cardio..
I eat pretty healthy, I dont really want to loose any more weight but this loose skin flab I would like to loose.
My biceps are not as big as they were but probably more solid, and I was in 36 ( tight ) pants and now im in 31's

There is nothing you can do, short of surgery, to get rid of the skin.

Yep. Just how important is it, anyway? Important enough to spend bike bucks and risk a MRSA infection?

I'd save the money and get a new wheelset or something else cool.

Reputable plastic surgeons won't remove excess skin until all the weight is off for 2 years. I've been at my current weight for a year and slowly but surely the skin is tightening up. Will all of it tighten back up? probably not

The things people say. My thighs are twice the width they used to be. biking and running build muscles and strengthen the whole body.

I have found that if I just road ride I get a tummy. The movement from Mountain biking, especially climbing involves my tummy and upper torso. I like to go on 2-3 hours rides. It sound like you are putting the time in to trim all excess body fat. If you can get a fat tire bike and try some trails, see if that doesn't firm up your upper torso.

When I used to run marathons I would discover each new season that I had a bit of a spare tire forming around the middle that just would not go away no matter how much I trained. Everywhere else was trimming nicely (and some suggested my face would look emaciated) but that little extra belly flab would not go. As an experiment one year I cut out almost all carbs for a week (meats and salads only) and the spare tire disappeared immediately. I'm not sure how healthy it is to cut out carbs during hard training and I felt weirdly exhausted during that period --but it sure made the extra belly flab go away.

Maybe lose the weigh SLOWER and allow the skin to regress? You didn't mention the time frame however.

I've not had a 31 inch waist in over 50 years. If yours is at 51, keep doing whatever it is you are doing as it is working. Well done.

100% protein powder shakes added to your diet along with a lot of planks and crunches everyday.

cvcman,
From what I've read on your post, it sounds like a good deal of cardio (running, cycling), some good butt work with the squats, and upper body conditioning. However, I didn't read anything that focuses on abs. If abs are your problem spot, you might want to try some exercises that specifically target abs. Though I haven't tried this one yet, it looks interesting:www.thepostgame.com/blog/training-day/201105/single-best-ab-exercise-and-its-not-crunch

Check out Joe Friels Cycling past 50. He has a section on weight/strength training in there. Or if you're really interested in weight training join a gym temporarily, hire a trainer and take it up for a while. Here's some links about cycling and weight training. Just remember, you get what you pay for.

http://www.cptips.com/weights.htm

http://epicidiot.com/sports/weights_cycling.htm

http://www.roble.net/marquis/weights

BTW: My waist is considerably larger than 31" and it ain't muscle. Congrats.

I lost the flab on my stomach from riding single speed. I ride in the hills and mountains, standing only, no sitting while climbing. It's intense ab training. I could do ab training in a gym but I'd rather ride. 46 or 48 chainring, 16 tooth freewheel, 76-80 gear inches.

There's a lot of information, both good and bad, here. I've written several stories on this for newspapers and magazines, and one thing people often miss is that you CANNOT "spot reduce," meaning you can't make fat go away from just one part of your body. No number of sit-ups or crunches will make belly flab disappear. You can firm the muscles underneath, but the flab will still be there until you diet/exercise it off.
I'm not quit clear whether you have actual fat on your belly or skin left over from a previous weight gain. Five inches off the waist isn't usually enough to leave a lot of loose skin. A year or so ago I lost 70 pounds I'd been carrying for years, brought my waist down from 44 to 36, and even in my 60s my skin took up the slack.

This is very good news. I have lost 90 lbs in the last 18 months - and have gone from a 44 t a 30 pants size. I have pretty droopy looking skin. I am 58, so eventually maybe the skin will take put the slack?

Going up hills is a lot easier at 150 lbs than it was at 240, but I also would object to a little less droopy skin.

This.

Yes, is your belly flab from fat or loose skin from a significant weight loss. I will never loose the leftover from a 100+lb weight loss unless I have surgery to remove it...and I won't do that because I'm not that vain--also lack the funds anyway.

You are getting the right advice that running and cycling do not build muscle per se. In fact, hours on the bike or running decrease muscle mass but increase endurance which is not a bad thing. To increase muscle size, there has to be hard short efforts with less endurance work. Track sprinters have huge legs and do mostly high intensity work and lift weights.

Even though it is impossible to spot reduce, the underlying muscle must be increased or maintained during weight loss. Core work is imperative when losing weight and the diet during weight loss is critical. I like Dr.Perricone http://www.perriconemd.com/category/...FakERQoddGp0bw and tend to follow his diets and supplementation although he is too wimpy on exercise. IMO, omega 3 fats are imperative for an athlete and may be even more important when losing weight. I cannot eat salmon but take fish oil daily which I have been doing for years. It may be one of the most important supplements especially for me since I cannot eat fish.

This?

I think I will just keep my round muscle LOL all this talk of loose skin, surgery and that utility knife makes me want to stay as I am :)

Nope. There's not much you can do about it. Your skin loses elasticity as it ages, so those loose folds and stretch marks are there for good, I'm afraid. I'm pretty much in the same boat. If you ride shirtless, or you're self-conscious at the beach, just wear your shorts higher. :D

Look at it this way--you still look better than you did when you had a beach ball gut and man-boobs. :thumb:

When you find the answer, please let me know as I am in the same boat. I'm 65, 5'7" and started at 180 lbs. I don't run (knees can't take it) but I bike at least 30 miles or more a day (weather permitting) and I'm now down to 150 lbs and in a size 32 pants (also from a size 36). I have tried sit-ups, crunches, and even did some kettle ball exercises. End result is a stronger core, but still have that nagging bit of belly fat and love handles (although much, much smaller than what they used to be).

The more weight and less cardio is correct. In addition, the diet and body type has a lot to do with it too.

To tell the truth, if you got a 31 inch waist, I wouldn't worry about it. I think there are a lot of there would give almost anything to get their waist down to 31.. ;)

that is an impressive weight loss story. so many medical issues are caused by excess weight. you have probably just added a few years to your life. if you want to look perfect at your age, you're gonna have to see the cosmetic surgeon for that skin. meanwhile, don't take off your shirt. or, just look around at the real bellies and take heart.

I needed to get thinner by the start of velodrome season here in San Diego. So far I've lost 12lbs since the end of Jan with a weekly private Pilates session, twice a week yoga practice and dieting (track and road riding is a given). My Pilates trainer changed my weight goal from 170 to 165, now I have to lose 5 more lbs! She says my six pack is appearing, so far I've seen only a four pack.
I'm 6ft and currently 171lbs going lower........My track skinsuits zip up much easier.

45 years ago I re-started Boxing for the Corps. I had a weak abdomen so worked on the ABS. I did not have a 6 pack- It was solid muscle and I had a 28" waist. 4 years later and I stopped Boxing training and just kept fit with Soccer and running. The 6 pack went and a Belly came. It is still here no matter what I attempt to lose it. Good point for me is when I can use 32" trousers instead of 34"