Pot belly woes

[Sun Tzu]

Ok, men, I've got a problem with a pot-belly that just won't go away. I'm actually naturally extremely skinny, but overweight now (this occured from taking medication for my stomach for many years).

All the excess weight shows in my gut and a little in my face. The rest of my body stays skinny.

I notice when I do situps/crunches that these excersizes do little for reducing the fat on my belly. It also seems that no matter how I reduce my calories the belly just won't go down very much (though it does reduce somewhat).

Are there any specific techniques/supplements/diets that are known to reduce the gut? I'd appreciate any advice on that.

FWIW, I'm in my 40's which probably makes it harder, and I do suffer from Colitis which I suspect is part of the problem. My swollen stomach is kind of weird because I'm actually so naturally skinny that I have no butt at all (picture Hank Hill but with some upper body muscles and cooler hair).

Thanks for any input, guys.

 

[Sir Juanalot]

Try these 2, not tested yet, but found em on another forum.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/pilates/h_pilates1.htm

 

[Warboss Alex]

Never to old to get rid of a gut - search for fat loss in this forum and should be well away.

As an aside, cut out dairy completely for a while and see if your gut is less bloated. Every little helps.

 

[Throttle]

You cannot "spot reduce" fat. In your case, your genetics pile it onto your gut and a bit onto your face, not an uncommon situation for guys.

The only way to change this is to reduce your body fat percentage (bf%), which works best when you add muscle & take off fat at the same time. If you're in your 40s, I suspect you've adjusted mentally to having less lean muscle mass than when you were younger, but there's no reason to accept this. There's lots of relevant (and mostly helpful) advice in this forum for adding muscle & reducing fat. For you it may be as simple as upping your physical activity level by 20-30 minutes day to counter a slowing metabolism.

At the same time, be careful with the advice dished out around here -- not many of us have something as serious as colitis to worry about...

 

[Sun Tzu]

Thanks, Guys.

Your info pointed me in the right direction. I think Throttle is right that my metabolism has slowed and that increased activity will turn the tide.

Now that I think of it, I started gaining weight a few years ago when I went into business for myself (computer repair). I went from a life of carrying a heavy toolbag all over several counties to rolling a mouse around and tapping keys on a keyboard. Hence, the weight gain.

I'll look into everyone's suggestions and put together a plan. Thanks again.

 

[Heretolearn]

Hi,

You are approaching this in the correct manner.

First understand what you want to do in your mind then make the necessary steps to complete this.

Understand this is more than your belly but your overall health and fitness. You belly only shows some of the time, your health and fitness shows in everything that you do!

I recommend examining your lifestyle and schedule and finding fun ways to increase your activity. Start slowly and build up. Eg. I work at an office so I ride to and from work to ensure some activity per day.

I strongly suggest finding activities which instill a wonderful lifestyle. Eg. martial arts, yoga, dancing etc. This way you are not just exercising but are actually doing something productive with numerous side benefits, especially your stomach.

All the best!