Belly fat has to do with your body fat percentage. Fat loss means dropping your body fat percentage.
Weight loss just means losing weight, be it from muscle, fat or just water weight.
Generally, the two go hand in hand with the weight loss ideally coming from a reduction of your body fat.

On how to do it, this thread is 60 pages long which contains more info than I could post here even if I typed till midnight. Good luck reading up.

There are several methods of calculating from the pinch test to body fat scales, but all are but approximations. I find the best tool to see fat loss is the mirror.

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Added on December 22, 2010, 6:23 pmSorry for the slow reply, missed that one in your long post. Yes you can.

Read through some of your writeups on your blog and I must applaud you for debunking many of the common myths plaguing the average Joe and Jane. I do share a lot of your views, and it's nice to see someone putting together a lot of homework into a writeup to get the point across. Keep up the good work.

This post has been edited by statikinetic: Dec 22 2010, 06:23 PM

I think we've all been there when it comes to weight loss in that we think success is determined by how much we lose. After a while, people start to think and realize their goal isn't actually to lose weight, losing weight is actually a method to achieve what they really want. And that's looking good. Of course there are those who are losing weight because of health reasons, but I believe the majority are vanity driven with the emphasis on image first. Me included.


On the calorie discussion we have at hand, let's just put it as :

1kcal = 1 Calorie

Of course we could discuss on the small calorie/gram calorie and the large calorie/kilogram calorie/food calorie but since this is a heatlh forum, let's just pin down to the one that matters. So you don't have to go worrying that your drink contains 65,000 calories.

If you cannot control your spending, is it any wonder you're broke at the end of the month?

I'm curious. What have you tried to lose weight in those 2 months?

And they want miracle products that can produce results even when watching TV! Fat to muscle, sorta like a modern day alchemy dream. It used to be lead to gold.

Yes. It's deeply ingrained within our culture.
When someone has a problem and noticed a 60 page thread on the topic, they will :

A) Go through 60 pages of information. Chances are the answer is in there and the chance to learn a whole lot more! If it isn't, then post.
B) Expect information to be spoonfed and post.


It gets tiring after a bit but those in the know have to chip in. If we make the place newbie-unfriendly, we cannot really fault anyone for not knowing if we don't keep answering all their questions. So to all the vets, keep soldiering on!


Sidenote : Can't help it, I seriously LOLed at 200 situps daily. How can I put this....

Nobody I know who is really huge and has huge biceps does 200 bicep curls daily. The only person I knew who tried it before was a skinny guy who gave up after 3 weeks. You might want to relook at your training methods to realigned to your goal.

The question on your workout can only be answered by yourself. I assume that by posting in here, you are working out with the goal of losing weight. After 3 weeks, do you see results towards your goal of weight loss? No weight loss but more toned in front of the mirror? If so, by all means keep it up.

Seconded. Gotta keep that fire stoked.
I'm going 5 times a day.

If I could choose either diet or exercise as a bigger factor in you getting fit, it would be exercise. So go get it, just because you don't have access to the gym shouldn't stop you. In the meantime, there is always sports like football, basketball, badminton. Or you could just run. Doesn't cost anything to run around the neighbourhood.

Now, let's get to your diet.

Your diet seems to be built on the common misconception of what a healthy diet is. I see wholemeal bread, I see yogurt and I see a piece of fruit. You're just going to end up starving yourself, especially during lunch and dinner. Which will result in your metabolism dropping through the floor and you end up with rock bottom fat burning capability. It's okay to eat meat. It's okay to eat eggs. And please get some vegetables in. Just eat your lunch like any other person. Avoid those fatty curries or gravies, cut out the fat or skin from your meat, have a good portion of vegetables on your plate and top it off with an egg.

Start like this and it won't be hard to stay on track. And exercise.

Low fat milk is not a marketing gimmick. It is what it says, milk that is lower in fat. The one I have in the fridge has about 1.5g of fat per 100 ml, the full cream version clocks in at around 5g of fat per 100ml. The full cream version tastes better and smoother compared to the low fat version because of the higher fat content.

Even if you're intent on losing weight, fat is still required for vital bodily functions. All these foods are just different tools for you. Your results will depend on what you use your tools for.

1) Both.

2) Both

I answered the above 2 with the assumption that your 'weight loss' is actually 'to look better/fitter' rather than 'lose weight to be stick thin'. Muscle developent will aid you in burning off calories during workouts and give you that fit athletic frame you see on most actors and athletes. Without muscle development, you will just be....thin.

3) This is up to you. I usually finish my weights first if I want to cardio because of safety reasons. Being exhausted on the treadmill isn't half as bad as being exhausted with a bar full of heavy weights above my head.

4) Depends. I assume you intend your upper body to grow after a strength workout. If you feed it enough through your diet, it will. However, if you go for a run and there isn't enough energy to go around, your body will start cannibalizing muscle to fuel your run. While I wouldn't go as far as to say all your gains are lost, I would definitely say that your gains will not be as substantial as it could. There are just so many variables to address here, I cannot give you a definitive answer unless you provide a very specific scenario. Worried about losing gains? Knock back a protein shake 60 minutes into your strength workout and it should have an effective anti-catabolic effect. If you're running to burn off fat, you might want to consider lower intensity longer duration cardio after your workouts.

5) You cannot turn into the Hulk if you do not have a burning desire to do so. Even if you had an all-encompassing desire to turn into the mean, green giant, on a normal diet and workout everyday till you puke, the answer would still be 'No'. Those big guys (Respect bros) gracing the covers of bodybuilding mags put in so much effort unseen from the general public that it would be almost imporssible for the average Joe to turn out like them. You will get more powerful muscles for sure, so stop worrying.

6) Yes. Stop working out and stop eating, I bet you any amount of money they'll shrink like twigs. If you are talking about altering the general shape, then the answer is 'No'.

7) a) Yes
b) Do me a favour. Go to whoever who said this to you, and shoot the person in the head. Then shoot the person again just in case.

8) Here's a link to the sticky at the bodybuilding section.

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/371250

Remember, working out is only HALF the story, The other half is your diet. Unless you address both, you will never be optimal.

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Added on January 28, 2011, 6:50 pmI would disagree. The diet of our forefathers was riddled with so many nutritional holes but this was unrecorded prior to the modern age.We cannot say that Cancer and Heart Attacks never existed a thousand years ago, they most probably did. But then people just died of them and everyone sort of accepted that it was of natural causes.

Some of our forefathers lived till they were over 100, but some people nowadays do! Take a look at the oldest person in the world right now. And the life expectancy of the average person today is much older than those in the middle ages. Back then, you'd be lucky to survive past 40 with poor healthcare, misinformation and disease.

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Added on January 28, 2011, 7:00 pmCarbs do not make you fat. Rice does not make you fat. In fact, double cheeseburgers do not make you fat.
I had the burger last night and rice for lunch today and I can still see my abs.

Your lifestyle makes you fat. And the general lifestyle is generally made up of 'No exercise or an excuse not to', 'Lack of knowledge in diet and nutrition' and 'lack of discipline'. All these factors combine to make you....FAT. Carbs aren't the enemy, you can go low carbs and get fat if you consume the same calories in veggies and meat. There are so many things to address I'll just get the main ones in. Get your exercise. Learn about what food does and apply it to your diet. Stick to it. That's it.

I hear so many people saying they don't have time to exercise and I call 'Bulls**t'. Touch wood, if one day we came down with cancer and we have to go for chemotherapy today, will we miss it because we have no time? Of course not. If it becomes important enough, you will find time. If you can't find time, it's just not that important to you and that's fine by me.

Now to address the above,

anzen, your daily meals should look like a pyramid where breakfast is at the bottom and dinner/supper is at the top. Eat a mountain for breakfast and a twig for supper. Go for proper food for your breakfast. Eggs. Milk. Maybe even some meat or veg. Same with lunch but in a slightly smaller portion. Watch what you eat for dinner because you're going to sleep and won't be burning off those calories. If you're hungry late at night, fix yourself a protein shake or milk or maybe some half boiled eggs. Carbs late at night will spike your insulin and encourage your body to go into fat storing mode.

This post has been edited by statikinetic: Jan 28 2011, 07:02 PM

Whey protein is a good source of protein for most of us as we cannot get enough through our daily diet. What do you want to know about it?
Nothing much to comment because of lack of info on your workout and diet, but you might want to replace those fruit juices with real fruits.

If protein damages the liver, we would all have liver problems. Feel free to post up the source where you heard this from and I'll dissect the facts for you. You'll be fine, just remember to hydrate with lots water if you up your protein intake.

Good food? Protein?

EGGS.

No comments on the workout. Weight training and cardio, that's good.

1.5 litres of plain water everyday is too little, I average about 5 litres easy. You might want to look into that.

Like sweet_pez mentioned, you need to look into the period between your lunch and dinner. 8 hours without food is no way for you to stoke the metabolism. Inconvenient doesn't cut it here. Protein bars? I would advocate protein shakes which are cheaper per gram of protein. Put the powder into the shaker, and just add cold water when you need it. For your schedule, look into protein shakes between 3-4pm.

Low fat peanut butter isn't necessary. Although they sound the same, 'fat' doesn't make you fat. The fat in food helps keep you full longer and staves off hunger pangs, I cycle a higher fat content instead of carbs on my off-training days to keep me full longer with a reduced amount of food. Multivitamin pills are no substitute for the nutrients or fiber in vegetables. You can supplement, but ensure your primary source from vegetables is there. From your admission, you realize the gap in your diet there so I'm sure you know what to do.

Bananas when ripe fall into the high GI category, so they're good after your workout during dinner. You can take some carbs for dinner after your heavy workouts (Mon, Wed and Fri) as those will go straight to refuelling your muscles and preventing your body from crashing.

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Added on February 12, 2011, 6:57 pmInstead of walking, try brisk walking and keep that intensity up for at least 30 minutes.

Why do crunches and other exercises related to stomach? Those aren't going to flatten your stomach or give you abs.
Your workout sucks in this aspect. You need a full body workout. Go search in the Bodybuilding section for workout plans.


On to your diet.

in the morning , i eat a slice of wholemeal bread and a small cup of milo(boxed one) > carbs
and at school i eat 2 slices of banana bread . > carbs
as for lunch , i eat chicken soup with rice/meehoon (chicken breast) w/o skins . > carbs again
tea time , i eat a slice of wholemeal bread and a small cup of orange juice. > carbs, But wait, orange juice! Fructose. Still carbs. Sorry.
dinner , i eat soup or cereals . > Yup. carbs.

Your diet is pretty horrible for weight loss. You eat nothing but a tuckload of carbs which I don't think your light exercise can counteract. On this diet and exercise plan, I would put my money on you getting fatter. You need protein. You need vegetables. Most of all, you need to cut down those carbs. Eat eggs instead of bread. Eat meat, get protein powders for a source of protein if you have to. Gobble vegetables for vitamins and fiber, and because it's difficult for you to eat 1k calories of vegetables as compared to bread.

Revamp your diet. Revamp your workout. They all need work.

This post has been edited by statikinetic: Feb 12 2011, 07:13 PM

There's a point at reducing calories and carbs where it steps into starvation. You've covered the 'IN' portion of your body pretty well, it's time to work on the 'OUT'. Exercise will give you better results at this point in time than any further tweaks to your diet. Get it in.

On your low carbs and low calories diet, you are DEFINITELY going to crash during exercise. Your body has no fuel, and it can only convert so much fat for energy and take a battering before it collapses. Try this. Go on your normal low carb diet, but every FOURTH day you eat carbs normally. Three days low, one day normal. By the fourth day with exercise, your body will be very low on fuel source and it would be good to take some on to prevent crashes. And this will also help prevent your body from adapting to your reduction in carbs. So remember, it's every 4th day you need to refuel and reset your body. Not earlier, not later. Give it a go and see if it works for you.

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Added on February 12, 2011, 7:24 pmMorning : A couple of half boiled eggs, wholemeal bread and milk.
Lunch : Meat, vegetables and a small portion of rice.
Tea time : Tuna/Sardine/chicken sandwhich
---*** Workout here ***---
Dinner : Yogurt, banana

There.

This post has been edited by statikinetic: Feb 12 2011, 07:24 PM

I find it imperative at a personal level to keep myself well hydrated, as I get headaches when I'm dehydrated.

I keep a 1L water bottle beside me a work and I take a swig every now and then because water is placed at an accesible place (Right beside me). I refill it 3 times a day so by the time I'm heading home, that's 3L right there. Another litre is downed during my workouts and I'm estimating the remainder after workouts, dinner and before bed. Piss is almsot always clear so I'm happy with hydration.

I find that during my non-working days my hydration drops and I put it down to accesibility. Because I have to walk to the kitchen to pour myself a cup. Even worse when I'm out. At the office the bottle is always beside me to taking a sip becomes 2nd nature. I'm on a high protein diet so I'm downing more water for protein synthesis. You remember those myths where people say too much protein or creatine damages your kidneys? They don't. Not drinking enough water does. Because these nutrients require more water to process, a lot of people forget to increase their water intake and put their kidneys under stress to work with all that waste with a small amount of water.

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Added on February 13, 2011, 7:02 pmFasting will turn your weight into a yoyo and you'll rebound with more weight than you wanted.

Your body activates it's starvation mode to preserve itself in the absence of food. Your metabolic rate drops. Your body is adapting to run on lower amounts of energy. Which means a bigger portion of your next meal is going to be kept around for the weighing scale.

This post has been edited by statikinetic: Feb 13 2011, 07:02 PM

You let your work dictate your life. So if your work environment is condusive for getting fat, get fat you will.
"Don't have the time" means that isn't high up on your list of priorities. Sorry. Can't help you.

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Added on February 13, 2011, 10:12 pmReread the past 64 pages. All the routines and food/diet plans are there.

This post has been edited by statikinetic: Feb 13 2011, 10:12 PM

There is no 'good' or 'bad' foods. Only cause and effect, and how the food you eat affects what you aim to achieve.

You can start like this. No problem.

You missed our point.
Instead of us working out the diet for you, now you want to go to a specialist to work it out for you. What we're saying is, learn and work it out yourself. Learn.

It's like driving a car. When we tell you we won't drive you, you go get a driver to drive you instead. Wouldn't it be easier to learn how to drive? So everytime you want to do something, you won't have to get someone to do it for you?