Unable to loose Subcutaneous belly fat


(JK) #1

Been on Keto/ low carb for over 3 years, all markers are pretty much optimal (except LDL Cholesterol on the high side ,but HDL/ TRI ok).The only problem l have is not being able to shift the belly fat (approx 2 inch)
55 year male ,5 '10" 70kg .
I workout 2 times a week .


#2

Maybe its just a case of putting in a little more phase 2 exercise.
Many will say you can do everything with diet, but I feel that if your diet is good and it has gotten you 80% of the way to your goal then exercise wil get you the last 20%.

You are not heavy, so you may be just about where your body is comfortable. So your body doesnt want to loose the weight, which means you’ll have to add more effort to remove it.

I have just been listening to a podcast on wellness that specifically talked about 55 year old males, which is why I bring this up now.
It says that if a 55 year old male is of average stength, by the time they are 80 they will not have the strength to get out of chair without help.
So that might be something you want to look at and see how you feel about your current condition.
Adding some muscle may be exactly what would raise your metabolism enough to loose that bit of belly fat without having to do exercise you might not enjoy or eatting less.


(JK) #3

Yes , l agree possibly increasing protein and going heavy on the weights, Thanks for the info.


#4

You wouldn’t necessarily need to go heavy. Not sure what you are doing now, but some good bodyweight exercises or even deadlifts and squats may really help.
I don’t have access to a full gym, so I am using kettle bells in the garden.


(JK) #5

I do bodyweight and some machines… leg press and cables for upper body.l will start doing kettlebells .


#6

Are you tracking what you’re eating?, and what are you doing for those workouts?


(JK) #7

Yes,l track on carb manager.I do bodyweight excercise, and upper and lower body on the machines, l am going to try and workout 4 times a week .To see if it makes a difference. Could possibly be a Adrenal problem? The fat is just around the torso and belly, arms and legs are skinny.


#8

How intensely are you working out, and how do you feel towards the end? Are you totally exhausted, or do you feel ok but feel like you have done enough?


(JK) #9

Pretty exhausted, heart rate spikes at about 160-170 for a short period.
Ha1c is 5.3 ,need to get that down to under 5.


#10

Unless you are particularly interested and invested in the type of exercise you are currently doing, then I would suggest spending less time at such a high heart rate.
The 2 beat ways to scrub fat is to build lean muscle, so that you raise your metabolism, and spend much more time in phase 2 activity.
That would be cross trainer, rower, bike, up hill walking, stepper, etc. Working at the rate where you get hot and sweaty, but can manage 40mins to an hour with a steady heart rate. You should be just as exhausted but have burned way more calories.

Very roughly speaking, HIIT is good for fitness, but not very efficient for burning fat.
Long slow exercise is very efficient at burning fat.


(JK) #11

Forgot mention, l do approx 15000+ steps a day as part of my work .Will so steady state treadmill and bike 2 twice a week as well .Thanks for the advice


#12

thats a good amount of steps. but that is still phase 1 exercise. steps are great conditioning and will raise your metabolism, but phase 2 is when your heart rate rises a little, you get hot and sweaty, and after 30mins you will have burned off all or most of the energy you store in your muscles, blood, liver and stomach. Then the next 30mins you are pushing your body to break down your fat stores.

If you are fairly fit, then the treadmill is ok, but for many people the treadmill will take you out of phase 2 and into phase 3, 4, 5 where you are pushing your heart rate up, stressing your system. In the higher phases of exercise your body can fall into stress mode and actually want to retain its fat stores. This may be ‘bro-science’ but I have been told that in the higher ranges of exercise your body may even prefer to break down muscle for glucose, rather than fat for ketones.
So be aware not to go to hard on the treadmill. a hard uphill walk is better than a run.

Any way you approach your goal, if you have reached a plateau then usually the best thing to do is totally change your routine rather than add something extra.
so whatever you are doing now, it might be a good idea to try something totally different for 8 weeks and see how it goes.


(JK) #13

Thanks will try.


(JK) #14

Also any thoughts on Sauna and ice baths not for only for fat loss ,but general health?


#15

Absolutely. I wish I had access to a sauna. So much good science on the benefits of both.

I have a cold shower, but its bloody horrible. After a normal shower I turn the hot water off and try and count to 20. I fairly make it to 15.


#16

Ha. I do this too xD


#17

Sauna all day long, Ice Baths? Ever do one? Pure hell and pain for overhyped benefits IMO.


(JK) #18

What should be the ideal phase 2 heart rate For fat burning for a 55yr old?


#19

Is there an ideal heart rate for fat burning? I haven’t heard this.


#20

It would be bases on your resting heart rate.
But essentially, it would be whatever exercise you can maintain without stopping or slowing down for 40-60mins but still be totally exhausted at the end.
Ideally you would need a sit down and rest for 5mins, then be fine to carry on with your day. Obviously you wouldn’t want to kill yourself so that you can not function.
Also, it is a %age range. Not a fixed number.
So it may be 120 after a few mins, but if you hit 150, you might need to slow down.
Ideally speak to a gym instructor for more specific advice.