Loosing weight but waist not getting smaller

[gross80]

I am a 54 year old male. I am 6"2" tall. I have worked out for years, but not until recently did I get my diet right. I do 2 intense workouts with a trainer each week and about 3 cardio workouts (mostly interval training on treadmill). Over the last 3 months, I have gone from at least 245 lbs to 220 lbs. I still want to loose about 10 more pounds. Although I have no objective measurement, it seems as if I have lost weight all over, but my waist is still large. I have always done a lot of "core" work with my trainer. I am wondering if I should cut back on core work because maybe my abdominal musculature is hyerpertrophied and that is why my waist remains big. Any thoughts???

[Frnkd]

are you referring to appearance or actual size. What i mean is that I lost weight also. however my belly may not show it. but my waist have gone from a 36 to 32-33. I certainly dont look like I "dunlop" over, although when it started too my motivation was stirred, I have seen the sag of loose skin.lol

BTW, I did a lot of core work before getting my routine and workout organized and purposeful, now that I have lost I can see some of the results.....it was hidden amongst the fat..LOL

Good luck on your journey, what you post is just one of those hills......dont think its a mountain.

[mtpockets]

I am a 54 year old male. I am 6"2" tall. I have worked out for years, but not until recently did I get my diet right. I do 2 intense workouts with a trainer each week and about 3 cardio workouts (mostly interval training on treadmill). Over the last 3 months, I have gone from at least 245 lbs to 220 lbs. I still want to loose about 10 more pounds. Although I have no objective measurement, it seems as if I have lost weight all over, but my waist is still large. I have always done a lot of "core" work with my trainer. I am wondering if I should cut back on core work because maybe my abdominal musculature is hyerpertrophied and that is why my waist remains big. Any thoughts???

My guess is:


Waist is no smaller because the fat hasn't started to decrease there, in males, it's usually the last to go..

keep at it, it could be a longer ride then 10 lbs.

Cant tell without pics, whats your waist size?

[gross80]

Ya you are probably right. My pants waist is a 38 which is a little loose compared to what is was. It just seems like my neck, chest and thights have had a much better result to date. Thanks for your help!

My guess is:


Waist is no smaller because the fat hasn't started to decrease there, in males, it's usually the last to go..

keep at it, it could be a longer ride then 10 lbs.

Cant tell without pics, whats your waist size?

[tomnationwide]

Men store fat in the waist, chest, and for some of us, the penis. Just make sure you stop after waist and chest or your wife is gonna be pissed.

[glyph98]

I have always had the same problem with my waist when it comes to dieting. Like they said, it is the last part to go.

I could be wrong on this, but my understanding is we store body fat differently based on a few things. Body fat that is stored over the entire body is due to over eating. The body fat for men that is stored on the belly and love handles, and for women around the hips and thighs, are due to Insulin storage. So when we eat high GI foods and our bodies release insulin, that fat is stored around those areas.

So when I try to lose fat around my waist, the only thing that really works for me is cutting my carbs intake drastically. I will only eat veggies, and beans, along with some fruits. I cut out all processed carbs and drinks. I can lose inches pretty fast that way. Of course I keep my caloriess under maint. as well.

If I just cut calories, and I continue to eat carbs, I will lose weight but my waist line does not change.

But we are all different, so I am not sure. Like I said, that is just my understanding, and I could be wrong.

[doughnutgut]

During your focus in the mirror and not the tape measure. You will notice that you seem to not lose fat in the midsection but here's the thing.

If you lose fat all over your body then you must be losing fat around your stomach area also. You just do not seem to notice it.

You would look rather daft if all over your body you shrank but your stomach decided to not play the weight loss game along with the rest of your body..

You just do not see it.

[GKC45]

^ so you're saying proportionate weight loss is harder to detect visually?

[EB68]

I agree with the above statements, and I would expect that you will have to lose a good bit more than 10 more pounds to get where you want to be.
If you haven't been able to see the difference yet, 10 pounds won't make much difference at your weight either. Good luck and stick with it.

[doughnutgut]

^ so you're saying proportionate weight loss is harder to detect visually?

Basically during my initial weight loss i did not bother with a tape measure apart from when I first started then a calendar month apart. My waist seemed to not get any smaller between each measurement but the tape told a different story.

The mirror is pretty crap if you look in it daily. Hence why others who only see you now and again can notice the big changes before you can.

I done the tshirt test also.
Do not look in a mirror for 10 days unless you have a tshirt on. Bath, shower without taking any interest in your torso.

After the allotted time, remove the tshirt and look in the mirror. You see a huge difference. Because you are not used to the consistent reflection in front of you.

It seems the fatter you are, the less you notice the weight drop off.

[gross80]

You guys are great! Thanks for the words of wisdom and the encouragement!!!!

Basically during my initial weight loss i did not bother with a tape measure apart from when I first started then a calendar month apart. My waist seemed to not get any smaller between each measurement but the tape told a different story.

The mirror is pretty crap if you look in it daily. Hence why others who only see you now and again can notice the big changes before you can.

I done the tshirt test also.
Do not look in a mirror for 10 days unless you have a tshirt on. Bath, shower without taking any interest in your torso.

After the allotted time, remove the tshirt and look in the mirror. You see a huge difference. Because you are not used to the consistent reflection in front of you.

It seems the fatter you are, the less you notice the weight drop off.

[scullin]

Men store fat in the waist, chest, and for some of us, the penis.

[Tommy W.]

Men generally lose 1" in the waist with about every 7 lbs of fatloss.

[Viking1969]

Yeah I have a little left to lose in the waist and it's really p****g me off now just can't seem to shift it! I know I could with day after day of cardio but that's not what I want to do

[doughnutgut]

Yeah I have a little left to lose in the waist and it's really p****g me off now just can't seem to shift it! I know I could with day after day of cardio but that's not what I want to do

Cardio may give a little assistance in removing it but it is not necessary at all. Perseverance and dialling in on your diet is the main factor though bud.

[near60]

I too was thinking about this last week. Loosing weight and my belly and love handles are getting small but my gut area is still large.

Have heard but do not know that we have 2-3x more inside fat or visceral fat than we do on the outside. Once the pinch an inch type of fat goes there is still more under the muscles in and around our organs that is making the gut larger.

again, i do not know this but it seems like a likely explanation. How about we both keep loosing weight and working on the fat we can see and try to discover if our guts get smaller. I will try to track this and see if i remember to report back here in another month or 2.

[EB68]

Cardio may give a little assistance in removing it but it is not necessary at all. Perseverance and dialling in on your diet is the main factor though bud.

Exactly. Dialing in your diet and staying in a 500 calorie per day deficit will burn fat faster and more efficiently than hours of cardio. I dropped to 8% BF with zero cardio on my last cut.

[Demonchylde]

Once obese guy weighing in on the conversation. When I lost 140, it was a progression. I didn't notice it at first, especially in my trunk. I lost a lot in my face, and people would comment on it. Thing about weight loss is that measureing and mirrors never worked for me. Not did pictures. It was about how my clothes fit.

I started mildly lifting, mostly cardio and lived in a calorie deficiet. It was still important to do some training, and I did use my body weight, and mostly resistance. Then I started noticing things around the chest and waist melt away. (I am not talking about BBing, sorry.) I took the stairs..any stairs, and did mainly resistance and light lifting to avoid the saggy skin effect. Still ate a good amount of lean protien, minimal fats, but enough to be healthy, and dropped my carbs a little. Lots of fibre and greens.

I started noticing it when I hit about 200, and really noticed it at 185 for some reason.

Scales I did use, and not just to check my weight but my food. Tape measures and Mirrors were a distraction. Clothing was key. For instance, I used the same belt while doing this, and would bore in new holes and cut off the excess to show the weight loss. Like a tape measurer but more forgiving, and less maths.

[mtpockets]

Once obese guy weighing in on the conversation. When I lost 140, it was a progression. I didn't notice it at first, especially in my trunk. I lost a lot in my face, and people would comment on it. Thing about weight loss is that measureing and mirrors never worked for me. Not did pictures. It was about how my clothes fit.

I started mildly lifting, mostly cardio and lived in a calorie deficiet. It was still important to do some training, and I did use my body weight, and mostly resistance. Then I started knowing things around the chest and waist melt away. (I am not talking about BBing, sorry.) I took the stairs..any stairs, and did mainly resistance and light lifting to avoid the saggy skin effect. Still ate a good amount of lean protien, minimal fats, but enough to be healthy, and dropped my carbs a little. Lots of fibre and greens.

I started noticing it when I hit about 200, and really noticed it at 185 for some reason.

Scales I did use, and not just to check my weight but my food. Tape measures and Mirrors were a distraction. Clothing was key. For instance, I used the same belt while doing this, and would bore in new holes and cut off the excess to show the weight loss. Like a tape measurer but more forgiving, and less maths.

Good post and congrats..

[patnshan]

Gut went last for me (as a matter of fact, still have a little one left). I suspect you need about 20 more lbs to get there (at 6'3", I had to get below 190 to drop my waist below 34). Don't fret, just keep at it! Good job!

Pat

[azstrengthcoach]

I know my stomach is always the last place to see changes, as others have said too.

[doughnutgut]

Once obese guy weighing in on the conversation. When I lost 140, it was a progression. I didn't notice it at first, especially in my trunk. I lost a lot in my face, and people would comment on it. Thing about weight loss is that measureing and mirrors never worked for me. Not did pictures. It was about how my clothes fit.

I started mildly lifting, mostly cardio and lived in a calorie deficiet. It was still important to do some training, and I did use my body weight, and mostly resistance. Then I started knowing things around the chest and waist melt away. (I am not talking about BBing, sorry.) I took the stairs..any stairs, and did mainly resistance and light lifting to avoid the saggy skin effect. Still ate a good amount of lean protien, minimal fats, but enough to be healthy, and dropped my carbs a little. Lots of fibre and greens.

I started noticing it when I hit about 200, and really noticed it at 185 for some reason.

Scales I did use, and not just to check my weight but my food. Tape measures and Mirrors were a distraction. Clothing was key. For instance, I used the same belt while doing this, and would bore in new holes and cut off the excess to show the weight loss. Like a tape measurer but more forgiving, and less maths.

Nice work. Respect.

That is a heck of a weight to lose.

[Demonchylde]

Nice work. Respect.

That is a heck of a weight to lose.

Thanks

Trust me. It was a realization of either weight loss or death. Death is a solid motivator.

Now my motivation is to take one transformation into another positive change!

[splatthefly]

Tummy tuck....

I am a 54 year old male. I am 6"2" tall. I have worked out for years, but not until recently did I get my diet right. I do 2 intense workouts with a trainer each week and about 3 cardio workouts (mostly interval training on treadmill). Over the last 3 months, I have gone from at least 245 lbs to 220 lbs. I still want to loose about 10 more pounds. Although I have no objective measurement, it seems as if I have lost weight all over, but my waist is still large. I have always done a lot of "core" work with my trainer. I am wondering if I should cut back on core work because maybe my abdominal musculature is hyerpertrophied and that is why my waist remains big. Any thoughts???

[nowhere1]

I am a 54 year old male. I am 6"2" tall. I have worked out for years, but not until recently did I get my diet right. I do 2 intense workouts with a trainer each week and about 3 cardio workouts (mostly interval training on treadmill). Over the last 3 months, I have gone from at least 245 lbs to 220 lbs. I still want to loose about 10 more pounds. Although I have no objective measurement, it seems as if I have lost weight all over, but my waist is still large. I have always done a lot of "core" work with my trainer. I am wondering if I should cut back on core work because maybe my abdominal musculature is hyerpertrophied and that is why my waist remains big. Any thoughts???

You could be describing me. I'm a 61 year old male, 6'2", reasonably fit entire lifetime, went from 245 in January to 220 in August and started lifting. I'm comfortable at 220 but want to loose another 10 lbs bodyfat. Happy with my progress.

Most of my life I sized slacks by the thigh and butt, now it's my waist. A size smaller fits well if I don't button the waist. I think this is normal and can be explained by researching cortisol and whatever else ageing chemically encompasses, but, I enjoy training more. My waist is slowly shrinking and my deadline is a healthy lifetime. Relax and enjoy your training. Results will come.

[gross80]

I am so happy that I joined this site and posted this this question. The posts are excellent. I am convinced that the several astute people who said that I need to loose more weght are absolutely correct! I have reset my goal to get to 200 lbs and will see how I feel at that point. I guess that I was hoping to cut down on core training.

The posts on the importance of diet vs cardio are also right on target. For years I went to the gym and was working pretty hard but not eating right. You can't "train away" a bad diet.

As far as the post about where men deposit fat (from near60) he is correct. I am a physician and have noticed on CT scans for years that men tend to deposit fat "inside" the abdomen (mesenteric and omental) to a greater degree that they do subcutaneously (what you can pinch). On the other hand, women do just the opposite. They tend to deposit fat subcutaneously.

Thanks to all!!

[justsojoe]

I have noticed that since I have gotten older the lower abs are the last things to come through, at 31 they were through first.
Its definitely and age thing, the photo in my avatar clearly shows a bit of stubborn fat around the belly button, took ages to come off altogether.

[TeamBarbarian]

Sounds like you've received some great feedback from others on here already... I'd emphasize the importance of tracking your measurements (ie: tape measure your chest, waist, and hips) and body fat % if you can. Also maintaining a caloric deficit, of course. I still think it's smart to have a refeed / cheat day every week or 2 to keep your thyroid and metabolism active.

I also think hormones can make a bit more of a difference as you get older. Therefore, on top of tracking your calories to keep a deficit, I would also pay attention to your macro ratios, bringing your protein up and carbs down (if you haven't already), to control insulin production. Just take in more healthy fats in place of carbs for energy.

You might also consider using HIIT for a couple of your cardio sessions (if you're not already), and keeping it shorter and harder. This can help reduce cortisol and optimize GH. I'm not a huge fan of long slow cardio.

Also, are you using any supplements? If everything else is dialed in you might benefit from some supps (green tea extract, caffeine pre-workout, other) to increase fat metabolism or spare muscle while losing fat.

Finally, sleep can also help... some studies have shown that sleep deprivation can lead to increased abdominal fat storage. You might also want to take a look into Intermittent Fasting... helped me last year when I was struggling with that last bit of ab fat.

These may not be huge factors, but they might help you lose those last few lbs around the waist!

Good luck

[gross80]

Please explain "intermittant fasting"




QUOTE=TeamBarbarian;1154169333]Sounds like you've received some great feedback from others on here already... I'd emphasize the importance of tracking your measurements (ie: tape measure your chest, waist, and hips) and body fat % if you can. Also maintaining a caloric deficit, of course. I still think it's smart to have a refeed / cheat day every week or 2 to keep your thyroid and metabolism active.

I also think hormones can make a bit more of a difference as you get older. Therefore, on top of tracking your calories to keep a deficit, I would also pay attention to your macro ratios, bringing your protein up and carbs down (if you haven't already), to control insulin production. Just take in more healthy fats in place of carbs for energy.

You might also consider using HIIT for a couple of your cardio sessions (if you're not already), and keeping it shorter and harder. This can help reduce cortisol and optimize GH. I'm not a huge fan of long slow cardio.

Also, are you using any supplements? If everything else is dialed in you might benefit from some supps (green tea extract, caffeine pre-workout, other) to increase fat metabolism or spare muscle while losing fat.

Finally, sleep can also help... some studies have shown that sleep deprivation can lead to increased abdominal fat storage. You might also want to take a look into Intermittent Fasting... helped me last year when I was struggling with that last bit of ab fat.

These may not be huge factors, but they might help you lose those last few lbs around the waist!

Good luck[/QUOTE]

[FitnessFan76]

Basically during my initial weight loss i did not bother with a tape measure apart from when I first started then a calendar month apart. My waist seemed to not get any smaller between each measurement but the tape told a different story.

The mirror is pretty crap if you look in it daily. Hence why others who only see you now and again can notice the big changes before you can.

I done the tshirt test also.
Do not look in a mirror for 10 days unless you have a tshirt on. Bath, shower without taking any interest in your torso.

After the allotted time, remove the tshirt and look in the mirror. You see a huge difference. Because you are not used to the consistent reflection in front of you.

It seems the fatter you are, the less you notice the weight drop off.

That sounds like solid advice, especially the 'T-Shirt test'.