I need to get rid of my pudge! Got any advice for me? :)

[Tuken]

Right now I have obvious pudge that is hiding my sweet six pack I just know has to be in there! So I figured I would exercise & eat healthier (I don't want to call it a diet) to get rid of the pudge then work on gaining muscle after that. Does that sound about how I should go about things?

My current plan of a workout: Now don't laugh! This is my first time trying to do this.

1) 20 minute jog (Going to run around outside randomly, I live in the country so #YOLO. When it's snowy I'm going to use a treadmill that we have stored in our shed.)
2) Stretch somehow
3) Sit ups (like.. 40 of them? 50?)
4) Crunches
5) Leg Lifts until I give in
6) Plants for 45 seconds

^This is to get rid of the pudge. Does that sound good? What else would you recommend? And then I'm going to enhance my eating by doing the following: A piece of fruit at least everyday (an apple a day keeps the reaper away), drink tea almost everyday, drink at least two-three bottles of water everyday, no more soda AT ALL, no more deserts unless a smaller portion on Saturday or Sunday but not both.

Does what I have sound like a good plan? What would you recommend me doing? Thanks in advance!

[iSillyeh_Angel]

cardio is a good way to get rid of fat, which you are doing with the 20 minute jogs. i like that you are doing crunches and situps to build up some abdominal muscles.

In my opnion if you want to see results fast, i suggest you just be more active in general. example, you can go over 20 minute jogs if you want. its recommended to go up to 40 minutes. minimum is 20 minutes.

i read somewhere, i forgot where. but apparently "sodium" in foods contribute to fats around the waist. so i suggest cutting down on sodium

results are 80% diet. 20% workouts.

just eat low fat (unsaturated fats are good though), high fiber foods.low sugar.

[Poe-Sensei]

First off, sit ups and crunches both? Not needed. Exercising an area will not remove fat in that area. It's quite possible for people to do nothing but sit-ups, and lose fat in their arms. The body decides how it goes through fat.

So, a few recommendations.

Make sure you're in a caloric deficit. Aim for about 1800 on rest days, upwards of 2200 on days you workout hard. You WILL have to adjust this some. Experiment some. Seriously, calories are all that maters in the weight department. This is why they say, "Abs are made in the kitchen." No amount of exercise will matter if you're in a surplus. You can eat whatever you want. Though personally, I'd stick to dairy, eggs, meat, organs (liver once a week and you're golden), root vegetables and fruit. Sugar is fine. Aim for about 1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass. After those calories, try and split it up between fats and carbs.

Add some other areas to your workout. I like calisthenics, so if you don't wanna spit out some money for a gym, go for that. You can find playlists on progressions. Read this post for a few convenient links. The top of page 2 has another for pushups. Walk daily. Use the routine in the link about 2-3 times a day. Rest is important. Get about 2 days of rest. Walk on those days. Sprint once every 7-10 days.

[Tuken]

iSillyeh_Angel

cardio is a good way to get rid of fat, which you are doing with the 20 minute jogs. i like that you are doing crunches and situps to build up some abdominal muscles.

In my opnion if you want to see results fast, i suggest you just be more active in general. example, you can go over 20 minute jogs if you want. its recommended to go up to 40 minutes. minimum is 20 minutes.

i read somewhere, i forgot where. but apparently "sodium" in foods contribute to fats around the waist. so i suggest cutting down on sodium

results are 80% diet. 20% workouts.

just eat low fat (unsaturated fats are good though), high fiber foods.low sugar.

Duly noted, thank you! Now I feel better about incorporating the jogging in my work out. I think I will start off at 20 minutes for right now, and if I feel even better about it- I'll start jogging 30 or even 40. Also, I will try my best to stay away from sodium. Thank you!

Wraiem

First off, sit ups and crunches both? Not needed. Exercising an area will not remove fat in that area. It's quite possible for people to do nothing but sit-ups, and lose fat in their arms. The body decides how it goes through fat.

So, a few recommendations.

Make sure you're in a caloric deficit. Aim for about 1800 on rest days, upwards of 2200 on days you workout hard. You WILL have to adjust this some. Experiment some. Seriously, calories are all that maters in the weight department. This is why they say, "Abs are made in the kitchen." No amount of exercise will matter if you're in a surplus. You can eat whatever you want. Though personally, I'd stick to dairy, eggs, meat, organs (liver once a week and you're golden), root vegetables and fruit. Sugar is fine. Aim for about 1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass. After those calories, try and split it up between fats and carbs.

Add some other areas to your workout. I like calisthenics, so if you don't wanna spit out some money for a gym, go for that. You can find playlists on progressions. Read this post for a few convenient links. The top of page 2 has another for pushups. Walk daily. Use the routine in the link about 2-3 times a day. Rest is important. Get about 2 days of rest. Walk on those days. Sprint once every 7-10 days.

Okay! I will gladly do only sit ups then, lol. I have never counted calories before, so that will be interesting. I will watch what I'm eating, and if I feel like it's unnecessary I won't eat it. Knowing that I should have two rest days is awesome, because I wasn't sure if I should work out all week with the weekends, or just forget them? Thank you for the reply, it cleared a lot for me! I will just have to experiment how my body handles my work out. Thank you. (:

[Poe-Sensei]

iSillyeh_Angel

i read somewhere, i forgot where. but apparently "sodium" in foods contribute to fats around the waist. so i suggest cutting down on sodium

Sodium is a necessary nutrient for metabolic health. One who decides to eschew sodium rich processed foods actually are required to increase salt intake through other means, if their diet doesn't provide enough of it.

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results are 80% diet. 20% workouts.

Agreeing with this, but want to reword it different. Keeping the same percentages, though. Diet for weight. Diet and workouts for body composition.

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just eat low fat (unsaturated fats are good though), high fiber foods.low sugar.

I would actually say the opposite. Saturated fat should be much higher. Unsaturated fats are usually unstable, and quickly oxidize, either through cooking, processing, or through consumption. This causes free radicals in the body. PUFA intake in particular must be balanced out through antioxidant consumption (Vitamin E in particular). Likewise, unsaturated fats exposed to these temperatures become trans fats.

Likewise, sugar is rather neutral. It's empty calories, but it's quick energy and the body knows how to handle it properly. It's an easily abused substance that is, as mentioned, empty calories and quick to consume vast amounts of it. A gallon of tea in my house is roughly 1500 calories. Considering the number of people who simply drink water in that amount, it just goes to show how quickly it can get out of hand.

Tuken

Okay! I will gladly do only sit ups then, lol. I have never counted calories before, so that will be interesting. I will watch what I'm eating, and if I feel like it's unnecessary I won't eat it. Knowing that I should have two rest days is awesome, because I wasn't sure if I should work out all week with the weekends, or just forget them? Thank you for the reply, it cleared a lot for me! I will just have to experiment how my body handles my work out. Thank you. (:

You don't even need to do the situps. razz But that's up to you.

It gets easier. A lot of people get to a point where they can just look at a food and go, "Ah, X calories. Cool." I've known a few that when they go out, they fill their cup with ice tothe top, then get the soda. Shaves off quite a few calories, and diet soda tastes terrible anyway. razz

Two days gives a bit of leeway. You don't get stronger lifting the weights, you get stronger after you put them down.

Just do your own research on the foods. As I demonstrate to the poster above, not everyone is going to agree on pretty much anything. razz

[Tuken]

Wraiem

Tuken

Okay! I will gladly do only sit ups then, lol. I have never counted calories before, so that will be interesting. I will watch what I'm eating, and if I feel like it's unnecessary I won't eat it. Knowing that I should have two rest days is awesome, because I wasn't sure if I should work out all week with the weekends, or just forget them? Thank you for the reply, it cleared a lot for me! I will just have to experiment how my body handles my work out. Thank you. (:

You don't even need to do the situps. razz But that's up to you.

It gets easier. A lot of people get to a point where they can just look at a food and go, "Ah, X calories. Cool." I've known a few that when they go out, they fill their cup with ice tothe top, then get the soda. Shaves off quite a few calories, and diet soda tastes terrible anyway. razz

Two days gives a bit of leeway. You don't get stronger lifting the weights, you get stronger after you put them down.

Just do your own research on the foods. As I demonstrate to the poster above, not everyone is going to agree on pretty much anything. razz

That is so true about what you said about the weights! I will have to remember that and quote you. Today I feel pretty good- I just tried my workout two or so hours ago. I became very winded after the second lap around my family's property- my Mom said I had "exercise asthma" when I was little- I don't know if it's just cause I'm pudgy or what, but I was winded. Yet I still wanted to keep going, and when I was too pooped to run I walked.

I also found out from the Wii Fit last night I'm 188 pounds too. I'm excited to see if by this Friday I've achieved any luck. Even if I don't, that won't stop me! Right now I want to work on my pudge, however my goal is to get abs. When do I know I should start working on exercises that are directed to my abs? Is it more so.. when I need to know, I will know then? For right now, I gotta focus on that muffin top! Thanks again! (:

[Poe-Sensei]

Tuken

That is so true about what you said about the weights! I will have to remember that and quote you.

Aw hell, I'm sure I quoted it from someone else by now. You read around, things like this pop up all the time. Most recently, from here. (Commandment VI)

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Today I feel pretty good- I just tried my workout two or so hours ago. I became very winded after the second lap around my family's property- my Mom said I had "exercise asthma" when I was little- I don't know if it's just cause I'm pudgy or what, but I was winded. Yet I still wanted to keep going, and when I was too pooped to run I walked.

For what's it's worth, exercise-induced asthma. You could just be out of shape, and it's a result of you pushing yourself.

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I also found out from the Wii Fit last night I'm 188 pounds too. I'm excited to see if by this Friday I've achieved any luck. Even if I don't, that won't stop me! Right now I want to work on my pudge, however my goal is to get abs. When do I know I should start working on exercises that are directed to my abs? Is it more so.. when I need to know, I will know then? For right now, I gotta focus on that muffin top! Thanks again! (:

Welcome.

If it's winter where you're at, don't focus on it too much. Having "abs" year round is a right pain for many people. You may or may not be one of them. Many (males) just try to stick to about 14% or so when there's no reason to publicly display the torso. (Bodybuilders, athletes, beach-goers, etc...) I'd say, work on building your fitness level first.It'll be much easier to go from there.

[Tuken]

Wraiem

Welcome.

If it's winter where you're at, don't focus on it too much. Having "abs" year round is a right pain for many people. You may or may not be one of them. Many (males) just try to stick to about 14% or so when there's no reason to publicly display the torso. (Bodybuilders, athletes, beach-goers, etc...) I'd say, work on building your fitness level first.It'll be much easier to go from there.

Okay! I trust you. I feel like that's more reasonable too- focus on what I should right now, now. I live in the United States, so right now it's autumn. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to start right now- usually people gorge out during Thanksgiving and Christmas and make it their New Years resolution to "get in shape." I want to do the opposite. I want to brave the storm of holiday feasts now, but I'm still going to enjoy and celebrate because I'm with my family.

The main reason why I want to get visual abs is for art. I see art as anything and everything. I've been telling everyone that we all are given the most important pieces of art- our own bodies- and I want to make mine a masterpiece. (I know that's subjective, but I'm focusing on how Greeks viewed the body in terms of sculpture.) In two years I'm going to transfer to a university from my community college, and I believe if I have abs I will be taken more serious than if I still had my pudge.

Thanks again! I will keep you posted how things turn out. (:

[Poe-Sensei]

Tuken

Okay! I trust you. I feel like that's more reasonable too- focus on what I should right now, now. I live in the United States, so right now it's autumn. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to start right now- usually people gorge out during Thanksgiving and Christmas and make it their New Years resolution to "get in shape." I want to do the opposite. I want to brave the storm of holiday feasts now, but I'm still going to enjoy and celebrate because I'm with my family.

Just consider the holidays "cheat days" on calories. I know plenty of people who have one of those every 2-3 months, and they just pig out to 2-3x their normal calorie intake. The increased calories now and then really helps, granted a lb or so of fat (depending on how much fat you actually eat), it can really improve recovery and performance.

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The main reason why I want to get visual abs is for art. I see art as anything and everything. I've been telling everyone that we all are given the most important pieces of art- our own bodies- and I want to make mine a masterpiece. (I know that's subjective, but I'm focusing on how Greeks viewed the body in terms of sculpture.) In two years I'm going to transfer to a university from my community college, and I believe if I have abs I will be taken more serious than if I still had my pudge.

Interesting way to look at it. This being the case, take a look at calisthenics and yoga to help round it out. The both will help with flexibility and mobility. Once a week of the calisthenics and yoga as often as you like.

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Thanks again! I will keep you posted how things turn out. (:

No problem. Feel free to send a line if this thread ends up expiring.

[X of Castigation]

Surgery.

[Solid Snape]

Only retards think ab exercises will burn fat and produce a six-pack. Lift heavy as weight in compound movements (squats and deadlifts are teh best), it increases metabolism for hours or days after exercise. You can do some cardio between lifting weight days. I personally never do cardio and I'm built like a greek god. xp

[Oktober_Thyrst]

A vegan cleanse for 8 days should help, in combination with brisk walks. Water helps one to metabolize fat; this is key.