Best ways to lose waist inches

Hello all,

I am male, 26, 5 11'', 183 lbs -- I'm overweight but not obese, and in general I look  good everywhere but... my waist.  I  don't like how it looks at all :)  I know this is the TOP problematic area for men, but I haven't been able to find a good guide on how to concentrate on that area -- especially for a beginner at exercising.  Any good suggestions for helping me succeed?

Also, I would love to have other male buddies with a similar goal!

I'm male, 24, 6', and about twice your weight, and yes, mine is mostly in my waist area as well.

There really is no way to "Spot Reduce",ie lose weight/inches from one particular area.  There are a lot of books and products promising that you will lose belly fat, but they are just marketing ploys.  Your body will lose weight from wherever it wants.

You can do ab exercises, but that doesn't mean that is where you will lose the weight.  Kind of a PITA really, but that's how it goes unfortunately.

cardio, cardio, and more cardio....its the only way to burn fat.  if you want to do crunches, it will give you muscle definition, but it will not "reduce" your waist.

if it is any consolation, we women worry about our waistlines too :)

Claudius and nermil, thanks for your response!  I will be trying really hard in the next few months to work on burning off my fat. My BMI is 25.5, so not exaggeratedly on the overweight side, but my fat percentage (according to my scale) is pretty high, about 30%. I will try to do some cardio every morning (videos and gym, at alternate days). Does that sound good?

There is weight loss and then there is fat loss. Loosing fat is about your diet. What you are eating and how much. Look into clean/balanced eating. Weight training and HIIT training are the best exercises for fat loss.

Make sure to drink plenty of water.

Cardio, cardio, cardio is the fastest way to overuse injuries and permanent joint damage if you don't know what you're doing, and anyone who just tosses out cardio,cardio,cardio without any qualifiers don't.

 F-, See me after class.

Train smart, have a goal, and don't start a training program that would overtrain an Olympic athlete. And realise that exercise is at best supplemental to diet, the only way to burn fat is to have a calorie deficit. Creating that deficit through diet is tricker than with a combination of diet and exercise, but cardio in itself is pointless when it comes to weight management.

well, guess i have been set straight.  no more postings from me.  thx melkor

Original Post by nermil:

cardio, cardio, and more cardio....its the only way to burn fat. 

 Cardio is in now way, shape or form, the only way to burn fat.  A calorie deficit achieved through aerobic exercise won't result in any more fat loss than that same size deficit achieved through calorie restriction only, though the same size deficit achieved through weight training will lead to a lot more fat loss.

Original Post by nermil:

well, guess i have been set straight.  no more postings from me.  thx melkor

 

What, did the lack of a smiley make you miss the joke? But you've been here since 2007 - surely you've learned that 300lbs person + running = permanent joint damage by now?

Hey melkor, I am 183 lbs, and already exercise but just sporadically, so I should not have too many issues joint-wise with upping the ante with a combination of diet and cardio. I think that I eat very well, in that I cook all of my meals, do not eat junk food at all and eat plenty of veggies & fruit (which I love). The issue is that this is the waist fat I accumulated around 17-18 and never really got around to shed.

I have been looking at online videos yesterday and am thinking of going to the gym every two days with a personal trainer. I'll keep posting my progress :)

Well, I was thinking of Claudius mostly - but cardio plays very little role in weight management in any case. Cardio health is separate from cardio performance ability - even Dr. Kenneth Cooper, world-famous cardio loony now says you should do most of your cardio as walking.

 Take a look at this study comparing the effect of cardio vs. weights. You tell me - do you want the weights results, or the cardio results?

I agree with the weight training propsed, but I wouldn't discount cardio all together.  Instead choose cardio that can double as resistance training... like swimming. 

Very low joint damage risk, and it leans and tones, especially in the abs since you have to keep your abdominal area contracted and engaged in order to remain afloat and to execute your strokes correctly.  

And it is a helluva lot more fun than pounding it out on that damn treadmill.  Good luck!

Original Post by melkor:

Well, I was thinking of Claudius mostly - but cardio plays very little role in weight management in any case. Cardio health is separate from cardio performance ability - even Dr. Kenneth Cooper, world-famous cardio loony now says you should do most of your cardio as walking.

 Take a look at this study comparing the effect of cardio vs. weights. You tell me - do you want the weights results, or the cardio results?

Huh?  What did I do ?