Can't lose my D A M N gut

[benjaminsweet]

5'6" male, 25 years old. Started with Fitbit back in November at 156 pounds, got down to my goal weight of 140 mostly by running and eating at a calorie deficit. More recently started adding in strength exercise with dumbbells.

I still have a thick layer of belly fat that hasn't budged. Not sure what else I'm supposed to be doing because it seems like things should be changing. I mostly eat as many calories as I burn per day, hence why my weight is staying the same.

I DO have unhealthy days, complete with pizza, snapple, beer on the weekend (a few pints) etc. - but I balance those days out with salads, fruit, etc.

Some sources say I need to eat less, some say I should eat more. Some people say do more cardio, others say lift more. WHAT DO I DO!!!!!!!

[Mukluk4]

Belly fat is the toughest to lose.  

At this point, you should be tracking Body Fat and the clothes test (are they fitting differently).  I would ditch the weight tracking as it's not going to be a good judge of where you want to go.

I would continue doing what you are doing to get a good baseline of what your body fat is doing.  Most likely you will want to get into more strength training.  Invest in a Personal Trainer or at least have a consultation, it's worth its weight in gold.  They will be able to identify the best way to build a map to where you want to be. 

[ChihuahuaMum]

Are you working at the lower heart rate range? That is how you burn body fat more than fresh calories.

You could always try a slendertone  muscle stimulater. 

[SunsetRunner]

In order to lose fat, you have to be in a caloric deficit. I would stick to a low deficit at this point. If you have several meals a day, each of close to equal proportions, it will help with blood sugar and insulin spikes, which can affect fat storage. If you pound down that pizza and beer all at once, you are likely to store it as fat even if you are in a caloric deficit.

[benjaminsweet]

@ChihuahuaMumActually this is yet another thing I've seen contrasting viewpoints on. For the most part, though, I've read that a higher heart rate should always be the goal. What's the theory behind a low heart range burning more body fat?

[benjaminsweet]

@SunsetRunnerIn regards to the fat storage - never really thought of that before. Makes sense though - thank you!

[emili · Accepted solution]

the answer is somewhere in all the answers. you can not spot reduce. you are also at the mercy of heredity. yes, you have to be at a calorie deficit to lose fat, but in my opinion you are already thin so to lose more- hmm, I don't know. weight training is going to help tone you up so you will start to look tighter, but if you have loose skin it will still be there and on a thin person look like fat around the middle instead of loose skin- although with you being young and shedding 16 pounds, its probably unlikely you have it.

If it were me, I would keep doing what you are doing- except I would lose the pizza- just for the next month or two. train with weights and abs and in two months see where you are. increase weight or reps - but push yourself week over week so you begin to notice gains. watch your form so you don't get hurt and let us know how its going.

[ingenuetwo]

You might want to cut back on your beer consumption. It's called a "beer belly" for a reason.

[benjaminsweet]

Thank you for the answers everyone