# Why am I still flabby?



## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

I'm 24 now. All my childhood I was the chubby fat kid. I eventually found a boxing gym that was close to me and I started going there. I lost a lot of weight and I started running a lot. While I did lose weight I still had a stomach with love handles and a flabby chest. I was happier with my new body since it was an improvement but it was still an embarrassment. 

When I was 17 I joined the army. We did a lot of running there. I still had a flabby physique. I could run our 2 mile test in under 13 minitues. I was one of the best runners in my unit. We also did countless push ups. No matter what I STILL have a little belly, love handles and a flabby chest.

Now I'm 24. One of my dreams is to be a health nut that is always working out, outside at least. I have always wanted to be athletic. I've always wanted to be at least toned and do a lot of out door stuff. I now run more for distance to burn off more calories. I run FOUR MILES a day anywhere from 4-6 times a week. Thats really hard and most people can't do that. I do a lot of push ups with the Perfect push up since they are very difficult to do. I try to do sets to work my way up to 50 and by 30 my muscles are burning and I'm groaning while trying to finish my work out so its very intense. I am focusing on push ups to tone up my flabby chest. 

Its not working and I'm getting VERY ANGRY. Why am I still so god damn flabby. I'm so embarrassed of my physique. I eat decent. I drink lots of water all day and eat lots of fruits so I don't crave soda. I eat lots of turkey and veggie meat since its healthy. I cut lots of bad foods out of my diet. Nothing seems to work for me. I really want a better physique and I feel that I work very had to get it. Its incredible frustrating to not get what I'm working very hard to get. I know in my pictures I look normal but if see me with my shirt off then you will see what I'm talking about. I look like a guy that can't do 1 push up or who can't run 2 blocks with out gassing. You would not believe I run so much if you saw my physical appearance. Does anyone know whats wrong with me? Does anyone know what I STILL have this disgusting body. Is there anything I can do? Please help. 

P.S I ran EIGHT miles today since I was so disgusted with my body when I woke up and saw myself in the mirror. I ran 4 in the morning and 4 in the evening. Are fat guys just doomed to be fat forever? Or do we have to starve ourselves?


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

I feel like if you can run eight miles in one day that you're not flabby and it's all in your head.


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## TobeyJuarez (May 16, 2012)

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/body-types-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph.html

i hope this helps


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

Cam1 said:


> I feel like if you can run eight miles in one day that you're not flabby and it's all in your head.


I'm wish to god you were right. I have heard this explanation so many times. That its all in my head. Especially since I look skinny and toned with my shirt on. Its very frustrating that people don't believe me until I show them. And then it becomes very embarassing. These pics don't lie. I'm really embarrassed to post them but I get responses like this a lot.

I mean come on. I run 4 damn miles a day. I did 8 today out of pure disgust. I've done so many push ups to tone up my chest. I'm sweaty and my chest is burning by the time I'm done. But I STILL look like this with my shirt off. Whats wrong with me? I'm disgusting.


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## PaysageDHiver (Jun 18, 2011)

Everything you're doing is endurance-based, which is far from ideal for getting lean. A lot of distance runners are flabby. Go to the weight room and lift heavy things, replace the distance running with sprints or something high intensity, eat _lots_ of meat and veggies (and not much else), and you will transform your physique in a matter of months.


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## SupaDupaFly (Sep 1, 2011)

You have to lower your body fat more. you won't see any tone if your body fat is still high. from the pictures i would guess your around the 20-24 % body fat. Try to lower it to the mid teens and see how your body looks then. Btw you start to see your abs around the 12-14% and vaguely see your upper abs around the 15-18% area.


Create a calorie deficit while you weight train. You gotta build muscle to look toned. You don't wanna look skinny trust me.


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## ThingsRlookingUp (Aug 13, 2012)

^ what he said.

Do more HIIT (High intensity interval training) and lift weights.
Track your diet. Fruits are healthy but they are still a lot of simple carbs (i.e sugar, if you dont use them as energy it turn to fat) Track all your meals for a week and look at the calories/day, carbs, fats, etc. Adjust as needed.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson175.htm
general faq about losing body fat.

BB.com is a good site to find workout routines and they have a lot of useful articles about what your diet should look like. Good luck man!


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## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

eat less, pull weigh, your heart is a muscle, a muscle inside your body, not outside.


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

SupaDupaFly said:


> You have to lower your body fat more. you won't see any tone if your body fat is still high. from the pictures i would guess your around the 20-24 % body fat. Try to lower it to the mid teens and see how your body looks then. Btw you start to see your abs around the 12-14% and vaguely see your upper abs around the 15-18% area.
> 
> Create a calorie deficit while you weight train. You gotta build muscle to look toned. You don't wanna look skinny trust me.


I already look skinny, people always tell me to add more muscle since I look skinny with a shirt on. But look at my physique wit a **** off, Its repulsive. I know I have to lower my body fat thats the problem, I'm not succedding in doing it. If you look at my pic in my avatar thats what I look with a shirt on. People always think that I'm skinny enough and that its all in my head. But when my shirt comes off I have this disgusting physique. Its horrible. I feel very angry that I run this much and have been doing so many push ups and still have a fat physique. I'm not as fat as when I was a kid but I'm still flabby as hell.

When I flex my muscles after doing my push ups my flab tends to hide a bit better and my arm and should muscles come out more. But 10 mins later my body returns to its flabby state. I feel like I have the worst genetics. I've lost so much weight and I work out hard just to look like this? Its very frustrating.



ThingsRlookingUp said:


> ^ what he said.
> 
> Do more HIIT (High intensity interval training) and lift weights.
> Track your diet. Fruits are healthy but they are still a lot of simple carbs (i.e sugar, if you dont use them as energy it turn to fat) Track all your meals for a week and look at the calories/day, carbs, fats, etc. Adjust as needed.
> ...


I do a lot of varaition of push ups with low rest time to keep the burn going. I try to only take 20 to 30 second breaks. I focus on going down slowly and having good fourm. I feel like anyone else that works out as much as I do would already have a much better physique. Imagine running 4 miles a day and having this disgusting body to show for your hard work.


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

Kakumbus said:


> eat less, pull weigh, your heart is a muscle, a muscle inside your body, not outside.


Listen I'm trying to be open minded but its incrediably frustrating to keep hear the same advice. First off I don't over eat. If you look at my avatar it should show you how lean I look with a shirt on. I'm not over weight. I'm just very flabby ****ty genetics. I cannot lose this last bit of fat. Tell me how many fat flabby guys can run 4 miles a day and sometimes 8 miles in one day.

I'm sorry to come off as a jerk but I'm very frustrated at my lack of progress. I work out hard, I run a lot in this Florida humidity and I'm sweatying like crazy when I'm done and for what... a flabby looking body. I try my best to eat healthy but I feel its just my genetics. I really do. Is there anyone on here that has any different advice for me other then the usual since I have tried it all. While in the Army I was on the track team. I was the slowest one there but we ran sprints, up hill, canyons and I could sometimes come in 4th or 5th place. Then I look at my flabby fat physique that I cannot get rid of. It pisses me off so bad. Whats wrong with me. No one should do this much running and push ups and look like me. My diet is for the most part pretty healthy. I figure I would make it even cleaner if I could just get a better looking physique.


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## PaysageDHiver (Jun 18, 2011)

Do you have something against weight training?


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## agentcooper (Aug 15, 2012)

The movie forks over knives might be inspiring.


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## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

carven said:


> Listen I'm trying to be open minded but its incrediably frustrating to keep hear the same advice. First off I don't over eat. If you look at my avatar it should show you how lean I look with a shirt on. I'm not over weight. I'm just very flabby ****ty genetics. I cannot lose this last bit of fat. Tell me how many fat flabby guys can run 4 miles a day and sometimes 8 miles in one day.
> 
> I'm sorry to come off as a jerk but I'm very frustrated at my lack of progress. I work out hard, I run a lot in this Florida humidity and I'm sweatying like crazy when I'm done and for what... a flabby looking body. I try my best to eat healthy but I feel its just my genetics. I really do. Is there anyone on here that has any different advice for me other then the usual since I have tried it all. While in the Army I was on the track team. I was the slowest one there but we ran sprints, up hill, canyons and I could sometimes come in 4th or 5th place. Then I look at my flabby fat physique that I cannot get rid of. It pisses me off so bad. Whats wrong with me. No one should do this much running and push ups and look like me. My diet is for the most part pretty healthy. I figure I would make it even cleaner if I could just get a better looking physique.


tell me exactly what your diet is btw whats your height age weight and how many calories a day do you eat? and stop thinking of cardio so much, pull weights


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Cam1 said:


> I feel like if you can run eight miles in one day that you're not flabby and it's all in your head.


I can run six and I am still flabby.....Yay for Paxil fat!


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## Equimanthorn (Aug 5, 2012)

I agree with everyone else that your exercise routine needs an overhaul. Running and pushups will not get you where you want to go. You're getting awfully defensive with your replies and getting angry with people. We're simply trying to tell you, distance running is not going to get you where you want to go. Build some muscle. Nobody is telling you to bulk up if that's not the look you're going for, but a few simple pounds of muscle will get your body burning more calories and tighten up that skin.


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## Nada (Dec 19, 2004)

It could be your eating habits, it could be your exercise routine, it could be your genetics. Anyways have you tried those programs like p90x or insanity? I also don't disagree with doing some heavy lifting also. You might as well build some muscle while you lose the flab.


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

PaysageDHiver said:


> Do you have something against weight training?


Running outside seems to be the best way to lose weight. I wanted to get lean and lose my fat before focusing on going above and beyond by adding some muscle to my scrawny physique. I wanted to be lean more then muscular. I feel if I focus on a gym and lifting weights I will neglect my cardio and get a little fatter.



agentcooper said:


> The movie forks over knives might be inspiring.


I will youtube the trailer.



Kakumbus said:


> tell me exactly what your diet is btw whats your height age weight and how many calories a day do you eat? and stop thinking of cardio so much, pull weights


I'm 5' 9'' without shoes, I never weigh myself so i don't know. I don't know how many calories I eat a day. I'm not a heath nut but I do try to eat as clean as possible and I have eliminated a lot of bad stuff. What do you mean pull weights? As in lift weights? I do push ups a lot but I'm not getting the results I want. I don't see how stopping my cardio and weight lifting will make me more lean. If you think it will then I will give it a shot since I am so disgusted with my physique and I'm getting very angry at all my endless running to still look like this.



Equimanthorn said:


> I agree with everyone else that your exercise routine needs an overhaul. Running and pushups will not get you where you want to go. You're getting awfully defensive with your replies and getting angry with people. We're simply trying to tell you, distance running is not going to get you where you want to go. Build some muscle. Nobody is telling you to bulk up if that's not the look you're going for, but a few simple pounds of muscle will get your body burning more calories and tighten up that skin.


I don't feel that I'm being defensive, I'm just being realistic about how frustrated I feel. I am to embarrassed of my physique to defend it. If you guys are experienced weight lifters that were once where I am now and you are saying that I need to life more weights then I will give it a try.

I hate gyms though, I don't do well in groups. I would rather be outside on my own running but that is not getting me any good results, just a bigger gas tank. Were any of you this flabby before and then toned up from going to the gym?


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

millenniumman75 said:


> I can run six and I am still flabby.....Yay for Paxil fat!


wow... how discouraging. I think my running days might be numbered then. Especially when people constantly see me running and doing push ups and they assume that I'm in very good shape until they see what I really look like.


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## PaysageDHiver (Jun 18, 2011)

carven said:


> Running outside seems to be the best way to lose weight. I wanted to get lean and lose my fat before focusing on going above and beyond by adding some muscle to my scrawny physique. I wanted to be lean more then muscular. I feel if I focus on a gym and lifting weights I will neglect my cardio and get a little fatter.


Lifting weights is _fantastic_ for getting lean, for several reasons. First, your metabolism stays elevated longer after lifting than after running (and calories burned during the workout will be comparable if you lift hard). Second, when you beat down your muscle through heavy resistance training, your body has to repair it, and it uses nutrients to do so. So the nutrients get preferentially shuttled to the muscles instead of being stored as fat (this is called 'nutrient partitioning'). As a bonus, more muscle gives the _appearance_ of being leaner.

Weights will help you get lean and address your 'scrawny' physique at the same time.

I'm someone who has no trouble adding mass, but getting lean is hard for me. But I'm currently approaching single-digit bodyfat and I don't do any endurance work (except for an occasional walk). Endurance work isn't necessary, and it's far from ideal. If you like running then don't give it up, but making weights the cornerstone of your exercise will go a long way toward helping you reach your goal.


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## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

Carven, you think the answer is in cardio, cardio doesn't affect your muscle, and please count your calories, im not saying do it on a day to day, just once or twice to have a clue, i used to think i ate like 2000 when i counted it i was at like 3000.

If you eat a ton of good food, sorry bro, you will get fat, unless you do the required exercise. Cardio doesn't make you that lean.


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## rymo (Sep 6, 2009)

Do P90X. You'll be ripped in 3 months. Simple as that.


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

You look like you haven't done any upper body work at all. Why not start off with some regular, run of the mill, upper body training? Chin ups, push ups, etc, etc. You may find that the fat goes down as your muscles get bigger. 

Also it is worth pointing out that fat doesn't make you fat, carbs do. Avoid potatoes, grains, etc and eat lots of fruit and vegetables through out the day and have a high protein lunch and dinner. Starchy things will satisfy your appetite for longer so if you are avoiding them and opting for fruit and veg instead then you need to pretty much constantly snack through out the day. The way my physiology works, my body burns off excess calories by heating up. Other people put the extra calories into storage. Constant snacking on fruit, soups and salad, as well as nuts and seeds, will keep your sugar levels up enough to keep you going without causing your body to store any. The only time to consume carbs would be after a workout(rather than protein shakes). Oats would be the best option then. 

The reason carbs increase body fat is because of the effects of insulin. A large meal with what would be considered a normal amount of carbohydrate increases insulin significantly. So too do soft drinks containing lots of sugar. Starch is really no better than sugar irrespective of its "complexity" but soluble fibre slows the release of sugars into the blood. That is why oats are good, they contain high levels of soluble fibre. So too do apples. Insulin tells the body to store sugar and to convert some of the stored sugar into fat. It also tells the body to store fat. The thing about calorie dense foods is that the more you eat them the more you want them. Excessive insulin will leave you feeling hungry sooner and craving more calorie dense foods. Avoiding calorie dense foods and eating too much at once keeps insulin down and normalises you hunger...


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## Eski (Aug 6, 2011)

> I'm 5' 9'' without shoes, I never weigh myself so i don't know. I don't know how many calories I eat a day.


I think this is the main problem tbh, if you want to get lean and toned then your going to have to know at least the very basics like your bmi and your ideal weight for your height and bone frame. Count cals, get to your ideal weight, find out your bf% then diet to get it to/below 10%.

You'll be toned then.


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## hrnmhmm (Feb 23, 2012)

All you need to lose fat is a calorie deficit. Exercise is for your health, not for fat loss. Muscle building will accelerate your metabolism somewhat, but you'll also be hungrier. (Having a faster metabolism can only be _bad_, I don't know why so many people buy into that.) It's not about exercise, it's about what you eat.

Losing fat is difficult for most people because:
- eating no more than you need / cutting out unhealthy foods (forever) seems painful
- getting fewer calories than you need will make you feel tired
- some take it too far and burn themselves out
- others don't understand that this should be a permanent lifestyle change; they cycle their habits, and feel tired and crappy as a result

You don't need to count calories. It wouldn't hurt, but all you really need is to cut out processed junk, and eat mostly fruits, vegetables, lean meats (whole foods that are low on excess calories or have complex carbohydrates and are somewhat nutritious) - and to limit your eating to when you're hungry. Also shouldn't drink anything besides water; juices are high in calories and become tempting. Being active as opposed to lethargic might help too, if you're the type that eats when lazy. Rinsing your mouth well after you eat may also be helpful - the flavor of food might make you hungry earlier. Avoiding excess calories is all it takes; do that for a few months and you'll have lost most of your excess fat.


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## ThingsRlookingUp (Aug 13, 2012)

Here's the thing everyone's body reacts differently to different routines. You seem to keep arguing against lifting/doing hiit workouts with the argument that "cardio and pushups is the best way to go". However clearly you can see that it is not getting you the results that you want. So why not switch up your routine and try something different for 30 days. If you don't like it or don't get the results you want you're not worse off than you are now.

Also from my experience losing body fat, diet is vital and the workout/cardio is secondary. If you do the tracking of your meals and everything you eat and post it on here I could help with some suggestions on changing certain parts of it, if you are interested in that. I know it's really a pain to do it but it is very helpful...


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## hrnmhmm (Feb 23, 2012)

You can push as hard as you want in the field or in the gym and it won't affect your fat loss if you eat the wrong things. Overworking may even have the opposite impact. It's all about what you consume vs what you need.


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## edhoo (Feb 15, 2011)

You really need to start lifting


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## GoodTurtle (Jun 24, 2012)

carven said:


> I'm 24 now. All my childhood I was the chubby fat kid. I eventually found a boxing gym that was close to me and I started going there. I lost a lot of weight and I started running a lot. While I did lose weight I still had a stomach with love handles and a flabby chest. I was happier with my new body since it was an improvement but it was still an embarrassment.


What's you height, weight, body fat %?

I know the feeling. I lost 30 lbs. in 8 weeks. Still 26 % body fat because I lost the weight too fast, and lost muscle mass - arms and stomach are flabby. I still have a belly, because I cannot do "abdominal" exercises, due to an umbilical hernia. I am trying to get lean, but it's tough. Best advice I could give is, don't cut your calories and carbs too much, 1800 cals. is better than the suggested 1200, in mho - You won't feel starved all the time. Take in a minimum of 130mg of carbs each day. Walk a minimum of 5 miles each day, and workout with free weights. Keep at it! Eventually you will overcome the plateau and you will lose those extra lbs. The flabby areas will improve when you replace fat with muscle (free weights). You can't selectively lose fat from specific areas of your body, e.g. belly or man breasts. My noticeable areas of loss are arms, legs, love handles, chest and my face. Belly fat seems to be the last to go away.


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

PaysageDHiver said:


> Lifting weights is _fantastic_ for getting lean, for several reasons. First, your metabolism stays elevated longer after lifting than after running (and calories burned during the workout will be comparable if you lift hard). Second, when you beat down your muscle through heavy resistance training, your body has to repair it, and it uses nutrients to do so. So the nutrients get preferentially shuttled to the muscles instead of being stored as fat (this is called 'nutrient partitioning'). As a bonus, more muscle gives the _appearance_ of being leaner.
> 
> Weights will help you get lean and address your 'scrawny' physique at the same time.
> 
> I'm someone who has no trouble adding mass, but getting lean is hard for me. But I'm currently approaching single-digit bodyfat and I don't do any endurance work (except for an occasional walk). Endurance work isn't necessary, and it's far from ideal. If you like running then don't give it up, but making weights the cornerstone of your exercise will go a long way toward helping you reach your goal.


Okay, well today I enrolled in a gym. It was expensive to pay the down payment but what choice do I have, its for my confidence and health so I guess you can't really put a price on that. If you guys say that weight lifting will give my physique better results then running then I hope your right and will give it a try. The fitness instructor was also telling me the same thing and how lifting weights creates an after burn to burn fat for up to 48 hours and such. I hope this works. I hate being flabby but I hated more being so fat when I was a kid.



Kakumbus said:


> Carven, you think the answer is in cardio, cardio doesn't affect your muscle, and please count your calories, im not saying do it on a day to day, just once or twice to have a clue, i used to think i ate like 2000 when i counted it i was at like 3000.
> 
> If you eat a ton of good food, sorry bro, you will get fat, unless you do the required exercise. Cardio doesn't make you that lean.


I will back off the cardio then. I don't much care for it to much. I like that I can outrun most people but that's not why I do it. I enrolled at LA gym today so hopefully I can get better results and tone up my body.


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

jonny neurotic said:


> You look like you haven't done any upper body work at all. Why not start off with some regular, run of the mill, upper body training? Chin ups, push ups, etc, etc. You may find that the fat goes down as your muscles get bigger.
> 
> Also it is worth pointing out that fat doesn't make you fat, carbs do. Avoid potatoes, grains, etc and eat lots of fruit and vegetables through out the day and have a high protein lunch and dinner. Starchy things will satisfy your appetite for longer so if you are avoiding them and opting for fruit and veg instead then you need to pretty much constantly snack through out the day. The way my physiology works, my body burns off excess calories by heating up. Other people put the extra calories into storage. Constant snacking on fruit, soups and salad, as well as nuts and seeds, will keep your sugar levels up enough to keep you going without causing your body to store any. The only time to consume carbs would be after a workout(rather than protein shakes). Oats would be the best option then.
> 
> The reason carbs increase body fat is because of the effects of insulin. A large meal with what would be considered a normal amount of carbohydrate increases insulin significantly. So too do soft drinks containing lots of sugar. Starch is really no better than sugar irrespective of its "complexity" but soluble fibre slows the release of sugars into the blood. That is why oats are good, they contain high levels of soluble fibre. So too do apples. Insulin tells the body to store sugar and to convert some of the stored sugar into fat. It also tells the body to store fat. The thing about calorie dense foods is that the more you eat them the more you want them. Excessive insulin will leave you feeling hungry sooner and craving more calorie dense foods. Avoiding calorie dense foods and eating too much at once keeps insulin down and normalises you hunger...


Your first sentence speaks the truth. I don't look like I can do 1 push up, I don't look like I can run 2 blocks. I do lots of push ups and have burned out my arms and my chest so many times, but once that burn and lactic acid goes away it seems that my body returns to this flabby state and people think that I don't do anything. Its incredibly frustrating.

I enrolled at a gym today and got a tour with a trainer. Tomorrow I go back to start my next work out. He too talked about how lifting weights is better for buring fat and toning up. I hope hes right. Running in this Florida humidity for 4 miles sucks. Especially when you take your shirt off to take a shower and are greated with a flabby physique. Then I knock out 50 pushs on the perfect push up and my flab is slightly hidden for a few minitues, then it comes back. I hope this gym thing works out.


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

carven said:


> I do lots of push ups and have burned out my arms and my chest so many times, but once that burn and lactic acid goes away it seems that my body returns to this flabby state and people think that I don't do anything. Its incredibly frustrating.


Try isometrics. They helped me tone up quite well as well as gain some good strength. Also a really good diet helps no end...


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

ThingsRlookingUp said:


> Here's the thing everyone's body reacts differently to different routines. You seem to keep arguing against lifting/doing hiit workouts with the argument that "cardio and pushups is the best way to go". However clearly you can see that it is not getting you the results that you want. So why not switch up your routine and try something different for 30 days. If you don't like it or don't get the results you want you're not worse off than you are now.
> 
> Also from my experience losing body fat, diet is vital and the workout/cardio is secondary. If you do the tracking of your meals and everything you eat and post it on here I could help with some suggestions on changing certain parts of it, if you are interested in that. I know it's really a pain to do it but it is very helpful...





edhoo said:


> You really need to start lifting


You guys convinced me. I enrolled at a gym today. I first did 30 min on the olypitcal as was the request of the fitness instructor and then we did some chest and triceps work outs. I was pretty surprised at how weak I was. I really thought that all those push ups would have come in handy today but they didn't. Tomorrow I go back to do back and biceps. They all keep telling me that lifting weights is so much better to burn fat and add lean muscle then cardio. They talked about an after burn that you get from weights and that even working out your legs will burn more calories then running. If this is true then what a waste running is. I was alwasy taught that cardio and being active is the key to weight loss, not lifting weights. I thought if I lifed weights I would wind up looking like one of those musclar fat guys like a line backer or E. Honda from Street Fighter 2. I really hope this works. I'm already in good physical shape and I do have lean toned legs to start so hopefully I can do the same to my torso and my arms.


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## environment1 (Aug 19, 2012)

naturalnews.com is one of THE best sites for alternative news as well as great health suggestions. Honestly, your doing great to exercise that much especially incorporating being outside for most of your workouts. Avoid eating any unnatural substances (GMO's, Artificial Sweeteners, High Fructose Corn Syrup) and stay focused it takes time and a relentless amount of energy!


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## ThingsRlookingUp (Aug 13, 2012)

That's great to hear man. 

It's pretty common misconception that if you lift weight you'll automatically look like those bulky bodybuilders, they take so much extra stuff to get to that level. If you 're goal is to get lean you will want to focus more on high reps and not too much on going too heavy in the weights.

Cardio is not a waste, it is important to keep your heart healthy but you don't need to do too much just don't cut it out completely. Everything has a purpose, cardio is def good for weight loss for extremely obese people, they will be able to lose a bunch of initial weight with just cardio. After a pt however your body adjust to everything. Same thing with weight training too, I like to switch up my routine every 12 weeks or else I feel like my muscles adapt to the routine. But you won't have to worry about this since you just starting everything is new and you should feel it the next day, just mentioning it for future reference. 

Also cool that you got some advice from trainers. If they didn't already tell you don't make the mistake of training with your ego (I.e. sacrificing good form to lift heavier too boost your ego). This will lead to injurys, I learn this the hard way 

Next time you go in ask the trainer for nutritional advice too. I really firm believer that nutrition is the #1 most important key to getting lean.

Wow that turned out to be super long. If you can't tell nutrition and fitness is one of the things I'm really passionate about.

Tdlr cliffs:

Glad you joined the gym. Most ppl too stubborn to try new things.

Focus on form don't try to do too much too fast. High reps on lower weight will give you good lean look.

Ask trainers about advice on nutrition.

Keep at it, one step at a time. Keep us posted on progress and results. Best of luck.


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## VIncymon (Apr 16, 2009)

carven said:


> You guys convinced me. I enrolled at a gym today. I first did 30 min on the olypitcal as was the request of the fitness instructor and then we did some chest and triceps work outs. I was pretty surprised at how weak I was. I really thought that all those push ups would have come in handy today but they didn't. Tomorrow I go back to do back and biceps. They all keep telling me that lifting weights is so much better to burn fat and add lean muscle then cardio. They talked about an after burn that you get from weights and that even working out your legs will burn more calories then running. If this is true then what a waste running is. I was alwasy taught that cardio and being active is the key to weight loss, not lifting weights. I thought if I lifed weights I would wind up looking like one of those musclar fat guys like a line backer or E. Honda from Street Fighter 2. I really hope this works. I'm already in good physical shape and I do have lean toned legs to start so hopefully I can do the same to my torso and my arms.


You are not alone. You say that you always were a chubby kid. Well, I was always a skinny kid. In fact, despite all of my weight training, I am still skinny.

The most frustrating thing for me is , ever since I hit 20, everytime I eat a substancial meal, my stomach bulges visibly.
I could do 50 sit-ups 3 days in a row, look great on the fourth morning, but if I go to a picnic, my stomach comes right back out after I've eaten.

To combat this embarrassing bulge in my stomach, I've taken to sh_tting after every meal, before anyone else at the table can notice. It makes my _ss feel sore, but at least, I don't look like I have a beer-belly.


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

ThingsRlookingUp said:


> That's great to hear man.
> 
> It's pretty common misconception that if you lift weight you'll automatically look like those bulky bodybuilders, they take so much extra stuff to get to that level. If you 're goal is to get lean you will want to focus more on high reps and not too much on going too heavy in the weights.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the support. I really want to get in better shape. We will see how this fits into my busy schedule but I do need to spend my free time on a productive hobby and not the computer. I really hope this is what I need. I now try to live my life by a simple philosophy "Don't over think it and just do it". I know if my physique improves then I will eat even better.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

I agree with what others have suggested about weight training. If possible, try to track your body fat percentage during your training.


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## srschirm (Jun 25, 2006)

What is your diet like?


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

diet is more important than exercising to lose weight


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## Broshious2 (Jan 21, 2009)

MobiusX said:


> diet is more important than exercising to lose weight


I disagree. I remember reading through a journal of a guy who ate only McDonalds for a month, and just increased the amount he exercised to compensate. He ended up with a lower BF% as well as being in better health.


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## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

Broshious2 said:


> I disagree. I remember reading through a journal of a guy who ate only McDonalds for a month, and just increased the amount he exercised to compensate. He ended up with a lower BF% as well as being in better health.


try that long term, define better health


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Kakumbus said:


> try that long term, define better health


McDonald's has been trying to lower fats, but it still freaks me out.


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## TobeyJuarez (May 16, 2012)

go to your local track or somewere where you know how far your running..

step 1. run 400 meter sprints or as far as you can get in 30 seconds (which ever one your more comfortable with)
step 2. rest for 2-3 minutes

repeat this for about 30mins- 1 hr every other day

on the days inbetween, aletrnate between doing your 4 mile runs and some sort of weight lifting 

this is my actual work out routine

Monday: Sprints
Tuesday: Weigth training
Wensday: sprints or 6 mile run
Thursday: Weight training
Friday: Sprints
Saturday: 6 mile run or sprints or a rest day
Sunday: Rest

sometimes i take saturdays of depending whether i did sprints or a run on wensday and how i ate all week 

hope this helps


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

illmatic1 said:


> go to your local track or somewere where you know how far your running..
> 
> step 1. run 400 meter sprints or as far as you can get in 30 seconds (which ever one your more comfortable with)
> step 2. rest for 2-3 minutes
> ...


Just curious...what advantage will sprinting provide over long distance running in regards to fat loss?


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## Urban0utcast (Nov 7, 2014)

I know you posted this a while ago but could you please post how you're doing now? Did you solve your problem? I want to know b/c I'm having the same exact problem as you. I am losing pounds AND inches but still look flabby AS HELL. Better then I was but not where I want to be at all. The thing is I loove running and hate hate hate weight training. I force myself to do it anyways but not as much as I should I suppose b/c I don't look very toned. I realized my body just likes to hold on to my lil pooch and I'm worried I'll never reach my goals.  Thanks though your post was helpful (even though it's really old and you're probably like why the hell are you responding to this). Oh and I'm a girl so maybe that explains the extra my body doesn't want to let go of..


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## carven (Jun 19, 2012)

Urban0utcast said:


> I know you posted this a while ago but could you please post how you're doing now? Did you solve your problem? I want to know b/c I'm having the same exact problem as you. I am losing pounds AND inches but still look flabby AS HELL. Better then I was but not where I want to be at all. The thing is I loove running and hate hate hate weight training. I force myself to do it anyways but not as much as I should I suppose b/c I don't look very toned. I realized my body just likes to hold on to my lil pooch and I'm worried I'll never reach my goals.  Thanks though your post was helpful (even though it's really old and you're probably like why the hell are you responding to this). Oh and I'm a girl so maybe that explains the extra my body doesn't want to let go of..


Hey Urban0utcast, I'm sorry for the late reply. I haven't been on here for a while. I think girls look better with some body fat on them personally so I wouldn't worry about not being lean. I'm sure you are georgous.

I'll post a pic I took of myself after my chest work out back in October. What do you think?

bump


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## TobeyJuarez (May 16, 2012)

Opps accidental bump


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## TobeyJuarez (May 16, 2012)

49erJT said:


> Just curious...what advantage will sprinting provide over long distance running in regards to fat loss?


Depends on who you ask... Some people say that is hormonal, others say that it's the resistance level (Esp with hills)


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## b12345 (Mar 8, 2015)

Anybody ever hear of Estrogen Dominance? I'm not overweight at all but I'm pretty flabby. I have that "skinny fat" look. I also have mild man boobs.I got my estrogen levels checked and turns out it's a bit on the high side. 

I often wondered why my stomach would flatten down a lot when I ate cruciferous vegetables for a few days in a row. Turns out there is a compound in cruciferous vegetables called DIM and it helps to lower bad estrogen levels. It can be bought as a supplement too. I'm going to be trying it over the next while.


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## wrongguy (Jan 22, 2015)

Weights make you burn extra calories for up to 39 hours after you work out. Running is only like thirty minutes after.


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