Cut that last bit of fat!

[veggieboy4000]

Hi everybody,

 

I've been a vegetarian and for the last two years and started going vegan a couple of weeks ago. I run for one hour 2-3 times a week, do two weight training sessions and cycle to work and college. I think that's a fair exercising regime and I am pretty toned. However, I still have a bit of fat left around my waist.

 

Now my question: How do I cut that last bit without absolutely starving myself?

 

More cardio? Or more frequently? I also have to admit, that I eat quite sizeable portions because I feel the excersie stimulates my appetite...

 

Thanks

Lenni

[Guest]

Try not eating for an hour or two after your workout...your body craves food for recovering and if you don't give it to your body it will eat itself. Don't really change how much you eat...just change when you eat

[Last of the Sane]

Wont't that ruin your workout in terms of muscle growth? I agree that this might work if you're only interested in burning fat, but... I'd just increase cardio, try runnin two hours instead of one during a session.

[Guest]

Well for me I'm trying to lose muscle but I don't think you'll really lose muscle doing this unless you do it after you have lost your stored fat since your body uses fat for energy before it breaks down the protein in your muscles. It may keep you from gaining muscle for the time being but once you lose the fat you can focus on gaining muscle alone and maybe that would do the trick. Its not a pleasant way to diet but its seemed to work for others that I've advised.

[Last of the Sane]

since your body uses fat for energy before it breaks down the protein in your muscles.

 

Okay, I didn't know this.

[Ravi]

you can try focusing on the opposite....instead of trying to lose weight, focusing on gaining a bit of muscle as the priority (for a few months if possible). Then try cutting (restrict calories and/or increase cardio) for a month or two. trying to lose weight by just cutting calories can be a losing proposition in the long term.

 

alternatively......go raw for 30 days!

[mulletass]

I don't think that's entirely true about the body using fat before muscle for fuel. It certainly will start with fat, but it's not like it'll avoid breaking down muscle until your fat stores are exhausted. If you workout for too long in any one sitting and don't give the body anything to recover on quickly enough it'll turn to muscle breakdown for energy as well as fat.

As a general rule though, you can't really gain much muscle, if any, while cutting, especially if you're cutting down a lot and working hard on those last bits of gut. If you're getting really ripped, you will lose muscle; it's really a matter of damage control as far as maintaining muscle mass goes.