Stomach Flab

QUESTION:

Hey Tony, how are you doing? Sorry about my english. I´m 25 and about last i weighed around 285 pounds. i was huge. i´m a tall guy, 6'2", but i believe no one´s tall enough to carry that weight around every day. In march 2011 i moved and i started sharing an apartment with some guys, and they convinced me to start eating healthier and working out. And i got addicted. I´ve lost 100 pounds so far, and i´m still working hard in order to get fit. 

One thing that bothers me is my stomach, it´s still flabby.. How did you manage to burn it?  My chest got large, my back too, and i got no man boobs at all, but the stomach is still a pain to lose! I´m eating well and hitting the gym 5 times a week. I´m focusing on cardio and weight loss still, my goal is 165lb!


And by the way, when i arrived at the airport back from Canada, my family and friends were ecstatic! The look on their faces was priceless!
Thanks for the attention, and congratulations for the results you achieved!

ANSWER:  

The stomach is the hardest region of the body to lose fat from and it requires a lot of work to burn it off.  I have found that the best way to burn stomach fat is to decrease the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming.  This is because when the body is lacking its essential energy source (carbs) it is forced to liberate fat and burn that as energy.  



You can initiate low/no carb days on the days you do not normally workout and go to the gym to do 30-45 minutes of low intensity cardio.  Low intensity cardio is more efficient on low carb days because it takes energy from fat stores rather than muscle mass. You can also slightly decrease your carbs on regular workout days as long as you do not feel as if your workouts are suffering too much.  Also, depending on how long and how low your caloric deficit has been you may require a cheat meal in order to restore leptin and begin burning fat to a greater degree.  You can read more about this method in my previous Q&A.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.