Soft in the middle

I am avoiding exercises that strenghten what fitness dorks call the "core."

I can't explain it well, except that I really don't enjoy the way sit-ups feel. Like going to the dentist or picking up my dog's poop.

Consequently, there's this odd wave thing happening on my upper body. The fatty evidence of my poor diet is sloughing south, slowly but surely rolling toward my waist.

And there it sits, impervious to my workouts.

As I continue to go to the gym fairly regularly, doing chest and arm execises on the resistance machines, my muscles in these areas are becoming a little more defined. And as I continue to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes every other day, a couple upper ribs are even starting to show.

Which makes for an almost comical contrast to the gelatinous gut hanging out right below.

Since the gym isn't working fast enough to get me comfortably within two waist sizes of the 32 I wore before quitting smoking, I recently decided it was time to try a few other things.

I have moved from my usual assortment of fine Czech and other European beers to Coors Light - hoping that light beer will be, as the commercials say, less filling. (My fridge must be malfunctioning because the mountains on the Coors can never seem to get that "Cold Certified" blue.)

I am also trying to cut down on how many light-coloured, pasty things I eat. Hummus, peanut butter, goat cheese on crackers. I mindlessly stuff my mouth with these wonderful foods all evening, and that isn't helping my ponderous middle.

For the first time in years I bought khaki pants from The Gap. Because I can only seem to find jeans that are either too tight, making me look like a past-his-prime regular at the CNE's water pistol or whack-a-mole booths; or too loose, making me look like a 53-year-old named Tom or Bill who likes to tuck in his golf T-shirts. Sometimes you just fall in between blue jean sizes.

Comments

[Adam in Toronto]

There's a very true saying that not many people are aware of concerning men's midsections "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym". The best way to get rid of stomach flab is to eat clean. Lean protein, healthy fats, and lots of veggies. Whole grain carbs in moderation. You can get big pecs and arms in the gym, but the lower belly will betray your efforts without modifying your intake of processed foods, sugars, saturated fats, excess sodium and yeah, booze.

I actually think the food you're eating, hummus, peanut butter and goat cheese on crackers isn't terrible at all. Just replace the crackers with veggies like celery, carrots and the like and you've got a great snack to munch on. Switching to light beer is a good move too.

[Margaret]

1. As Adam says, what’s on your middle is a reflection of what you eat, not how you exercise your midsection. There’s no such thing as spot reducing by exercising the body part you want to de-flab: the body just doesn’t work that way.

2. Core exercises are not about the sit-ups any more. Classical sit-ups are pretty much dead these days, replaced by a much greater variety of core exercises that you can do.

[Chris McGrath]

I struggle with my midsection as well. I've done tons of work: an incredible amount of core work, weightlifting, cardio, etc. and still feel flabby around the middle. I eat clean, loads of veggies and have cut out pop and alcohol altogether. Complaining about this to my trainer, he told me reassuredly that when men lose weight, the gut is the last place for it to go.
Hang in there, keep on the path and fight the good fight.
For you, and for me, I hope my trainer is right.

[Chris Clarke]

Don't ditch the peanut butter, it's a yummy little protein-packed snack straight out of the jar...so long as you don't eat too much of it, that is. Throughout my weight loss and healthy lifestyle adaptation, peanut butter has been one of my treats and it hasn't let me down yet.

Oh, the abs will come, you just need to lose the fat that sits on top of them first, then start crunching!

[Mark]

Doing chest and arm exercises? What about the other 85% or so of your muscles? Don't be the bench + curl guy. Time to start squating...

P.S. Free weights are better than machines.

[Harry Johnson Jr.]

If we want to make changes within our looks, we need to make some sacrifices. We need to change our eating habits. We need to engage into a physical activity or to have an exercise or go to the gym. If we will dedicate ourselves into doing these, we will attain whatever goal we may want.

[Terry O'Shaugnessy]

This blog is pretty funny but the problem is that author knows absolutely nothing about nutrition. Hummus and peanut butter aren't your problems, friend, though the crackers, bread and other stuff (presumably all made with white flour) are. We're six months in. I don't think this fitness experiment is really working...

[Tony Hudson]

Keep it up.

[Sharon]

Way to go. Good for you for trying to get in shape. Have you ever tried Pilates and Yoga? "Core" strengthening exercises and stretches are integral to both practices. There are no traditional "situps." Also, to lose the layer of fat, have you tried a walk-run program, like the one used at the Running Room? Running has changed my life...made my core strong and kept my mid section pretty flat---well, until now that I'm expecting! Running is perhaps the most efficient way to burn fat. And you don't have to go fast.