From: krw@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (keith.r.smith)
Subject: Re: Abs Question
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 15:44:49 GMT

In article <28916@oasys.dt.navy.mil> ekennedy@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Edward Kennedy) writes:
>In misc.fitness, krw@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (keith.r.smith) writes:
>>In article <28875@oasys.dt.navy.mil> ekennedy@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Edward Kennedy
>>) writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>I have been on a pretty good exercise regimin for the past 8 months
>>>or so.  I have been doing a lot of lifting and running with some bike riding
>>>thrown in.  This has been pretty successful to drop body fat, but
>>>my problem is this:  even though my body fat has dropped about 8 - 10 percent
>>>my waist(around my handles) has increased in size.  This is exactly
>>>the opposite of what I wanted.
>>>
>>>I guess what has happened is that muscle tissue has built under the fat that
>>>remains.  My question is "How can I keep toning the abs without there
>>>being growth?
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance for your input.
>>
>>Has your weight changed?
>   
>   My weight has gone up by about 5 pounds, but I have added a lot of muscle
>   in the same time period.

I am willing to bet that you could drop the five pounds, and maybe five more,
while still keeping your hard-won muscle gains.... provided that you tweak
your diet properly.  I will elaborate further on......
>
>>What is your diet like?
>
>   I don't eat that much, but I'm sure that I don't eat as good as I should.
>   On a typical day I eat no breakfast, have a sandwich and some chips for
>   lunch, and have spaghetti or something like that for dinner.  

I cannot emphasize this enough; EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST EVERY DAY!
A good breakfast will "get your motor running", keep you alert
through the morning (you won't need the coffee), and keep you 
from eating too much junk food before lunch. I know! I had once
gotten fat from going w/o breakfast.  I find thhat a big bowl of
oatmeal with raisins or a banana works well for me. (actually,
any hot cereal that has fibre.... add your own fruit) Oatmeal,
and Oat Bran especially (or any food that has _soluble fibre_)
has agents in it that are good for your cholesterol level.
The complex carbs are good for your blood sugar level (alertness
energy, and endurance).  I also suggest that you lay off, or at least
drastically cut down on your consumption of sandwiches, and eliminate
the chips and any other highly fatty or highly sugared, or highly
processed items from your diet. For dinner, pasta is ok, but try
to go easy on the meat, and load up on the green leafy veggies.
As a matter of fact, if you can make brown rice, barley, or some
other unprocessed whole grains into a staple of your dinner fare,
then so much the better.

>
>>What is the duration and frequency of your areobic work?
>
>   I ride a stationary bike for about 30 minutes three days a week and I run
>   about 3 - 5 miles three or four times a week.  For information purposes, I
>   also lift weights 4 days a week.
>
The training regimen seems ok, no problem here.

>>Are you getting enough fluids?
>
>   I don't drink much water, but I do drink a lot of coffee.  I know this is a
>   wrong approach but I am up for work at 4:30 am and the coffee is my
>   lifeline.

Nix the coffee (see above).  Drink fruit juices instead. Grapefruit juice
is especially good when you are trying to get lean. (okay, it is an acquired
taste, but it is good stuff.... you might try pink grapefruit cocktail
before going on to the "hard stuff".
>
>>Are you getting enough fibre in your diet?
>
>   Probably. 

If you are not sure, then probably not.  You gotta' get your whole grains,
beans, green leafy veggies, and fruit.  It helps if you can also cut
back on your meat consumption.... like cut it in half.

It seems to me that the area that you need to concentrate on is diet.
I suggest that the best places to find _performance diet_ (as opposed
to reducing diet) tips is in the running and cycling magazines.
Trust me, the same diet that will make you a better runner, will also
turn your "love handles" into a memory.

Keith R
>