Is my belly fat or muscle? - updated with pics!

[dabigginger]

I decided to go to the gym back in March to get myself into better shape and bulk up a bit. At 6ft tall and 11st 10lbs, I was a bit on the lean side. Now, many months on, I'm weighing in at 14st 10 lbs, but as a downer, I've developed a bit of a belly. First thought is I was getting a bit podgy, but my girlfriend raised a good point - if I tense it, it is rock solid, not all flabby! Well, if I prod it from top down whilst having my stomach tensed, it's rock hard right down to my belly button. Below that, there's about 1cm of "squish" before I get to the hard stuff.

My gym program at the moment is:

10 mins cycling warm up - get heard rate upto approx 150bpm (I'm 24)
Lat pulldown - 3 sets x 9 @ 65kg
Ab curls - 2 sets x 60
Chest press - 3 sets x 9 @ 70kg
Leg extension - 2 sets x 12 @ 55kg
5 mins cycling to return heart rate to 150bpm
Shoulder press - 3 sets x 10 @ 70kg
Seated leg press - 2 sets x 15 @ 120kg
Peck deck - 3 sets x 8 @ 55kg
Bicep curl (free weight) 3 sets x 9 @ 10kg
5mins cool down
Stretch

If you're wondering why I don't do stuff like rower, many free weights or low leg weights - I have a bit of a duff back and none of these really help it. I've been perfectly fine with the other stuff though. I'm currently visiting 3 times a week.

As a vegetarian, I don't get my protein from stuff like beef etc. rather, it comes from cheese, pasta, milk etc. which unfortunately come with a lot of extras such as carbohydrate, fat etc. I'm currently eating around 3500 calories a day.

By the sounds of the above, have I got a fat stomach, or have I somehow developed a freakishly large amount of muscle there? I'm wondering if maybe I'm doing too many ab curls or not doing them quite right? Any input would be appreciated!

[JonB]

Doesn't sound like fat to me. Fat doesn't weight very much, whereas muscle does and you have put on a good amount of weight, so i'd think it would be muscle.

However, more fool you for being a veggie, you can only get fatty proteins.

I'm weight training now and try and eat as many eggs and white meat as possible.

Have you thought about getting some whey powder, or maybe some creatine pills? These have lots of protein.
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[stinkwheel]

Pinch the skin fold. The thicker it is, the more sub-cutaneous fat there is.
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[Paddy Blake]

More beans less cheese.You are eating the wrong food.

Paddy.

[dabigginger]

[Paddy Blake]

Burning up the protein will make farts stink like hell.
Some people work to hard for a 6/8 pack and get a belly because they cant see the pack behind some fat.So they try harder and it gets bigger because of more muscle but still some fat over it.
Lots of carbs = belly to.

Paddy.

[GhostRider]

Generally if you want a 6-pack you'll need to get yourself down to 10-12% body fat, they should have calipers at the gym that will give you a roughly accurate indication, so ask around.

As far as whey protein drinks go, you need to shop around and try a few varieties before you find one that tastes ideal. Believe me, some out there taste like absolute swine vomit, but there are a few gems out there that you could drink all day and enjoy it.

Oh and Jon B, creatine contains no protein whatsoever, and if he was one of these people that bloat of them it prob wouldnt do the appearence of his stomach many favours either.

GhostRider
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[Jai466]

I’m a veggie are home and hardly get any good meat outside but also its too pricey.

I have read reviews that Holland and Barratt do a very good protein mix and tastes good as well

I recently got burnt and was told to have protein at home Holland and Barratt really helped and also I use this to for weight training. I believe it’s called Whey...

Or you can mix other protein drinks with milkshake like Yazoo milk.

With regards to your belly... you could increase your reps to loose that extra weight...

Also try this it may help...

Lie on a flat surface, put your hands under your gluteus muscle knuckles facing up. Slowing raise you ankles above the ground 6 inches and never letting them touch the ground and then raising them 90 degree to your body and then 180 degrees.
Do these 20 times X 4 sets with a 30 sec rest.

Then again legs up 90 degree and keep them up and open and close side ways them while at 90 degree same reps.

Then keep them above 6 inches above ground and open close your legs remember as wide as possible. It will be at 180 degrees

Also you can do an exercise called scissors which means you raise both legs at 45 degree and then do the scissors action, both legs will cross side by side, one legs goes up and the other goes down.

One more to add is keep legs 6 inches off the ground at 180 degrees together and do small circles 20 anti clockwise and then 20 clockwise or vice versa.

Few points to remember:

Keep feet 6 inches of the ground ALWAYS
Remember to breathe
If you can hold the open and close exercise for about few seconds as well as the one where you life your legs.

This will build that last pac right at the bottom and you will feel the burn.

Hope it helps

[Dragonfly]

I require pics to make a decision here.

[Phoenix]

I don't really know jack about bodybuilding as i'm not interested in it. However you say you eat 3500 calories every day, is not likely that you're failing to burn off this energy on a daily basis and a result are actually eating more than you need so gaining weight and fat. Surely by supplying yourself with as much or more energy than you need on a daily basis you're not encouring your body to become 'lean' at all.

I don't do a huge amount of excercise anymore but some days I eat a reasonable amount, others I eat very small amounts, seem to keep me at a very constant weight and not fatty at all, this is purely down to appetite rather than any kind of diet. Do you drink a lot of beer?

[_Will_]

Its a small layer of fat over the muscle, sometimes referred to as the 'pooch' and is very stubborn to shift.

When gaining muscle you will also gain a small amount fat, only by cutting will you get the definition of the abs, which is down to exercise/nutrition.

What you will probably find is you have a good set of abs which is giving you an appearance of having a bit of a gut.

High intensity interval training is a good way of getting lean, overall just more cardio will do it.
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[R6jonny]

[rotax81]

your back protector is on the wrong way round.
you will find all the fat laughing behind it
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[Clanger]

[Dragonfly]

[DaveH]

Do you keep your stomach taught, and pulled in, while exercising?
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[Rob]

Remember, if you exercise your stomach muscles and you have any fat down there at all, as soon as the muscles start to grow they will push the fat forward making you appear 'fatter'.

You won't have gained any fat, just muscle, but the fat you had will be more prominent.

As someone said, in order to get a six pack the skin on your stomach has to be as tight as the skin on the back of your hand - almost no body fat! It's a hard thing to achieve!!
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[JonB]

Yeah, i've been having this problem right now. My belly suddenly seems bigger, yet it must only be half an inch of fat tops covering my muscles as it is rock solid behind.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Jai466]

Drink a glass of water 15 min a meal and also eat 20% less food and then drink a glass of water after you meal you will soon see the skin getting tight.

Most of the time we eat for no reason.

The body 70% of times is asking for water but we mistake it for food... next time your hungry drink a glass of water and wait 20min if you body is still hungry then you body needs food. If not then is was actucally asking for water...

Also remember is 75-80% diet and 20% exercise.

[JonB]

Yeah I know, I just lost 3 stone going from 13st 2 to 10 stone on the dot. I'm also only 9.4% fat. I know all about diet and I try to eat mostly proteins and fruit. Just a real difficulty to get rid of the thin layer of residual fat.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Jai466]

Well done!

They say thats the hardest part (small part of fat) its called baby fat...

Maybe some fast active tasks may help... Sprinting then slowing down then sprinting again... I know boxing really helps...

[dabigginger]

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Youre carrying a lot of bodyfat. You need to strip lots and lots away to find the abs. They are most likely there if youre doing the excercises you say, just hidden.

To get them showing you will need to loose bodyfat/weight. Look up calculators to find your bodyfat burning heart rate (standard is around 60% of maximum) or so youre at a light sweat. Go in to calorie deficit so you consume less than you burn off in a day but only by a few hundred calories per day. Try running first thing in the morning before eating as well.

[Rowey]

Also if you're taking supplement, go for protein only. One's with carbs wont help. No carbs after 5 is also a good way to drop pounds. Also things like PHD's Lean Degree are good at helping you get off stubborn weight easier.
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[steppen22]

I'm a veggie too. On a unrelated topic, what are your views on leathers?

I wear leathers, but I'd rather not. I'm a veggie for "moral" reasons so I feel like something of a hypocrite every time I pull my leathers on.

Still, I don't think I'm a rotten person. just morally flawed. But who isn't?
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