Hi Freeletics Community -
My 1st post -
Iāve been using the Freeletics app for a number of years and have seen noticeable changes to my strength, fitness and mental well-being - which is great.
However, despite varying the Coach Training Journeys between cardio, HIIT, running and bodyweight programs I am still (disappointingly) unable to find that six-pack stomach Iām seeking to attain.
I eat healthily, (not on a strict diet tbf) and exercise 4 times a week using the app and intersperse with road and off-road cycling,.
Iām 1.91m, weigh 89 kgs and 44 years old.
Please could someone help me with some advice on how to lose / burn off the belly fat as it is a seemingly impossible task for me.
Maybe Iām not destined to have the wash-board stomach of my teens and early 20ās - but Iām up for anything and am driven.
Sincere thanks in advance
SM.
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Hey there,
I know that issue (same size, some kilos more, some years olderā¦) The point is: there is no specific workout to tell the body where to take the fat from! With your size you still have another appropriate 4 to 5 Kilos too much to have your āsix packā clearly visible (itās always there, just hidden). Old but true rule: Six-Pack is made in kitchen, not in gymā¦ But even then there is no real guarantee: too many circumstances have an impact on that (skin-structure, genes,ā¦). You see bodybuilders with less than 5% bodyfat not showing defined abs. Nevertheless: keep going!
PS:I fear that was not the answer you were looking for.
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Hi @LarsMMeyer
Thanks for the reply - as I train on my own itās beneficial to hear that Iām not alone in this!
I guess that, as with every endeavour, unless you go full-on (training, diet, lifestyle) then Iām unlikely to get the results I want.
Will look into a nutrition programme that I will stick to and see if I see any changes - no guarantees but at least I will have given it a proper shot.
Cheers!
S.
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To echo what @LarsMMeyer says - thereās no way to area target fat loss. You can only really lose fat all over, and exactly where you lose fat first is not something you can control. And for most people, a little bit of belly fat will often be one of the last bits of fat remaining - it keeps all your organs warm and safe! If you do really want to get abs, thereās nothing specific you can do other than lose more weight, thereās no specific way to target abs.
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Thanks @lexilepton
All good advice - it was certainly a lot easier when I was younger!
Will keep keeping onā¦
Hey SM. One of my goals is the same as yours and it still seems quite far to me, plus I am reaching my 40s and finding it harder and harder to control for fatty food ( but I wonāt lose that goal from sight!). I am now using dumbbells more frequently and increasing on crunches too etc. However there was one time when I was closer to the goal, and that was when I was doing quite a lot of yoga asanas. You donāt have to adhere to any style or long sequence, but maybe you can add a few forward-bending asanas to your trainings and longer hold. Plus any uddhyana bandha exercise, like nauli and, for a more evidence-based approach, the low pressure fitness drills. I take extreme caution with bold claims (which yoga often does) before they go through peer-reviewed testing, but if google LPF fat belly you might find some papers and debates.
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Hey there,
I too am in my 40s (45), and getting that 6 pack was a goal that took years to reach.
As stated before, you canāt reduce fat naturally on a specific part of the body.
The progressive way I āgot thereā:
. Adopting time-restricted eating (aka intermittent fasting) <5 years ago>
. Leaning down to under 17% BF <4 years ago>
. Going for āhybrid strengthā (polyarticular movements such as deadlifts, bent rows, etc. do have an impact on your abs) <2 years ago>
. Building abs with weights along with bw exercices: plate situps / plate cocoons / plate twists / etc.
. Adopting cold showers <1 year ago>
. Increasing NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis) by reaching a minimum of 70 000 steps each week <6 months ago>
Then, last summer, I got a high-tech belt from a friend. Thatās a pretty expensive apparatus that generates low frequency ultrasound in order to liberate triglycerides from fat cells.
This was the ācherry on the cakeā. Within 8 weeks my 6-pack revealed itself like never before. Prior to this, it was still pretty decent.
So, in a nutshell:
. Takes time
. Is a combination of several actions
Here is a comparison: 2017 vs 2021
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Super useful, @LG_fortytwo - I will check Yoga Asanas out - I do intermittent yoga (was doing weekly prior to pandemic) so am keen to learn more about this. Thank you for the advice 
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Thanks @scarletti - super useful, real-life experience there - it seems that getting to a tipping point takes time & dedication (as I know to be true) but that thereās a layer of technology that could work in addition to this (tho not guaranteed). Congrats on reaching your goal - bet it felt satisfying to get there.
There is hope!
Thanks again, S.
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