Losing the damn love handles

[Victor Creed]

In the recent past my training has been infrequent due to work and family stuff and I've starting accumulating a layer of fat around my waist and belly.

Nutrition - I tend to snack on chips/cookies etc but its not a daily occurrence. I'm trying to break up my  meals into smaller portions and eat 5-6 meals a day but its not easy because of my work schedule. So far I manage 4 meals. Apart from Protein powder/Vitamins I don't use any other supplements like creatine.  Apart from occasional snacking my regular meals are clean.

Training - at least 2-3 times a week but there have been periods where I haven't trained for 2 or more  due to overseas travel or hectic schedule.


I bought myself a treadmill and try to get in a cardio workout for 30min at least 2-3 times a week + weight training.  In the past I used to rely on the gym or jogging outdoors but with my work commitments piling up I thought the treadmill would helpful on days that I can't go to the gym. So far its working out well. 

Weight training - I ve began increasing my reps to 12-15 with moderate weights. I plan on adding 20rep squats to my routine. Previously all my reps used to average around 6-10.with heavy weights.

I still have a decent V taper but now its marred by the damn love handles and by abs are now becoming obscured by fat layer. Hell even my butt seems to be getting bigger. I guess the days of having a fast metabolism are slowly waning away. I've read elsewhere that love handles are  the toughest are to reduce


How about the rest of you working Joes? How do you cope with work/family cutting into your training time?

Suggestions?

[benchthis]

wake up extra early and hit it hard... you dont find time you make it 

[windsor88]

I go to school full time and work full time.  I get to the gym 5 days a week.  The intensity is a different story.  Come spring time I hit cardio all 5 days for about an hour plus lift.  Winter time I am lazy and just go through the motions.  Of course I dont have kids holding me down either.

[wes]

C`mon,give me a break...............do you work 24 hours a day?

Make time to do what you have to do to reach your goals or just stay fat!

[SquatsRule]

I get up at 4am and train and do cardio. I pack all my meals the night before and still manage to work from 8-5 and have family time. It can be done.

[Victor Creed]

I go to school full time and work full time.  I get to the gym 5 days a week.  The intensity is a different story.  Come spring time I hit cardio all 5 days for about an hour plus lift.  Winter time I am lazy and just go through the motions.  Of course I dont have kids holding me down either.

Same here. I'm working on my MBA. Once I finish work its off to class until 9pm.  Add a newborn baby and my life gets more interesting.  Getting up early would have been an option if I didn't have the kid so I have to get as much sleep as I can in between night feeding/care etc. Some days I'm so exhausted I'd prefer to stay in bed rather than go to work but I drag myself through another day anyway. The treadmill at home helps a lot.  So far I manage to get in a workout at the gym on the days I don't have class but as you said the intensity varies. Some days I have energy to spare and other days its a willpower test just to get through a decent workout. 

[pumpster]

Same here. I'm working on my MBA. Once I finish work its off to class until 9pm.  Add a newborn baby and my life gets more interesting.  Getting up early would have been an option if I didn't have the kid so I have to get as much sleep as I can in between night feeding/care etc. Some days I'm so exhausted I'd prefer to stay in bed rather than go to work but I drag myself through another day anyway. The treadmill at home helps a lot.  So far I manage to get in a workout at the gym on the days I don't have class but as you said the intensity varies. Some days I have energy to spare and other days its a willpower test just to get through a decent workout. 

Having done it i can attest to the fact an MBA is totally draining. I suggest that you try to get more of the workouts over the weekend and less during the week, and add some weights at home if the gym's not easily gotten to.

[Victor Creed]

Having done it i can attest to the fact an MBA is totally draining. I suggest that you try to get more of the workouts over the weekend and less during the week, and add some weights at home if the gym's not easily gotten to.

Sunday is usually the main day I have to get in a solid workout. During week days I use the treadmill after I get back from class (if I still have the energy) before dinner. So far I manage to get in at least 2-3 days of treadmill per week ( I bought it 3 weeks ago)in addition to 1-2 days at the gym. So in total I have at least 4-5 days of training with varying levels but I'm not having much success reducing the fat layer around my waist.  The good thing is it hasn't increased but its not visibly decreasing either. Maybe I'm just impatient.

[pumpster]

Sunday is usually the main day I have to get in a solid workout. During week days I use the treadmill after I get back from class (if I still have the energy) before dinner. So far I manage to get in at least 2-3 days of treadmill per week ( I bought it 3 weeks ago)in addition to 1-2 days at the gym. So in total I have at least 4-5 days of training with varying levels but I'm not having much success reducing the fat layer around my waist.  The good thing is it hasn't increased but its not visibly decreasing either. Maybe I'm just impatient.

Maintaining status quo during studies is actually good; deal with the fat later. One of the top students in my program told me she was eating crap and had no time to exercise.

[benchthis]

skip cardio.. tighten up your diet and try doing high intensity training...