Hi all,

I could swear I posted this over a week ago but I can't seem to find it now, so I'm trying again.

I'm a 51 year old female. 5'5" around 130 pounds. I started using a total gym a few months ago and I'm pretty happy with the results. I've had really good results with my upper body as far as definition goes. My problem is the mid-section. I also use a recumbant bike as I know I do need to lose a few pounds around the belly area. I also use a captain's chair for abdominals. I just don't seem to see any results in that area and I pretty much look like I'm a few months pregnant (which btw seems worse as the day progresses)unless I'm consciously holding my gut in. Here's a list of what I'm doing on the gym.

Front press
Pull ups
Hip and thigh extensions
bench press
pull-over
tricep extensions
squats
leg pull ups
bicep curls
seated row

followed by the captains chair (knee raises)
off days 4 miles on the recumbant bike (which I know isn't a lot but I've just added it) I also just started taking acidophilus pearls just to see if the belly issue is related to digestion.

My abs for the most part feel fairly tight. Lower abs are flat. This is just the area right above and below the navel...

Any comments about the exercises I'm doing/suggestions would be helpful.

TIA,
Lorraine

Lorraine,

Here is the universal way to lose weight and tighten up:

1. Continue doing what you've been doing with the resistance machines. Use enough weights to be able to do 6 - 10 reps but no more. For abs, add planks to your captain's chair (which I am not familiar with).

2. Progressively add more cardio. 4 miles on the stationary bike is not very far. Add running if you like. Cardio 3x / week is what the American Heart Association recommends but many on here, like me, do it 4, 5, or 6 days / week.

3. Determine your basal metabolic needs. Basal Metabolic Rate & Calories Burned Daily Calculator and ratchet down the intake, i.e. food, to "tighten up". 1 pound of fat requires a deficit of 3500 Kcal, so if you shoot for a deficit of 500 kcal / day, that will allow you to lose 1 pound / week. Your waist will thin out and you will feel less soft as the underlying muscles become closer to the surface.

And don't use age as an excuse! I am 49, a two-time cardiac patient (including open heart surgery on April 4) and am doing my first sprint triathlon a week from today and preparing for an Ironman late this year or next year.

The equation used in the site you linked is for obese.

The equation is population specific. She is nowhere obese and she seems to be active. She should be using the Harris bendict or the Cunningham equation.

Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C., "Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review", J Am Diet Assoc., 2005 May;105(5):775-89. RESULTS: Four prediction equations were identified as the most commonly used in clinical practice (Harris-Benedict, Mifflin-St Jeor, Owen, and World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization/United Nations University [WHO/FAO/UNU]). Of these equations, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation was the most reliable, predicting RMR within 10% of measured in more nonobese and obese individuals than any other equation, and it also had the narrowest error range. PMID: 15883556