Trying to overcome my "skinny-fat" problems... Help!

I lost a bunch of weight on 811, a lot of it in a short time, but I've still got a bunch of fat around my waist that I'd love to get rid of, but thats quite stubborn. I'm now certainly a "skinny-fat" person, as my overall weight is fairly low for my height (I'm 6' tall and 147 lbs, probably on a "medium frame"), while my body fat percentage is a bit high. My waist at it's thickest point is 32.5"s -- so my body fat percentage, as best as I can calculate it, is around 19%. It's been that way for many months now, and my situation just won't seem to get any better.

In Dr. Graham's chapter on weight loss in his 811 book, he's pretty clear that reducing calories is the only way to take off weight. I understand that the idea on this site is never to worry about calories... I've gone with this site's theory, but I've been stuck on a fatty plateau for several months now.

What if I start eating the bulk of my food in raw veggies instead of fruits? Sound like a reasonable "short cut"?? Especially, I was thinking to eat a lot more salad, and related veggies (celery, tomatoes, cucumbers). My calories will be reduced, but I'll be putting lots of bulk into my system, and won't have to feel hungry. Will my metabolism slow down?

For what it's worth, I walk vigorously several times a week for several hours, and try to do several strength exercises each day. I realize that's lame compared to many on this site, but it's where I'm at. I wish I had more time and motivation to exercise, but realistically, I can't see myself doing too much better than I'm currently doing for the foreseeable future... Does that mean I'm condemned to stay skinny-fat? Or is my veggie idea a good one?

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Permalink Reply by Akincana Krishna das on August 12, 2010 at 9:40am

I haven't been perfect. I've been mostly 811 since last November.

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Permalink Reply by Akincana Krishna das on August 12, 2010 at 9:45am

I drink tons of water. 2 liters on rising.

I've heard Dr. Graham say that not eating after 6pm is a good rule for cooked food eaters, nothing to worry about for 811ers... Anyway, something to try! Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by DURIANRIDER on August 12, 2010 at 12:10pm

I think eating before sundown is great regardless of what diet we eat. Its for sure the most natural time to eat. We couldnt see our fruit at night..Ive tried picking fruit under full moon and that is even near impossible.

I start eating around 6-7am so I can be finished eating ideally before sundown. I find this is just enhances the benefits even more.

Sure I will eat after sundown if I havent had my daily calorie quota though..

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Permalink Reply by WildBodyKev on August 12, 2010 at 11:23am

Lift weights. Do body weight exercises. Run. Bike. Eat more. Get an active job. It takes time but soon you will be ripped. It takes very little for me to maintain a muscular physique now and I eat all of the fruit I desire. I was ripped on a cooked vegan diet but I had to train very very hard to keep that look because of how easily I could put on water retention from salt and other foods and how easily I gained weight from binge eating.

If you want to have less body fat just move your body more. Simple as that.

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Permalink Reply by DURIANRIDER on August 12, 2010 at 12:04pm

Yep RawKev got the tips!

You dont need to diet, you just need to get in shape!!

So many people cut carbs be it fruit or rice and then eventually get really hungry and go out and eat junk and slap on more fat so they starve again and just binge out again. In the mean time their motivation for an active lifestyle aka body blubber melting lifestyle goes out the door.

I see fattys and unfitties out each morning. You dont see em for very long though, cos the eating habits that got em to be fatties or unfitties will keep em there unless they change em. The whole weightloss industry is about giving people quick fixes that never work longterm so they have customers for life...

cut carbs, cut carbs..they say. And people pay with their health and wealth.

I tell people they aint fat, they are just out of shape and nobody gets in/stays in shape by cutting back carbs.

Carb up n kick ass.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Pole on August 12, 2010 at 1:11pm

Hey I've got a similar problem with fat around the waist area, been 70-90% raw for the last 6 months or so and lost a bit of weight (6ft/155lbs) but still got the love handles...I think high intensity exercise is the key, I've started skipping the last month or so and noticed some improvement, also swimming is a great way to get a whole body workout if you live by the ocean or can find non-chlorinated pools.

I also eat most in the morning (~2500cal green smoothie) when the digestive system is strongest according to TCM and Ayurvedic medicine, and try not to eat much after 7pm when it is weakest. And I exercise first thing in the morning to get my metabolism going so I can really handle a big meal, I find if I miss the workout I have to force myself to finish and feel quite full, and that's probably not optimal for digestion.

Also I recently cut out the heavy nut consumption which I think makes a big difference, just have to be sure to make up the calories in other areas...

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Permalink Reply by kenny on August 12, 2010 at 2:13pm

dieting for weightloss will burn everything including muscle. youll turn your self from a big pear to a small pear. in burning away all that muscle youll lower your metablism even more, making it harder to lose fat. the best way to lose belly fat is with weight training. it beats cardio any day