Muscle mass + lose fat around belly

Question
Hello,

Firstly, your website's rather informative and in layman's terms that helps understanding complicated calories calculation.

I've been rather calorie conscious over the past 4 weeks. In addition, I've started the gym and conscious of what I eat, resisting high-calories or junk food altogether. However, I failed to see any reduction whatsoever in my body weight. Hence wondered if you'd possibly help in pointing me in the right direction about diet and exercise.

I aim to lose fat around stomach but maintain my weight, if possible, possibly through the combination of gaining more muscle mass and shreading fat.

I'm a 29 year old guy from UK. I weigh around 11 stones (72 kgs or 158 lbs). I aim to trim my torso and hence losing belly fat. Measuring over the naval, my belly's around 36cms. I've a BMI of 25 and BMR of 1,700. Body Fat Percentage appears to be at around 16%-18%.

About my current eating pattern, I tend to have my day started with a bowl of high-fibre cereal. At work (work as  IT support, so spend time sitting on chair for 7.5 hours), I've a fruit (an apple or banana or grapes or orange). I then have  dinner at home. In dinner, being of Indian origin, I tend to have whatever's cooked at home, which could be around 4-5 chappatis with curry (made in olive oil and fresh spices i.e. without curry paste). I've a vegeterian diet.

I visit gym around 4 times a week, whereby, I get there by walk or jogging 20 min. (at a speed of around 8km/hr) and then do weight training, followed by 20 min. walk/jog back home.

I wondered if you might be able to point me in the right direction by possibly detailing what diet should I follow, how much walk/run/jog (at what speed) should I do each day and how much weight lifting in gym that I'd be doing.

Your time and help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Your numbers sound good,but not perfect. Bmi of 25 is normal max if you still have a bit of a stomach maybe a BMI closer to 20-23 might correct what you are asking.You neglected to put your height so I can not get a max and min. weight for you.From what you are telling me and by looking at your BMI I am thinking you are around 169.6 cm's tall.My calculations based on this is telling me that your min. weight would be 53 kg and your max. would be 72 kg,if this is true then I would say that you probably you need to be closer to 62-63 kg to get rid of that belly without lots of sit ups.

Diet wise you also sound stable. If I where you I would stay away from fried foods and stick more with raw vegetables.Chappatis though usually only containing around 80 calories do contain aprox 16 carbs and if you are eating 4 then you are consuming 64 carbs which is a lot.
Like I said if you look at what you wrote it looks good but when you break it down there is room for improvement.

I saw you have your BMR, but what is more important is your RMR(Resting Metabolic Rate) in my opinion this is the key to knowing a base line where you can begin from.As for exercise 30 to 45 minutes of cardio on most days of the week is needed for general health. I also recommend that you do 20-30 minutes of weight training at least 3-4 times a week on top of the cardio. If you broke this all down it would add up to aprox 39  minutes a day min. and 1hour 2min max per day.

I hope this helps you, if you need more info feel free to write.

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