Fitness with a hernia & a belly!

[Southerner]

Morning Chaps,

Just wondering if anyone else might have found themselves in a similar situation at some stage; late 30s and have decided, having never paid much attention to fitness, that it’s time to be a bit more interested in it before it’s too late.

I’m fortunate that I’ve always been slim, despite a sweet tooth and a p*ss poor diet, but the belly has been catching up with me now for the past few years. Strict dieting for the past few weeks is seeing me drop about a pound a day or thereabouts, I’m at 14st currently and was 15.10 a year back, so I’m happy with that but conscious that I’ll need to ramp it up to keep the progress going.

The complication is that I have an inguinal hernia, and while I’d really like to smash the belly fat that obviously rules out most things until it’s sorted (NHS, been a while already…). So, any thoughts on exercise/diet/strategy that might help get the podge shifted whilst avoiding putting myself in A&E!!?

[grumbledoak]

Exercise helps, but losing excess fat is overwhelmingly diet.

Assuming HIIT is out, can you walk or swim? Both are great.

[bloomen]

Southerner said:

Strict dieting for the past few weeks is seeing me drop about a pound a day or thereabouts,

Unless that's a typo, that's a batty amount of weight loss.

Can't be sustained and your body will be eating plenty of other parts of itself beyond fat.

You may arrive at a target weight and be far weaker than when you started.

[Boleros]

A pound a day? Chinny reckon. As the bloke above has said - not sustainable and actually probably counter productive.

[Southerner]

I’m using a set of Renpho scales and their app that the missus bought, I suspect they may not be entirely accurate but it’s certainly coming off. Fitting into stuff that I very definitely wasn’t able to wear not all that long ago. But I agree it’s not the best way to do it, hence wanting to firm it up with some hernia-safe exercise!

I’ve been aiming for a decent calorie deficit and plenty of long walks etc, that seems to be shedding the weight but of course it won’t carry on, the magic scales reckon muscle mass is going down as well as bodyfat so absolutely right on that front.

[uknick]

I've the same type of hernia. Gentle running is about all i can do in the gym. Nearly all weights work is out as it uses the core muscles. One of the trainers at the gym did say using the sit down bicep curl machine may be ok.

[TownIdiot]

I have a similar issue and find I can use a rowing machine and cycle without issue.

Also use a running machine with an incline, so set that to the steepest setting and walk.

[Southerner]

Cheers chaps, some useful thoughts there!

[MitchT]

Get the hernia repaired - I had mine done in January. In the meantime, healthy eating and lots of walking is a good way to keep fit, in my experience, along with anything already suggested that others have found effective.