Men and their bellies

Paul Adamson
October 8, 2016

What is it about men and their bellies? It's like we have given up on them. I'm not talking about those with huge drum bellies (I can't imagine what it must be like to carry those around with you everywhere!) but fit guys who train their legs, their biceps, their pecs and lats, but resist training their abs. I'm one of them. Training abs is just so painful - though my Islington PT now gives me exercises to do in the gym that train the abdominals without having to do 100 sit-ups (thank you!). 

I've noticed a lot of guys have great bodies but they still have bellies. As someone who is addicted to cake, I know how difficult it is. You begin by telling yourself you have to lose those few pounds around the waist but after a while you think to yourself it doesn't look too bad and before you know it, you've put on a few more pounds. You make a concerted effort to get into shape but after a couple of weeks, you tell yourself really, who cares? And anyway the rest of you is looking pretty good ... 

I would say 80% of the male clients I treat could do with losing some weight around their bellies. I tend to tell them – doesn't go down too well sometimes but I think if I don't tell them, who will? My love of cake means I have to be hard on myself too – it means a constant struggle to keep the fat off the middle. Fortunately, I enjoy swimming and I enjoy the gym and I cycle everywhere – but even so I have to be vigilant. As my partner never fails to remind me: 'Abs are formed in the kitchen.'

Let's dance
Get with the program
This crazy lockdown
Crunch time
The crazies
Life goes on
The beauty of scars
The Roaring Twenties
Truly, madly, deeply
Skin deep
Fat kids
Martial artist
Meet Rei Toska
Sperm alert
The spa massage
New year, new you?
The tan line
Back pain
Feeling relaxed?
How old is your heart?
Triumphing over injury
Tackling rugby
Belly watch (2)
La dolce vita
Belly watch (1)
The London marathon
In praise of slow
Open water
The iPhone and massage
The swimmer's body
Happy with yours?
Cut the fat, Santa
The pre-flight massage
Big guys
Thin people
Fat people
Massage and osteopathy
Let's dance!
The authentic voice
Killing a lobster
The way of all flesh
Lost in space
Fat but fit?
Let's do lunch
Andy Murray's hip
Stop making excuses
Brain power
And stretch...
The sandwich generation
How we see ourselves
The pain paradox
The full body massage
The limits of massage
Reading the body
The dangers of sitting