Tips for trimming body fat?

A couple of thoughts on GoFastFishy's original query, which was basically how to trim down through the middle of the body while getting into masters swimming. Points have been made about the need to burn more calories than the body takes in: no other way to lose weight. And that as one increases exercise, through masters swimming and other activities, the body'll need more protein. Even if the direct goal is not to build muscle mass. I rely on pure protein shakes I get pretty cheap at Costco. The real reason I logged on to this thread was to relate a mantra I once heard a balletmaster deliver to her young charges (imagine thick Russian accent): "The form of the exercise becomes the form of the body." That's why the ballerinas all look pretty different at age 10, similar enough by age 15, and almost indistinguishable when they're in a corps de ballet on stage at age 20. The same exact physical discipline, exercised over a period of years, produced very similar results. For the same reason, swimmers tend to develop similar morphologies over time. Even accounting for the pre-selection that occurs in highly competitive disciplines like ballet or swimming. In order to stretch the middle of your body out through swimming (like a salt water taffy stretching machine), the key is to lengthen your strokes and your body as much as possible at all times. Try to feel your skin stretching over your hip and stomach muscles every time you pull with your arms. Or become a very straight torpedo as you push off from the wall. These are just examples. The general principle: maximize the length of your strokes, and the length of your body as you do the strokes. It also helps if you can do these lengthening drills for longer workouts. The sustained effort not only burns more calories, it imprints that long, thin barracuda shape through repetition. As far as dryland exercise, using your own body weight for resistance has many advantages in body shaping. Chinups, pullups, pushups, dips, handstands, etc., assisted or otherwise, not only accentuate body lengthening, they help develop a kinesthetic sense that is so important in the pool. There are probably some other forumites –women in particular – who can attest to the advantages of exercises that use one's own body weight for resistance. Finally, stretching exercises that loosen up and lengthen the middle of the body can be very helpful in reshaping. Combined with pronounced diaphragmatic breathing, the middle of the body can become a much more active participant in the overall movement of the body. Hope that helps...

A couple of thoughts on GoFastFishy's original query, which was basically how to trim down through the middle of the body while getting into masters swimming. Points have been made about the need to burn more calories than the body takes in: no other way to lose weight. And that as one increases exercise, through masters swimming and other activities, the body'll need more protein. Even if the direct goal is not to build muscle mass. I rely on pure protein shakes I get pretty cheap at Costco. The real reason I logged on to this thread was to relate a mantra I once heard a balletmaster deliver to her young charges (imagine thick Russian accent): "The form of the exercise becomes the form of the body." That's why the ballerinas all look pretty different at age 10, similar enough by age 15, and almost indistinguishable when they're in a corps de ballet on stage at age 20. The same exact physical discipline, exercised over a period of years, produced very similar results. For the same reason, swimmers tend to develop similar morphologies over time. Even accounting for the pre-selection that occurs in highly competitive disciplines like ballet or swimming. In order to stretch the middle of your body out through swimming (like a salt water taffy stretching machine), the key is to lengthen your strokes and your body as much as possible at all times. Try to feel your skin stretching over your hip and stomach muscles every time you pull with your arms. Or become a very straight torpedo as you push off from the wall. These are just examples. The general principle: maximize the length of your strokes, and the length of your body as you do the strokes. It also helps if you can do these lengthening drills for longer workouts. The sustained effort not only burns more calories, it imprints that long, thin barracuda shape through repetition. As far as dryland exercise, using your own body weight for resistance has many advantages in body shaping. Chinups, pullups, pushups, dips, handstands, etc., assisted or otherwise, not only accentuate body lengthening, they help develop a kinesthetic sense that is so important in the pool. There are probably some other forumites –women in particular – who can attest to the advantages of exercises that use one's own body weight for resistance. Finally, stretching exercises that loosen up and lengthen the middle of the body can be very helpful in reshaping. Combined with pronounced diaphragmatic breathing, the middle of the body can become a much more active participant in the overall movement of the body. Hope that helps...