Getting a pigeon chest is p1ss easy, it really is. Bench presses, job done.

But it will look stupid if you still have a beer belly, and that one is much tougher to crack. I've been trying (prob not hard enough) to get rid of my ponch for years

I'm also of the opinion that diet plays a bigger role than exercise here, but why wouldn't you do both ? Exercise has so many health benefits beyond weight loss.

I've tried quite a few things and fund that eliminating high carbs was the thing that made the biggest difference in weight loss. I lost a stone and half in about 6 or 7 weeks. And as long as I kept up the low-carb diet the weight never came back - I stopped eating bread (all bread) and cereal and fought the hunger cravings (and they are severe for the first few weeks) by snacking on nuts (mostly cashews - plain, not salted, roasted, glazed or with any other sh1t added).

The weight dropped off and I dropped a waist size - that was great but I still have a pot belly. Its maybe reduced in size slightly (it must have for my waist size to go down, right?) but I can't honestly see any difference

I know I need to do more, be more strict with my diet, cutting carbs is not enough, I need to cut out sugar and that's the hardest thing to do. I don't drink fruit juice anymore. I only drink water or tea. But I have too much sugar in my diet - I have sugar with my tea (I've cut back from 2 sugars to 1 sugar but I can't drink tea with no sugar). I'd rather go without tea than have it without sugar, so maybe I just need to stick with water, And thats another thing, I'm convinced water is a big part of the solution. I don't drink enough of it, most people don't. I always forget to drink water, and end up only drinking when I'm thirsty. And I need to be much more disciplined with the healthy foods - more veg, much more. More fish, much more, esp oily fish. I don't like the taste of salmon/mackerel so I have to get over that, somehow. More nuts and berries. Flax seeds I've heard are incredibly good for you. Much less sugar - no more biscuits, and no more chocolate unless its dark and very bitter with no trace of sugar in it.

In terms of exercise, I keep hearing swimming is the best (uses every muscle, great cardio workout) and cycling. I've mostly concentrated on weights (I've got barbell and dumbbells at home) but not much cardio. That has to change. I hear very good things about HIIT (high intensity interval training) so maybe that's the answer. I'm prepared to give it a good go because nothing else has made a dent in the pot belly.

Also, it goes without saying that genetics plays a big part in your body shape, and potential body shape. So this is much harder for some people than others, and it must get harder the older you get. I'm 47 so hopefully not too old yet to make a noticeable difference.

Eat raw chillies after every meal

You will blast all the crap out from gut

Johnny how long you run 5k in ?

Have you done it long and do you see your time get better or you just happy to run and not really challenge times.

Lot's of people go on runs nowadays seems best way to exercise imo

Am relatively new to it, started a couple of years ago really just to get fit. Couldn't go much further than a mile when I started but gradually tried to go a little further each week. Was doing 10k daily after a year but it was boring as hell so I stopped that and kept it back at 5K. It's a good way to start the day and blows a few cobwebs away, plus it's a good way to unwind with the added bonus of course of not having to feel guilty if you want to stuff your face or have a few drinks later on.

I prefer not to time myself when I run or worry about distance, I jut run along by the river and go in which direction I feel after then home when had enough, your body tells when you're done, obviously it would be different if you were training for something.

Everyone's body is different hence why the diet industry is worth billions. No one plan works for all people.

Carbs and sugar are most probably the devil. I've seen weight drop off after giving up bread and pasta. What confirms the problem is the reaction you get after cutting out carbs. The body hates it! After a week or so it's fine.

Then, if you go back on a little bread, the hunger pains come just after eating!!!! Bizarre.

I go for high fat low carb but my weight has plateaued so am at a bit of a loss now. Mind you, exercise puts on weight so don't be deceived by what the scales say.

I have seen woman walking with little weights in hands then going on little dashes

I used to think i am walking past these joggers obviously everyone has a their own plan