Can't Lose Belly Fat -- Help!!

vpaschal
vpaschal Posts: 3
edited November 11 in Introduce Yourself
I have been tracking my food, exercising and losing weight since November of 2014. I eat about 1300 calories a day, sometimes 1400. I workout on my elliptical machine 5 days a week, 30 minutes a day, at a pretty intense level. I have been consistently losing .5 to 1.5 pounds per week and I have lost about 14.5 pounds overall. I am really happy about the consistent weight loss, but I just can't seem to lose the belly fat. I've lost maybe an inch, or inch and 1/2, but that's it. What am I missing?

Replies

  • oncem0re
    oncem0re Posts: 213 Member
    Time is what you're missing. Give it some more time, the fat in our body varies which part is burning first, just concentrate of gaining muscles either with your arms or legs. The more muscles you have, the better you'll burn fat and sooner or later, you'll see the result on your belly.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Belly fat is often the last to go for everyone. If you aren't doing any kind of resistance training you are doing yourself a disservice and making it harder on yourself to get the belly you want.

    I would recommend a structured full body strength program.
  • ChristinaOrr65
    ChristinaOrr65 Posts: 112 Member
    It could possibly be the foods that you are eating in those 1300-1400 calories per day. Certain foods can cause you to hold onto the fat more than others, and eating clean is always best for overall health and weight loss. Also, I like to be sure that I am drinking at least half my body weight in oz of water per day.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    ChristinaOrr65 wrote: »
    It could possibly be the foods that you are eating in those 1300-1400 calories per day. Certain foods can cause you to hold onto the fat more than others, and eating clean is always best for overall health and weight loss. Also, I like to be sure that I am drinking at least half my body weight in oz of water per day.

    This should be disregarded.

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    ChristinaOrr65 wrote: »
    It could possibly be the foods that you are eating in those 1300-1400 calories per day. Certain foods can cause you to hold onto the fat more than others, and eating clean is always best for overall health and weight loss. Also, I like to be sure that I am drinking at least half my body weight in oz of water per day.

    This is nonsense
  • rosathlete
    rosathlete Posts: 1
    Belly fat is also a sign of insulin resistance--carbs and sugars are the big culprits. I also have trouble with belly fat, and my doctor always recommends I cut down on carbs and sugars.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Losing fat is like trying to dry out a sponge. You can't dry a corner while the rest is still wet. Can't target belly fat, just have to wait for it to come off.

    You may also want to add in resistance training to maintain your current lean mass. It will help you lose a greater amount of weight from fat, instead of losing fat and lean mass.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    rosathlete wrote: »
    Belly fat is also a sign of insulin resistance--carbs and sugars are the big culprits. I also have trouble with belly fat, and my doctor always recommends I cut down on carbs and sugars.

    Belly fat is a sign that your body stores fat there.
  • wolfcruise
    wolfcruise Posts: 5
    Follow an abs 10 min a day program as well. there are lots on youtube to follow. bellys are the worse! keep at it !
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    wolfcruise wrote: »
    Follow an abs 10 min a day program as well. there are lots on youtube to follow. bellys are the worse! keep at it !

    Doing an abs program might build muscle there, but it's not going to do anything for belly fat. It's just building muscle under the fat.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    read this:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • vpaschal
    vpaschal Posts: 3
    oncem0re, patience has never been one of my strong suits, but thanks for the advice. Hornsby, I have heard that strength/resistance training is valuable, I just need to find exercises that work for me, not sure where to begin looking. Should have mentioned that I just started drinking more water each day. I hate drinking it, so I'm making myself do it. I know it's for the best.
  • vpaschal
    vpaschal Posts: 3
    Thanks queenliz99, wolfcruise and usmcmp. I'll take your advice and add resistance training to my workout regimen. Would it be disadvantageous to substitute strength/resistance training for one or two of my cardio workouts each week, or do those in addition to what I'm already doing?
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
    A weight routine is a very good addition to a weight loss plan. It'll definitely speed up the process and help keep you from rebounding in the long run.
  • oncem0re
    oncem0re Posts: 213 Member
    wolfcruise wrote: »
    Follow an abs 10 min a day program as well. there are lots on youtube to follow. bellys are the worse! keep at it !

    Your belly if covered in fat will not show any difference until you burn those fat. Don't waste your energy on your belly first, do a full body workout and concentrate on cardio and strength training. When you lose some of your fat, that's when you should start working and sculpting your belly, but right now there's nothing to sculpt, your belly has sooo little muscles that its pretty much pointless to put in so much time, when you can use that energy for full body. Just saying ...
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    vpaschal wrote: »
    Thanks queenliz99, wolfcruise and usmcmp. I'll take your advice and add resistance training to my workout regimen. Would it be disadvantageous to substitute strength/resistance training for one or two of my cardio workouts each week, or do those in addition to what I'm already doing?

    Substituting is fine. I do cardio once or twice a week for 20-30 minutes each time. Most of my workouts are lifting. You could start with a body weight program at home or look into some of the new lifter threads here for other suggestions.
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