Fat belly, skinny everywhere else

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SarahHadley95
SarahHadley95 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So iv'e always carried a lot of weight on my stomach, specifically below my belly button, and after putting on a few pounds over Christmas i actually had a few people ask if i was pregnant which is why i decided to lose weight. I've lost just over a stone now (I'm 5'6'' , was 11 stone 6 now 10 stone 5 and a bit) , but my belly hasn't budged, I've lost maybe a half inch of my belly, if that. My arms, legs and particularly my face are noticeably thinner, and i don't really wan't them to get any thinner as im quite happy with them.

I've been given conflicting advice, some people say i should do sit ups and other stomach exercises, but others have said that because you cannot 'spot train' to lose weight all this will do is build ,muscle under the fat.

Any advice? Has anyone else had the same problem?
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Replies

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    You were probably carrying more weight in your arms and legs than you realized. You can't control where you lose weight, but once you lose the fat in your arms and legs, you should see your belly fat begin to reduce, since there won't be anywhere else for the energy to come from.
  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
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    If you don't want to lose anymore weight, awesome! Congrats on the progress this far. What I would recommend is picking up a heavy lifting routine (Stronglifts 5x5 is good but I know others can recommend some others) and focus on hitting your macro goals, especially protein.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    lemonsnowdrop wrote: »
    If you don't want to lose anymore weight, awesome! Congrats on the progress this far. What I would recommend is picking up a heavy lifting routine (Stronglifts 5x5 is good but I know others can recommend some others) and focus on hitting your macro goals, especially protein.

    this - whilst eating at maintenance or just below maintenance for a slow recomp

    read the sticky at the top - "So you want a nice stomach"
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    SarahHadley95 wrote: »
    So iv'e always carried a lot of weight on my stomach, specifically below my belly button, and after putting on a few pounds over Christmas i actually had a few people ask if i was pregnant which is why i decided to lose weight. I've lost just over a stone now (I'm 5'6'' , was 11 stone 6 now 10 stone 5 and a bit) , but my belly hasn't budged, I've lost maybe a half inch of my belly, if that. My arms, legs and particularly my face are noticeably thinner, and i don't really wan't them to get any thinner as im quite happy with them.

    I've been given conflicting advice, some people say i should do sit ups and other stomach exercises, but others have said that because you cannot 'spot train' to lose weight all this will do is build ,muscle under the fat.

    Any advice? Has anyone else had the same problem?

    We are almost exactly the same size (I'm 146 lbs, so 10 stone 6, and 5'6".) Unfortunately, there is no way to slow down the fat loss on some areas and speed it up on others. I am still losing weight on places where I don't need to lose weight (lost 1/4" off my neck and 1/8" off my wrist last month) but finally finally am starting to see my midsection shrink a bit (1/4" from belly, 3/8" from waist last month.) So just keep at it. And if you are not doing any weight training, I highly recommend that you start doing it. It helps your shape a lot.
  • emmyjo1981
    emmyjo1981 Posts: 25 Member
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    ...I have the opposite problem, my torso is relatively slender...my arms and legs are where I carry a lot of weight. Like to the point friends have commented on it. I still do weights at the gym but pretty much worry constantly that I am just going to make them bigger by adding muscle under the fat.
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
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    you can't spot reduce fat, lift weights and calorie deficit and eventually the fat will go from your belly
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
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    You are me! :D

    I'm training for a 10K currently (ignoring my core which my back hates me for). This winter I plan on using weights to get stronger. Stomach firming is also in the plan but I don't know how firm it can get. I've always been squishy there.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
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    Double post

  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,394 Member
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    emmyjo1981 wrote: »
    ...I have the opposite problem, my torso is relatively slender...my arms and legs are where I carry a lot of weight. Like to the point friends have commented on it. I still do weights at the gym but pretty much worry constantly that I am just going to make them bigger by adding muscle under the fat.

    If you use lower weights and higher reps, you should be able to help tone your arms and legs, instead of gaining bulky muscle.

    Same for you OP, yeah you can't "spot reduce" fat but I still suggest starting a good ab/core routine to help tone up the loose flab.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    If you use lower weights and higher reps, you should be able to help tone your arms and legs, instead of gaining bulky muscle.

    Toning is just losing fat and exposing muscle, which means eating in a caloric deficit to lose overall fat. If you want to strengthen your muscles and eventually build some, you can lift heavy for low reps or go a bit lighter for more reps. There's no need to go light for high reps. The majority of unmedicated women are not going to end up bulky without trying really hard to get there. There are no accidental bodybuilders.
    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    Same for you OP, yeah you can't "spot reduce" fat but I still suggest starting a good ab/core routine to help tone up the loose flab.

    You don't loose flab. You lose fat. And while ab exercises will help strengthen and build the core (depending on caloric intake), they will not help spot burn the fat there.

  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
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    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    emmyjo1981 wrote: »
    ...I have the opposite problem, my torso is relatively slender...my arms and legs are where I carry a lot of weight. Like to the point friends have commented on it. I still do weights at the gym but pretty much worry constantly that I am just going to make them bigger by adding muscle under the fat.

    If you use lower weights and higher reps, you should be able to help tone your arms and legs, instead of gaining bulky muscle.

    Same for you OP, yeah you can't "spot reduce" fat but I still suggest starting a good ab/core routine to help tone up the loose flab.

    Can you please show to me what “bulky muscle” looks like? The only kind of muscle I’ve ever seen is lean and strong. Like jemhh so aptly put it, there are no accidental bodybuilders. Maybe take a look in success stories for women who lift.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    emmyjo1981 wrote: »
    ...I have the opposite problem, my torso is relatively slender...my arms and legs are where I carry a lot of weight. Like to the point friends have commented on it. I still do weights at the gym but pretty much worry constantly that I am just going to make them bigger by adding muscle under the fat.

    If you use lower weights and higher reps, you should be able to help tone your arms and legs, instead of gaining bulky muscle.

    Same for you OP, yeah you can't "spot reduce" fat but I still suggest starting a good ab/core routine to help tone up the loose flab.

    That's just ridiculous

    OP please ignore
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Light weights higher reps....still laughing

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    z0pv3l1yxcl1.jpg
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
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    ^^^ THANK YOU. Yes, look at all that bulky muscle. So unsightly. /end sarcasm
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »

    If you use lower weights and higher reps, you should be able to help tone your arms and legs, instead of gaining bulky muscle.

    Same for you OP, yeah you can't "spot reduce" fat but I still suggest starting a good ab/core routine to help tone up the loose flab.

    Says "you can't spot reduce"

    Suggests low weight/high rep to "spot reduce"

    Yes...please ignore this.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    At the risk of getting jumped all over...how much added sugar are you eating? Not saying this is your answer, BUT I find that for me, eating extra added sugar (especially from cookies, cake, candy and other sweets) makes my stomach bloat. When I cut or reduce added sugar, my stomach looks smaller (not flat, but smaller), and I feel so much better, too. Might be one of several things you can try.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    whmscll wrote: »
    At the risk of getting jumped all over...how much added sugar are you eating? Not saying this is your answer, BUT I find that for me, eating extra added sugar (especially from cookies, cake, candy and other sweets) makes my stomach bloat. When I cut or reduce added sugar, my stomach looks smaller (not flat, but smaller), and I feel so much better, too. Might be one of several things you can try.


    What sugar would you recommend she cuts out: fructose? glucose? lactose? Or just the sugar that comes in cake and candy
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
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    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    emmyjo1981 wrote: »
    ...I have the opposite problem, my torso is relatively slender...my arms and legs are where I carry a lot of weight. Like to the point friends have commented on it. I still do weights at the gym but pretty much worry constantly that I am just going to make them bigger by adding muscle under the fat.

    If you use lower weights and higher reps, you should be able to help tone your arms and legs, instead of gaining bulky muscle.

    Same for you OP, yeah you can't "spot reduce" fat but I still suggest starting a good ab/core routine to help tone up the loose flab.

    What in the actual?? OP - DO NOT listen to this!

  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Light weights higher reps....still laughing

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    z0pv3l1yxcl1.jpg



    I love this! So many people need to see this photo! I was a scale obsessed person once, now... Not so much. I weigh more than I wanted my "goal weight" to be, but I look way better, my clothes are smaller and I am alot less inches :smiley: Thanks for sharing this.

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