Losing pounds but not inches?

Pandabear0324
Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone just here looking for advice on losing actual inches from my waist in particular. I have lost 54lbs so far but only about 2 inches off my waist. I can tell more drastically in my legs, rear, and some in my face and arms but honestly where I want to lose is my waist. Any advice?

Also I do mostly cardio exercise but frequently use the gyms ab crunch machine as well as other strength training machines.

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Unfortunately, we cannot spot reduce fat. We can work on strengthening and, with proper nutrition, building specific muscles. To lose fat on your waist, eat in a caloric deficit, which means eating fewer calories than you burn. You can do that by eating less, moving more (all physical activity burns calories), or a combination. Keep in mind that if you are genetically programmed to have a certain body shape, you will not be able to change your overall genetics but you can optimize your shape/look/fitness level. In addition, the waist/stomach area is a notoriously slow area to lose fat in a lot of people. Don't be surprised if it seems to be disproportionately slow to lose weight until you get down to the final pounds.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Where we lose weight from is very individual and it can't really be changed. As you keep losing weight, you will see it come off different areas. My legs and chest seemed to go much faster than my waist and arms. But eventually I got there.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Agree with the two smart ladies above. Just gotta keep at it, and it will eventually come off.

    Congrats on the 54 lbs though - that's a great accomplishment!
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Unfortunately, we cannot spot reduce fat. We can work on strengthening and, with proper nutrition, building specific muscles. To lose fat on your waist, eat in a caloric deficit, which means eating fewer calories than you burn. You can do that by eating less, moving more (all physical activity burns calories), or a combination. Keep in mind that if you are genetically programmed to have a certain body shape, you will not be able to change your overall genetics but you can optimize your shape/look/fitness level. In addition, the waist/stomach area is a notoriously slow area to lose fat in a lot of people. Don't be surprised if it seems to be disproportionately slow to lose weight until you get down to the final pounds.

    Agreed. I'd also add rather than frequently using ab machines, look into a structured lifting program. Utilizing the ab machines doesn't target the fat in the waste area, and honestly direct ab work can be a pretty inefficient exercise as well. The full body work, along with your cardio, will still help strengthen the core but help maintain muscle mass, thus helping to reduce your BF% more efficiently.
  • dwulet130
    dwulet130 Posts: 108 Member
    Since you can't spot reduce fat, the only options are A) keep losing weight until you have no fat anywhere (54lbs is awesome, btw) and B) work those ab muscles so they're tighter. Crunches, leg drops, bicycles etc. Once those muscles are firm, your waist should look better.

    Good luck!
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    What's said above is true. You can't spot reduce and it comes off how it wants with belly usually being towards the end.

    Also this kind of loss can happen because there are two kinds of fat viseral that form in and around your muscles like the heart. That's the really dangerous kind that stresses your body. Then there is subconscious fat below the skin that sirs over the muscles and is more of the cosmetic weightloss.

    Not all fat loss is cosmetic. If the scale drops but measurement barely change be happy your losing unhealthy fat and keep pushing forward.
  • Pandabear0324
    Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
    Thanks everyone for the advice! I will keep in mind that it will take time and work. I was more worried I wasnt doing something I should be in the way of exercise. I have heard that strength training helps change body shape but didnt know if it was true. I will keep at the cardio! :)
  • Shanel0916
    Shanel0916 Posts: 586 Member
    This is true we can't spot reduce but HIIT cardio is really great for burning belly fat as well.
  • Pandabear0324
    Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
    Thank you :) I will look into hiit
  • nicholajaneryan
    nicholajaneryan Posts: 76 Member
    In the past I have lost weight purely from regular exercise where I hardly changed my diet at all, and those times I noticed a decrease in size of my arms and legs but not so much my tummy and butt.

    This time around I'm fully focused on CICO as well as exercise 4 or 5 times per week and my waist has slimmed down dramatically.

    I think it had a lot to do with bloating and massive portion sizes in my case.

    It's worth a try though right? If you're not already doing both, weighing food, not "cheating" your food diary with inaccurate entries etc then give it a go and see if your waist catches up
  • sarahredhaira
    sarahredhaira Posts: 79 Member
    I'm having the same issue. Not lost anywhere near as much as you have (well done you!), but barely any difference in my waist measurement. One of my primary motives in losing weight is to reduce my diabetes risk ( family history), which increases with a waist measurement above 80cm. Right now I'm losing from just about everywhere else, and can't imagine a waist measurement of 80cm!
  • Pandabear0324
    Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
    nicholajaneryan wrote: »
    In the past I have lost weight purely from regular exercise where I hardly changed my diet at all, and those times I noticed a decrease in size of my arms and legs but not so much my tummy and butt.

    This time around I'm fully focused on CICO as well as exercise 4 or 5 times per week and my waist has slimmed down dramatically.

    I think it had a lot to do with bloating and massive portion sizes in my case.

    It's worth a try though right? If you're not already doing both, weighing food, not "cheating" your food diary with inaccurate entries etc then give it a go and see if your waist catches up


    Thanks for the advice but I track everything as accurately as I can already :/ I am thinking I just have to give it time. I mean I know eventually it will come off but their doesnt seem to be any advice for targeting the area :( I will remember patience
  • Pandabear0324
    Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
    sarahredhaira wrote: »
    I'm having the same issue. Not lost anywhere near as much as you have (well done you!), but barely any difference in my waist measurement. One of my primary motives in losing weight is to reduce my diabetes risk ( family history), which increases with a waist measurement above 80cm. Right now I'm losing from just about everywhere else, and can't imagine a waist measurement of 80cm!

    Thank you sarah :) I definitely have alot more than most people to lose (180-220 lbs) so it must just be that I need more time to see it. Others tell me they notice but the measurement isnt changing and I cant tell
  • schibsted750
    schibsted750 Posts: 355 Member
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Also this kind of loss can happen because there are two kinds of fat viseral that form in and around your muscles like the heart. That's the really dangerous kind that stresses your body. Then there is subconscious fat below the skin that sirs over the muscles and is more of the cosmetic weightloss.

    yup. I'd bet you've lost a lot of visceral fat. and that's a very, very good thing.
  • Pandabear0324
    Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
    I
    schibsted750 wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Also this kind of loss can happen because there are two kinds of fat viseral that form in and around your muscles like the heart. That's the really dangerous kind that stresses your body. Then there is subconscious fat below the skin that sirs over the muscles and is more of the cosmetic weightloss.

    yup. I'd bet you've lost a lot of visceral fat. and that's a very, very good thing.


    Maybe that's it :) but I have never had any issues that can arise from being this size so I am very lucky and glad to be doing something to prevent a future of weight-related problems
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Shanel0916 wrote: »
    This is true we can't spot reduce but HIIT cardio is really great for burning belly fat as well.

    No. That would be spot reducing.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    Its because you're very heavy and it's coming from everywhere. Previously I have lost 100lbs and honestly couldn't tell physically for 50lbs. And my tummy was the last place to start showing results, probably because of all the fat between organs etc that will need to go too.
  • Pandabear0324
    Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
    brb_2013 wrote: »
    Its because you're very heavy and it's coming from everywhere. Previously I have lost 100lbs and honestly couldn't tell physically for 50lbs. And my tummy was the last place to start showing results, probably because of all the fat between organs etc that will need to go too.

    Lol thanks I think... yeah I will just be patient and keep on working at it

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