Frustration in Maintenance ...

rhtexasgal

Ok, so I have been maintaining for over a year now and during this year, I have not given much thought to my little belly pooch. I've been basically basking in the fact that I have been maintaining a size 4 for year (which I have never worn before) and developing biceps and triceps. However, I have been coasting a bit too long!

I was not totally recognizing that my trainer has had me on a recomp plan for the past six months. However, in retrospect, it makes sense since I have already reached my weight loss goals. With that realization, I started getting a hinky feeling that my overall body inflammation and sore feeling that I have been attributing as a by-product of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis), may not actually be due to that.

I started studying my food diary and concluded that I have not been getting near enough protein. Often times, I am not getting even half of what I should be getting. I love eating so this has been by accident! No wonder I have been constantly sore! I was not giving my muscles the proper nutrition ... such a simple thing *sigh*

The only fat I have left to lose is a little in my butt and inner thighs (however not much) and my belly. I've noticed that pants still fit but differently because my butt has lifted a bit and is more toned and the thigh area of my pants are looser. That belly is the last holdout!

So, I have been consciously adding more protein in and those times I do, I feel better physically. My question is: if I keep up the recomp and keep my protein up, do I dare have a hope of shrinking this belly pooch? It has been a lifelong companion, even in high school when I was weight training and ran cross country and track! I can't really blame it on the 2 c-sections I had 17 and 14 years ago. I guess with my weight loss goal tackled, I am impatient for this next goal to be accomplished.

bioklutz

I have a really annoying answer for you...maybe! It will probably get smaller - but it might never go away.

We all have something we don't like about ourselves or wish looked a little different. When we look at other people we tend to pick out their best features. People are not looking at you and noticing the thing that bothers you

rhtexasgal

I am not overly worried about the belly as I had not really been focusing on it for the past year during maintenance. I have been more worried about my unnatural aches and pains. I am in week 2 of boosting my protein and it does seem to be helping. Could a small amount be attributed to my inflammatory bowel disease? Sure, especially since even when symptoms are in remission, other inflammation can occur, based on research I have done.

However, if I am doing recomp, why not shoot for a better belly? I just cannot believe how stubborn that type of fat is!

LivingtheLeanDream

Oh yeah I do firmly believe it will eventually almost fully go away, I'm experiencing something similar, same weight but in 8th month of recomp, my belly has flattened greatly and I reckon with another few months it will flatten more. Not sure it'll be flat as in concave, not perhaps in my genes but it'll be good enough for me I'm happy in general with my shape which is the main thing.

Its interesting about what you're saying ref protein, I would have days my legs don't feel up to their usual strength - that may well be down to inadequate protein, I will have to work on that to see if it makes a difference.