The dreaded muffin top

achoulat395
achoulat395 Posts: 27 Member
edited November 13 in Fitness and Exercise
okay ladies. seems like it will never go away. not all struggle with this problem area, but quite a few do. especially mom's please post any tips, diet or exercise that may be helpful in getting rid of the pouch once in for all.

Replies

  • ItsyBitsy246
    ItsyBitsy246 Posts: 307 Member
    edited June 2016
    Muffin tops are a naturally occurring phenomena when coupled with pants that are too low-waisted, when worn in conjuction with an accumulation of body fat in the waistband region. Personally, I detest wearing jeans with a high rise, so opt for mid-rise and live with a bit of a muffin top. Brand experimentation is key.

    EDIT- I'll add that spot reducing doesn't work, unfortunately. I've been a super twig in the past (5'4" and 99 lbs) and STILL had flab in the coveted thigh-gap region. :(
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    All of the previous advice is on point. Buy high waisted pants in the correct size. Then eat at a calorie deficit to lose fat.

    If you really want to be an overachiever, lift weights so that when the fat melts away you have some firm muscles underneath.
  • Shana67
    Shana67 Posts: 680 Member
    Muffin tops are caused by pants that aren't the right size. Buy pants in your size.

    Exactly this.
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    Muffin tops are caused by pants that aren't the right size. Buy pants in your size.

    This.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    Muffin tops are caused by pants that aren't the right size. Buy pants in your size.

    This. I'm 8% body fat with abs and I still get a muffin top when I tighten my belt too much or wear compression shorts

  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    hula hooping is great for tightening up your midsection.
  • Emijanine
    Emijanine Posts: 158 Member
    okay ladies. seems like it will never go away. not all struggle with this problem area, but quite a few do. especially mom's please post any tips, diet or exercise that may be helpful in getting rid of the pouch once in for all.

    If you have diastesis recti like I do, you need to do MuTu. Traditional ab work can make it worse.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    gothchiq wrote: »
    hula hooping is great for tightening up your midsection.

    It may strengthen your core muscles but it has absolutely nothing to do with reducing the body fat or extra skin around your waist.

  • CroixFarnham
    CroixFarnham Posts: 2 Member
    I agree with buying bigger pants, and I also think it's good to focus on your abdominal areas 3-4 times a week. I use this video and it has been working... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxjKZcOT17E ...lookin much better in a swimsuit now
  • monicaw44
    monicaw44 Posts: 71 Member
    you cant do anything about it. it's extra skin, and loose muscle. that being said the skinnier you are, the smaller it will look, or cosmetic surgery can remove it when the doctor pulls it tight and remove excess skin and muscle.

  • achoulat395
    achoulat395 Posts: 27 Member
    Perhaps i used the wrong word when i posted that. I meant "the mommy pouch" not a hangover of fat cause by tight pants.
  • achoulat395
    achoulat395 Posts: 27 Member
    And pants my size everwhere else do not fit my belly, not talking about just pants here lol. Shouldve used a different title sorry
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    If you're talking about a sagging pouch under the navel, it's sometimes called an apron (depending on how big the skin section is) and there really isn't anything you can do aside from having a tummy tuck or pannulectomy (this is for bigger flaps of skin). It's skin and subcutaneous fat, so at best, you can use a fat burning regimen, but subcutaneous fat will not completely go away ever because it is needed for your body.
  • MonaLisaLianne
    MonaLisaLianne Posts: 398 Member
    Yes - you didn't mean muffin top. I'm an "apple" shape and also have diastasis rectii. Finding pants that fit my waist means that the hips and legs are generally too big. I used to buy men's jeans because they're cut more the way I'm built but have now found that Calvin Klein & Tommy Hilfiger (for women) fit me fairly well. I feel your pain & I agree with EmiJanine - if you have diastasis rectii you will have to do special exercises to help repair the muscle separation caused by pregnancy. Here's a link to some info on the MuTu system. https://www.youtube.com/user/mutusystem Good luck!
  • Arizona_C
    Arizona_C Posts: 1,476 Member
    Hi, in my case, lots of abs helped me get the roundness off my stomach after the birth of my third child. And believe me, there was quite a bit. The abs stretch a lot during pregnancy, and after birth, the organs pushes forward and makes the belly rounder.

    You need to tighten the abs again to get the stomach flatter, it takes times and dedication, but is perfectly doable.

    Best is to train your abs through different kind of exercises to make sure you tone all the different areas from ribcage to pubic and the waist line as well. Planks, sideway planks, upper and lower push-ups, etc.

    Remember to train the back as well, imagine your muscles like a corset holding everything at place.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I had my second baby a year ago. Honestly, the amount of ab work I do is really minimal. I weight train so my core gets engaged frequently. I do have a bit of loose skin but otherwise it looks pretty tight and defined. (Maybe not to much right now as I am bulking)

    Really it just boiled down to eating less and patience.
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    It depends on body shape. I have to buy low waisted jeans because my waist on the sides doesn't naturally taper in very much. I'm now very low BMI for my height at 125 lbs and 5' 7" tall. I would totally get muffin top if I wore high waisted jeans that fit my butt and legs.

    Anyway, back to the question, buy pants that fit. Even when I was in the 160s, I didn't have muffin top because I didn't wear pants that were too small. Keep eating in a deficit, and you'll lose weight so you can buy smaller jeans that fit or do what I did and wear lots of dresses while losing weight.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    You just need 'Mom Jeans' until you lose the pudge.

    [video]https://youtu.be/2aVxNH6iN9I[/video]
  • jludwick78
    jludwick78 Posts: 34 Member
    I don't buy into everyone saying the muffin top is being caused by pants that are too tight. My pants fit just fine and they're mid rise but my actual stomach is 3 inches bigger all the way around than my hips. Has nothing to do with my pants. It's called beer and pizza belly! I can't even stand high-rise pants, the bellybutton should never be covered! Lol

    I'm also working to get rid of this and I've lost 10 pounds and it hasn't come off the belly yet. I'm eating in a deficit to lose fat and also working out to tone the muscle. Hopefully that will work for you, too!
    good luck
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    jludwick78 wrote: »
    I don't buy into everyone saying the muffin top is being caused by pants that are too tight. My pants fit just fine and they're mid rise but my actual stomach is 3 inches bigger all the way around than my hips. Has nothing to do with my pants. It's called beer and pizza belly! I can't even stand high-rise pants, the bellybutton should never be covered! Lol

    I'm also working to get rid of this and I've lost 10 pounds and it hasn't come off the belly yet. I'm eating in a deficit to lose fat and also working out to tone the muscle. Hopefully that will work for you, too!
    good luck

    You can not agree and still be wrong.
  • croftie4
    croftie4 Posts: 221 Member
    Perhaps i used the wrong word when i posted that. I meant "the mommy pouch" not a hangover of fat cause by tight pants.

    Yep my overhang over my c-section scare has gone, (noticed a couple of days ago) I've still got more belly fat to go but the over hang but is not there.

    I used kettlebells and it really works when you use a weight that is not too easy. Started at 8kg, then 12kg now starting to move up to 16kg. Just did the basic KB swing. I'm also eating at a deficit of 500 calories as I'm trying to lose body fat % all over.

    Like I said I have move to go but I can feel muscle underneath so all good but the overhang I had since my fourth child born 6 years ago so I'm so pleased it's finally gone. Everyone told me it has I had 4 c-sections it would never go, how wrong were they
  • ks4e
    ks4e Posts: 374 Member
    edited March 2017
    Oops old thread
  • kmorrow0712
    kmorrow0712 Posts: 29 Member
    Becca_250 wrote: »
    Yeah I was going to say, I just buy super high waist jeans which fixes the problem :D

    Yup... I wear the Old Navy high waisted pants, they suck that sucker in!
This discussion has been closed.