stomach fat - how do I reduce it?

rougenoire

I carry most of my weight in my middle section and particularly in my stomach. Health guidelines in the UK say that if your waist is over 34 inches then you need to reduce your waist size. Mine is just on 34 but a couple of inches down on my stomach I meausure 41 inches (almost as much as my hips!). I am not happy about this and tracking calories (1600/day I will not do less) and building up my cardio and weight training. What else can I do to try and shift the stomach. I am looking for all over reduction but there is more here to lose, how do I put the emphasis on the gut? Is this possible? I am out of proportion so even inch loss would still leave me with the love handles of doom!

duddysdad

You can't target fat loss. It comes off all over. The stomach is usually the last to go, but it comes down to genetics.

PixelPuff

There is no way to spot reduce. You'll have to lose weight in general [overall reduction], and wait for it all to go down. Stomach was the last for me, because I had SO MUCH at the stomach compared to everything else. [edit; also, no harm in taking it slow, I have a LOT of extra skin from losing it a bit too fast]

Picture proof;

RoxieDawn

To lose fat, continue eating in a deficit.. to work on body composition, strength train.. Do both of these together.

Cbestinme

I have the same problems as you. I slso have similar numbers with the gut and calories mfp gives. 1600 calories is surprisingly alot of calories. If you choose foods that are filling (whole grains, proteins, fibet, fats) the weight will seem to melt away. I'm watching the gut, it's reducing but it's still big. Unfortunately they tell us we can't choose where to lose weight. Besides eating fewer calories, can you reduce the stress in your life? My tummy grew exponentially when I was overstretched and stressed. You say you are not proportional, maybe you have too much stress? By the way I've always had love handles, they're for love! !!

trigden1991

1chana23 wrote: »

I have the same problems as you. I slso have similar numbers with the gut and calories mfp gives. 1600 calories is surprisingly alot of calories. If you choose foods that are filling (whole grains, proteins, fibet, fats) the weight will seem to melt away. I'm watching the gut, it's reducing but it's still big. Unfortunately they tell us we can't choose where to lose weight. Besides eating fewer calories, can you reduce the stress in your life? My tummy grew exponentially when I was overstretched and stressed. You say you are not proportional, maybe you have too much stress? By the way I've always had love handles, they're for love! !!

As much as it is helpful to not be stressed and sleep well (reduced cortisol levels), this won't have a massive impact on weight loss. Eat in a calorie deficit and the weight will go. Also love handles aren't for love, they are for fat storage.

bigfatguy13088

There is no such thing as spot fat removal

SueInAz

bigfatguy13088 wrote: »

There is no such thing as spot fat removal

Sure there is, it's called liposuction.

@rougenoire, as others have said you can't target a specific area. Your genetics determine where you will store the most fat and that area is usually the last to go. All you can do is continue to focus on losing weight in general and in time your stomach will shrink, as well.

The weight training you're doing, if you're on a program that has you gradually lifting heavier weights over time, will really help as you'll be retaining more muscle and more of the weight you're losing will be from fat.

meritage4

It will come off. My belly was about the same size. It's a lot smaller now. Have been very determined since March and poof 45 lbs down.

As for exercises try some yoga-for core strength and all over toning as well your cardio and weight training.

ashjongfit

You can't spot reduce sadly. It will come off. Stomach fat is the last thing I seem to lose. Although I do find yoga helps slim it out a bit more when I do it daily but that could just be my core being stronger so I suck in more.

frannieshack

It may be just me, but I notice when I cut out enriched breads my belly feels less bloated, I try to stay away from enriched breads and cereals. Anything with the word "enriched". I did not see an instant change, but I noticed an almost instant change when I went back to eating these enriched breads, I try to stay away from them as much as possible now.

Cbestinme

if you eat whole grain breads or cereals do you still feel bloated?

Cbestinme

trigden1991 wrote: »

As much as it is helpful to not be stressed and sleep well (reduced cortisol levels), this won't have a massive impact on weight loss. Eat in a calorie deficit and the weight will go. Also love handles aren't for love, they are for fat storage.

Hi Trigden, take a look at this and let us know what you think, thanks!

Stressful events—and they don't even have to be big, just the daily hassles of life—cause our cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol causes food cravings, and in women those cravings tend to be strongest for carbs, especially sweet foods, according to researchers at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center. The more of them we eat, the worse our mood gets. As if that weren't bad enough, the cortisol then makes more trouble for us, triggering an enzyme in our fat cells (it converts cortisone to more cortisol). Since our visceral fat cells (the ones in our abdomen, packed around our vital organs) have more of these enzymes than the subcutaneous fat cells (the fat on our thighs and butts, for example), stress causes many women to accumulate more belly fat. The more stress, the more this abdominal, or central, obesity occurs[/b]. Some research has found that these belly fat cells, which have been linked to a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes, have four times as many cortisol receptors as regular fat cells.

http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/13-healthy-foods-that-reduce-stress-and-depression

beka184

I was told that belly fat comes down to diet. Eating white breads, pasta & simple carbs. Also sugar/soda and junk food. Try cleaning up your foods, focus on lean meats, whole grains, less dairy and lots of fresh or frozen veggies

PixelPuff

beka184 wrote: »

I was told that belly fat comes down to diet. Eating white breads, pasta & simple carbs. Also sugar/soda and junk food. Try cleaning up your foods, focus on lean meats, whole grains, less dairy and lots of fresh or frozen veggies

Nope. You can't spot gain fat, just as you can't spot reduce. You overeat, you will gain regardless.

Otherwise, I would've found the things to eat to regain [or at least KEEP at the time] my tata's. If only...

trigden1991

1chana23 wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

As much as it is helpful to not be stressed and sleep well (reduced cortisol levels), this won't have a massive impact on weight loss. Eat in a calorie deficit and the weight will go. Also love handles aren't for love, they are for fat storage.

Hi Trigden, take a look at this and let us know what you think, thanks!

Stressful events—and they don't even have to be big, just the daily hassles of life—cause our cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol causes food cravings, and in women those cravings tend to be strongest for carbs, especially sweet foods, according to researchers at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center. The more of them we eat, the worse our mood gets. As if that weren't bad enough, the cortisol then makes more trouble for us, triggering an enzyme in our fat cells (it converts cortisone to more cortisol). Since our visceral fat cells (the ones in our abdomen, packed around our vital organs) have more of these enzymes than the subcutaneous fat cells (the fat on our thighs and butts, for example), stress causes many women to accumulate more belly fat. The more stress, the more this abdominal, or central, obesity occurs[/b]. Some research has found that these belly fat cells, which have been linked to a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes, have four times as many cortisol receptors as regular fat cells.

http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/13-healthy-foods-that-reduce-stress-and-depression

The fact that the article talks about "belly fat" is enough to make me disregard it as a serious medical study. You can't gain fat unless you are in a caloric surplus and the article basically says that raised cortisol, increases cravings which makes you eat more.

My point is that reducing stress does not shrink your waist line via any biological process.

Muscleflex79

beka184 wrote: »

I was told that belly fat comes down to diet. Eating white breads, pasta & simple carbs. Also sugar/soda and junk food. Try cleaning up your foods, focus on lean meats, whole grains, less dairy and lots of fresh or frozen veggies

you were told wrong. nothing wrong with white bread, pasta, sugar and 'junk food'! it's all about the calorie deficit.

Cbestinme

trigden1991 wrote: »

The fact that the article talks about "belly fat" is enough to make me disregard it as a serious medical study. You can't gain fat unless you are in a caloric surplus and the article basically says that raised cortisol, increases cravings which makes you eat more.

My point is that reducing stress does not shrink your waist line via any biological process.

Hi Trigden thanks for replying. What is wrong with the term belly fat? why does that make you disregard it as serious medical study? Please help us lay persons understand. thank you

trigden1991

1chana23 wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

The fact that the article talks about "belly fat" is enough to make me disregard it as a serious medical study. You can't gain fat unless you are in a caloric surplus and the article basically says that raised cortisol, increases cravings which makes you eat more.

My point is that reducing stress does not shrink your waist line via any biological process.

Hi Trigden thanks for replying. What is wrong with the term belly fat? why does that make you disregard it as serious medical study? Please help us lay persons understand. thank you

FYI I have no qualifications or academic experience regarding fitness/human physiologically just an interest in the area.

"Belly fat" is not a medical term and would not be used in a credible article. I do not know enough about the mechanisms or physiological responses of cortisol however I do know that you still need a calorie surplus to gain body fat. For 99% of people that want to lose weight, a simple calorie deficit will suffice with all other variables (macros, sleep, stress) being insignificant.

PixelPuff

The article seems like the usual click-bait to try and get you to sign up for ad money ["premium content, give us your email!"], so I just left it. I don't trust such sites. So I also did not read the article, unfortunately.

Edit;
I'm googling and cannot find a genuine scientific article. I keep finding things like Dr. Oz and Women to Women [trying to sell their product at me]. Gah.

rsclause

Calorie deficit, its simple math. Exercise can get you there a bit quicker if you add it into the mix. Waist will likely be the last to go and the first place you get it back if you fall back into old habits.

Cbestinme

Hi Pixel, do you mean the article I shared? It's from Prevention magazine, if you want to Google it is foods that reduce stress
I also loathe those ads that want you to click on them, very annoying, and Lord help me, I wouldn't send those to anyone, and definitely not to a wide community

Cbestinme

Also agree with you things from Dr Oz sound dubious!

RavenLibra

stress is a physiological symptom, that leads to "weight gain" Stress= unhappy, unhappy leads to depression, depression leads to inactivity, inactivity leads to well Y'all get the idea... fact of the matter is A whole lot of things combined lead to weight gain...and a whole lot of things lead to successful life transformations TO the OP... only a steady and consistent caloric deficit will lead you to the results you are looking for. bear in mind that a caloric deficit not only reduces fat it also reduces muscle, so as you "diet" you will become weaker and feel less inclined to be active. Success is never guaranteed, BUT you can help your cause by thinking in terms of balance... and that starts with diet...not dieting... but monitoring what it is you are fueling your machine (body) with... begin understanding the context of Macros (carbs, fat, protein) as it applies to what you eat... think of balancing that with developing a healthy emotional life and a physically active lifestyle... if you make time to sit in front of the TV replace that with time to be outside getting fresh air and burning calories or if you can afford it spending time at a gym that offers several activities... and lastly... never mind the scale... IF you can concentrate on healthy active living then eventually you will look in the mirror one day and be totally proud of who you have become.

PixelPuff

1chana23 wrote: »

Hi Pixel, do you mean the article I shared? It's from Prevention magazine, if you want to Google it is foods that reduce stress
I also loathe those ads that want you to click on them, very annoying, and Lord help me, I wouldn't send those to anyone, and definitely not to a wide community

I saw the article, and after "Yuck, how could I have eaten all that?" it fades away saying it is premium and to sign up. Every similar article I have found is selling something. None link to actual scientific studies. I've found The Mayo Clinic saying to stick to Calories In, Calories Out... And to avoid cortisol blockers because it hasn't been found to be significant in any weight loss efforts [lots of anecdotal evidence].

And that is literally the article you posted... xD; Still a magazine, with lots of clickbait articles when I browse their site.

edit; I signed up with an old email that I don't mind gets spammed. The list is literally the same stuff every other health article suggests for snacks that fill you up and are nutritious. xD It just says "___ stops stress!" on every single vitamin/mineral/antioxident. That's it. Wow.

edit2;
At the bottom, it suggests buying their diet book, which the article was adapted from. Explains that.

Cbestinme

Okay Pixel, I am on a phone so maybe it doesn't show me all that stuff! also when I go to sites like those on a computer somehow my eyes and mind see only the articles. The ads on the sides or bottom I've learned to ignore.

Fyi, the article was citing "according to researchers at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center."

Since I'm a lay person at "Prevention " seems like a respectable magazine I thought it was reasonble. To be honest I don't have the resources or knowledge to conduct research to prove or counterprove what researchers do.

This is why I was asking Trigden to help us understand.

I saw his response and thought to leave it at that.

Pixel, what do you think about what they say re syress cortisol belly fat etc

nupururja

Same for me. I have this last bulge on my stomach that just wont go I wonder if crunches, planks etc work like some say

Cbestinme

Hi Nupuruja sounds like you are saying you have lost all the weight you want to lose? Now you want your body to look different? is that the case?
(Sorry I don't know the answer)

Cbestinme

Maybe try something like yoga which has different moves for the whole body, some if the moves are like planks. I don't know whether it will give flat stomach

AnvilHead

1chana23 wrote: »

Okay Pixel, I am on a phone so maybe it doesn't show me all that stuff! also when I go to sites like those on a computer somehow my eyes and mind see only the articles. The ads on the sides or bottom I've learned to ignore.

Fyi, the article was citing "according to researchers at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center."

Since I'm a lay person at "Prevention " seems like a respectable magazine I thought it was reasonble. To be honest I don't have the resources or knowledge to conduct research to prove or counterprove what researchers do.

This is why I was asking Trigden to help us understand.

I saw his response and thought to leave it at that.

Pixel, what do you think about what they say re syress cortisol belly fat etc

Here are a couple research-based articles on cortisol:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/dietary-restraint-and-cortisol-levels-research-review.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html/

Note that Lyle speaks of several different effects research has found that cortisol can have on weight loss, but central "belly fat" accumulation and cravings aren't among them.

As an amusing aside, in the first article Lyle touches on a point that correlates pretty nicely with the forums here (and many other dietary/weight loss forums as well):

...I’ve also pointed out that, in addition to certain dieting and training practices, there is a certain personality type that seems more prone to this. When I am being polite about it, I call them tightly wound. When less so, I say they are neurotic as hell. More accurately, they are neurotic about things like their body weight and eating habits. You can always tell these people by the online threads they start. It’s always “WHY AM I NOT LOSING WEIGHT?!?!?”. You can hear the stress in their typing...

Cbestinme

Is Bodyrecomposition website a magazine or blog by someone? Asking before clicking, thanks