Belly Fat

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Let me start by saying I had gastric bypass surgery 9 years ago and lost 140 lbs. Since then I regained as much as 67 pounds. On January 1 of this year, I took control back and have started to RE-lose the weight. In conjunction with my bariatric nutritionist, I'm limiting my calories to 1250 per day (pre-exercise) and I'm walking a few miles a day (8000-10000 steps). Please don't tell me I'm not eating enough, unless you are experienced with post-gastric bypass patients. In the past 3-4 months, I've lost 28.5 pounds. I feel great, but unfortunately, I seem to be losing all of it from my face and neck. My waist is also getting smaller as I'm able to wear a size lower. I wear my pants BELOW my waist (under my belly, not "sagging.") The problem is the belly itself. It's not getting ANY smaller. My dress shirts look awful on me. The neck is GIGANTIC, and the body of the shirt is snug. There are NO shirts that fit me without looking ridiculous. How do I lose some of the belly? Are there exercises I should do? Specific foods I should eat?

Replies

  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    Time is all that will help. Genetics determines which areas we lose weight from first and for most guys that damn belly is the last to go. I'm dealing with that myself.
  • Nixi3Knox
    Nixi3Knox Posts: 182 Member
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    Are you sure you aren't bloated? Do you have any kind of digestive issues? Celiac, lactose intolerance etc....?
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Are you lifting weights?
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    1. You can't dry a corner of the sponge while the rest of the sponge is still wet. You can't spot reduce the belly fat through specific foods or exercises.
    2. Are you using a tape measure? You say you haven't lost any of your belly, but you might have.
    3. Could there be an underlying allergy to something that is causing bloating?
    4. As previously asked, are you lifting weights?
  • tdunnegan
    tdunnegan Posts: 100 Member
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    The advice I'm getting from my nutritionist is to avoid carbs later in the day. Once you are not active (basically done with the day...home) no fruits or high carb foods because carbs turn into sugar which turn into fat if not burned off through exercise. Also, I can trim my waist by doing aerobics... I do go to a gym so I either do elliptical, or any choice of exercise class. Core work is also critical. Planks or modified planks are a good start... or a crunch. Whatever your level is.
  • littlebabekitty
    littlebabekitty Posts: 388 Member
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    What helped me was eliminating sugar , and refined white flour and white rice. They cause bloat and stick to your intestines making your belly bigger. Next thing was hitting the gym, cardio 5 days a week, weight training 3 days a week one gym ab machine helped tremendously but if you dont have access you can use your own body weight and do lots of sit ups. I used the 12 weeks body for life workout routine and diet plan. It really is great and its free. I reccomend it and will be starting again this week. Good luck
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    I would encourage you to talk to your gastric nutritionist since she seems to bring greatest expert in your concerns. You still have 40 lbs to lose, so it's hard to draw any conclusions.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    tdunnegan wrote: »
    The advice I'm getting from my nutritionist is to avoid carbs later in the day. Once you are not active (basically done with the day...home) no fruits or high carb foods because carbs turn into sugar which turn into fat if not burned off through exercise. Also, I can trim my waist by doing aerobics... I do go to a gym so I either do elliptical, or any choice of exercise class. Core work is also critical. Planks or modified planks are a good start... or a crunch. Whatever your level is.

    Are you paying for this 'advice' or is it coming from the mumbling man on the park bench?
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    Ps. Calorie deficit.
  • littlebabekitty
    littlebabekitty Posts: 388 Member
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    Body for life 12 week program helped me
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Body for life 12 week program helped me

    I'm assuming you were also in a caloric deficit. I do little to no ab work along with absolutely no cardio. Yet I manage to trim inches off of my midline along with having decent ab definitionz How could that possibly be possible with out any direct ab work?
  • Daddy78230
    Daddy78230 Posts: 125 Member
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    You could be referring to visceral fat, that is fat that's hanging off your internal organs rather that under your skin. You may look like you have a beer belly (pot belly), even if you don't drink.

    If you're health is up to it, you can incorporate HIIT (high intensity interval training) in your routine, 2-3 a week. You shouldn't do it every day.

    https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article folder/metabolicEffectsHIIT.html

  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    What helped me was eliminating sugar , and refined white flour and white rice. They cause bloat and stick to your intestines making your belly bigger. Next thing was hitting the gym, cardio 5 days a week, weight training 3 days a week one gym ab machine helped tremendously but if you dont have access you can use your own body weight and do lots of sit ups. I used the 12 weeks body for life workout routine and diet plan. It really is great and its free. I reccomend it and will be starting again this week. Good luck

    for some they may cause bloat,they stick to your intestines? can I ask where you got that info from? all the sit ups /ab workouts in the world wont give you a flat stomach though,you already have abs,most people just have fat covering them and losing that fat in a deficit will be what makes them show. my stomach has gotten smaller and I dont do sit ups,you can do all the situps in the world its not going to give you flat abs because you cant spot reduce fat.