Love my body.. but.. please help!

betterme2k17 · July 2017

Always been the skinny girl, stick thin, underweight on the BMI.. then 3 years ago decided I should gained weight using this app.
The heaviest I've been was 10.11 stone - after gaining almost 3 stone. Anyways. I lost weight to 10.2stones and was happy. Now I'm 10.4 BUT, i feel fatter than I did at 10:11 stone. My midsection feels huge and is, my belly hangs. My legs, arms, butt and boobs are perfect.. love everything but my midsection.
Please help. What can I do? Will 30 minutes of daily yoga help, or an hour? or other at home exercises? I'm ttc aswell so I'm not sure what I should I shouldn't do, can and can't do.
Thanks for the support guys.

Oh and also, for the record, I have a spoon shaped body type. It means my 'love handles' are HUGE and are wider than my freakin hips and my back isn't streamlined so basically lower back fat.

CMNVA · July 2017

Forgive me for struggling with stones; it's a hard concept for me!!

But I'm thinking that maybe you are around 140-ish lbs. Not sure of your height etc. My thoughts on this type of thing are that if you are a stomach gainer (and it sounds like the case for you now), this is where the weight will leave you last. It's going to be one of those things where your last 5 or 10bs that you lose are going help a lot toward that last bit of fat hanging around there.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I'm 5'7" and am down to about 156 lbs. I'm fairly okay with most of my body but there is a roll around my midsection. I never, ever used to gain weight there but it all started gathering there when I hit my late 40s (it's a menopause issue). If I drop another 5 lbs, it will be gone for the most part.

betterme2k17 · July 2017

CMNVA wrote: »

Forgive me for struggling with stones; it's a hard concept for me!! But I'm thinking that maybe you are around 140-ish lbs. Not sure of your height etc. My thoughts on this type of thing are that if you are a stomach gainer (and it sounds like the case for you now), this is where the weight will leave you last. It's going to be one of those things where your last 5 or 10bs that you lose are going help a lot toward that last bit of fat hanging around there.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I'm 5'7" and am down to about 156 lbs. I'm fairly okay with most of my body but there is a roll around my midsection. I never, ever used to gain weight there but it all started gathering there when I hit my late 40s (it's a menopause issue). If I drop another 5 lbs, it will be gone for the most part.

Yes it's 145 pounds. And my height is 5'7'' also. That's exactly what I'm afraid off, losing weight everywhere else and my tummy last

I guess I'm either going to have to stay this way or lose weight. I think I'll opt for the latter because I don't want my health to go downhill, I now also feel fat. I'm 26 and I don't want health problems further down the line. Thanks for the advice

CMNVA · July 2017

betterme2k17 wrote: »

CMNVA wrote: »

Forgive me for struggling with stones; it's a hard concept for me!! But I'm thinking that maybe you are around 140-ish lbs. Not sure of your height etc. My thoughts on this type of thing are that if you are a stomach gainer (and it sounds like the case for you now), this is where the weight will leave you last. It's going to be one of those things where your last 5 or 10bs that you lose are going help a lot toward that last bit of fat hanging around there.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I'm 5'7" and am down to about 156 lbs. I'm fairly okay with most of my body but there is a roll around my midsection. I never, ever used to gain weight there but it all started gathering there when I hit my late 40s (it's a menopause issue). If I drop another 5 lbs, it will be gone for the most part.

Yes it's 145 pounds. And my height is 5'7'' also. That's exactly what I'm afraid off, losing weight everywhere else and my tummy last I guess I'm either going to have to stay this way or lose weight. I think I'll opt for the latter because I don't want my health to go downhill, I now also feel fat. I'm 26 and I don't want health problems further down the line. Thanks for the advice

Why do you think your health would go downhill? Unless you're super muscular, being 5'7" and 138-140 lbs is pretty healthy.

malibu927 · July 2017

betterme2k17 wrote: »

CMNVA wrote: »

Forgive me for struggling with stones; it's a hard concept for me!! But I'm thinking that maybe you are around 140-ish lbs. Not sure of your height etc. My thoughts on this type of thing are that if you are a stomach gainer (and it sounds like the case for you now), this is where the weight will leave you last. It's going to be one of those things where your last 5 or 10bs that you lose are going help a lot toward that last bit of fat hanging around there.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I'm 5'7" and am down to about 156 lbs. I'm fairly okay with most of my body but there is a roll around my midsection. I never, ever used to gain weight there but it all started gathering there when I hit my late 40s (it's a menopause issue). If I drop another 5 lbs, it will be gone for the most part.

Yes it's 145 pounds. And my height is 5'7'' also. That's exactly what I'm afraid off, losing weight everywhere else and my tummy last I guess I'm either going to have to stay this way or lose weight. I think I'll opt for the latter because I don't want my health to go downhill, I now also feel fat. I'm 26 and I don't want health problems further down the line. Thanks for the advice

It's no use to be afraid of losing your stomach fat last, as that's what is most likely to happen.

Go with a small (half a pound a week) deficit and if you aren't doing anything yet to help retain your muscle, I would talk to your doctor about what will be safe for you to do before you get pregnant.

betterme2k17 · July 2017

CMNVA wrote: »

betterme2k17 wrote: »

CMNVA wrote: »

Forgive me for struggling with stones; it's a hard concept for me!! But I'm thinking that maybe you are around 140-ish lbs. Not sure of your height etc. My thoughts on this type of thing are that if you are a stomach gainer (and it sounds like the case for you now), this is where the weight will leave you last. It's going to be one of those things where your last 5 or 10bs that you lose are going help a lot toward that last bit of fat hanging around there.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I'm 5'7" and am down to about 156 lbs. I'm fairly okay with most of my body but there is a roll around my midsection. I never, ever used to gain weight there but it all started gathering there when I hit my late 40s (it's a menopause issue). If I drop another 5 lbs, it will be gone for the most part.

Yes it's 145 pounds. And my height is 5'7'' also. That's exactly what I'm afraid off, losing weight everywhere else and my tummy last I guess I'm either going to have to stay this way or lose weight. I think I'll opt for the latter because I don't want my health to go downhill, I now also feel fat. I'm 26 and I don't want health problems further down the line. Thanks for the advice

Why do you think your health would go downhill? Unless you're super muscular, being 5'7" and 138-140 lbs is pretty healthy.

Because although the weight is ok, I have a lottttt of fat around my midsection and since I've gained more fat I get out of breath easily and don't feel as healthy as I want too...

betterme2k17 · July 2017

malibu927 wrote: »

betterme2k17 wrote: »

CMNVA wrote: »

Forgive me for struggling with stones; it's a hard concept for me!! But I'm thinking that maybe you are around 140-ish lbs. Not sure of your height etc. My thoughts on this type of thing are that if you are a stomach gainer (and it sounds like the case for you now), this is where the weight will leave you last. It's going to be one of those things where your last 5 or 10bs that you lose are going help a lot toward that last bit of fat hanging around there.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I'm 5'7" and am down to about 156 lbs. I'm fairly okay with most of my body but there is a roll around my midsection. I never, ever used to gain weight there but it all started gathering there when I hit my late 40s (it's a menopause issue). If I drop another 5 lbs, it will be gone for the most part.

Yes it's 145 pounds. And my height is 5'7'' also. That's exactly what I'm afraid off, losing weight everywhere else and my tummy last I guess I'm either going to have to stay this way or lose weight. I think I'll opt for the latter because I don't want my health to go downhill, I now also feel fat. I'm 26 and I don't want health problems further down the line. Thanks for the advice

It's no use to be afraid of losing your stomach fat last, as that's what is most likely to happen.

Go with a small (half a pound a week) deficit and if you aren't doing anything yet to help retain your muscle, I would talk to your doctor about what will be safe for you to do before you get pregnant.

Thanks

I know but I don't want to lose the. It's I love, that's all

middlehaitch · July 2017

A small deficit to get rid of the fat, and some resistance training- get on a weight lifting (barbell or dumbbell) programme or do body weight workouts, will help strengthen your abs and obliques. This will also help you have a strong muscle base for carrying a baby and recovery after pregnancy.

As far as being out of breath, this is likely due to a lack of cardio exercise, start walking, running, rowing, or find a class that you like, to improve your cardio performance.

If you are actively ttc talk your exercise plans through with your medical team.

Cheers, h.

betterme2k17 · July 2017

middlehaitch wrote: »

A small deficit to get rid of the fat, and some resistance training- get on a weight lifting (barbell or dumbbell) programme or do body weight workouts, will help strengthen your abs and obliques. This will also help you have a strong muscle base for carrying a baby and recovery after pregnancy.

As far as being out of breath, this is likely due to a lack of cardio exercise, start walking, running, rowing, or find a class that you like, to improve your cardio performance.

If you are actively ttc talk your exercise plans through with your medical team.

Cheers, h.

Thanks so much

ninerbuff · July 2017

You CANNOT decide where to lose fat off your body unless you do surgery. You CAN lower your body fat percentage by consistent calorie deficit.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

sak20011 · July 2017

I think you can achieve what you want with:

small calorie deficit, but not too much, if you're trying to conceive--keep in the good fats, but cutting sugars may be helpful, my midwive always told me to keep the added sugars low during pregnancy)

sak20011 · July 2017

sorry, meant to add:

30-60 minutes of walking a day, plus some weight lifting a few times a week will help with cardio endurance, strength, etc.

bfanny · July 2017

OP I'm with you! My weight is not that low 133 (5'4) but I'm SO bony everywhere and still have fat on my lower abs

A LOT what is it going to take for it to be gone??? I'm 42, I'm not sure I want to keep "cutting"...I lift and do cardio, my arms, legs and butt keep getting smaller but my last fat just won't go!!!

betterme2k17 · July 2017

sak20011 wrote: »

sorry, meant to add:

30-60 minutes of walking a day, plus some weight lifting a few times a week will help with cardio endurance, strength, etc.

Thanks so much. Good advice

kelly_stevens81 · July 2017

If you are already fit (aka slim) i would advise looking into weight training. Adding weight with muscle will help increase your metabolism and decrease your fat. You will most likely see your numbers go up on the scale when doing this, but I would start measuring with the tape measure instead, that tends to be more accurate when changing body composition. There are a lot of success stories online showing women at the exact same or similar weight but having much less fat and more muscle definition after weight training.

Xymheia · July 2017

Being a spoon your hips are higher up and you are more prone to carry a bit of fat there regardless of your weight. Reducing your fat percentage to around 20-22 % will help with love handles if you have those but it will not change the shape of your skeleton. If your fat percentage is 25-30 % right now, I would advise to lose 5-10 lbs while strength training and then focus on building muscle, which may effectively mean that you end up at the same weight but more toned. Also, if you haven't been active before but do eat healthy food your body fat will decrease initially regardless of what exercise you do.

I think there are ladies who lift or do bodyweight training (pushups, lunges, squats, tricep dip, (modified) pullups or table pullups) during pregnancy (at least the first 1-2 trimesters) and for cardio you might be able to do spinning, walking (especially in the hills or mountains), running, climbing, rowing, swimming or so. Pilates is great for core strength. Of course what you will be able to do depends on your health and well being. This is probably best discussed with your healthcare team.

What I have found to work well is:

Strength train 2-3 times and do interval cardio 2-3 times per week. Avoid the pink weights, you need serious training to build muscle and bone effectively. I usually add 15-20 mins to my 3 lifting sessions and I live in bicycle friendly country. If you're just starting out, cardio intervals may go as follows: walk for 1 minute, run for 1 minute and repeat until you reach 15 minutes. Each time you try to improve on this a little bit so that you spend more time at the higher intensity until you no longer need the slow pace. You can do this type of training for any type of cardio exercise. But if you don't like this type of training see the next point:
Pick activities that you will enjoy, after all if you find it to be a chore it'll be hard to sustain. Get creative, you can do circuits at home, go to the gym, pool and so on. You don't even have to follow traditional notions of training either: jazz dance, folk, ballet, and so on are fine too (primarily for cardio) as long as they get your heart rate up.
To lose weight eat slightly less than you need to maintain and slowly increase this to maintenance when you're at your target fat %. 200-300 kcal less will probably work well.
Try to cook with fresh ingredients and drink primarily water/tea/coffee. Soft drinks, fries and pies are reserved for special occasions. If you don't have a lot of time during the week it may be possible to pre-cook meals or parts of them and freeze them for later use. Fresh meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables and a mostly sugar free diet are also excellent for your baby's health once the time comes.
Low rise clothing may not fit comfortably and flatter your figure. They tend to cause muffin top and ride down in curvier figures like the pear, hourglass and spoon. Try wearing higher-medium and high rises, this goes for pants, skirts, bikini shorts, underwear, etc. They don't have to be armpit high, just high enough to fit comfortably. For the most flattering shape you want the hemline of your tops to hit above or below but not on your high hip and make sure that the fabric does not pull or crease there either. It's a bit tricky if you have a slim waist that you'd like to show off as well, but there are tops that'll fit.

Love my body.. but.. please help!

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