Unable to shift the tummy

Tattoos_and_Tea

As the title says really, I've lost a good amount of weight (just over 4st) and I've been working on toaning for a while but I just can't shift my tummy. I can literally eat a lettuce leaf and my tummy will pop. I don't feel bloated or anything. I had a flat tummy before having my son five years ago and it's never gone back to being flat. Any help, tips or common stories welcome!

janejellyroll

It seems like you're describing two different things.

You say your stomach has never gone back to getting flat, but you also say it will "pop" if you eat something. It is pretty normal for our stomach to change during the day depending on what we eat.

Are you at goal weight right now? My stomach was the last part of my body that I got pleased with -- I was actually maintaining my weight and doing resistance training for a few months post-weight loss before I felt really happy with it. If you're not yet at goal, it's possible you're one of those people that loses belly fat last.

magbrou

The fat around our middle is a very dense fat that will take a bit more time to shrink. I will do planks and crunches to strengthen my core which eventually helps

VUA21

You cannot spot reduce fat, everyone wishes we could, but that's just not how the human body works. My personal theory is that fat is a jerk: wherever we want it gone first, will be last. Wherever we're okay with it, will be first. Body fat "Oh, you want a smaller stomach, time for your boobs to shrink. You like that larger backside, nah...let's shrink that as well".

Continue to lose fat overall and belly fat will (eventually) start to shrink as well.

In the meantime, a stronger core is very beneficial to looking thinner. A stronger core will help posture (better posture gives the ilusion of less belly fat) and the increased strength/muscle will help keep some of the jigglies from jiggling so much.

Candyspun

Is there any pain in that area?

Tattoos_and_Tea

No pain as such in my belly area. I was at target but gained a little back so have 7lb to lose. I was 14st 12lb and I'm currently 10st 6lb. I would love some toning advice of possible please. I generally have a flabby belly which sticks out, if that makes sense. I'm aware I can not spot reduce but this is just frustrating me the most. I'm generally flabby all over, but my stomach annoys me the most.

AnvilHead

sazzle1983 wrote: »

No pain as such in my belly area. I was at target but gained a little back so have 7lb to lose. I was 14st 12lb and I'm currently 10st 6lb. I would love some toning advice of possible please. I generally have a flabby belly which sticks out, if that makes sense. I'm aware I can not spot reduce but this is just frustrating me the most. I'm generally flabby all over, but my stomach annoys me the most.

You can't "tone" or spot reduce fat from your stomach (or any other area of your body). Your fat distribution pattern is determined by your genetics - where you accumulate it and where you lose it from. No diet, supplement or exercise can change that. Maintain a calorie deficit and eventually you'll start losing it - but unfortunately, for some people it's the last and most stubborn place that it hangs on.

Exercise can help strengthen the muscles beneath the fat, so as you lose you'll have more muscle to show - but the exercise doesn't affect the fat itself. Fat doesn't have any contractile properties like muscles do, so you can't exercise it.

jasondjulian

sazzle1983 wrote: »

No pain as such in my belly area. I was at target but gained a little back so have 7lb to lose. I was 14st 12lb and I'm currently 10st 6lb. I would love some toning advice of possible please. I generally have a flabby belly which sticks out, if that makes sense. I'm aware I can not spot reduce but this is just frustrating me the most. I'm generally flabby all over, but my stomach annoys me the most.

All that "toning" is, is building more muscle and reducing body fat covering those muscles so that they are more visible and giving the body a "harder" appearance. Muscle tone, in and of itself, is not a thing.

What you want to do is lose more body fat overall. Only way to do this is slowly over time with a caloric deficit. Perhaps you should look into eating at a slight deficit-say 100-200 calories/day or eat at maintenance, and introducing a heavy weight lifting program.

Tattoos_and_Tea

Thank you, most helpful answer here.

TavistockToad

sazzle1983 wrote: »

No pain as such in my belly area. I was at target but gained a little back so have 7lb to lose. I was 14st 12lb and I'm currently 10st 6lb. I would love some toning advice of possible please. I generally have a flabby belly which sticks out, if that makes sense. I'm aware I can not spot reduce but this is just frustrating me the most. I'm generally flabby all over, but my stomach annoys me the most.

lift heavy stuff, keep a small deficit

elsie6hickman

Cool sculpting? It supposedly will get rid of subQ fat, but it will not reduce visceral fat.

lynn_glenmont

sazzle1983 wrote: »

Thank you, most helpful answer here.

If you click on the quote button when you want to respond to a particular post, people will know who you're talking to and what you're talking about.

TavistockToad

Just to share my experience, I've been a runner now for a while but have only recently added in a full body workout 2 x a week. Recently as in the last few weeks consistently, and clothes are already fitting differently.

The fat isn't coming off the areas I want it to, but there's definitely something going on!

Also make sure you're eating enough, if you're not adequately feeling your workouts you're more likely to stay squishy.

lynn_glenmont

jasondjulian wrote: »

sazzle1983 wrote: »

No pain as such in my belly area. I was at target but gained a little back so have 7lb to lose. I was 14st 12lb and I'm currently 10st 6lb. I would love some toning advice of possible please. I generally have a flabby belly which sticks out, if that makes sense. I'm aware I can not spot reduce but this is just frustrating me the most. I'm generally flabby all over, but my stomach annoys me the most.

All that "toning" is, is building more muscle and reducing body fat covering those muscles so that they are more visible and giving the body a "harder" appearance. Muscle tone, in and of itself, is not a thing.

What you want to do is lose more body fat overall. Only way to do this is slowly over time with a caloric deficit. Perhaps you should look into eating at a slight deficit-say 100-200 calories/day or eat at maintenance, and introducing a heavy weight lifting program.

Technically, it is a thing, it's just not the thing that people usually think it is. It essentially describes the resting state of your muscles (whether there's some involuntary, resting-state tension or contraction), and assessing it can be part of the diagnostic process for some medical conditions.

fernhume

Intermittent fasting (check out 5:2 diet) combined with low carb high fat diet has been successful for shifting my belly fat.

TavistockToad

fernhume wrote: »

Intermittent fasting (check out 5:2 diet) combined with low carb high fat diet has been successful for shifting my belly fat.

You did those things while eating in maintenance?

mirrim52

Have you ever been checked for diastasis recti?
It is an abdominal separation after pregnancy that can make your stomach protrude even when there is not much fat.

That being said, I lose weight in my stomach last, so I didn't have a flat stomach until I was in the lower half of my BMI range.
Also, check out this thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

connallykatie10

I don't think everyone's stomach can go super flat again after stretching to fit a full tiny human inside it so first of all cut yourself some slack! you've done really well so far but after having my son 8 months ago ive found that to be happy with my overall shape especially my waist n tummy I have to maintain a weight around 10lbs lighter than before I was pregnant! so I think losing a bit more weight will help... and you can do it!