Tummy fat

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Replies

  • clairebagdavies
    clairebagdavies Posts: 1 Member
    That belly fat is just a your milk line or mammary ridge. Men and women have it, more info here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammary_ridge
  • annie5904
    annie5904 Posts: 84 Member
    I read that you lose fat evenly over your body. I know my proportions bust to waist and waist to hips are always the same. I therefore think you would have to do a lot of ab workouts to tone that one area 😏
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    SilverAngelWulfFirethorn wrote: »
    Cortisol look into it... keeps belly fat on and is brought on and adds more when stressed and not sleeping well
    Cortisol is also brought on when you exercise. It's not a "bad" hormone. But an overproduction of it deters fat loss.

    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
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    A long time ago I read studies that suggested keeping workouts under 45min reduced the levels of exercise induced cortisol. Do you know if that is still accurate?
  • jennsavage3
    jennsavage3 Posts: 9 Member
    Hi! I definitely struggle with this and always have. I have been doing a lot of research and reading recently because I started Keto. Here is an article I found that gives some tips (many I have seen in other places) on losing belly fat: . I definitely agree with the last point, that it is a combination of these different tips that can help. Good luck on your journey!
  • brandon_mchenry
    brandon_mchenry Posts: 1 Member
    I find my best results come from mixing it up, tracking calories (Negative balance), and maintaining a heart rate training program. For example, yesterday I hiked 6.1 miles with an altitude gain/loss of 3600 feet. It took me 5 months to be able to do this. Today I will run for 30 minutes and perform 5 sets of squats, situps, pullups, good mornings, crunches, and steam engines. Tomorrow will be a swim day with 1 mile plus on the schedule followed by yoga. Then, I will be biking 25 miles Thursday.

    To date I have lost over 30 lbs and it's an even loss through my whole body. Keeping your body off balance, challenged, and unable to adapt to the same 'ole routine has a huge impact.

    Don't be afraid to mix it up. Do what you can do, and always keep pushing. When I started this journey I could barely walk up the local hill without gasping for air. Now I can do what I did yesterday and still feel pretty good!
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Yes, absolutely! I've gotten down to 10% body fat a few times in the last 8 years and ALWAYS, it's the last to go and the first to come back. I've also seen it happen the same way on hundreds of female clients over the years (progress pictures), and it kinda happens to many guys as well. It's completely normal. Our arms and legs get the most defined as our body fat drops, and that last midsection, almost like a small little spare tire is the last to go, the lower ab and back area, and a little on the very upper legs. It kinda makes sense for us females because the estrogen tends to keep our body fat there. Our bodies were not designed to be so lean and mean, they were designed to survive the species. But, we can do it with the calorie deficit and a few little slight edge tricks with nutrition, but mostly it's the calorie deficit. Also, when you get to that point and the body fat is getting fairly low, you can't take the deficit so deep, you have to eat very close to TDEE, if not right at TDEE and let your workouts be the deficit. You must be a lot more patient. I'd say it always takes me 6-8 weeks to get from 15% body fat down to 10% (but those numbers and the way the body fat shows is totally different for each individual). The Army study below explains why you have to take it slower and the deficit can't be so deep.

    Here is the information from Army study on the Theory of Fat Availability:

    The Theory of Fat Availability:

    •There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.

    •The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.

    •The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.

    •Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

    At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit you've imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].
  • Alex_P_N
    Alex_P_N Posts: 18 Member
    As most above have said, the body will decide based on history and genetics as to where it wants to burn fat first... it varies based on hormones (male/female) further too.

    At the end of the day, if your calorie deficit is there, and you're burning more calories than you eat, the body will eventually burn everything away. Bear in mind that the body and it's fat cells are vast though, and it could take years of hard work, just as it took years to build up.

    One thing I know improves the overall "jelly" stomach feel and look is maximising the amount of water you take in - tons of water always thins out my stomach.

  • bascha69
    bascha69 Posts: 2 Member
    I didn't read everything, but this is my opinion. I guess it depends on how "big" is your tummy, but I have read that sometimes, we have the "impression" that there is fat on the tummy because the muscles are not firm enough to keep your organs and all inside. So they tend to drop, especially for those whose uterus has a front inclination (about 20% of women) or if you did have kids that moved around some of the organs (like the stomach or bladder). Doing abdominal training will not get rid of the fat there specifically, but it will help to tighten up your tummy. IMHO. *hugs*
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    benn8895 wrote: »
    Hey everyone, so I have a question. Let me preface by saying I KNOW that everyone loses weight in different places. I know that you cannot spot reduce fat. I know that no two peoples journey is the same and I know that you cannot predict where the fat will come off. BUT. I was hoping to hear from people who seemed to lose stomach last and when they started to notice it come off.


    I have lost 27 pounds since March. The first three months I lost weight by diet only but for the past six weeks I have been working out as well as keeping a deficit thru food. I have noticed my legs becoming more defined as well as my arms. I can see a lot of changes and fat loss in those two areas but not my stomach. 27 pounds down and my stomach has only lost 3 inches. I am only 4 pounds away from a healthy weight (about 33 from goal weight) and I still have a big belly. It is very frustrating and defeating to see SO MUCH change in the rest of my body but not this area.


    I know that eating low sugar and low carb helps with swelling so that would give a slimmer appearance but I'm anxious to have actual fat loss in my stomach area. I know I can't be the only one with this problem and no I'm not giving up and yes I know it takes time but I would love to hear from others to help keep me motivated in my journey. Thanks guys! Also, photos are definitely welcome! : )

    The only way to lose the stomach fat is to continue doing what you're doing until its gone. Eat at a deficit. Back in 2016 I managed to hit my goal, surpass it, and STILL did not lose it all. I stopped, began a bulk and cut cycle and pretty much just live with it. But if you want it gone, you have to keep losing weight until your body lets go of that fat store. Sit-Ups, Crunches, etc. will help you build core strength, which isn't a bad thing if done right, but it'll actually help you build muscle in that area, but not lose the fat. Unfortunately for most of us, that area is our body's go-to fat storage area, and even if you do lose it, going back to a calorie surplus would mean your body would store fat there again. So just keep doing what you're doing, it's going to take time, and likely more than you want it to take.
  • promisesstandin
    promisesstandin Posts: 150 Member
    I have tried and seen results in back tilting, as opposed to crunches. I tighten my gluteus and tilt backward, hold, stand back up straight, about 20 x2/day if I remember. still in the patience run with you. I also sometimes just massage the area - I know this might be just in my head but I want to break up the fat stores so they are loose to go. ultimately I know IF is gonna help. I pushed up to maintenance for 2 months to reset my metabolism since it plateaued when it no longer recognized a deficit at homeostasis. I'm ready to go back at it for the last 30-35 lbs and include IF 2x week on 18-20 hrs. btw: ive lost 100lbs in less than 1 year and will be 60 next month. best I've felt in 30 years! all the best to you - thanks for posting the question. lots of good feedback here.
  • promisesstandin
    promisesstandin Posts: 150 Member
    btw: the Nautilus machine for tilts/lower back strengthening can be used by this motion, as well.

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