Need some suggestions

lynda1164

all I have been doing is walking for exercise. I am down to 198 from 245. I noticed my mid section is still heavy. My butt and hips and stomach. It seems out of proportion to the rest of me. Are there any exercises I should be doing to help me in these areas? I do have a bad back so please keep this in mind

westrich20940

You cannot spot reduce fat - you simply continue being in a deficit to lose more fat….the way your body stores it (i.e. where, and how it leaves as well) is just how it goes. Just keep going!

You can work on building muscle in those areas, but to see that muscle you just need to keep losing fat.

AnnPT77

The above post is correct. One option you have, though, would be to do upper body strength exercise (such as weight lifting) to enhance upper body and kind of balance things out.

However, since you have a bad back, a thing I think is always good is to think about what can be done to improve things that aren't working ideally. If there's an actual health condition situation, as it sounds like you have, the very best option is to ask your doctor for a referral to a qualified physical therapist to work with you on that. Those people can be magic, I swear! Usually, in my experience, when working with me on some specific thing, they're willing to give me opinions about other forms of exercise that would help me with other goals but also be safe for whatever my problem/condition is.

Second best would be to work with a personal trainer who has good credentials in rehabilitation exercise (not just some young person at a chain gym who went to a weekend workshop and now calls him/herself a "trainer").

Third best would be to very cautiously begin doing some online exercises from a sound source to improve back functioning. One reasonable source would be videos from qualified physical therapists. Bob & Brad on YouTube are an example of that.

Some of the appearance of thickness in the midsection can be a result of compromised posture. In very general terms, core exercises can help with that and potentially help with back issues, too. This isn't "do crunches" - those can be dangerous to the back. Again, the sources above could be more helpful/appropriate. There are other exercises for improving the upper body part of posture too, from those sources.

In my understanding - as presented to me by one of my own medical doctors - weight loss can change the weight distribution around our body, and even temporarily cause some additional musculoskeletal problems as our body adjusts to the new proportions. Getting stronger overall may help mitigate that, again, being cautiously progressive in choosing safe but effective forms of exercise. Generally, that would be forms of strength exercise, such as weight training, bodyweight workouts, resistance bands, suspension training (like TRX), etc.

There's a thread here where various MFP-ers have shared strength training programs they found beneficial. Though the title says "weight lifting", some of those other things are in there, too. It's here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you

Over time, continuing fat loss will slim out area where there is still fat to be lost, exercise can pull in and improve posture to further improve appearance, and working on upper body can create more of an hourglass shape, too, though that last tends to be quite a gradual thing.

Best wishes!

Dianedoessmiles1

I also have a bad back (I was told I'd never walk again, but I do! It was thanks to a Dr in CO who was able to line up my spine and guide me along the way. He's not a miracle worker, but he took the time I needed). I'd never recommend relocating, though. I live in Maine, that was quite the time!!

First, as others suggest, check with your Dr. PT is a great suggestion, but you may have already done this. Did they give you any core exercises to work on? @AnnPT77 suggested Bob and Brad on YouTube. They are fantastic at targeting certain parts that hurt in a very careful way. I joined lazyfit because it offers sitdown yoga starting at 10 mins, with several 15 seconds break. I go at my own speed, I can't keep up with the teacher, but I know it's going to help me. I also have to greatly modify it. Please do NOT let the yoga stop you. Its sit down exercise, arms and legs while sitting.

Would you like a group that can help you with healthy habits while you work on exercise, which walking is great for core muscles. I belong to the 2025 5% Fall challenge, and we are accepting new members. When I joined the 5% Challenge (it runs year round) I weighed 256, from 288, and I was stuck!! I needed more, I needed knowledge, andd encouragement, I found it here.

Here's the link (It's on MFP) PLEASE be SURE to hit the BLUE JOIN button and follow the instructions under the team description. Once you join or if you have any questions, please write to me here on MFP. I am happy to help. This goes for ANYONE reading my post.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/148438-2025-5-fall-challenge-community-race-starts-10-12-12-00-am-ends-12-6-11-59-pm