lost 25 pounds and still have a fat stomach & thighs :(

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  • pinktoesjb
    pinktoesjb Posts: 302 Member
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    are you sure you are right with your calorie calculations? Looking at your breakfast a tbspn of peanut butter is around 90 calories alone, and you get in jam and toast for a total of 200?
  • kiwijo95
    kiwijo95 Posts: 25
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    Ive only lost 26lbs so far, but have walked it off. The weight has come off my waist and thighs (and some off my face), Ive lost a wee bit from my stomach and none from my boobs (these are the areas I most want to lose it from), so I reckon the Universe must determine that the areas we want to lose it from will be the last areas we do lose it! :o(
  • sarwatf
    sarwatf Posts: 60 Member
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    looking at your breakfast , i think is more like 350 than 200 cals unless you are using some reduced calorie version of the ingredients i don't know about-- having said that your overall intake even with that seems fine --maybe make sure you are measuring everything rather than guessing cals ( unless you already do)
  • RebekahR84
    RebekahR84 Posts: 794 Member
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    Yeah, I'm doing keto and I love it. I still have a stomach and thighs, but finally am starting to notice they're shrinking ever so slowly. I think it's just weightloss's thing.
  • RobotMil
    RobotMil Posts: 12 Member
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    i'm just wondering.. how will weight training (i.e. dumbell presses, bicep curls..etc) help me to lose weight off my stomach and thighs?

    If you do proper weight training (as in barbell training) you focus on compound lifts such as squats and deadlifts, those use the whole body including the core. Dumbbell presses and bicep curls are accessory exercises at best. There are plenty of threads around about weightlifting for women - don't be afraid to try new things and go heavy, you will not get 'big' you will just look awesome!
  • Mongognom
    Mongognom Posts: 123
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    Most likely those areas are where your fat naturally gathers. For me that area is my bum. This will be the last place where the fat disappears.
  • PositiveBody
    PositiveBody Posts: 43 Member
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    You know it is interesting how we each loose weight. My Mom, who is in her 70's is about 5'2" tall, 125 lbs but has a belly, small legs, thighs and bottom. Well, guess who is in that same predicament? I have a belly but I have lost a lot of weight in my thighs and legs. So here is my take as I have been exercising for awhile and I have to focus on my stomach.

    1. Focus on training your core area (I do SeanT HibHopAbs and use the Total Gym plus P90X Core DVD) 4 to 5 times a week
    2. Do not starve yourself.

    The result is my abdomen is getting stronger and I still get my cardio in by doing exercise which focus' is on my problem areas.

    Good Luck!
  • cj731
    cj731 Posts: 32 Member
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    Wow! This is the nice thing about a community - you don't feel you're the only person in the world who has gone flat chested, bony-shouldered, thin-faced ................ while still dragging that sack of potatoes from the waist down.

    Some of us are just meant to be pears, I guess. At least, we'll be fit, healthy pears!!

    It's not a case of misery liking company but when I read these posts, I just don't feel so bad, I realize that my body shape and the way I've lost weight is normal because there are a lot of us like this.

    Totally understand. It really is comforting to know it's normal to have results like this! I'm struggling with the same problem areas, but I guess we've just got to keep slogging away and monitoring until we get there.
  • barbalari
    barbalari Posts: 43 Member
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    What I wouldn't give for a 27 inch waist! :wink:
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
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    Keep up the strength training. I use light dumbells too as I'm not allowed to lift heavy and I've found compound movements are starting to help with my tummy. Do you do your weight exercises in a circuit? I started out just doing 20 squats (or whatever exercise) and then moving onto another exercise but I've found if I do a set of 10 then work another muscle then come back to the squats and do another set for a total of 3 sets it seems to be more effective as I'm giving the muscles a little rest in between and I guess the break helps me push more
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Being lean you need more calories because you have less body fat reserves to provide energy. So try upping your calories by another 300 to hit 1500 calories to start. Second it takes time. The more lean the longer it takes. Third weight train more and less cardio. At this point look for more composition changes rather than weight. Resistance training will provide those results. And last calories are more important than eating clean or carbs by a specific time. So get dirty and eat up. In fact there are no weight loss benefits of eating clean or eating carbs in the morning. In fact I end each night with an ice cream bar.

    On a side not I generally recommend macros to be around 40% carbs and 30% fats and protein. For the most part this will allow you to hit 1 g of protein and .35g of fats which is recommended.

    i'm just wondering.. how will weight training (i.e. dumbell presses, bicep curls..etc) help me to lose weight off my stomach and thighs?

    it really doesnt help with fat loss... weight training helps with muscle retention. Weight loss is achieved through a calorie deficit. Exercise allows to you eat more and improves your health. I always say diet is weight loss but exercise is fitness. But if you even want a chance at a flat stomach you need muscle to allow that. So you weight train to keep your muscle. Unfortunately, some people struggle because they do not have enough muscle to give them a flat stomach. I see this a lot in people who are close to under weight, not to say you are. Its also common for those who had extreme deficits and lost weight too quickly. This is why vlcds are bad for those not morbidly obese. A large percentage of their loss was from muscle.

    So when you minimize your deficit, do some heavy lifting and concentrate on fat loss and muscle retention you achieve greater results from a visual perspective. In fact I can show you tons of women who gain weight to look better.
  • biggmike44
    biggmike44 Posts: 7
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    hi guys! so far i've lost 25 lbs and i have around 15-17 more lbs to lose, which would bring me to around 120 lbs (i am 5'3" and a girl). the weirdest thing, though, i think is that despite having lost so much weight (more than half of my goal!!) i still have a large stomach and thighs!

    my waist has been stuck at 27 inches and my hips at 36 inches for the longest time!!! i had hit a long weight loss plateau which i just recently got past by eating unhealthy for two days and then switching back to healthy eating (crazy, i know!!). i don't weigh myself that often, but this morning i was .8 lbs down from last week, which is slow progress, but it's still progress... inches aren't seeming to come off though! and i feel like the fat is just stuck there. i haven't noticed a significant change in over a month... please tell me what i can do! i want to achieve that toned/fit look with a relatively flat stomach and thighs that don't stick out like mine do....

    I think most guys would like what you described. ANYway, I have found a huge part of getting a flat tummy area is a combination of the following:

    Good posture
    muscle
    low fat
    genetics

    By good posture, what I mean is if your hips rock forward, then your stomach may only look a little round. If you try some stretching that loosens up the lower abdomen, it might help, at least a little.

    Also, some people just lost body fat last in those areas. It all depends on your genetics. If what you are doing has worked for you in the past, I suggest keep doing it. But, your goals might come slower now, but that shouldn't discourage you from getting there.

    Also, just checked the instagram picture, looks like maybe you should stretch your lower abdomen and strength the lower back. Body weight exercises are enough. Your hips are rocking a bit forward. This will help you get a flatter stomach region. Like I said already, keep doing what you're doing in conjunction with what I said and I think you'll do great.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
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    I'm pear shaped and also lost top to bottom. I had to lose around 15lbs more than my original goal weight, to lose my hips/butt flab (started in the 170s, goal was 135 and I'm now maintaining 120-123).

    I'd get to your goal weight and then reassess. You can always make a new one!
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
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    More muscle means more fat gets burned and the fat burn lasts longer than it does if you just do cardio
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    if u just continue losing weight those stubborn parts will eventually go. if u increase the weight u lift you may develop more muscle which a body with a better muscle to fat ratio will burn more calories even at rest. if u eat more food in general u will have more energy to make good workouts. if u at more protein specifically you will give your body a better chance at holding onto your muscle and shedding your fat instead. if you eat too many more calories you will bulk. if you exercise more you may be operating at too large a cal deficit and run out of steam and have to scale back to lifting only a 7lb weight........................................... out of curiosity if a toddler on your hip weighs way more than an 8 lb newborn infant may i ask why you never lift more than 8lbs? what is that limit about?
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    I agree with the suggestions to up your calories, start lifting and watch your macros (like up many of them!).

    But the amount you have to lose can make a huge difference. That's how much I have to lose, and I know what I look like there (with lifting) and now. My fat collects in certain areas and really creates large fat pads there, even though it's only 15 lbs! I guess I don't gain weight evenly. Don't knock how a 15 lb difference can look, in any case :) You might be pleasantly surprised.

    Oh, I also lose my stomach and waist last. My extra hip weight goes first, and the other measurements don't like to budge much until after that is practically finished. It's not linear for me!
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
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    looking at your breakfast , i think is more like 350 than 200 cals unless you are using some reduced calorie version of the ingredients i don't know about-- having said that your overall intake even with that seems fine --maybe make sure you are measuring everything rather than guessing cals ( unless you already do)

    no i eat sara lee's 100% whole wheat bread, which is 45 calories a slice. yeah the peanut butter is 90 calories a tablespoon, but the strawberry jam i eat is sugar-free so it's only 10 calories a tablespoon; the total is 190 but i rounded up to 200. i'm really meticulous when it comes to measuring my food. i use measuring cups and spoons and scales and everything.
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
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    if u just continue losing weight those stubborn parts will eventually go. if u increase the weight u lift you may develop more muscle which a body with a better muscle to fat ratio will burn more calories even at rest. if u eat more food in general u will have more energy to make good workouts. if u at more protein specifically you will give your body a better chance at holding onto your muscle and shedding your fat instead. if you eat too many more calories you will bulk. if you exercise more you may be operating at too large a cal deficit and run out of steam and have to scale back to lifting only a 7lb weight........................................... out of curiosity if a toddler on your hip weighs way more than an 8 lb newborn infant may i ask why you never lift more than 8lbs? what is that limit about?

    no 8 lbs is not a limit, not at all. i just don't have time on a day to day basis to go to the gym, and the only weights i have at home are 8 lbs. i went to target to buy 20 lb weights but they were $35 to $40 each! so i decided not to get them. i suppose it would be an investment though
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
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    Keep up the strength training. I use light dumbells too as I'm not allowed to lift heavy and I've found compound movements are starting to help with my tummy. Do you do your weight exercises in a circuit? I started out just doing 20 squats (or whatever exercise) and then moving onto another exercise but I've found if I do a set of 10 then work another muscle then come back to the squats and do another set for a total of 3 sets it seems to be more effective as I'm giving the muscles a little rest in between and I guess the break helps me push more

    yeah i have tried that before and it's quite challenging. i really feel the "burn" so i guess it's effective!
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
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    I'm pear shaped and also lost top to bottom. I had to lose around 15lbs more than my original goal weight, to lose my hips/butt flab (started in the 170s, goal was 135 and I'm now maintaining 120-123).

    I'd get to your goal weight and then reassess. You can always make a new one!

    congrats on finally reaching a weight you're comfortable maintaining at! i was just wondering HOW did you get those last 15 lbs off. for me it seems like THE HARDEST thing to do.

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