is just eating a calorie deficit enough? (pics included)

jigglyone

so ive posted many times about what i should do different to have a flatter/leaner belly and mostly all answers are just to eat at a deficit and my bf% will go down. i kno this takes time, but i stepped on a a scale this morning and noticed i lost another pound and a half. (which isnt a bad thing) since i am short however ( i am exactly 5'0) i am worried that ill just keep dropping the weight and be left with my flabby belly, which is what i hate the most! although i did go down a few inches, it still seems large. so what i am asking is should i just be patient and wait or is there anything else i can do?
before

after

Siansonea

If you lose all your excess fat, what would your "flabby belly" be comprised of? The rectus abdominus doesn't have much slack, it's part of your core muscles that hold you upright. Get rid of the flab, and you'll have a flat tummy. And you can always tone those muscles a bit once you've lost the weight, if you don't think your tummy is defined enough.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Are you doing any strength training?

How much protein are you getting?

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Sorry, can't make your pics work.

janet6567

Could what you think is flab actually be excess skin from your weigh loss? (I don't know how much you've lost so that's just a guess.)

smc864

I tried to get your pics to work but the link is wrong...

I_Will_End_You

Yes, just be patient. Eat at a deficit, strength training helps.

Artaxia

Do some core exercises.

metaphoria

so ive posted many times about what i should do different to have a flatter/leaner belly and mostly all answers are just to eat at a deficit and my bf% will go down. i kno this takes time, but i stepped on a a scale this morning and noticed i lost another pound and a half. (which isnt a bad thing) since i am short however ( i am exactly 5'0) i am worried that ill just keep dropping the weight and be left with my flabby belly, which is what i hate the most! although i did go down a few inches, it still seems large. so what i am asking is should i just be patient and wait or is there anything else i can do?

metaphoria

.

sohmui

Saw a programme on TV last night about visceral fat - the dangerous 'internal' kind that is indicated by a fat belly. It said that once you start to diet seriously one of the first kinds of fat you lose is this visceral kind and that is good. As for me, it took a few months, yes, but eventually I have a fairly flat belly for a 72-year old But having lost 34 lbs, I have started some strength training to firm up my muscles overall.

HanneeNz

Eating a deficit will definitely help with the weight loss however its really important to combine this with exercise where possible. Losing weight through eating right and exercising will help you lose fat and gain muscle. If you just eat a deficit, while you will notice the number on the scale is goind down, your body shape may not greatly change, it will still be your body only smaller. Exercising, particularly weight training will help tone and firm up your body and you're more likely to see a more toned tum in the long run. The only thing to remember is that when you are losing weight, you can't really target areas to lose fat first and a lot of people seem to find that losing belly fat takes the longest. Don't give up, it can be a long journey but if you stick at it, you'll be amazed at what you can achieve!

Mokey41

If it's loose skin from losing a lot of weight or pregnancy it may shrink up over a few years after you lose weight or it might not. Even if you lose the underlying fat you may still have the skin.

Also it won't go in a week or two. Be patient, continue eating at a deficit, do some core strength training and you'll know you've done everything there is to do.

AlliecoreXX

Can't see the pics, but the reason everyone is preaching diet is because a flat stomach is mainly diet-related. However, if you want to be anything more than just skinny, you're going to have to throw toning exercises in there. A good looking mid-section is like 80% diet and 20% exercise, but one without the other just doesn't work.

marigolddd

so ive posted many times about what i should do different to have a flatter/leaner belly and mostly all answers are just to eat at a deficit and my bf% will go down. i kno this takes time, but i stepped on a a scale this morning and noticed i lost another pound and a half. (which isnt a bad thing) since i am short however ( i am exactly 5'0) i am worried that ill just keep dropping the weight and be left with my flabby belly, which is what i hate the most! although i did go down a few inches, it still seems large. so what i am asking is should i just be patient and wait or is there anything else i can do?


before




after

Fixed it.
IMO you need to lower your BF % by calorie deficit.

SLLRunner

The way you get rid of a belly is to lose weight all over. My belling looked similar to yours 30 pounds ago, but now it's much flatter and more well defined, but so is everywhere else. I could not have accomplished this without losing the weight by eating at a calorie deficit. I also do full body workouts at the gym, which helps to tone and keep my limber (and pain and stiff free).

I don't think you can just get rid of your tummy without losing some weight everywhere.

jigglyone

ty everyone for the responses. so continuing my diet and adding some exercises will def do the trick?

jigglyone

I tried to get your pics to work but the link is wrong...

pics are up

jigglyone

The way you get rid of a belly is to lose weight all over. My belling looked similar to yours 30 pounds ago, but now it's much flatter and more well defined, but so is everywhere else. I could not have accomplished this without losing the weight by eating at a calorie deficit. I also do full body workouts at the gym, which helps to tone and keep my limber (and pain and stiff free).

I don't think you can just get rid of your tummy without losing some weight everywhere.

thank you

SLLRunner

The way you get rid of a belly is to lose weight all over. My belling looked similar to yours 30 pounds ago, but now it's much flatter and more well defined, but so is everywhere else. I could not have accomplished this without losing the weight by eating at a calorie deficit. I also do full body workouts at the gym, which helps to tone and keep my limber (and pain and stiff free).

I don't think you can just get rid of your tummy without losing some weight everywhere.

thank you

Hang in there, and you can do it!

gmthisfeller

http://s920.photobucket.com/user/jardimgirl/media/photo_zpsa342cb3d.jpg.html -- before

http://s920.photobucket.com/user/jardimgirl/media/photo3_zps518516e5.jpg.html -- after

Here they are.

jigglyone

thx

jennk5309

I struggle with the same issue- my weight tends to stick to the belly area and I believe I'd have to be underweight to get a flat belly. I can get too skinny in the legs, butt and arms and still have a belly. However, I have read and have had the experience that eating monounsaturated fats (along with calorie restriction) helps. Nuts, olives & olive oil, avocados, dark chocolate, etc. help reduce visceral fat, which is the most dangerous kind for your health.

I've incorporated small amounts throughout my days and have seen a 13" loss in my waist over the last 6 months. I still feel like I have a big belly, but it's a definite improvement!

The other thing is, I know I need a tummy tuck to get the results I really want- there is just too much excess skin from having a HUGE baby. I don't think it will ever shrink back from that. My cousin has maintained a big weight loss for 5 years now, is pretty darn thin, and she still has excess skin in spite of regular toning exercises. So I don't think it's in the cards for me to have a flat, tight stomach unless I pay for it

jigglyone

so the only resort is lipo?

jwdieter

so the only resort is lipo?

No, the most rational approach is to lose fat through caloric deficit, as stated many times in this thread.

Phoenix_Warrior

so the only resort is lipo?

I don't think so. I think with a deficit and some form of weight lifting routine incorporating core exercises (squat, deadlifts, overhead press) you can see great results. It will take time and patience, however. That's what has been helping me. I'm not 100% but the past 5 months have been awesome. We're predisposed to lose in certain areas but the end results will look even better than just deficit alone.

jigglyone

so the only resort is lipo?

I don't think so. I think with a deficit and some form of weight lifting routine incorporating core exercises (squat, deadlifts, overhead press) you can see great results. It will take time and patience, however. That's what has been helping me. I'm not 100% but the past 5 months have been awesome. We're predisposed to lose in certain areas but the end results will look even better than just deficit alone.

thx

Ian_Stuart

Sorry! I don't know how I managed to miss this thread until now. I would recommend reading this article: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

jigglyone

ty

meeper123

Lift weights it really does help do strong lifts it is simple and really straight forward

hwoeltjen

Let me solve this problem for you.

One of the hardest places to lose weight....even for bodybuilders....is right around that area.

You have that excess because your BF% is still too high.

Be patient and keep moving forward. You will eventually lose it. There is nothing you can do to target a certain area for fat loss. I'm sure you know that already. As your BF% gets lower....so will the fat accumulated in those regions.

You can also try using one of those exercise bands. They say it increases blood circulation (low blood circulation is the reason you lose fat slower in those areas). Other than that....patience is key grasshoppa.