been told to stop losing, but i still have belly fat! pic

believer1988

so ive been from forums that i am the ideal weight for my height (121lbs and i am 5'0) however i still am not happy with my stomach. what else can i do? do i need to continue eating a deficit to lose it?
http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad47/jardimgirl/3a44d626-2839-403d-a61a-23c6d1ece0b7_zps0cb8242b.jpg

Holly_Roman_Empire

so ive been from forums that i am the ideal weight for my height (121lbs and i am 5'0) however i still am not happy with my stomach. what else can i do? do i need to continue eating a deficit to lose it?

Continue eating at a deficit to lose the bodyfat from your stomach area.

Or...you could eat at maintenance calories, start a heavy lifting routine, and see how your body changes as you progress. I recommend going this route if you're happy with your weight.

WalkingAlong

You're at the high end of 'normal' BMI so if you want to lose a little weight, I think you safely can.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf

Though I wonder if you're sticking your stomach out in that pic, and/or arching your back, in order to get the responses you want?

You might be happier if you quit focusing on scale numbers and started focusing on body fat percent.

ElliottTN

I think you are staring in the mirror at a real life example of the difference between weight and body fat percentage.

You may be at ideal weight for your height but have a higher body fat percentage than desired. Possibly and probably have genetics working against you on that stomach.

Here is the pickle you are in now. You could drop more weight and get more fat off that stomach but you would have to drop your weight down to a level that may be incredibly hard if not possible for you to constantly maintain. This would be the quickest but probably not a long term solution by any means

or

You can start a weight training routine to lower that bf% so your end result would be much more maintainable over the long run. You would probably initially gain just a bit and will take a good deal longer than just cutting the weight right now but you wont have to eat crackers and water for the rest of your life looking like a skeleton with a nice stomach. Ideally you would keep your calories at maintenance levels or just slightly over.

Just my 2 cents

believer1988

You're at the high end of 'normal' BMI so if you want to lose a little weight, I think you safely can.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf

Though I wonder if you're sticking your stomach out in that pic, and/or arching your back, in order to get the responses you want?

You might be happier if you quit focusing on scale numbers and started focusing on body fat percent.

no, im not sticking my tummy out AT ALL

socajam

Get yourself some kettle bell and learn how to do KB swings, that will help your stomach. Start off with something like 10 lbs and work your way up slowly. Make sure that you follow instructions and learn how to do the swings correctly. The last thing you need is to injure your back.

Just_Jon

I think you are staring in the mirror at a real life example of the difference between weight and body fat percentage.

You may be at ideal weight for your height but have a higher body fat percentage than desired. Possibly and probably have genetics working against you on that stomach.

Here is the pickle you are in now. You could drop more weight and get more fat off that stomach but you would have to drop your weight down to a level that may be incredibly hard if not possible for you to constantly maintain. This would be the quickest but probably not a long term solution by any means

or

You can start a weight training routine to lower that bf% so your end result would be much more maintainable over the long run. You would probably initially gain just a bit and will take a good deal longer than just cutting the weight right now but you wont have to eat crackers and water for the rest of your life looking like a skeleton with a nice stomach. Ideally you would keep your calories at maintenance levels or just slightly over.

Just my 2 cents

this

murphy612

Get yourself some kettle bell and learn how to do KB swings, that will help your stomach. Start off with something like 10 lbs and work your way up slowly. Make sure that you follow instructions and learn how to do the swings correctly. The last thing you need is to injure your back.

^^^^^Hmmmm I find this response a little odd. Oh well

ElliottTN two cents is worth a million dollars. You have reached a point that scale weight won't give you what you want and you need to work on body fat %. A healthy diet close to maintenance calories and strength training will really help. Good luck!

GothyFaery

Try Planking!

socajam

"
^^^^^Hmmmm I find this response a little odd. Oh well

ElliottTN two cents is worth a million dollars. You have reached a point that scale weight won't give you what you want and you need to work on body fat %. A healthy diet close to maintenance calories and strength training will really help. Good luck! "


You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. I never expected the OP to stop logging her food and just concentrate on doing KB swings. I am sure that she is a sensible person and realize that both go hand in hand.

Sabine_Stroehm

I think you are staring in the mirror at a real life example of the difference between weight and body fat percentage.

You may be at ideal weight for your height but have a higher body fat percentage than desired. Possibly and probably have genetics working against you on that stomach.

Here is the pickle you are in now. You could drop more weight and get more fat off that stomach but you would have to drop your weight down to a level that may be incredibly hard if not possible for you to constantly maintain. This would be the quickest but probably not a long term solution by any means

or

You can start a weight training routine to lower that bf% so your end result would be much more maintainable over the long run. You would probably initially gain just a bit and will take a good deal longer than just cutting the weight right now but you wont have to eat crackers and water for the rest of your life looking like a skeleton with a nice stomach. Ideally you would keep your calories at maintenance levels or just slightly over.

Just my 2 cents

this

+1

believer1988

is cardio helpful? i dont know if i am gonna like lifting :blushing:

refinedredbird

Lifting makes a huge difference, at least it did for me! I used to do a lot of cardio, like running and the elliptical and I did lose weight, but when I bought a barbell and started lifting, my body really changed. Another thing I am doing now is yoga which also is focused on strength by using body weight and is really improving my body physically and mentally!

wilsoje74

At 5'0" and 121 lb you can still lose more to be in a healthy weight range.

michellekicks

I don't like lifting that much, but I love LOVE L.O.V.E what it does for my body. It's worth it. Seriously. I'm a runner and would rather run. But building muscle is the only thing that's going to give you the toned look you're after.

Holly_Roman_Empire

I don't like lifting that much, but I love LOVE L.O.V.E what it does for my body. It's worth it. Seriously. I'm a runner and would rather run. But building muscle is the only thing that's going to give you the toned look you're after.

Exactly this. When I first got back into it, I wasn't a huge fan because it didn't give me huge amounts of calories I could "eat back" like cardio did. BUT, once you start seeing results, you will be hooked.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

is cardio helpful? i dont know if i am gonna like lifting :blushing:

You won't know unless you try. If anything, you'll like what it does for your body in terms of recomp. Cardio just doesn't do that.

believer1988

what is considered lifting? like barbells or free weights? sry silly question but if its gonna help me, then i want to do it

Holly_Roman_Empire

what is considered lifting? like barbells or free weights? sry silly question but if its gonna help me, then i want to do it

It's either one. Or it could be bodyweight exercises, if you want to go that route. There are plenty of programs available out there, but I myself use free weights because that's all I have access to at home.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

what is considered lifting? like barbells or free weights? sry silly question but if its gonna help me, then i want to do it

Not silly at all. I like barbell training, but dumbbells and kettlebells are good too. Starting Strength is a great book/program, as well as Stronglifts 5x5. Both are beginner programs. Even bodyweight training is effective; look into You Are Your Own Gym.

Do you have access to a gym?

believer1988

no at the moment, i have no gym access

Mia_RagazzaTosta

no at the moment, i have no gym access

Then I would look into bodyweight training.

RaeLB

I think you are staring in the mirror at a real life example of the difference between weight and body fat percentage.

You may be at ideal weight for your height but have a higher body fat percentage than desired. Possibly and probably have genetics working against you on that stomach.

Here is the pickle you are in now. You could drop more weight and get more fat off that stomach but you would have to drop your weight down to a level that may be incredibly hard if not possible for you to constantly maintain. This would be the quickest but probably not a long term solution by any means

or

You can start a weight training routine to lower that bf% so your end result would be much more maintainable over the long run. You would probably initially gain just a bit and will take a good deal longer than just cutting the weight right now but you wont have to eat crackers and water for the rest of your life looking like a skeleton with a nice stomach. Ideally you would keep your calories at maintenance levels or just slightly over.

Just my 2 cents

this

+1

+2

QuilterInVA

Cardio will not tone your body or build muscle. You have to do lifting for that. If you really want to get rid of your belly, pick up the weights. You don't have to like it, just do it.

Leisalynn84

You don't have to like it, just do it.

my mantra for this year, thanks!

cfredz

I'm also kind of in the same position. I reached a pretty low/average weight for my height , i have seen my stomach going down since i did insanity. and now i want to start lifting weights but i am nervous about going to the gym without knowing what im doing. going to hire a trainer in the new year!

Sabine_Stroehm

no at the moment, i have no gym access

Then I would look into bodyweight training.

Google: "you are your own gym" for starters.

Planks, Pilates.... strengthen your core. You can do that anywhere.

Jkn921

Is the strength training videos on FitnessBlender good for the goal?

chantels1

Fitness is not indicated by a number on a scale! It is determined by how you look and feel. If you are still unhappy, make healthy changes. Muscles is denser, so you will weigh more and be skinnier. You could work on strength training to build muscle. Then if you are still unhappy with the fat% then you can cut more. You will burn fat more efficiently with more muscle anyway.

BTW, I am 5'4 and 119 lbs. So I do not think 121 lbs at 5'0 is too skinny. You are most likely skinny/fat if you still have a tummy. (I do not and I have 5 kids!). The key is whether the weight is mostly muscle or fat. Sounds like you have a higher percentage of body fat. Maybe buy some fat calipers or invest in a body fat test???

SofaKingRad_II

All you people are suggesting lifting! Doesn't Tae Bo work well too??? :-P

MissKitty9

I want to try lifting at some point, but right now I just do Pilates. If you do the exercises consistently, correctly, & often, you'll tone up. Don't eat as though you're lifting, though (i.e. you'll still need to eat at maintenance, don't go nuts)