Leaner but stomach not shifting?

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HBMairi
HBMairi Posts: 84 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ive become leaner and leaner over the last few months. Leanness is very noticeable in shoulders etc, and i notice my legs and bum etc are leaner too... but my stomach is not shifting...

What could i be doing wrong, or not doing?

Replies

  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    Most of the time the belly fat is the last to go. It takes time and patience. Keep eating at a deficit with a good balance of strength training and cardio. Its really about the diet more than anything.

    Just be patient!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Your impatient. Give it more time.


    But a lean stomach is a combination of leanness and body composition. If both are good, then you will still have a stomach.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    Most of the time the belly fat is the last to go. It takes time and patience. Keep eating at a deficit with a good balance of strength training and cardio. Its really about the diet more than anything.

    Just be patient!

    This. For many women it's the last area to go and it takes much time and patience.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    fat loss is about your food intake....and being in a deficet and unfortunately you can't choose where you lose.

    If we could most women would choose belly or hips/thighs...

    As a woman, based on your profile you have dropped almost 15% BF since november from 30% to 17%?...ummm really? with only 11lbs lost???? and your goal is 10%? and you aren't lifting yet...okay...

    ETA: at 17% BF you should have visible abs...
    de0e1521-06aa-4fb6-9248-2f2988f3a567_zps3644ffec.jpg
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    fat loss is about your food intake....and being in a deficet and unfortunately you can't choose where you lose.

    If we could most women would choose belly or hips/thighs...

    As a woman, based on your profile you have dropped almost 15% BF since november from 30% to 17%?...ummm really? with only 11lbs lost???? and your goal is 10%? and you aren't lifting yet...okay...

    ETA: at 17% BF you should have visible abs...
    de0e1521-06aa-4fb6-9248-2f2988f3a567_zps3644ffec.jpg

    Your last part isn't neccessarily correct for everyone. Bodyfat and ab definition doesn't work that way.
  • HBMairi
    HBMairi Posts: 84 Member
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    Ive gone from 30% to 16 in 6 months. Only 11lbs lost because Ive gained muscle. Weight is staying the same but body fat is dropping.
    I am lifting now. and no, no visible abs - just a jelly belly..
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Ive gone from 30% to 16 in 6 months. Only 11lbs lost because Ive gained muscle. Weight is staying the same but body fat is dropping.
    I am lifting now. and no, no visible abs - just a jelly belly..

    How are you measuring body fat %? Because it's virtually impossible to lose fat that quickly and it's almost even more impossible to gain new muscle while in a catabolic state outside of newbie gains.
  • HBMairi
    HBMairi Posts: 84 Member
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    I get weighed and then I get calipered on 12 different sites on my body by my PT
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    fat loss is about your food intake....and being in a deficet and unfortunately you can't choose where you lose.

    If we could most women would choose belly or hips/thighs...

    As a woman, based on your profile you have dropped almost 15% BF since november from 30% to 17%?...ummm really? with only 11lbs lost???? and your goal is 10%? and you aren't lifting yet...okay...

    ETA: at 17% BF you should have visible abs...
    de0e1521-06aa-4fb6-9248-2f2988f3a567_zps3644ffec.jpg

    Your last part isn't neccessarily correct for everyone. Bodyfat and ab definition doesn't work that way.

    For a woman? sure it does considering anything below 20% is considered athletic.

    Men maybe not...16% BF for a woman is hard to acheive and if they do they are almost at the limit for essential fat and at 43 years of age it is almost to the limit where it is considered healthy so..17% for a woman should have visible abs to some point maybe not an 8 pack but there wouldn't be any "jelly belly"
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I get weighed and then I get calipered on 12 different sites on my body by my PT

    Yah calipers are notoriously inaccurate and can be skewed by human error, hydration and lack of proper use.

    And I agree with psulemon...it is virtually impossible to gain muscle eating at a deficet. Even at a surplus a woman has a very difficult time gaining muscle...

    Progressive load lifting program and a calorie surplus and proper nutrition will lead to gains for women...and it wont be tonnes of gains either as we don't have enough testosterone to get loads of muscle.
  • sarahstrezo
    sarahstrezo Posts: 568 Member
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    Calipers can have a large margin of error based on the person administering the measurements. Plus…if you were losing fat, there is no way you were gaining new muscle at the same time. It's just not possible. And, if you weren't doing any heavy lifting…you definitely didn't gain new muscle.
    Anyway….it doesn't matter. If you still have belly fat, continue to eat at a deficit. It will come off eventually.
    But…a work of advice…i wouldn't try to drop to 10% as a female. That is below the amount that is deemed necessary for health/life for a female. I'm guessing you are higher than 17%. 17% is pretty lean…most athletes are around or a tad below 17%.

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