Just a belly and a spare tire... help!

alisonmarie85

I am 29 years old, 5'7, and I weigh between 141.8 and 148lbs. This fluctuates like mad.
I am not fat by any means. I am purely unhappy with my body and the shape of my body.
I have an apple shaped body and it is very frustrating. Short torso, large bust, tiny bum and tiny legs.
I am back on here to try to finally flatten out my stomach and to become more confident of a person as a whole.
A month ago I was fitted for a bridesmaids dress... and the woman told me I should order a size 14. I was under the impression I was moreso a size 8, but she threw out a size 14, so I ordered it. It hasn't come in yet, but to hear the number made me feel down about my body more than I already did.

Started back at the gym this week. I am trying for Monday - Spin, Tuesday - weight training (arms, back, shoulders), Wednesday - rest, Thursday - legs and glutes (have to build that rear), Friday - cardio (elliptical), Saturday (Spin or Yoga).
I am trying to eat healthier. My biggest downfall is fast food. I LOVE fast food.
I also love my Rum and cold beers on a patio (I'm Canadian... the summer and nice weather comes around and patios yell out my name).

I just need some support or tips to help me along with this. I know there's no magic pill or overnight success, but my stomach just doesn't want to flatten and my lovehandles just want to expand.
Please help.
I have two weddings, one in August and one in October. Both bachelorette parties involve being in bikinis for weekends at a time, one in July and one in August. I'm hoping to see some results by then, so I can at least be confident when I step out into the sunshine.

Lose_It_Dude

Hi, and I feel you pain even that I am a guy. The belly thing is a killer her is what I found. Your sugar intake probably is pretty high, but also what is happening and the fast food people won't admit it. But your being drugged. The fast food your eating is design to be addictive. Check out "Hungry For Change" on Netflix is you have it. if it does show up on the search, start out with the word food and you'll find it on the list. Sugar is in so many things and is so addictive.

Good Luck - Eric

alisonmarie85

I 100% agree with you. I crave fast food. And when I go a week without it... it's like I'm having a withdrawal LOL.
I will check out that video!
Thank you, and good luck to you as well .

verptwerp

Yup, fast food, rum and cold beers makes it hard to lose "the belly" ....... sure, if it fits in your macros, you can eat it ...... but maybe it's better if you don't ....... at least until wedding season is over LOL

Honestly, I don't think your numbers are bad ...... and that's all they are ...... numbers ...... don't let a dress size upset you !

I have a friend who is very heavy, but she shops thoughtfully & gets clothing fitted ..... and she always looks AMAZING ! She's confident & personable ...... worries more about other people than her own problems ....... and her husband adores her. Some of us are just bigger than others ........ I'll never be a size 4 or 2 or zero (that one always cracks me up :laugh: )

Best of luck to you, honey !

adopp062715

Wedding dresses/bridesmaids dresses run small. They told you to order based on your measurements for a particular dress. Don't worry, I doubt you are a 14. As somone who has to start dress shopping, I'm freaking out a little bit because of that as I plan on losing quite a bit of weight.

I would suggest trying to add a bit more weight training. That will help get rid of the fat. Also, as much as this will suck for you, try to cut back on the fast food. Maybe only once or twice a week instead of everyday (if that's how much you go). It will definitely be better for you in the long run.

Adpalangi

I know what you mean, I'm just now getting familiar with the balance act. The ladies on here have supper helpful, on my many strange questions.. As for the wedding dress size, something really weird with my brides ,maid dress. They took my measurements and all and sized me for the size. When mine came in the mail about three months later I was mortified. I realized I gained some weight , but my cloths still still lift and I didn't think I gained much. I either gained a whole lot of wieght, I didn't even own a scale ( I had always been small,until this came along and I would go up and down by the way my cloths fit. So I went to try on the dress, top of arms were being strangled because the arm hole was way to tight. Before I had gone on to the top, I had stepped I to the dress, where I literally had to stuff myself in and over hips and belly, not to mention that I couldn't fit into that and zipp the dress up. Til this day I wondered if I was fitted to smaller often after that. Everything worked out in the end.
My son weds in nov and I want to look and feel good, I shopp for my dress end of next mont. .I feel like I'm on the right path with Venus. I hope you do well fitting also! I'm sure you will look fabulous!

I_Will_End_You

Bridesmaid dresses are always sized bigger. I bought an 8, and usually wear a 2 or 4.

You just have to cut your calories and lose the fat. You can't pick where it comes off, you just have to be patient. Maybe when you get fast food, skip the fries, skip the condiments, soda or order lower calorie items most of the time. You can eat fast food and lose weight, it's just a little more difficult to create a deficit because a lot of it is high calorie. Look at the calorie contents online before you go, and work it into your daily calorie allotment.

jward199

Have you read "Wheat Belly"?

Here is a link to a lecture where the author discusses the unintended consequence of our genetically modified wheat that is used in much of our foods today is very different from that of our ancestors:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCFQNUG97HQ

I stopped eating wheat (and sugar) for the past few months and have lost 15 pounds and gone down 4 notches on my belt. I didn't think anything would help me lose that belly fat, but not eating sugar and wheat has worked for me.

It might work for you too.

mommyrunning

bump for later

sjhatcu

My brother got married last month, and the size of the bridesmaid dress that they ordered me is a size that I've never even come CLOSE to before in regular sizing. I don't really have any advice to share with you, but I just wanted to let you know not to stress about the dress size, because the exact same thing just happened to me.

Good Luck!

alisonmarie85

Thank you everyone for your support

hoppa321

Bridesmaid dresses are the weirdest sizes in the world - Last time I was in a wedding I was a 2 or 4 and had to order an 8 per their measurements. Ignore the size! You would think it would be the reverse to make everyone feel better

Also, totally there with you on the belly problems - they say that "abs are made in the kitchen".

sadiebea25

My advice is to give up the alcohol for awhile. I struggle with that too, especially in the summer, but I think beer really gives me a "beer belly". As for the dress, everyone is right, I think it's a cruel joke the wedding industry plays on women. I know when I got married, I was a size 10, but my wedding dress was a 16 and fit great. Not nice!

becujo

Bridal & bridesmaid dresses are notoriously larger in size. Im a size 6 but would be 8/10 in them. Don't let it get you down.

dt3312

I have sewn for the past 40 years. The sewing pattern size measurements are often different from the store size measurements. Especially since in the stores, some companies size the clothes such that you think you are smaller than you are. For example, what used to be a size 12 years ago is now a size 8 in some lines. So don't feel too discouraged about the bridesmaid dress. It also depends where the seamstress was measuring. For example, I have very broad shoulders. In a sewing pattern, I need a size 18 for shoulders, but a size 12-14 for the rest of my body. But in storebought clothes, I take a size 10 or so. But it the shoulders are fitted, I need a size 16 or XL. The storebought clothes in my close range from a size 6 to size 20; Small to XL. The size 6 was from Nordstroms. Once I was at Norstroms looking at a dress. The sales lady said, "Oh, it looks like you're a size 8?" I said, "At K-mart I'm a size 12 or14." Her mouth dropped open and she was speechless for a few seconds.

Marlena0708

I don't have any events or weddings coming up, but I thought I'd respond because you and I are of similar stats and body composition. I'm 5'7" and started out at 136 lbs three weeks ago. Like you, I'm not overweight by any means, but carry my fat in my belly and "love handles". My goal is to see my abs one more time before I die. I'm 51 years old. Also like you, my downfall is beer and fast food. And soda.

At our size it's really hard to lose weight because our BMR and TDEE is so low already and in order to create a deficit we really have to watch and weigh every single thing we put in our mouths. It was depressing for me to look at the numbers and realize that I had no choice but to give up the beer, the fast food, and the regular soda because to create the deficit needed to lose weight, and maintain proper nutrition at the same time, I can't fit beer, fast food and soda into my calorie budget. It's just not possible. MFP set me at 1200 cal net (of course) and by staying right around that I have lost 5.6 lbs in three weeks. I still have a beer once in a while and last night I had a Burger King meal, but only because I planned for it in advance and fit it into my calorie budget.

What is really working for me is counting and recording my calories before I eat them. If it's dinner time and I have 500 calories left for dinner I weigh my food, count the calories, and record them in my diary and juggle things around before I eat a single bite. It all comes down to thoughtful planning and sticking to whatever the numbers tell me I can do. Once my diary hits 1200 (plus exercise calories if I exercised that day) I stop. End of story. No snacks, no beer, no anything. If I find myself thinking about food, I start filling out my diary for the next day so I have something to look forward to instead of dwelling on what I can't have right now. I also keep in mind that when I hit goal and enter maintenance I'll have another 400-500 calories to play with every single day! That makes me happy and keeps me in a positive frame of mind.

You and I are extremely fortunate that we are already at a healthy weight and there is no imperative from a health standpoint to lose body fat. I do think both of us can benefit from improving our nutrition though (beer, soda, fast food....really? It's all crap and fairly useless nutrition-wise). And honestly, I feel better. I have more energy, I sleep better. And soon, I'm going to see abs. And soon, you, if you make a food and exercise plan and stick to it, will be fit and gorgeous in your dress and your bikini. Now, isn't that better than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese chased by a beer? (:

You can do it.

jonnyman41

You are a decent weight already which will make it harder to lose more so maybe you should try shaping yourself and forget about the scale. A lot of people seem to have success with weight lifting and tend to lose inches while remaining or even gaining weight but looking far better. Maybe try a bit more of that including core exercises and lose some of the cardio as you are doing plenty of exercise already. There is also a 30 day abs programme floating around face book at the moment, can't hurt to have a try. (Yes I know you can't spot reduce but the op is not overweight at all so some work on the underlying muscles may help)

FitMe758

IMy biggest downfall is fast food. I LOVE fast food.
I also love my Rum and cold beers on a patio

You nailed it right here!

First of all, keep in mind that bridesmaid dresses are tiny, tiny so you always have to order a size MUCH bigger than your clothing size. So don't let that get you down.

I am shaped just like you, except I am shorter, so I understand your frustration.

The only things that work for me, to flatten my belly are:

• Running (IDK, why other forms of cardio are not as effective for me)
• Eat as little refined carbs as possible (this is the suckety.suck.suck)
• Cut out fast food.
• Eliminate alcohol. Particularly beer.

Well, I have reached my initial goal weight, but I am still unhappy with my mid-section. Why? you ask: I think it is because of my refusal to cut out Guinness from my diet
Seriously, I had one last night. I don't want to feel totally deprived. I ♥ Guiness. I had one last night. (really wanted more)
But they don't call it "beer belly" for nothing!

Like I said, the only times I've had a totally flat belly I had zero alcohol and was eating mostly whole foods/unprocessed and very little refined carbs.

aubyshortcake

don't be so hard on yourself with regard to the dress size. The main goal is to fit the article of clothing around the largest part of you which in your case is probably your bust, and then Tailor in the rest of it to fit the rest of your body. I used to be a size 10 on my bust a size 8 around my waist and a size 6 around my hips, it was annoying lol

loomatic

I notice that your workout schedule doesn't include any ab/oblique/core work. I know those exercises don't really get rid of belly fat, but tightening up the muscles in that area should help. I'm working some ab stuff into my workouts now, and while I do still have plenty of belly fat, I am seeing a difference in the shape of my middle when you look at me from the front. There are definite contours now, and there didn't used to be. And ironically, I just got an email from Spark People with an ab workout that I'm going to try.

missiontofitness

Have you read "Wheat Belly"?

Here is a link to a lecture where the author discusses the unintended consequence of our genetically modified wheat that is used in much of our foods today is very different from that of our ancestors:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCFQNUG97HQ

I stopped eating wheat (and sugar) for the past few months and have lost 15 pounds and gone down 4 notches on my belt. I didn't think anything would help me lose that belly fat, but not eating sugar and wheat has worked for me.

It might work for you too.

If you don't have an intolerance to wheat, there's no need to cut it out of your diet. Same with sugar; there's no need to cut any of it out completely.
You were probably eating at a calorie deficit; there's no way to pinpoint that it was cutting those two items out that lead to results.

alisonmarie85

Thanks! I actually just got this ab circuit that I'm going to try 3-4 times a week (hopefully )