Woman Belly...

Airbear3

me too! started at 200 at 164 now goal 150! but i think i will have to go way below my goal because of the amount of fat arounf my belly! i can't see anywhere else i have to lose the weight. my legs look like dude legs they're so muscular so if there is o where else to lose it will have to start coming off my belly! i hope:0) good luck!

EllaScarlet

I feel the same. My legs get skinny, then my arms, my face, I start to see bones on my chest..... BUT I still have that little belly and the hip fat. I would love to built up my arms and especially legs a bit and lose some fat around the middle. Seems like strength training is the best way to transform your body shape - that is what I'm going to try!

hackett1171

I too have a belly even at my heaviest, I had always had a flat stomach. I just went to the Dr. and Chiro, WHEAT!!!! I am so backed up with S*** and gas that I look descended and my belly sounds like a drum. I have to cut out all wheat and gluten. My little snacks of homemade granola and the whole wheat low carb tortilla is killing me. I am never hungry because I am so bloated. Try taking out wheat. It takes up to 4 days to stop the cravings and once you have eliminated it you should see a difference in your belly.
HTH's

tabithajoyy

I dont have any advice except lifting more and abs videos. I am not anywhere near anything flat..about 50 more lbs for that.

BUMP

189andFalling

I have the same issue as well... it all just collects around the mid section and seems to stay there.

My thought process is I've never been down to 8-12% bodyfat before so that's my target. If it's still there @ 8% then not much I can do.

What I suspect is whatever fat you have left will just stick and be the last bit to go. Keep on at it and eventually it MUST go somewhere! I mean I see pictures of people who dropped 200lbs with perfectly flat tummies.

I think the ab exercises etc won't burn fat from that area but would help with overall tone.

I figure for me as a man the only think that might work is getting on the weights for a year and building my upper body so the skin 'stretches up' from that!

aghack

It may or may not help, but green tea is a miracle for belly fat. Obese Japanese men were but on the same diet, but half drank 4 cups of green tea a day. The ones that drank the green tea had only slightly more weight loss (2-3 lbs) but saw a significantly more noticeable decrease in abdominal fat.

I'm at the beginning of my journey, but I have incorporated green tea (3 cups per day) into my nutritional plan.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=146

katcod1522

Ive gone from 214.6 to 143.8 as of today. My goal is 136.6 (healthy bmi)..and yes..my tummy still carries the weight. Im hoping in the next 8-10lbs..its better

daffy_girl

I have the same problem. So far I have lost 55 lbs but my tummy still looks the same. It kinda depresses me. Its like "Will this ever go away?" But as long as I stay healthy, that's all that really matters to me. From the posts Ive read, we are not alone on this one.

SafireBleu

Since you haven't got that much to lose, I would focus on a small deficit now to lose slowly, and concentrate mainly on strength training, heavy compound exercises (heavy is relative so you do what you can do, but usually 8-10 is the top rep range) They work the core so much better than ab exercises (from personal experience)

Great advise IMO. When I get close to goal I will hit the strength training hard. I have seen amazing results from women that do this.

janalayn

Hula hooping is really taking the inches off my belly. There have been a lot of before/after picture posts from people doing 30 day shred who have had good results with their stomachs. Good luck

PanteraGirl

Bump

butterfly10398

My advice would be, keep losing until you are happy with how you look.

NYCDutchess

Safflower oil is supposed to help.

chevy88grl

I think it is pretty common for women to hold weight in their bellies. My belly is definitely smaller, but it is still there (and likely always will be). I can not do traditional ab work due to steel rods in my spine. Also, I've noticed when I bend over it appears to be more leftover skin than actual fat.


I used to obsess about fixing it and getting a flat tummy. Now, I've come to accept that at 36 years old with two kids - I won't ever have a flat tummy. And that's okay.

pwittek10

Are you walking?
Tying holding your stomach in as you walk.
I never had a flat stomach till now!
That is what I do and my waist is a 27 now.
Who would have thought!
Good luck and go for it!

thedeegan4

I am the exact same way. I wish I looked half as good at 162 as you you did. My belly is forever ruined. When I see pictures of other people at the same weight as me it really upsets me that my body can't look that good.

elizabeth51608

I have the same belly... get a personal trainer for at least a few weeks and ask them for exercises to help with that (so you can learn what to do!). Also remember the more muscle you build elsewhere, the more likely your belly is to go away. The muscle burns fat even when you aren't exercising. I am losing for the first time this time by eating healthy and weight training/resistance training with my trainer, plus about 5 hours of cardio every week. I still have what seems like a long way to go but I've had a trainer for 4 months and I can see my belly changing shape in a good way! Good luck!

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I think you look great! Unfortunately I'm not much help as my problem areas is my butt/thighs. However, keep up the good work, as you continue to make progress and decrease your overall bf% you will see more symmetry in your figure as well as bits and pieces. You, my dear, are just going to have to be patient a little longer. Everyone struggles with something, this unfortunately is yours.

farm_mamaX9

Have you tried Teresa Tapp's exercise called T-Tapp? It is very targeted and I have lost up to 3 inches from my waist using her methods even when I didn't lose any weight at all. She helps you learn how to tone those muscles. She has some free exercise clips on her website. But I highly recommend getting her DVD of the Basic Workout Plus. Just the exercises in that video have made me lose inches from all over. And it is only 15 minutes each day and once you are toned, you only have to keep up with it about 2 or 3 times a week. Give it a try.

Oh and skin brushing! Teresa has a video on that too, but you can also look it up online and find other people telling about skin brushing for free.

timadotcom

I have the same problem, and on top of that I have had a c-section. Someone a long time ago suggested to me to become best friends with PLANKS.. and so I have. I know my belly is considerably smaller and after a good plank session I feel my ab muscles hurt really good:)

gecho

:grumble: bump

nnapieralski

It very well could be excess skin that you are being left with. No amount of exercise or toning will make that go away.

MrsLVF

Ok, I've been consistently losing weight on MFP since August 2011. I started at 182 lbs. and had my original goal weight being 140, now my goal is 135. I'm now happy to say I've made it into the 140s (147) however I have a complaint. I thought for sure I would have less of a belly by the time I hit the 140s. I don't.

I'm one of those people who holds weight in the midsection like crazy. And to make matters worse I have what I can describe as being the sloppy looking belly! The fat partially collects over my belly button and makes my belly button look sad and closed. I know this might sound too graphic. I doubt anyone knows what I'm talking about unless they've had it or seen it. Anyway, I've consistently checked back on the success stories boards and have yet to find any woman post a picture of their belly that looks similar to mine. I want to know what does my belly turn into once it's flat!? At what weight will it become flatter where my navel looks like a circle and not impeded by excess fat!!??

All I'm asking is is there anyone else out there with belly problems like this? Every woman I've seen post pictures of themselves--even at a higher weight than 140 have had slightly rounded or flat bellies and all of them have the symmetrical navel area.

Just as an added tidbit; I measure myself every two weeks and find it odd that my around the navel waist measurement is 37 inches and when I looked it up apparently I'm considered "obese" with that kind of measurement! I've lost 35 lbs. now! Ugh!

Here is my strand of progress pictures. I take pictures every ten pounds lost so the last taken was at 152. I'm now 147.


My Fitness Pal by BlauKristall, on Flickr

I know what you're talking about,your progress is fantastic. keep it up, I'm sure you'll get there.

thekacks

From before and after pics of others, I would suggest the 30 Day Shred as a good option if you haven't tried it yet. Also dancing in any manner that keeps your hips and obliques moving. Zumba is fun but you can just freestyle to 2 or 3 songs a day with a concentration on moving that area and hold your belly in the entire time. Did wonders for me... years ago... wish I had stuck with it! Then I wouldn't be starting this journey again at a much higher weight!

AdrienneKaren

I've got the same thing with the added funkiness of stretch marks. It's not very pretty. Does it hang like a nasty blob when you bend over? I've been told that this is mostly extra skin. It can take a long time for that to shrink up but it should eventually...supposedly. I have yet to see any shrinkage.

breyn2004

I have the same, my my belly holds all of my fat, paired with the stretch marks I look like I've had kids.
My belly button has the sad looking thing going on too

Same for me! BUMP....I'm definitely interested in hearing responses to this. I'm open to any suggestions!

fatbegone8488

I can't lose crap off my belly! It makes me angry and frustrated!!!!

fatbegone8488

Awesome work llfp!

TinaDay1114

I think it is pretty common for women to hold weight in their bellies. My belly is definitely smaller, but it is still there (and likely always will be).

I used to obsess about fixing it and getting a flat tummy. Now, I've come to accept that at 36 years old with two kids - I won't ever have a flat tummy. And that's okay.

^^^^ THIS. I've always carried belly fat. Now that I'm down to my lowest weight since before kids, it's a lot better -- but I will always have poochy / saggy skin and stuff left over from having two 9-lb. boys. I've done a lot of circuit training that includes strength and abs/planks, and that's helped a lot.

I think you look FANTASTIC, and you need to look at those progress photos and celebrate. You've done a lot of hard work that you should be proud of...The flaws that we see on our own abs are pretty much invisible to the world, even our husbands / significant others. We gotta stop beating ourselves up so much and be happy with our strength and our progress. (I say that so I can ALSO remember that). :flowerforyou:

kvdiva1

Have you thought about getting a tummy tuck? My stomach is the worse because the skin is still streched from when I was pregnant. I don't have hardly any elasticity in that section of my body. It's genetic and i'll never loose it by exercising. I have gone to two plastic surgeons who have confirmed this. Not sure if this is your problem but it's worth looking in too. You look great anyway. Good luck!