stubborn belly fat :(

kiz81
kiz81 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
So iv been dieting and exercising since March and iv lost 52lbs,went from a size 24 to a size 14 (UK). Iv lost a lot of inches all over,apart from my lower stomach. It hangs and sticks out so much i have to wear clothes 1 or 2 sizes bigger just to fit it in :( iv had 3 children,the last a c-section almost 2 years ago. Im terrified that if i lose more weight this saggy belly will stay and I'll end up looking like a freak! I struggle doing sit-ups but i have been trying and doing various different ab exercises and hours of walking!
Has anyone else suffered with this? Did it finally slim down and catch up with the rest of your body? Any advice would be appreciated

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    to lose fat you want to do strength training, strength training and more strength training!
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Yeah, you have to lose the fat. All the sit ups in the world will not get rid of that belly, unfortunately. Strength training is the way forward, and continue to focus on fat loss. Fat loss is an overall sorta thing, you can't pick a spot (your belly, for instance) and target that area for fat loss. Fat just comes off where and when it wants to. That said, if you keep at it, you can certainly lose that belly, which is great news. Keep going!
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Spot reduction is impossible without surgery to cut it off,..

    That being said, when you lose fat, you are actually losing it from everywhere all at once. It is simply more noticable in the places where you had less to begin with. We all have "trouble areas" which are the last to show visual improvement.

    Just keep doing what you are doing. Eat at a calorie deficit. Do cardio to increase that deficit. Do weight training to prevent lean muscle loss.

    And by the way...ab crunches and other such exercises are GREAT for strengthening that muscle...but USELESS for burning fat.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    So iv been dieting and exercising since March and iv lost 52lbs,went from a size 24 to a size 14 (UK). Iv lost a lot of inches all over,apart from my lower stomach. It hangs and sticks out so much i have to wear clothes 1 or 2 sizes bigger just to fit it in :( iv had 3 children,the last a c-section almost 2 years ago. Im terrified that if i lose more weight this saggy belly will stay and I'll end up looking like a freak! I struggle doing sit-ups but i have been trying and doing various different ab exercises and hours of walking!
    Has anyone else suffered with this? Did it finally slim down and catch up with the rest of your body? Any advice would be appreciated

    I know it doesn't make sense, but give it time! I had a pretty significant 'apron' a year ago. Even laying down, I had to grab and move 2 handfuls of belly to FIND my c-section scar ( mine was 13 years ago). Gradually over the last year, the belly that I have when I lay down is GONE...when I stand up it is still there, but I have faith that it will go away if I keep going on the path I am on.
  • kiz81
    kiz81 Posts: 14
    I realise you can't spot reduce :) if only you could lol. And i know that building up muscle that's under fat won't make a difference,the point of the sit ups etc is to try and "lift" the belly a bit,instructions from my doctor. Im obviously just the dreaded apple shape and will have to hope that eventually it WILL catch up with the rest of me. I was doing some strength training but had an operation 6 weeks ago so im just starting up with that again
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    is it not maybe mistaken for loose skin?
  • moonwolf74
    moonwolf74 Posts: 1
    I have a belly too. And the only thing that really helped was Zumba. I had done different workouts and fat burning videos. And Dance. And everything I could. But Zumba was the only thing that seem to help me shrink my belly. It is not gone. But it defientely has more definition.
  • kiz81
    kiz81 Posts: 14
    Partly it is loose skin but from what i have read loose skin is very very thin and almost papery in appearance. Although there is loose skin there there's also still a lot of fat
  • kiz81
    kiz81 Posts: 14
    Im not good at exercise classes. I prefer to exercise alone. Embarrassment more than anything.
  • Treadmillmom1st
    Treadmillmom1st Posts: 579 Member
    Hasfit workouts to lose belly fat;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sxsUPbtiys

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=305SuH8tBZo

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjbh876ZYJ0

    Hasfit have loads of workouts on YouTube and their own site Hasfit.com

    Oh and invest in some Palmers Coca Butter Skin Firming moisteriser.

    I have three children and the workouts combined with the moisteriser have made a dramatic difference, my stomach skin only sags in the plank position now lol.
  • carrietehbear
    carrietehbear Posts: 384 Member
    I haven't had children but I still have more belly fat than I should. I also have a nice little apron that hangs down. I've seen it get smaller as I do more strength training. My trainer actually yelled at me for being on the treadmill yesterday because he thought I was going to bail on doing my strength training for the day. (I was only on for 10 minutes to warm up before doing my leg routine!)
  • Treadmillmom1st
    Treadmillmom1st Posts: 579 Member
    You should ask the girl in this post, 'http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/495884-lost-over-200lbs-pics-inside' how she did it, WOW!!!!!!!
  • sleepy184
    sleepy184 Posts: 109 Member
    Superb link. Thanks for this.
    Hasfit workouts to lose belly fat;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sxsUPbtiys

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=305SuH8tBZo

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjbh876ZYJ0

    Hasfit have loads of workouts on YouTube and their own site Hasfit.com

    Oh and invest in some Palmers Coca Butter Skin Firming moisteriser.

    I have three children and the workouts combined with the moisteriser have made a dramatic difference, my stomach skin only sags in the plank position now lol.
  • Nikstergirl
    Nikstergirl Posts: 1,549 Member
    I have the same thing. It's coming off slowly. I'm lifting weights at home with programs like P90X and ChaLean Extreme. So far I've gone from a size US 16 to a US 4. Abs are made in the kitchen.... it's a work in progress! I may still need a tummy tuck when all is said and done, but I'll decide that in a year or two. For now I'm working on tweaking my diet and working out per the programs and just moving forward one day at a time, one meal at a time.

    Good luck!
  • kiz81
    kiz81 Posts: 14
    Superb link. Thanks for this.
    Hasfit workouts to lose belly fat;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sxsUPbtiys

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=305SuH8tBZo

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjbh876ZYJ0

    Hasfit have loads of workouts on YouTube and their own site Hasfit.com

    Oh and invest in some Palmers Coca Butter Skin Firming moisteriser.

    I have three children and the workouts combined with the moisteriser have made a dramatic difference, my stomach skin only sags in the plank position now lol.

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