women who carry their weight in the midsection?!

DebbieLyn63

I can certainly relate. I am short-waisted and apple shaped. My belly has been bigger than my hips for years. It is the last place I lose, but finally after 32 pounds I have lost about 5 inches off my abdomen. It seems to sink from the higher waist and ribcage down into the lower belly before it finally goes away. Just keep at the diet. That is the only way to get rid of it.

You can't spot reduce, but I have heard that excess carbs/sugar are stored in the belly fat. I do find that lowering my simple carbs/sugars helps me to lose. Can't cite any scientific evidence of this, but it works for me.

Hang in there, you will eventually get it off.

kelly_e_montana

I think it depends too on your age, whether you've had kids, etc. I am almost 41, pretty much at goal weight but can't seem to shave off the belly - many times I still look pregnant, especially at night when I'm bloated. As women get older, our waists thicken. Unfortunately, I'm living proof...:P

I haven't had any kids but I'm going to be 40 in a couple of months and I feel this way. At this point, I'm pretty happy with most of my body except my stomach. I'd describe my shape as an hourglass with a spare tire around it. Grrr. Hard to lose weight in the tummy.

jenilla1

Nice work!

jenilla1

That's awesome progress for just 30 days!

juliemouse83

Ditto, here...

I had to stop blaming it on baby fat, since the baby is graduating this year. *sigh*

It's slowly going, and I'm doing the Shred and the Couch to 5K, but it IS going...

noogie98

need help in this area too ~ gonna read the responses later!! :flowerforyou:

jaimrlx

Great work so far to everyone on this thread! I know this feel very closely. I have PCOS and autoimmune liver disease, I care almost all of my weight in my midsection. In the last two years alone, I've been mistaken as pregnant about 4 times.

dee__s

you cant spot reduce.. u have to lose weight everywhere

bluecrayonz

I'm 5'4 and my waist and stomach is my problem...i find that the cardio that helps my stomach most is the stairclimber even tho its hard as hell

SexyLovinmeCook

you cant spot reduce.. u have to lose weight everywhere

I disagree....Yes working directly on the Abs possibly won't work fast....but for example JM 6w/6p you may not get on the floor and do tons of crunches but the entire workout and moves mainly focus on the core....and that was my greatest area I wanted to focus on.... Everyone is different....

SanteMulberry

High cortisol (from stress and not getting enough sleep, for example) make one more likely to store fat on the belly. Age is also a factor as we become more sedentary as we age (leading to higher blood sugar/insulin levels and more abdominal fat). Exercise lowers cortisol and it seems to burn fat from the areas where one is fattest and build up muscle in areas with less fat--sometimes completely changing one's shape. It can even offset some of the changes of aging (shrunken glutes leading to poor standing posture, leading to "dowager's hump" and slack abdominals which make the gut look even fatter than it actually is). Running high insulin levels from eating too many carbs and too many total calories will also raise cortisol levels. Eating large meals in the evening is also a bad idea as it will raise insulin levels too near to bedtime and the increased insulin will lower human growth hormone which is secreted predominantly in the first hours of sleep. Increased human growth hormone will also help offset the tendency to abdominal fat as a person ages. One should stop eating 2-3 hours before bedtime to maximize HGH. It won't likely make a significant difference for dieters in their 20s as they still mostly have a plentiful supply--children, of course, have the largest supply . For a woman, estrogen dominance causes one to deposit more fat on the belly (and in the breasts), progesterone (the "other female hormone") causes one to burn fat at a greater rate because of its effects on thyroid hormone utilization. Progesterone production wanes before estrogen production as one approaches peri-menopause or menopause itself. The herb, Chasteberry, will raise progesterone levels. Exercise will lower estrogen levels and balance things out by making what progesterone a woman has "go farther". Hormones are important.

dixiewhiskey

I think it depends too on your age, whether you've had kids, etc. I am almost 41, pretty much at goal weight but can't seem to shave off the belly - many times I still look pregnant, especially at night when I'm bloated. As women get older, our waists thicken. Unfortunately, I'm living proof...:P

I haven't had any kids but I'm going to be 40 in a couple of months and I feel this way. At this point, I'm pretty happy with most of my body except my stomach. I'd describe my shape as an hourglass with a spare tire around it. Grrr. Hard to lose weight in the tummy.

Say wha? You do NOT look 40!!

dixiewhiskey

That's awesome progress for just 30 days!

Thank you! This was from doing 30 Day Shred and eating fairly clean. I have two kids, gained 55+ lbs with each child.. if I can do it, anyone can do it. Just get moving!!!

lpina2mi

Yup, that is/was me. For me this was also the fastest to go, from my thighs to below the bust. I have no tips then the generic moving more and eating less...a lot less. In previous times my chest was the first to shrink, this time the mid section, of course I had way more to lose this (the last) time.

I have not done any specific exercise in this area either, so far my stomach area is receeding nicely, where I have excess skin is in the inner top of my thighs, I think there are some things we just have no control over.

You.ve done a terrific job. I have a belly flap from a previous loss & reshaping (via exercise)--are there tricks to GET OF THAT?

dixiewhiskey

Yup, that is/was me. For me this was also the fastest to go, from my thighs to below the bust. I have no tips then the generic moving more and eating less...a lot less. In previous times my chest was the first to shrink, this time the mid section, of course I had way more to lose this (the last) time.

I have not done any specific exercise in this area either, so far my stomach area is receeding nicely, where I have excess skin is in the inner top of my thighs, I think there are some things we just have no control over.

That tummy looks so flat!! Nice job! This is really inspiring!

LPDLPD

I have heard that extra weight in the mid section is due in part to stress. Just keep doing what you are doing. The core for women is always the worst. I dream of the day I have a flat, Victoria Secret, belly. I guess having two beautiful little boys has not helped my situation (LOL). Take care.

daydream_believer

thats me mine is extra horrible because there is an actual perminant line that runs across my lower abdomen where the fat above it sits. this is what i primarily lost weight for and what hasnt yet disappeared. sad face. i wonder if it will ever go!

PikaKnight

you cant spot reduce.. u have to lose weight everywhere

I disagree....Yes working directly on the Abs possibly won't work fast....but for example JM 6w/6p you may not get on the floor and do tons of crunches but the entire workout and moves mainly focus on the core....and that was my greatest area I wanted to focus on.... Everyone is different....

No..really. You can't spot reduce.

"Contrary to what the infomercials suggest there is no such thing as spot reduction. Fat is lost throughout the body in a pattern dependent upon genetics, sex (hormones), and age. Overall body fat must be reduced to lose fat in any particular area."
http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Myths.html

http://www.boxingscene.com/weight-loss/38572.php

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa72.htm

10 exercise myths that won't go away, By Madison Park, CNN
(#4 - you can't spot reduce)
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/24/exercise.myths.trainers/index.html

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/blogs/go-healthy-ny/WORKOUT-MYTH-Spot-Reducing-124734324.html

staceypunk

Eyeing this thread. I wonder if I will ever get that flat victoria secret tummy too. And enough people say it's possible, so I'm going for it!

remisenforme

Ughhhh I do Hoping it will go far away someday! haha