lower belly pooch.. need advice!

when i started at the gym and started cleaning up my diet, i weighed about 150. About 2 months later now and I weight about 134. My height is approx 5'8-5'9. The problem is my lower belly seems to stick out when Im standing up. Right below my belly button, in between my hip bones. It drives me crazy!
I work out 6 days a week doing 60 mins of cardio, including HIIT. I do the circuit machines on Wed and Fri. I eat 1200 calories max a day.
What can i do to get rid of this annoying belly bulge??
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Replies

  • Jamcnair
    Jamcnair Posts: 586 Member
    It is most likely diet related
  • Normally i eat a boiled egg white and a cup of fruit on my way to work aroubd 7 then around 930 i eat oatmeal with flaxseed. lunch normally consists of tuna and green beans and diner is always sonething healthy including chicken brown rice and vegetables. i drink 8 plus cups of water a day. what am i doing wrong
  • mum2afew
    mum2afew Posts: 10 Member
    have you had any children?
  • No children. Im 22.
  • xMonroeMisfit
    xMonroeMisfit Posts: 411 Member
    Could just be genetics. I have a pooch too. (Call it the kangaroo pouch)

    Diet and exercise and losing MODERATELY has helped. It's gone down some.
  • Ewaldt
    Ewaldt Posts: 106 Member
    Wow! well you are kicking my BUTT when it comes to all things healhty haha! I would just give it time! If it really has only been two months, your body is still adjusting, and if it has to do with extra skin from fat loss, it will take a while to form back to its correct location. But it should come back in, especially because you are only 22!! :) Keep doing what you're doing, because you are kicking butt!
  • ancurtis
    ancurtis Posts: 68 Member
    read wheat belly, it's a book. It's wheat...evil, evil, wheat.
  • Anby89
    Anby89 Posts: 2 Member
    Including (heavy) weight training is very good for making your body tighter (works wonders on the belly ;)). Also it may sound irrelevant, but regularly stretching your hip flexors can also help tightening your belly - especially if you sit a lot during the day.
  • SMarie10
    SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
    What are you doing to tone your back and abdominal muscles?
  • Zombriana
    Zombriana Posts: 764 Member
    I have the same problem. Until I poop. Then it goes down, a LITTLE.
  • mum2afew
    mum2afew Posts: 10 Member
    you could try this smoothie, your diet looks pretty clean and balanced. if you are eating bread, try cutting it out. maybe even try gluten free entirely.

    Flat Tummy
    Rich in digestion supporting ingredients, this smoothie will help prevent bloating and digestive stress that can sabotage your tummy flattening efforts.

    ◾3/4 c. papaya
    ◾3/4c. sliced peaches
    ◾1/2 pear, sliced
    ◾1 tsp fresh ginger
    ◾2 mint leaves
    ◾Water to thin
  • blackwidowdancer82
    blackwidowdancer82 Posts: 14 Member
    This is most likely the pooch that the majority of women have as a natural part of female anatomy. I used to think it was weird as I had a small pooch when I was younger and I was at a healthy weight, but thenI learned after looking at non airbrushed frontal and side views of nude Real women that this is a part of our bodies. Classical nude sculptures of women also have a small pooch. Unfortunately media and consumerism has convinced many of this that a small pooch is a defect. This is wrong. I have a fairly flat stomach, but still have a small pooch underneath my belly button. I know that it can help protect a growing child if I get pregnant. It's something that I'm now proud of and embrace.
  • gracielynn1011
    gracielynn1011 Posts: 726 Member
    Is it like a swollen belly? Or a fatty bulge? Or can you feel your stomach muscles loose in there?

    I don't know if that makes a bit of sense, but the reason I ask is because if it is swollen, bloaty looking, then it is probably diet related. Drink more water and eat healthier to flush out your system.

    If it is fat, you really just have to keep working to lose more. It's hard because belly is usually the last to go.

    The reason I ask about the muscles is because when I lay flat on my back, I could feel my lower stomach muscles and they were weak feeling and kind of loose in my tummy. (I have had 3 kids, so you may not have this problem) I have been doing exercises that target the TVA muscles. Leg Raises, Reverse Crunches, Planks (do a google search for more ideas). I have had a lot of improvement in my stomach muscles and feel more toned there, even though I still have fat to lose from my belly.

    I really hope this makes sense, I am not an expert and this is just my opinion.
  • petersonabt
    petersonabt Posts: 518 Member
    I have one. im lifting weights now and it seems to be helping make it smaller, but even then I don't think its ever going to comepletely away.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,148 Member
    read wheat belly, it's a book. It's wheat...evil, evil, wheat.
    tensocat_zpsf907356e.gif
  • kingkoopaluv
    kingkoopaluv Posts: 147 Member
    i have one too have had it since i was a baby, i dont think ill ever have a flat tummy. Im fit and healthy just gets frustrating.
  • JoRumbles
    JoRumbles Posts: 262 Member
    I think I will always have a tummy.

    Its part of being a woman really.
  • kingsleyhall
    kingsleyhall Posts: 2 Member
    shinesunfish Has got the right idea, it's might actually be posture dude, youtube strengthcamp he has some good videos on posture, if that's not the case try dropping the calories a bit more... fats an organ no way to spot reduce it.
  • Okay so I am totally not a distributor for any of the "It Works!" wraps, but I've been seriously (and not so seriously) thinking about trying one of their treatments. Something about "detoxifying" the fat cells in your pooch and releasing the water, etc.

    Has anyone tried these? I'm all for doing the work naturally but this kind of thing sounds like a nice corner cutter...

    Check out the FAQ too: http://www.myitworks.com/shop/product/111/

    I've been debating purchasing one myself so if anyone has any results to share...
  • i honestly dont do too much strength related, only cuz i dont know mich about.it.

    however, when i stand, the pooch feels hard, but when i am sitting i can grab a nice hunk of fat.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    read wheat belly, it's a book. It's wheat...evil, evil, wheat.

    Tell me you're joking. Please. I want to believe that you don't fall for pseudo-scientific alarmist propaganda that was debunked prior to the release of the work of fiction of which you speak.
  • i have been looking into the posture thing. i can see that it is reduced.when i stand well but its still there and correct posture is a hard thing to get use to im noticing!
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Are you doing exercise to specifically target the lower abdominal muscles? The most well-known ab exercises, like crunches, neglect them. Often people's upper abdominals will be tight and lower abdominals flabby.
  • treagal
    treagal Posts: 264 Member
    sounds like you are being too hard on yourself. being 5ft 8-9 and weighing 134lbs isn't a whole lot. you probably don't have any fat. it's just the way your body is. relax and enjoy your smoking hot body, cause it wont be like that forever!
  • FitandFab33
    FitandFab33 Posts: 718 Member
    Strength training... hit the weights (focus on compound movements- there are programs to follow if you're interested).

    And do core work- planks, hanging leg raises etc.. and the flab that you're grabbing when you sit- you apparently store fat viscerally (in your abdominal area)... keep eating lean, and get some sort of resistance training going. You can't choose where you lose fat, if I could- my hips would stop lying so dang much.
  • kingsleyhall
    kingsleyhall Posts: 2 Member
    You can try upping the water intake in case its excess water, and sorry I didn't know you said you were on 1200 calories, i definitely would not go lower than that in my opinion. Besides I think it's sexy for a woman to have a small bit of belly fat.
  • smac2012
    smac2012 Posts: 1
    Less carbs, more protein and remember to replace the calories you are burning as your body is most likely holding onto fat(belly) if you are not replacing burnt calories! Good luck
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    Are you doing exercise to specifically target the lower abdominal muscles? The most well-known ab exercises, like crunches, neglect them. Often people's upper abdominals will be tight and lower abdominals flabby.

    ^ this... maybe u need more lower ab workouts?

    check google and u tube. scissor kicks work for me as well as the leg raisers off the side of a bench. hard to explain I will try to post when I find it.
  • you have all been so helpful. i know i am probably being a bit hard on myself, but i just wabba look hot in my bikini thus summer and thats coming right up! ;)