my muffin top wont go away. . . HELP

eswartz0728

I have been doing good at losing weight but I can't seem to get rid of this muffin top. Any suggestions? I run, do crunches, planks, have tried burpees (although I'm not sure I understand them) Also the flab on my upper arm, I do weights. . .if anyone has suggestions Id appreciate it:drinker:

goofie03

Hi!1

I'm right there with you! I know that doesn't help at all, but I've tried eating less and exercising. While I have lost weight, I still have the muffin top. It just likes being with me, I guess. I'm not looking for any magic cures, just something that will work. Hopefully we'll hear from someone who has something!

bumblebums

Get pants that fit your waist

You probably know you cannot spot-reduce--your body's composition is determined by your genes, so where you lose fat is not something you can control. If you want to save time, though, I suggest lifting heavy weights or doing HIIT (high intensity interval training) and eating at a deficit; that seems to be the quickest way to reduce the overall amount of fat on your body.

cleotherio

My muffin top and upper thighs are the last place I lose weight. I started heavy lifting a few months ago, and the fat is slowly leaving.

jacksonpt

Keep doing what you're doing with 1 minor change... be more patient.

jacksonpt

Get pants that fit your waist

eswartz0728

I'm pretty new to all this fitness stuff what do you mean by High intensity interval training? Lol I just read your first comment and I would probably look like a gangster if I got pants to fit my muffin top So I use ten pound weights and do curls etc. Would doing like squats or anything like that help? I have a weight bench but like I said I'm really new at this stuff.

MissingMinnesota

I checked your diary and you aren't logging your food intake. How are you sure you are not over/under eating? No amount of exercise overcomes a bad diet.

bumblebums

I'm pretty new to all this fitness stuff what do you mean by High intensity interval training? Lol I just read your first comment and I would probably look like a gangster if I got pants to fit my muffin top So I use ten pound weights and do curls etc. Would doing like squats or anything like that help? I have a weight bench but like I said I'm really new at this stuff.

There are a couple of groups dedicated to this:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/7741-high-intensity-interval-taining-hiit

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

HIIT means you do some sort of cardio at your top speed for a short amount of time, say, 30 seconds or a minute, followed by an interval of lower-intensity activity. For example, sprint at 9 mph for 1 minute, then jog at 5 mph for 3, then repeat. Or whatever is appropriate for you. The point is that HIIT works much quicker for fat reduction than steady-state cardio; you can accomplish the same results in something like half the time.

Lifting heavy works similarly (for reasons I won't get into): you lift the heaviest weight you can, then rest, then repeat. I would guess you can probably try something heavier than 10 lb weights. If you have access to a gym with barbells, those are the standard equipment, although you can get a lot done with dumbbells, too (look up the book New Rules of Lifting for Women). You will gain a lot of strength, and don't worry about gaining big muscles--it's hard for a woman.

Good luck--and I was serious about better-fitting pants. You should always have at least one pair of pants that does not make your skin bulge above the waistline, even if it means buying a size you don't want to admit to being.

IowaJen1979

Unfortunately you can't spot reduce. I agree that you should try different pants. If they are squeezing the fat from your lower belly upwards, there is no place for it to go but over your pants in the form of a muffin top.

iggyboo93

Second on logging your food. I'm much more successful when I'm accurately tracking what I eat. I try to focus on staying below the macros especially sugar and sodium. I'm adding more exercise and that seems to help a great deal with feeling better. Hoping the scale will reflect this soon.

There is plenty of advice on this site. See what works for you.

eswartz0728

I am logging my food intake I just switched it to public. . .I just started using this site so its only today. I am under eating at the end of the day I should typically be getting 900 more calories. Which let me say I'm not starving myself I have Graves disease and the medications are messing with my appetite. I will have to check on different pants. . . maybe I should get higher cut ones. Thank you all for the responses

darwinwoodka

Vitamin D helps. Try a good D3K2 supplement if absolutely nothing else is working.

Also leg lifts. Leg lifts are good.

DANADUCK1

Definitely get pants that fit you around the belly button and not around the hips. This will help keep the stomach tucked in and show less of the muffin.

Mmmmona

I have been doing good at losing weight but I can't seem to get rid of this muffin top. Any suggestions? I run, do crunches, planks, have tried burpees (although I'm not sure I understand them) Also the flab on my upper arm, I do weights. . .if anyone has suggestions Id appreciate it:drinker:

My friend got this wrap that really helped her. It was just a tight wrap that she wore while doing crunches, and other ab workouts. She said saran wrap would do the same thing.

bergpa

Sometimes the problem isn't that the pants are too small, it is that they slide down the belly leaving more on top. Getting bigger panst just causes more sliding, at least for me. I've found that pants with a stretch band on the inside help everything to stay in place. Lee makes pants & jeans with what they call a "comfort band" but I'm sure there are other brands too.

deksgrl

I have been doing good at losing weight but I can't seem to get rid of this muffin top. Any suggestions? I run, do crunches, planks, have tried burpees (although I'm not sure I understand them) Also the flab on my upper arm, I do weights. . .if anyone has suggestions Id appreciate it:drinker:

My friend got this wrap that really helped her. It was just a tight wrap that she wore while doing crunches, and other ab workouts. She said saran wrap would do the same thing.

FootballGamer58

you cant spot reduce. Everything you want to change is made in the kitchen. Diet will affect your BF% and fix these issues. One thing I will say is dont do so much ab work. One common complaint I hear is, I dont understand why my belly is getting larger i do abs all the time. Well the larger your abdominal muscles grow, if your bf% is not dropping your stomach will appear to stick out more. Id work on your calories and start lifting heavy weights

birdgal

I am logging my food intake I just switched it to public. . .I just started using this site so its only today. I am under eating at the end of the day I should typically be getting 900 more calories. Which let me say I'm not starving myself I have Graves disease and the medications are messing with my appetite. I will have to check on different pants. . . maybe I should get higher cut ones. Thank you all for the responses

I would start with eliminating the soda and french fries. Increase your protein and switch to a low sugar high protein yogurt. Yoplait has added sugar.

eswartz0728

you cant spot reduce. Everything you want to change is made in the kitchen. Diet will affect your BF% and fix these issues. One thing I will say is dont do so much ab work. One common complaint I hear is, I dont understand why my belly is getting larger i do abs all the time. Well the larger your abdominal muscles grow, if your bf% is not dropping your stomach will appear to stick out more. Id work on your calories and start lifting heavy weights

Thanks! As in you mean I need to be eating more calories?

strudel89

I don't 100% agree with "you can't spot reduce". I know you can't with cardio, but with strength training I think you can. You wont see a difference in your arms from doing crunches... That, to me, counts as spot-reduction.

jacksonpt

I don't 100% agree with "you can't spot reduce". I know you can't with cardio, but with strength training I think you can. You wont see a difference in your arms from doing crunches... That, to me, counts as spot-reduction.

That's not reduction though... that's spot strengthening.

FootballGamer58

I don't 100% agree with "you can't spot reduce". I know you can't with cardio, but with strength training I think you can. You wont see a difference in your arms from doing crunches... That, to me, counts as spot-reduction.

youre misunderstanding what spot reduction means. It means losing fat in a particular area. You cant do that by working out that particular area. you are talking about muscle growth in a particular region, and yes of course thats how it works

ChaseAlder

I agree with the kitchen thing. I would recommend getting a good routine of cardio and weight training going, but you've got to eat to fuel your body. Don't overeat and don't undereat. A huge deficit isn't doing you any favors. Eat the calories you earn through exercise, but make nutritious choices. IMO, a good day is where your calorie count says 0 and you fall into bed exhausted from training.

FootballGamer58

you cant spot reduce. Everything you want to change is made in the kitchen. Diet will affect your BF% and fix these issues. One thing I will say is dont do so much ab work. One common complaint I hear is, I dont understand why my belly is getting larger i do abs all the time. Well the larger your abdominal muscles grow, if your bf% is not dropping your stomach will appear to stick out more. Id work on your calories and start lifting heavy weights

Thanks! As in you mean I need to be eating more calories?

No I mean you need to find out your current caloric budget for your weightloss goals, and stick to that for an extended period. And possibly pair that with some heavy lifting or cardio.

bumblebums

I don't 100% agree with "you can't spot reduce". I know you can't with cardio, but with strength training I think you can. You wont see a difference in your arms from doing crunches... That, to me, counts as spot-reduction.

That's not reduction though... that's spot strengthening.

Right. You can definitely spot-increase.

strudel89

I guess that makes sense. But you can target a specific area to look better that way. That's what I meant by that.

strudel89

HAHA I've seen this! Yes, that is what I meant.

jacksonpt

I don't 100% agree with "you can't spot reduce". I know you can't with cardio, but with strength training I think you can. You wont see a difference in your arms from doing crunches... That, to me, counts as spot-reduction.

That's not reduction though... that's spot strengthening.

Right. You can definitely spot-increase.

Damnit... kids and their stupid cell phones. That pic will haunt me for ever.

FootballGamer58

Of course, a person who lifts heavy weights is going to look better than a person who doesnt but has the same bf%

3foldchord

((I can't do HIIT... Sad Face for me.))

Longer shirts? Dresses? Overalls?(that last one was a joke)

Like others have said, you can't spot reduce. Stay committed and you will reach your goal. In the meantime, tweak your wardrobe, log your food constantly, try HIIT and/or weight lifting.