Fat pocket below my belly button, HELP!

meowchii
meowchii Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all,

I have this accumulation of fat below my belly button that is very stubborn. I have heard that sit ups/crunches wont actually flatten your stomach, and will cause muscle to build on top of the fat and not help the bloat. Not sure if this is true or not. I do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise daily, consume 1200-1400 calories a day, and only drink water. I am giving up pasta/bread/starches and dairy/cheese and do not eat meat. Other than all that what can I do to get rid of this fat pouch? I hate it!!!! I have never had a baby... but it definitely looks like I had one and never worked off the weight. : (

I welcome any/all advice. I know this is a problem area for a lot of women, so I am hoping someone on MFP knows how to solve it!

Replies

  • FruitLoop05317
    FruitLoop05317 Posts: 229
    bump! i have one too and would love some advice!!
  • newhabit
    newhabit Posts: 426 Member
    same thing here. honestly i think you just have to lose body fat all over. there is no spot reducing and yes, exercises may build muscle but can't do much with fat. :( strength training can help the body all over and cardio can help burn calories but ultimately it is eating better that will make the change, which means a calorie deficit to get rid of fat.
  • SusanJolly1
    SusanJolly1 Posts: 1 Member
    i have the same problem but have had 2 kids and 3 abdominal surgeries in that area. i have read recently that only cardio helps that area....i've been doing alot of it, but evidently not enough!
  • avir8
    avir8 Posts: 671 Member
    ugh same here!! I wish I could lipolaser it away but I don't have the money, guess diet and more cardio will be the way for now :grumble:
  • invictus8
    invictus8 Posts: 258 Member
    Only one thing (other than liposuction) will get rid of that: a consistent caloric deficit over time. Trust me on this one. It'll go away eventually -- maybe it'll go away soon or maybe it'll be the last thing to go. Most women have to go down to about 18-20% body fat to have that "thin" look, but of course everyone is different.
  • ShadowChaser16
    ShadowChaser16 Posts: 40
    Muscles are built under the fat in the abdomen, not over. Anyway just keep exercising and eating right (adding in some ab work couldn't hurt). It still might never go away though. Women who are stick-thin can even have these pooches!
  • steph_rankin
    steph_rankin Posts: 1 Member
    Start jogging/running....mine went down after I did a beginners run clinic...I practice by myself now on the treadmill at the gym. Start slow. There are a few programs that you can follow online or join a running club for personal instruction.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Hey guys,

    It is a little disheartening to hear but one true way to help reduce this issue if it is fat and not just skin, is to reduce your body fat.

    You can do this by eating a small or moderate calorie deficit. Getting in some strength training to maintain your lean body mass during weight loss is a good idea, too.

    Take time, drink water, use patience. It might not be as tight as you hope but it will get smaller.
  • Shannota
    Shannota Posts: 308 Member
    Sorry, no way to spot reduce...like the others have said. Ab work is still good, so don't give up on it...you need a strong core to help you get through life easier and prevent injuries. But to get rid of it, you need to keep at a caloric deficit and wait for your body to decide to burn that part off too. I seem to chunk down from the top, then slowly down toward my middle. Everyone is different. Good luck getting to all your goals!
  • Hcrowder81
    Hcrowder81 Posts: 15 Member
    Have you tried 30 day shred with Jillian. She mixes cardio with strength training and has an exercise that is meant to work out the pouch that most of us ladies have. It's called the reverse crunch. I'm sure you can find it on youtube. Hope this helps!
  • jjefferies7
    jjefferies7 Posts: 120
    lose bodyfat..... and by the way muscle doesnt build on top of fat
  • meowchii
    meowchii Posts: 47 Member
    Thanks for the advice. It has been helpful. I just began running for the first time in my life. I can now run on the treadmill for 5 minutes! May not seem like a lot, but it was a feat for me. I also do weight training. Guess I'll just have to keep on and wait to see if it ever goes down.
  • suzlesieur
    suzlesieur Posts: 16
    Good topic, and definately a concern for me as well. I feel like if I could only lose that and nothing else, I'd be so much happier, but probably not. Need to be content I guess. I'm doing just what 1st poster said. Calorie deficit, only water, cardio, and I do see small improvement. After 2 kids it's really all that is not pre-kids that I have left. I feel great either way tho, MFP is a God-send. Best wishes!
  • suzlesieur
    suzlesieur Posts: 16
    Keep it up, Meowchii, u wont regret it!
  • Bethyvm
    Bethyvm Posts: 8
    I have the same issue and always have, even as a teen. :sad: That said, mine is slowly starting to shrink :smile: with lots of cardio . Bob Harper suggests doing reverse crunches to target that area, and the few times that I have done those, I can feel it working that area. Need to get more consistant at doing them.
  • meowchii
    meowchii Posts: 47 Member
    Have you tried 30 day shred with Jillian. She mixes cardio with strength training and has an exercise that is meant to work out the pouch that most of us ladies have. It's called the reverse crunch. I'm sure you can find it on youtube. Hope this helps!

    Nice, I will have to check this video out. I do reverse crunches/bicycle crunches now but I need to do more. I read that mountain climbers are really good for that area, so I do thoes now too.
  • meowchii
    meowchii Posts: 47 Member
    Keep it up, Meowchii, u wont regret it!

    Thanks! Good luck to you as well. : D
  • invictus8
    invictus8 Posts: 258 Member
    The 30 day shred might be useful but really it's about one thing: a consistent caloric deficit. I find eating protein and cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli) help to maintain satiety.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    Start strength training and make sure you get enough protein. You want the body to use that fat for fuel not muscle.
  • meowchii
    meowchii Posts: 47 Member
    The 30 day shred might be useful but really it's about one thing: a consistent caloric deficit. I find eating protein and cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli) help to maintain satiety.

    I love broccoli & cauliflower! I will definitely look into this 30 day shred. I am not looking for a quick fix, I know I need to work hard to lose, and I will do whatever it takes.
  • cjoz98
    cjoz98 Posts: 2
    My advice -- please be patient and focus on pure cardio (i.e., running) until you burn the fat, then slowly ease in some muscle building exercises.

    Many posts above are correct: 1) there is no way to "target" a specific area (in fact, the abdomen is where many vital organs are located, so the body has a natural tendency to store fat there to protect them); and 2) sit-ups, etc. won't do any good because you're just building fat under muscle. I did Insanity twice and saw most of my body change, but the belly still remained (I'm a 5'9" male and went from about 172 lbs. to 155 lbs. post-Insanity). I realized that I was just adding muscle under fat in my belly (Insanity burns a ridiculous amount of calories but, again, this is body-wide, note localized, so my "Insane Abs" workout actually made things worse).

    So I quit Insanity for a month and did nothing but run and, what do you know, my belly has been steadily shrinking. Three-mile runs six days a week made my pants looser and looser.

    Please don't lose heart like I almost did. I know it is hard to fit workouts into a busy life, but a 30-minute run 4-6 times a week will work miracles (and make you feel so much better about yourself, which is vital to weight loss).

    Sorry for rambling, but I've had similar problems and want to be as much help as possible.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    I've still got a bit of saggy fat there, but I'm 48 and had 2 kids and one c-section, so I know its going to take a lot of time and work! I found Zumba has helped it reduce the fastes - and its most fun too! If you don't have a class near you invest in Wii Zumba 2 (not the original - apparently it was rubbih) or for x-box and try that.
  • lonelylolita
    lonelylolita Posts: 10
    I have this same problem. I'm at the thinnest weight I've ever been, 5'8 122, and yet I STILL have stomach fat. Granted, it's not a lot, but its not the flat stomach I would expect to have at such a weight. It's so incredibly frustrating, all I hear everyone say is how "abs are made in the kitchen, yada yada yada," and yet my healthy eating has still failed to give me a flat stomach.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Those could be well your pesky organs :)
  • bernicesmission
    bernicesmission Posts: 100
    bump bump bump was thinking about this today too!
  • elsie345987
    elsie345987 Posts: 1
    Those foods you cut out of your diet are the most important ones. Just eat a lot of fiber and drink a lot of water or it won't work. but I'm 14 and i should be eating about 2400 calories per day because I run and dance and cheer almost everyday. and it all depends on your genetics, if your mom has that pocket and couldn't get rid of it, you most likely wont either. its almost impossible for most women. most women need more fat. all women do actually, men can get six packs because they dont need as much fat to stay healthy. and yes, some women do have 6-packs but thats just because of their genetics. so don't starve yourself and i would say run, do crunches, push ups, chinups, and squats and youll be looking FANTASTIC!
  • XTSH
    XTSH Posts: 129 Member
    My belly fat is stubborn and so are the fat at my upper arms. -__-
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    Thanks for the advice. It has been helpful. I just began running for the first time in my life. I can now run on the treadmill for 5 minutes! May not seem like a lot, but it was a feat for me. I also do weight training. Guess I'll just have to keep on and wait to see if it ever goes down.

    Congrats on running for 5 minutes! I started Couch to 5K in the spring, struggling through running 60 seconds at a time, so I really do appreciate what a great feat that is. Running is also great for fat burning so stick with it. And stick with the ab exercises! You can't spot lose fat, but you can have awesome abs once that fat is gone.
  • thezorb
    thezorb Posts: 67 Member
    I have this issue as well, and it's always the last part to go when I lose weight. I second everyone who has said be patient, but also realize that it could be genetic.

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