Belly and Leg Areas of Fat

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DJRichCT
DJRichCT Posts: 18 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have lost over 100 pounds (I started losing even before starting MyFitnessPal). Anyway, I'm almost at my goal weight but I have a question. I still have pockets on fat on my inner thighs and still have a belly. Of course my belly shrunk a lot but there's still a large bulge and very little fat everywhere else. I've been doing weights and thought that might help. I've been doing that two times a week, along with an hour on the treadmill for five days a week. Do you think the extra fat will gradually fade as I get more toned? I'm just confused why my inner thighs still have so much fat there, Is this common with others that have lost weight?
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Replies

  • pri0810
    pri0810 Posts: 14 Member
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    I have the same issue :(
    But I've been told by my gym instructor that 1200 calories a day isnt enough and I should know increase to at least 1500 a day... I've dropped clothes size and weight but I still have an issue with my stomach. Im worried if I increase my calorie intake I will gain weight. What should I do?
  • DJRichCT
    DJRichCT Posts: 18 Member
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    Yup, I totally can relate! I don't think it's my calorie intake that;s the problem... I'm still losing weight. But it just seems like certain areas will not tone with the weight machines I've been using. I don't get it. I did use a trainer at the local Y to make sure I was doing the machine properly. Everyone is saying I'm at my ideal weight but they don't see the hanging fat I still have on my belly and thighs.
  • PatrickCoyle
    PatrickCoyle Posts: 16 Member
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    I was in your same postion, I still have a belly and flabby thighs with skinny arms and chest (basically skinny fat)

    I upped my calories to 1500, started lifting and gradually moved to 1800 and I am starting to see the belly melt away

    Hope this helps :)
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    OP, just making sure before I answer your questions..

    You know you can't spot reduce right?
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Weights will not help you lose fat in stubborn areas. In fact, they may end up making you look bigger if you build up muscle in areas where your body likes to store fat no matter how thin you are. You have to concentrate on losing fat through diet and doing cardio.

    I'm not saying give up weights, but watch where you use them. You may not want to use direct resistance in certain areas.
  • PatrickCoyle
    PatrickCoyle Posts: 16 Member
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    In fact, they may end up making you look bigger if you build up muscle in areas where your body likes to store fat no matter how thin you are

    I'm not saying give up weights, but watch where you use them. You may not want to use direct resistance in certain areas.

    That is the biggest load of BS I have ever read
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    ^ I agree
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Fat comes off where it wants to come off - a bummer, but true! I've dropped several pants sizes, and am near my "goal weight", but I still have fat on my tummy and thighs as well, that's where it sticks to me. :tongue:

    Don't be afraid to lift heavy weights or up your calories. I have dropped a lot of my fat over the past months by eating around 1800 calories a day, lifting more and cutting back on the cardio. I workout 5 or 6 cays a week, average about 50 minutes per workout. I run three days a week, and do strength/weights on the other days, with a little kickboxing. I'm just using dumbbells at home, but if I had access to a gym or room for bigger weights, I'd use 'em!

    Very inspiring story of an MFP member who eats more than I do, but also lifts way heavier than I do, and she looks absolutely amazing - check it out, lots of pics: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/709987-how-wrong-i-was-600-days-of-mfp-lotsa-pics

    And this thread is very helpful for setting up your calories to lose that fat: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    And finally, a great topic on getting stuck in the rut of too much exercise and not enough food: http://www.shapefit.com/overtraining-exercising-too-much.html

    These three topics inspired me to up my calories, and it's working! I'm near my goal, so my scale doesn't move much, but I don't care, I'm more interested in fat loss and what my tape measure says at this point!
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    People stop giving advice you've "heard from a friend"

    Only give advice if its backed by factual evidence you've personally read in a study, not hey this seems like a smart thing to say...
  • PatrickCoyle
    PatrickCoyle Posts: 16 Member
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    People stop giving advice you've "heard from a friend"

    Only give advice if its backed by factual evidence you've personally read in a study, not hey this seems like a smart thing to say...

    100% this
  • DJRichCT
    DJRichCT Posts: 18 Member
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    So if I still have flabby areas on my inner thighs and belly, when I get down to my perfect weight (another 15 pounds or so), does this mean that the fat will be gone? I'm so close to the ideal, I just don't understand the flab in those areas.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Good lord!! Weights will NOT make you bigger!!! I would continue to do what you are doing, alternating between cardio and weights. Make sure you are doing compound moves with weights that challenge you. If you can do more than 12 reps the weight is too light. You might want to pick up the book New rules of lifting for women. Lot's of valuable information in it!!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    So if I still have flabby areas on my inner thighs and belly, when I get down to my perfect weight (another 15 pounds or so), does this mean that the fat will be gone? I'm so close to the ideal, I just don't understand the flab in those areas.

    Nope. Just because you are at your "ideal weight" doesn't mean that you will have more lean muscle than body fat. You will have to continue to lose body fat to get the look you want.

    Body image does not equal number on the scale.

    You need to start strength training - and ignore the advice about not using weights in certain areas. That's just wrong. I have large legs. I squat heavy. My legs have gotten smaller. You know why? Because I'm losing the fat covering up my muscle. Most people who think they have "large, muscular" body parts really have normal sized ones that are covered in fat. But because it's not jiggly, they assume it's muscle.

    Lose weight to look good. Lift weights to look good naked. Enough said :laugh:
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Weights will not help you lose fat in stubborn areas. In fact, they may end up making you look bigger if you build up muscle in areas where your body likes to store fat no matter how thin you are. You have to concentrate on losing fat through diet and doing cardio.

    I'm not saying give up weights, but watch where you use them. You may not want to use direct resistance in certain areas.


    ^^^^gross misinformation!!:noway:
  • DJRichCT
    DJRichCT Posts: 18 Member
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    Thanks to everyone who have responded. I will continuing the strength training. I do it two times a week, 3 sets of 12 reps. Is this sufficient? Do you think I would see better results with free weights or with the traditional strength machines? Do I need more sets or is 3 sets enough?
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    Thanks to everyone who have responded. I will continuing the strength training. I do it two times a week, 3 sets of 12 reps. Is this sufficient? Do you think I would see better results with free weights or with the traditional strength machines? Do I need more sets or is 3 sets enough?

    Free weights

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/744311-free-weights-vs-machines-holy-crap


    Look for the book "Starting Strength" and check out one of the following programs:

    Strong Lifts (my favorite)
    Wendler 5/3/1
    New Rules of Lifting For Women

    Here's an MFP post that has tons of info in it as well:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/686963-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Thanks to everyone who have responded. I will continuing the strength training. I do it two times a week, 3 sets of 12 reps. Is this sufficient? Do you think I would see better results with free weights or with the traditional strength machines? Do I need more sets or is 3 sets enough?

    Free weights are better!! Don't be afraid to move out of your comfort zone and try heavier weights....be challenged but safe. Also body weight exercises are awesome!! Pushups, pullups (on assisted pullup machine), dips, planks, squats, lunges. Calisthenics totally kick butt as well, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees. When I started doing free weights and body weights exercises is when I really started to see a change in my body. Sometimes that goal weight on the scale is not the true weights that our body needs to look fit and trim! Shift your focus from weight loss and start googling info on body recomposition:flowerforyou:
  • Amanda993
    Amanda993 Posts: 51
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    I have the same problem areas; belly and inner thighs. I just started Chalean Extreme (strength training) 8 weeks ago, and my belly has noticeably gone down. So I would say strength train, and keep doing some cardio too. That's my method anyway and it's working for me. :)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    So if I still have flabby areas on my inner thighs and belly, when I get down to my perfect weight (another 15 pounds or so), does this mean that the fat will be gone? I'm so close to the ideal, I just don't understand the flab in those areas.

    NO!

    I have been UNDER my ideal weight ..... did I have an "ideal" body? No, I still had fat legs. I will ALWAYS be somewhat pear shaped .... just as some people will always be somewhat "apple" shaped. This has a lot to do with genetics.

    All you can do is lose fat & exercise .... and hope for the best (it does get better.... but maybe not perfect). The only "guarantee" would be liposuction.
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
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    Ugh, I agree. I thought that I would look TOTALLY different at 176lbs than I actually do (I still have an "inner tube" around my belly :-( ). I'm hoping that as I tone it up (and lose the last 20-25lbs), it will go away.

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