Look like a potato with 4 toothpicks sticking out!!

I've always have had real little arms and legs but when I gain weight I gain it all in my stomach. Anyone know why? Lets just paint you a mental picture……my Exhusband (thank God ex) told me the reason he cheated on me was because I looked like a potato with four toothpicks sticking out! Nice, yeah I know. Anyway still have that problem…lol

Now does anyone know how to fix it? PLEASE HELP. Dying for answers.

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,261 Member
    Damn, he actually said that. Genetics is a toughie. Weight training and more weight training coupled with a higher protein type diet working in a slight deficit should over time reduce that problem.
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
    Our bodies are all built in different ways. Some people carry their fat in their stomachs, some carry it in their thighs, some people are a lucky hourglass shape and their fat is evenly distributed all around. I carry almost all my fat in my butt and thighs, that's how it's always been and I guess that's how it always will be. You can't spot-reduce fat, but you CAN start working on reducing your overall body fat and building more muscle, to make your limbs bigger and your stomach smaller.

    Edit: And I'm sorry, that's not why he cheated, he cheated because he's a weak minded individual. But excuses always work.
  • JayKar70
    JayKar70 Posts: 12 Member
    Yeah he actually said that. Something I guess I'll never forget. Very hurtful. What kind excercise can I do to get rid of the belly fat?
  • JayKar70
    JayKar70 Posts: 12 Member
    Brevislux: your right on the weak minded. He was/is a very shallow man. Thank goodness I don't have to ut up with him anymore. I now have a wonderful, loving, caring husband!! YEA ME!

    I started this diet on the 26th of January and have lost 12 pounds, now I just need to start exercising.
  • ALittleBitLess1
    ALittleBitLess1 Posts: 119 Member
    walking and jogging. you will gradually burn off fat and have firmer more shapely arm and legs as a result too.
    I started running a couple of years ago and one thing i did not consider was how it would change my shape apart from the obvious weight loss. I loved my toned arms afterwards.
    Aiming to get back to that again.
  • First of all, he's an a-hole. If there's any justice something on him will shrivel up to a toothpick size before falling off.

    Secondly, you can't spot reduce. You have to lose weight the same way you'd lose it if your weight was evenly distributed. Slowly, one pound at a time. You can do some excercises to strengthen your core and build muscle, but the answer is really diet and excercise. Strength and cardio and healthy food. You'll get there.
  • patentguru
    patentguru Posts: 312 Member
    First of all, he's an a-hole. If there's any justice something on him will shrivel up to a toothpick size before falling off.

    Secondly, you can't spot reduce. You have to lose weight the same way you'd lose it if your weight was evenly distributed. Slowly, one pound at a time. You can do some excercises to strengthen your core and build muscle, but the answer is really diet and excercise. Strength and cardio and healthy food. You'll get there.

    This- can't spot reduce. In general- you lose a layer of fat all over body. Since thighs and stomach have a thick layer you will visually see no loss there except for long time periods (month). In the early stages of fat loss- look at the joints, like inside elbow for fat loss-you will see the weekly loss there. Once you get the fat off of the thinner layers (arms, joints, upper chest, legs) the fat on the thicker layers starts to come off at a faster rate. The only way to see fat loss on the thicker layers (stomach) is to measure the same area each few weeks. I suck in all the way and measure around belly button bi-weekly and see about 3/4-1 inch per month at the current rate I am losing. Even with the 1 inch loss on the waist, I visually see no difference. This is about long term (years) to change you body.
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    I feel your pain, I am built the same way and i hate it. My tummy is the first place i gain & the last place i lose from. It is slowly getting better but it doesn't happen overnight. Unfortunately there is no way to lose weight in one area. It has been taking me months of working out religiously to get my big fat belly to go away, now the last few stubborn pounds are left on the lower part of my belly and i see that diet is just as important. Food-wise I log EVERYTHING, there is no leaving anything out, that would defeat my purpose...

    I have to say that getting a nutritional scale a few weeks ago was one of the best investments i've made in my quest to get rid of this belly. It was a real eye opener. I thought i was being very precise by using dry measuring cups for everything...now that i was oftentimes very far over or under the actual amount of food i was eating. So i wasn't really tracking properly at all. Doh!

    oh, and um, your ex is a total jerk...good riddance!
  • JayKar70
    JayKar70 Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks everyone for all the advice!! I will do this. It may take awhile on the belly but hey I have time. I think a lot of my problem with my stomach is that I have diabetics Type 2. Which gives you the classic diabeties belly. So when I lose weight it will help with that also!,, would love to come off some meds.

    Again thanks to everyone!!

    What is it they say: NO PAIN NO GAIN
    but in this instance NO PAIN NO LOSS