Having the hardest time losing belly fat and weight!!!

Hi all! So I've started on a weight loss journey after having 3 children (6, 5, & 2) back in October. Took a little break on Thanksgiving and the last week of December, but have been very strict and diligent to my diet & exercise program otherwise. I am a classic Apple shape unfortunately so I have an extremely hard time losing belly fat, which is my main concern area due to 3 pregnancies in a 4 year time period lol.
Below are my specs, diet, and exercise program...
I'm 24, female, Apple shape, 5'2', muscular...
Target areas: stomach, arms, and inner thighs...
Starting weight was 187, lost 10lbs during the first month, but ever since I've only lost 1lb in the past 3-4 months :( Now 176...
During the first month or 2, I lost a good amount of inches in my waist, belly, & hips (approx 12in overall in those 3 areas), but I've hit a wall ever since :(

My daily diet consists of fruits, veggies, protein, whole grain carbs, nonfat Greek or Light & Fit yogurts, and very seldomly sweets (normally a fiber one 90cal bar or some 90cal snack bag)...
I average 1400 Cals, 30-40 grms healthy fats, 100-200 carbs, less than 50 sugars (mostly from fruit & whey protein powder), and 50grms protein...

I exercise 6 days a week, 90-120 mins a day, average 1,000 Cals burned... I do cardio every workout, with sculpt/tone every other day.
My weekly workout schedule consists of: Turbo Jam Sculpt, Turbo Jam Ab Jam, Turbo Fire HIITS, Turbo Fire 45ez, 45, 55ez, Turbo Fire Sculpt/Tone, Turbo Fire Core/Ab Igniter, Zumba Exhilarate, Zumba Rush, Billy Banks 90min Ultimate Tae Bo, Calisthenics 3 reps (situps, pushups, j jacks, etc) and 30-60mins treadmill various speeds...

I know this all seems extensive, but I'm pretty desperate :( Please if anyone has any tips or advice on how I could increase my weight loss and belly fat burn, id love your help!!!!!
Thanks,
Kristen

Replies

  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    intermittent fasting will get rid of any stubborn fat.
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
    If you are eating 1400 calories a day and exercising off 1000, your 'net calories' are too low. Try and eat back some of your exercise calories, you might find it makes a difference. (Been there, done that, it works).
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    You need to eat back the exercise calories. Netting so low is not healthy.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Yeah, you gotta eat a bit more. You also might consider easing up on the cardio a bit and incorporating some sort of strength training. If you like to work out at home and don't have reasonably heavy dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, or something of that nature you might look into body weight exercises. You Are Your Own Gym is a great book by Mark Lauren...there is also an app, I believe.
  • iceqieen
    iceqieen Posts: 862 Member
    I want to introduce you to a long post that is quite helpfull: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    good luck!
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Eat more...if you are only eatting 1400 calories and burning 1000, then you are really only intaking 400.....
  • beskimoosh
    beskimoosh Posts: 375 Member
    Yeah, you gotta eat a bit more. You also might consider easing up on the cardio a bit and incorporating some sort of strength training. If you like to work out at home and don't have reasonably heavy dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, or something of that nature you might look into body weight exercises. You Are Your Own Gym is a great book by Mark Lauren...there is also an app, I believe.

    Try the Gorilla workout app for body weight exercises. I swear I'm not being paid to advertise it, I just really like it haha
  • RaineyLaney
    RaineyLaney Posts: 605 Member
    Well from looking at a few days of your food diary. I would suggest lowering your carb intake and upping your protein. You have very low protein.
  • LaLouve_RK
    LaLouve_RK Posts: 899 Member
    intermittent fasting will get rid of any stubborn fat.

    Wish I was able.. I like food so much.... ARGH!
  • Thank you to everyone who has posted!!! All of your ideas sound super helpful and I will definitely be putting a few to the test and let you know of any progress!!! Thanks again for all your support!
  • I would take your protein intake up, 45% protein, 35% carbs, and 20% fat. Protein consumption is awesome for weight loss and building lean muscle, maybe add in some whey protein into your diet.

    How do you determine your calorie burn when doing your workouts? How intense are your workouts since 1000 calorie burns would be very very intense. Might be over stating them, hence giving you the impression of burning more calories then you are. Also might want to try incorporating some resistance training or weights to your routine. The leaner muscle you have the more calories you burn, also by adding them you get the after burn effect. Afterburn effect is burning more calories after a workout, generally from a hard resistance workout or a cardio workout where your heart rate stays 60-80% of your MHR for 30 minutes or more. http://scoobysworkshop.com/afterburner-effect-melts-away-fat/

    You say you are eating on average 1400 calories a day but if you are burning 1000 calories a workout, you would be way under your BMR of 1600, just to stay alive, around 600. I also recommend eating back exercise calories, maybe not all, but most as your body needs this to fuel you through your workouts. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    This web site has some very useful tips and tools, I use it every day.
  • 1sisrat
    1sisrat Posts: 267 Member
    I recently read that too much cardio can introduce the stress hormone 'Cortisol' into your system, which can adversly affect your weight loss around your stomach. Puting some weights into the mix can help out. I don't know what your eating habits are like, but, i recenlty finally lostweight after tweeking when I eat and what I eat. example, I don't eat pasta/breads/rice etc after 7 pm. I try to eat a mostly protein and veggie dinner and keep the carb items during the day. i've also started drinking water at regular intervals throughout the day. It has helped. I've noticed less overall swelling of the body. I lost 5 lbs last month, after a 6 month plateau. That was so frustrating. I think I'm at another plateau now, but i'll power through it and tweek as I go. One way wont work the entire time. I now have 9 lbs to lose till my goal.
  • I find that intermediate fasting can be a very effective way to drop the pounds. In additional to cleaning up your diet, "when" you eat is important too. For example if you change your eating schedule to where you eat all of your meals within an 8 hour window, you will lose weight.
    Outside of the 8 hour window, consume nothing else but water. So breakfast, lunch and dinner all have to be eaten which 8 hours. Within 2 weeks, you'll start seeing the weight come off.



    http://quick-fat-loss.info
  • tndejong
    tndejong Posts: 463
    i am no expert. but my moms stats are pretty similar to yours. when she started, she had the same problems as you are describing. i told her to up her protein and within days she had lost 3 pounds and been losing more ever since. im not even going to view your diary and exercise. because of starting off at a lower weight, your most likely going to have to find a more intense workout to target those areas. maybe look into the p90x type workouts or a ab program for specific areas your trying to target. dont buy into the fasting and things like that. you want healthy long term results.
  • Remember, weight loss isn't spot specific but total body. There is absolutely no exercise or weight training that can take fat off in a specific spot or area, only make your whole body lose that fat. Certain areas of the body carry it more and when it comes to the abs or stomach area, this seems to be the last area it comes off at, but you have to train the whole body to get off overall fat.