why does it take so long to lose the stomach?

CoulsdonEagle
CoulsdonEagle Posts: 66
in Motivation and Support
i went from over 18st down to 13st in a little over 3 years, very happy with that, but i just couldn't seem to lose the belly (still can't) i am on the go all day long, rushing around, lifting and carrying heavy weights etc, but it seems no matter how much i lose, the belly remains, i was told when i got down to 13st that i'd lost too much weight and shouldn't go any lower, i am now at 14st, quite happy with that and feel quite comfortable in myself, i'd like to get to 13st 7lbs, and that'd be fine, but how do you lose the belly? i know i'll never get the six-pack look, but would like to have a flat stomach

help?

Replies

  • camhappybunny
    camhappybunny Posts: 3 Member
    Could very well be bloating and inflammation. It doesn't just happen to women. I don't know what your diet is, but if you eat a lot of carbohydrates, your body will hold onto water for metabolizing them, IIRC. You also might not deal well with gluten or dairy (you can be sensitive to these things without being celiac or lactose intolerant). Try cutting out most carbs for a week/dairy for a week, etc. and using healthy fats and some additional protein to make up for the calories and see what happens. If you have no changes, better luck next time, but at least you'll know if your belly is actually fat or water retention.
  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
    Heavy weight lifting?
  • CoulsdonEagle
    CoulsdonEagle Posts: 66
    i'm a courier, i do about 100 deliveries a day, mostly heavy bulky stuff, i jump out of my van, do the delivery, carrying heavy stuff to where-ever it needs to go, then off to the next one, and same again i don't take a break during the day , i'm doing this for 12-13 hours mon to fri, so a pretty physical day for me
  • Shnarf95
    Shnarf95 Posts: 1
    'i know i'll never get the six-pack look, but would like to have a flat stomach ' - That's not necessarily true. You need to work on core exercises now too. Focusing on core exercises will not only enhance muscle in that area, but will burn the fat within that region. There is nothing to say you wont have the six pack look, you just need to dedicate more time to your core.

    Mega congrats on your weight loss.

    Now go blast your core and show that stomach fat whose boss. :D

    Best of luck.

    (If you want any tips on what exercises to focus on, take a look at Adrian James - 6 Pack Abs Workout... I'm not advertising it, but it has worked for me, i've seen a reduction in stomach fat and strengthening of the core. It won't happen over night, or even weeks, but do this 5 times a week, twice a day, and I guarantee that a month from now you will be seeing more definition and fat reduction.)

    All the best :)
  • Natashaa1991
    Natashaa1991 Posts: 866 Member
    it took me a while!
  • AmandaDawnRN
    AmandaDawnRN Posts: 29 Member
    Zumba!! It is a constant work of your abs so they can't help but tighten.
  • AllergicToExercise
    AllergicToExercise Posts: 436 Member
    If you're not already, look at what you're eating as well as the number of cals. I know for example a lot of salt in the diet can cause water retention, especially in the stomach area.
  • CoulsdonEagle
    CoulsdonEagle Posts: 66
    i don't have salt with my food, i stopped using that ages ago, i'll be perfectly honest, i've never bothered taking much notice of what i eat, i've always been of the opinion - if i like it, i'll eat it, it's only recently i've started taking note of what i'm putting in my mouth, i really need to make more of an effort
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    Could very well be bloating and inflammation. It doesn't just happen to women. I don't know what your diet is, but if you eat a lot of carbohydrates, your body will hold onto water for metabolizing them, IIRC. You also might not deal well with gluten or dairy (you can be sensitive to these things without being celiac or lactose intolerant). Try cutting out most carbs for a week/dairy for a week, etc. and using healthy fats and some additional protein to make up for the calories and see what happens. If you have no changes, better luck next time, but at least you'll know if your belly is actually fat or water retention.

    If all else has failed this could be worth a try. Or go to your doctor and see if you can get tested for gluten sensitivity/celiac.
  • donnamariewilliams
    donnamariewilliams Posts: 44
    Pilates and Zumba. Both are good for the abs and other troublesome parts! :bigsmile::smile:
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
    You're simply not lean enough yet. Men hold their first on/last off weight on their bellies. Also, sucking in your gut is the proper posture and often when we get fat we develop a bad habit of letting our abs sag. Besides looking better, it supports your back which has to help with your job.
  • badmojo108
    badmojo108 Posts: 72
    Focusing on core exercises will not only enhance muscle in that area, but will burn the fat within that region.

    You can't spot reduce. The only way to get a 6 pack is to lose body fat, you can do ab exercises til you are blue in the face, only thing it will get you is bigger/stronger abs. The belly is just where most men are predisposed to storing the last bit of fat. It is usually the first place we put weigh on and the last place it comes off. Just have to keep losing fat and your abs will appear.
  • CoulsdonEagle
    CoulsdonEagle Posts: 66
    trouble is with zumba etc, is that weekdays are a no no due to the hours i work, i start at 06:00 and don't finish until 18:00-19:00, and by that time i'm dead beat, weekends are spent catching up with myself and all the other stuff i don't get to do during the week, joining a gym just for a coupe of hours use at the weekend is just not cost effective for me, i will be getting out and about on my bike once the weather improves
  • CoulsdonEagle
    CoulsdonEagle Posts: 66
    You're simply not lean enough yet. Men hold their first on/last off weight on their bellies.

    trouble is, if i lose too much weight, it doesn't look right on me, and i don't feel at all comfortable, my BMI says my ideal weight for my height/build is 12st, i couldn't get to 12st without looking and feeling terrible
  • tmcoyle
    tmcoyle Posts: 168 Member
    I can hear you about long days, but you need focus on scheduling time to exercise. That is the bottom line. I thought my days were too long too, I have a 1 hour communute one way (so a 2 hour commute time) work an 8 hour day, come home work horses for 4+ hours (I train horses and give lessons), then go in have supper and off to bed. I do this 5 times a week, plus all weekend I spend all my time in the horse barn training horses and giving lessons. I couldn't do this schedule if I didn't exercise. It gives me enough energy to get through the day. You should also look at what you eat and eat more protein. You can join the group on MFP called Insanity that Shawn Muth hosts and he will give you GREAT tips on diet and exercise and also provide you with a free coach.
  • tmcoyle
    tmcoyle Posts: 168 Member
    The group is called "Getting Results with Insanity"
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
    You're simply not lean enough yet. Men hold their first on/last off weight on their bellies.

    trouble is, if i lose too much weight, it doesn't look right on me, and i don't feel at all comfortable, my BMI says my ideal weight for my height/build is 12st, i couldn't get to 12st without looking and feeling terrible

    It's hard to lose you're identity with being large. It's a difficult thing for me. The truth is we've had our barometer for what is healthy bent. Anyone you see with flat abs is lighter than you'd guess and often they would admit. I enjoyed being large and it was/is a big part of my identity but I've chosen to be thin and fit. How I look and feel about myself has to follow my health. It is a common issue for men.
  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
    Coulsdon? As in Coulsdon, Surrey?


    Check out the new Leisure Centre on Fiveways. No membership necessary, PAYG if you like. Open quite late.


    There'll be something you can do there.
  • CoulsdonEagle
    CoulsdonEagle Posts: 66
    i know the one, Waddon Leisure Centre and Fusion, funnily enough, they're one of the places i deliver to during my work day, i haven't had a chance to have a look around there yet tho', have you been yourself?
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    Try mixing up your fitness. Having an active job is really the best... when I had an active job, I burned 3000 cals a day, and I looked like a fitness model without trying. However, if that's not cutting it, try throwing in some other kind of training - interval training is supposed to be a great way to jumpstart body recompositioning, and it's a minimal time commitment.

    Also, focus on contracting you abs (not sucking in your stomach, but pushing your abs back flat into your spine) when you are lifting boxes throughout the day.
  • Fredrigo
    Fredrigo Posts: 134 Member
    Unfortunately where our bodies store fat is not one size fits all some people store it in their belly first others spread the fat over their bodies and the belly is the last place to get large.

    Just keep in mind first on is last off. If you've always had a "belly" then it'll be the last place to give up it's fat.

    Exercises that target an area will build the muscle which will often give the illusion of burning fat in that area but our skin (and the fat in it) is a single organ and how it stores fat is based on genetics and biochemistry not environmental activities.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You're simply not lean enough yet. Men hold their first on/last off weight on their bellies.

    trouble is, if i lose too much weight, it doesn't look right on me, and i don't feel at all comfortable, my BMI says my ideal weight for my height/build is 12st, i couldn't get to 12st without looking and feeling terrible

    I'm kind of in the same boat...it's either have a little fat on me or I need to bulk on muscle. If I'm just at 165 Lbs without a lot of muscle, I look horrible even though from a body fat % standpoint, it's right where I should be for a nice flat stomach and showing abs. I've just never added enough muscle elsewhere to look good at that weight and BF%...I just look lean and toned, but very slender. My guess is that I'll get down to right around 170 - 175 (my happy place) and be 17% - 19% BF, but still have a slight belly. The only time mine has ever been flat with abs was around 160-165 and about 12%-15% BF. I think to really look good at 12-15% BF, I'd have to bulk on some muscle to be around 170-175Lbs and I'm not sure that I have that kind of dedication to the weight room.
  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
    i know the one, Waddon Leisure Centre and Fusion, funnily enough, they're one of the places i deliver to during my work day, i haven't had a chance to have a look around there yet tho', have you been yourself?


    Went there a couple of days ago. I'm probably joining this week, as the only things they seem to lack compared to the Croydon private gyms are the sauna and steam/beauty therapy rooms. And they aren't worth another twenty quid on top of fees per month.

    The weights machines aren't huge in number, but they're all brand new, they've got Concept rowers, the pool area looks very good - and the price isn't bad, even if you do choose to pay for membership (which still isn't contracted, unlike the private places, so you can decide to stop at any time and revert to PAYG if you aren't using it much).
  • AmandaDawnRN
    AmandaDawnRN Posts: 29 Member
    I use Zumba DVDs. I dropped the gym membership long ago as I was only going for Zumba. There are shorter video on you tube also. The DVD sets aren't cheap but I look at it as buying a few months of a gym membership.

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