belly fat & love handles - help!

xprplstardust
xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone! I've been working out for a few months now & have not really seen a lot of improvement on my belly fat or love handles. I have a belly that jiggles & I want to get rid of my love handles or at the very least, shrink them somewhat, but I don't need to lose weight anywhere else so I think that may be my problem. No matter how hard I work, it doesn't seem to be melting away as I had hoped. I've been doing a mix of Jillian Michaels DVD's that mix cardio, strength training, & resistance training, plus using my elliptical. I try to eat really clean with the occasional splurges here & there so I dont deprive myself. I'm gaining muscle in my arms & legs which is really nice but my belly has pudge on it that won't budge. Am I eating enough? Not enough? Different exercises maybe? I don't know what I should do. What are some things that you have done to get rid of your belly pudge, love handles, etc. Any advice is much appreciated, I am desparate to get rid of my belly pudge & have some abs show through before swim suit season!

Replies

  • chymerra
    chymerra Posts: 212
    belly is the LAST and hardest to lose! i have a flat stomach now but i still have a just a tiny bit of pooch left and it's been over a year since i started my journey.

    continue with what you're doing and the key to a flat tummy is a very clean diet... i'm not joking - you have to be really strict with what you eat if you want to totally eliminate that area. eat your cals but be very diligent with your clean eating. up your cardio and do HIIT programs with interval weight training.
  • SydneyRenee2
    SydneyRenee2 Posts: 49 Member
    Everyone is always saying that belly fat is the last and hardest thing to go but I've lost over 6" in my waist & hips since I started working out. I've lost 31 pounds so far and have about 30 more to go. The workout program I do is the best! Works your butt off and it's fun. Never gets boring!

    Your nutrition is 80% of it! You have to have that down and eat clean. I've had a lot of success drinking my health shake for dinner & adding a scoop of protein powder.

    I'm not too crazy about eating a lot of animal protein in one sitting so I try to choose other foods that have protein in them as well. You can take a look at my food dairy to maybe get some ideas if you'd like. I'd love to help you further if you need it, just message me with any questions.
  • Pearlyladybug
    Pearlyladybug Posts: 882 Member
    Im having the same problem, Im almost at my goal weight iv lost inches and bra sizes i have been this light since i was in high school. I have never been one to have a flat tummy but i want it so bad! i thought after loosing 10kgs i would look better but to me i just look the same :( Im thinking i need to go a little more than i thought.

    I'm pretty good with clean eating but Im going to try be super serious on it!
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
    ^ thank you! It's so frustrating. I want a flat stomach like yours chymrra. I try to stick to foods with the least amount of ingredients in them & I love fruit & veggies so that is no problem there.
  • LovinDaNewLiz14
    LovinDaNewLiz14 Posts: 217 Member
    takes a long time to loose, and the last to go....what seems to work for me is cardio like running
    Instanty and jillian Micheal's 30 day shred
  • piinchi
    piinchi Posts: 172 Member
    It really is one of the hardest spots to lose, and your genetics and where your body fat collects naturally will mean it may be harder to see definition in a specific area. You sound like you're doing a lot of work so I'd say just keep it up! I do know that alcohol and high-sodium foods can cause an increase in belly softness, both from fat in the extra calories and water retention. Simple sugars/carbs also increase that puffiness/fattiness.

    I know when I stop drinking alcohol for a few weeks I immediately see a reduction in my waistline (and vice versa, haha). Even if that's the one thing I cut back on, it makes a huge difference.
  • piinchi
    piinchi Posts: 172 Member
    ^ thank you! It's so frustrating. I want a flat stomach like yours chymrra. I try to stick to foods with the least amount of ingredients in them & I love fruit & veggies so that is no problem there.

    This is the best way to go! You're doing everything right, it just may take a while so don't give up. Your body is going to fight you on this so keep fighting back! :explode:
  • collingmommy
    collingmommy Posts: 456 Member
    I've always been told the first place you gain is the last place you loose. I'm one of the freaks of fitness, see, I've got the gut and horrible legs. Lol. My *kitten* and hips are pretty yucky. Lol.. I tend to lose on my stomache first, and legs and *kitten* last. I'm the same way with tanning.. Most ppl can't get their legs to tan and the stomache gets dark. Not me i tan legs first and evenly and stomach has to take its time.. Lol.. Physically, everyones body is diffrent . Just keep on keeping on.
  • SydneyRenee2
    SydneyRenee2 Posts: 49 Member
    If you eat whole/slow foods mostly then it sounds like it's your workout that you need to change. The right workout makes all the difference. And you've got to push yourself harder with every workout. Try to do better each time. Maybe you need to up your weights in the program you're doing. That always helps me to get better results. What weight are you using now & how many reps?
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
    ^ thank you! It's so frustrating. I want a flat stomach like yours chymrra. I try to stick to foods with the least amount of ingredients in them & I love fruit & veggies so that is no problem there.

    This is the best way to go! You're doing everything right, it just may take a while so don't give up. Your body is going to fight you on this so keep fighting back! :explode:

    ^ thank you piinchi!! I will keep doing what I am doing.
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
    takes a long time to loose, and the last to go....what seems to work for me is cardio like running
    Instanty and jillian Micheal's 30 day shred

    I've been alternating between JM 30 Day Shred & her Extreme Shed & Shred videos. I love her. I do see improvement in my endurance & strength & I can feel my core getting stronger but my belly pudge won't budge. I won't give up tho.
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
    If you eat whole/slow foods mostly then it sounds like it's your workout that you need to change. The right workout makes all the difference. And you've got to push yourself harder with every workout. Try to do better each time. Maybe you need to up your weights in the program you're doing. That always helps me to get better results. What weight are you using now & how many reps?

    ^ I do JM 30 Day Shred & JM Extreme Shed & Shred & I use 5 pound weights, up from 3 pounds. Don't laugh, but it was really hard at first as I had never lifted any kind of weights before. I see my strength improving each time I work out & the 5 pound weights are getting easier. I have 8 pounds that I will be starting on soon.
  • SydneyRenee2
    SydneyRenee2 Posts: 49 Member
    That's great! Push yourself but don't hurt yourself lol. If you can't do atleast 12-15 reps with the heavier weight then wait to switch till you can. You always want higher reps to tone. Good luck! :)
  • RedZinfandel
    RedZinfandel Posts: 10 Member
    Hi!

    Guess we all have the same issue. I've hit a plateau and can't seem to shake it. It's been months. I have lost 30 lbs from my starting weight so far then i joined MFP an lost another 8 or so. I would really like to lose another 8 lbs and tone, well flatten actually my mid section but no matter what i do NOTHING seems to be working. I workout 6 days a week with Cardio for 30 mins daily an interval +strength on alternate days. What gives ? :-/
  • piinchi
    piinchi Posts: 172 Member
    You know what else - you probably have lost more than you think you have. Gradual weight and size loss can be so slow that its hard to really be aware of how much you've actually accomplished. Take pictures, maybe once a week or once every two weeks, and when you're feeling like you're not progressing enough go back and look at your pics from weeks prior. It will show you that indeed, you're getting there!
  • _Lori_Lynn_
    _Lori_Lynn_ Posts: 460
    Bump
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
    Hi!

    Guess we all have the same issue. I've hit a plateau and can't seem to shake it. It's been months. I have lost 30 lbs from my starting weight so far then i joined MFP an lost another 8 or so. I would really like to lose another 8 lbs and tone, well flatten actually my mid section but no matter what i do NOTHING seems to be working. I workout 6 days a week with Cardio for 30 mins daily an interval +strength on alternate days. What gives ? :-/

    ^ That is what I'm trying to do, tone & flatten my mid section but it's a slow & frustrating process. I see very little improvement. I workout a minimum of 4 days a week, but most weeks, I am able to squeeze 5 in, sometimes 6. Lots of cardio, strength & resistance training, plus when the weather gets warmer, I am going to do my 4 mile daily walks again (weather permitting). I don't know what gives. I was hoping to be further along, but I still have until at least June when I start living in my bathing suit. There is still time! And good for you for losing 30 pounds & counting!
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
    You know what else - you probably have lost more than you think you have. Gradual weight and size loss can be so slow that its hard to really be aware of how much you've actually accomplished. Take pictures, maybe once a week or once every two weeks, and when you're feeling like you're not progressing enough go back and look at your pics from weeks prior. It will show you that indeed, you're getting there!

    ^ Thank you. I will def do that!
  • RedZinfandel
    RedZinfandel Posts: 10 Member
    You know what else - you probably have lost more than you think you have. Gradual weight and size loss can be so slow that its hard to really be aware of how much you've actually accomplished. Take pictures, maybe once a week or once every two weeks, and when you're feeling like you're not progressing enough go back and look at your pics from weeks prior. It will show you that indeed, you're getting there!

    Thanks- That sounds like a good idea. I'll give that a try.

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