i know they say stomach fat is last to go but come on!

Sid1988
Sid1988 Posts: 170 Member
25 year old Female
5'6
SW: 157
CW: 134
GW: 124
Daily calories 1400
x4 exercise classes per week; body pump, spinning, kettlebell and body step (plus 30 day shred dvd done at home)

My stomach fat will not budge, i know they say it's patience and usually the last to go but i'm getting really fed up and worried that i'm going to have it forever (my dad has a large belly too)

my top half from my boobs upwards is great, i have the nice new lovely slim and toned arms, i can see my colar bone and shoulders and i like what i see there, my face is nice and slim, the bottom part of my legs are nice but my inner thigh is still quite flabby and my behind needs a little bit more work but my belly!!

I've never had a flat tummy, since i can remember when i was young i have always hidden it away because of the rolls of fat and the size of it and the podge is still there.

From the back i look slim and in good shape, from the front, i look pregnant.

Did i just need to carry on doing what i am doing and it will eventually come off or will i always be stuck with this? it's because i've never known for it be flat i'm scared it never will be and quite frankly, i do not have the money for surgery!
«134

Replies

  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    It'll happen eventually. Just keep going as you're going.
  • adairbrum
    adairbrum Posts: 68
    Talk to a pro at a gym and another one go to different gyms let see your problem maby you need a ruotine switch , it can be done and yes it takes some time so talk to the pros most gym will give a free day and talk
  • I'd say carry on with what you're doing, although you might want to try out the Flat Belly Diet (by Liz Vaccariello). It's super easy to follow and really works.
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    Lifting is supposed to help reduce stubborn body fat. You can't target where you want to lose it from though so full body stuff will get you there eventually if you stay eating at a deficit.
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
    are you certain it's all fat? mobile, wobbly, just under the skin?

    sometimes a distended abdomen is a symptom of a health issue.
  • Sid1988
    Sid1988 Posts: 170 Member
    are you certain it's all fat? mobile, wobbly, just under the skin?

    sometimes a distended abdomen is a symptom of a health issue.

    I don't have any pains or crampings assosiciated with it, it's just a large fat and flabby tummy that has always been there.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    Strength/weightlifting is great..my tummy fat is the last to go and it's going, slowly, but it's going. I've been doing Nerd Fitness beginner strength workout for only a short time, about a month and I can see the wobbly bit of my tummy disappearing.
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
    are you certain it's all fat? mobile, wobbly, just under the skin?

    sometimes a distended abdomen is a symptom of a health issue.

    I don't have any pains or crampings assosiciated with it, it's just a large fat and flabby tummy that has always been there.
    glad to hear it's just fat.

    though pain/cramp isn't a cert with inflamed organs, tumours & all that other fun stuff.
  • juleszephyr
    juleszephyr Posts: 442 Member
    You may just have to accept you are 'pear' shaped and work as hard as you can to tone and sculp but you won't and can't change your genetic body shape... The more weight you drop you may still find it comes off your upper torso and shoulders but not where you want it too.

    You can achieve a lot through diet and exercise but you can't change your genes!!!
  • sweetchildomine
    sweetchildomine Posts: 872 Member
    I wish I knew the answer because I have the same problem. It's so embarassing to me because I've got athletic looking arms and legs...but I still have a gut. It looks so weird. I worked my butt off to lose all this weight and I STILL can't wear a bikini. It makes me really upset but I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and hope that it will all come together eventually.
  • AshatanViz
    AshatanViz Posts: 34 Member
    You sound like my twin. I'm going to friend-request you. I am in a very similar boat.

    I'm 5'8", about 132lbs; my goal is 125-ish. I'm 20 years old. Everything is nice and toned and slim except my midsection. Also, our exercise classes are so similar! This week I did Body Pump, Yoga, Spinning, a day of cardio on the elliptical, and some (slightly less intense) run-walking.

    I've always been shaped this way too. It gets better/worse depending on how in-shape I am. I feel like the only times I really see that weight come off are when I restrict my calories so much that I'm hungry a lot of the time. This happened inadvertently when I toured Spain at the beginning of this semester--I was walking around a LOT and eating at strange hours (early in the morning breakfast, small lunch at 3, NO snacks, small dinner at 10pm.) That's just how the program was set up and I didn't control my own food intake very much. I almost completely lost my tummy and it was awesome, as uncomfortable as I was being hungry all the time. Now I eat more reasonably, and I'm back at my body's "comfortable" weight.

    I've recently starting strength training more (body pump classes and dumbbells on my own), so hopefully that will help a bit.
  • Sheila_Ann
    Sheila_Ann Posts: 365 Member
    Try clean eating. My body fat is currently at 20.98. I had it cked this month and in three months it did not change, BUT my suprailiac (stomach) went down from 14 to 11. I was bummed that my bf had stayed the same but my trainer pointed out that I had a huge improvement cuz my fat in my belly is going down. She said it's from my diet change. I've gone gluten and dairy free around February of this year. You may want to try it. I've always heard ppl say that abs are in made in the kitchen.

    Best of luck and don't give up!!!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Lifting is supposed to help reduce stubborn body fat. You can't target where you want to lose it from though so full body stuff will get you there eventually if you stay eating at a deficit.

    Lifting doesn't actually help burn stubborn fat, what is does is inhibit the ability to maintain lean body mass. And the more lean body mass, the tighter your body will be.

    OP, you have to give it time. I would suggest that you probably should up your calories since your workout routines are fairly tough. Based on you stats, you shoudl probably be eating around 1700-1900 calories total a daily. When you eat too little, your body will burn fat and muscle (especially as you have less fat to lose). Supplying your body with enough fuel will prevent muscle loss, which means you will get 100% fat loss.

    The the key is patience. You can't make fat loss speed up but you can slow it down.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    are you doing compound lifts - deadlifts, squats, benchpress, chin up/pull up, over head press, etc - ? If not then you learn them and should start to incorporate them into your routine, as they will help work your core and help to develop your abs. Really, the only way to lose stomach fat is to lose body fat and even then it will not come off from where you want, no matter what. I am about 13% body fat and I still have a small layer on my lower stomach that stubbornly will not go away ...

    Just keep eating in a deficit and thing about adding compound/heavy lifts to your routine and you will get there...

    I only do actual "ab work" about 20 minutes a week...two ten minute sessions...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I'd say carry on with what you're doing, although you might want to try out the Flat Belly Diet (by Liz Vaccariello). It's super easy to follow and really works.

    no such thing as a "flat belly diet" that will target the stomach area....

    But hey if you want to do this, then I would recommend the "the unicorn and fairy diet"
  • ji225
    ji225 Posts: 89 Member
    How come only 1400 cals per day?? surely thats like your BMR??
    Coupled with te movement and exercise you are doing. I'd guess you are undereating, hence your body will not let the fat go.???

    Jenny
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    I 'feel' really toned and I did 30 Day Shred and lost over 14" and just finished up 30 Days of Extreme Shed and Shred (don't think I lost any inches or any lbs) but when I measure my waist, it's still really 'squishy'. C'mon. 60 days of Jillian and still feeling squishy!? WTH?

    ETA: According to my Boflex scale I have 19.2% body fat
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
    This is my problem area as well. Always has been- I have always tried to hide it, even when I was at a healthy weight and 20 years old! LOL My arms, legs, and butt are smallish, then there's this round thing....ugh. I am really hoping it goes, even if it's the last thing. I'm planning on doing the 30 DS this summer, so maybe....:)
  • dimsumkitty
    dimsumkitty Posts: 120 Member
    I get the pregnant belly look as well, and two things really help, apart from losing fat:

    1. Posture. I now try to always stand with my abs and glutes tensed and my spine straight, and my belly sticks out a lot less!
    2. Bloating. If I eat too much sodium, don't chew my food properly, drink too little water, or mess with my gut in any way, it goes straight to my waistline and I blow up like a balloon! I don't even get any discomfort from it, it just stretches out my belly. A good day for digestion vs a bad day can be as much as 2 inches difference in my gut. So it might help if you check if anything you're eating is bloating you up?
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    I'd say carry on with what you're doing, although you might want to try out the Flat Belly Diet (by Liz Vaccariello). It's super easy to follow and really works.

    no such thing as a "flat belly diet" that will target the stomach area....

    But hey if you want to do this, then I would recommend the "the unicorn and fairy diet"

    the unicorn and fairy diet is fantastic!
  • mcibty
    mcibty Posts: 1,252 Member
    I'm having exactly the same frustration right now. Loving the changes to 90% of my body, but the reason I started this weight loss/lifestyle change was to ditch the pooch. I tell myself, and others, that the belly is the last and most stubborn part to go, but you've just got to keep going!

    Good luck!!
  • FitMrsR
    FitMrsR Posts: 226 Member
    25 year old Female
    5'6
    SW: 157
    CW: 134
    GW: 124
    Daily calories 1400
    x4 exercise classes per week; body pump, spinning, kettlebell and body step (plus 30 day shred dvd done at home)

    My stomach fat will not budge, i know they say it's patience and usually the last to go but i'm getting really fed up and worried that i'm going to have it forever (my dad has a large belly too)

    my top half from my boobs upwards is great, i have the nice new lovely slim and toned arms, i can see my colar bone and shoulders and i like what i see there, my face is nice and slim, the bottom part of my legs are nice but my inner thigh is still quite flabby and my behind needs a little bit more work but my belly!!

    I've never had a flat tummy, since i can remember when i was young i have always hidden it away because of the rolls of fat and the size of it and the podge is still there.

    From the back i look slim and in good shape, from the front, i look pregnant.

    Did i just need to carry on doing what i am doing and it will eventually come off or will i always be stuck with this? it's because i've never known for it be flat i'm scared it never will be and quite frankly, i do not have the money for surgery!

    Same with me! I always had to suck in my tummy despite being 5'6" and around 145lbs. I had to get down to 112lbs before my stomach was truly flat but if I ate anything it pooched out and I looked preggers. So frustrating! I think it would have helped it if I didn't stop doing core work and lifting (i started doing cardio exclusively) because I had quite nice abs before that point, although you could only see them when I was sucking in. I ate clean and everything. But like I said, I think developing the muscles will help because they help pull your gut in. GL!
  • ds1007
    ds1007 Posts: 67 Member
    I've cut back my carbs and the first thing to go is my stomach - I'll take it because it's seemed like I was loosing weight from the weirdest places...my feet, my wrist, my ankles! I carry weight in my thighs, butt, & stomach.

    Try low carb for a week or 2....might make all the difference in the world. I'm loving my results so far, and it's only Day 5 - down 6 pounds, noticeably from my stomach.
  • natmadc
    natmadc Posts: 116 Member
    I guess its different for everybody, I generally lose in my stomach area first and my butt and thighs are the last to go. Im having that issue right now. Everything fits loose in the waist and still tight around the thigh area.
  • pwittek10
    pwittek10 Posts: 723 Member
    I Agree low carbs is the way to go.
    BUT
  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
    I have been working with a trainer for a while now and the one thing that he has stated is to lower the carbs in my diet and that losing this last bit of body fat will get me the stomach that I want. I have found that the stomach and thighs are the last areas to budge though. Good luck with this.
  • MzTanya77
    MzTanya77 Posts: 79 Member
    are you certain it's all fat? mobile, wobbly, just under the skin?

    sometimes a distended abdomen is a symptom of a health issue.


    ^^^This! I had this same problem. I used to do lots of core work, eating clean, etc. and it seemed like my belly would not go anywhere no matter how hard I tried. I always had a pudgy belly too, but for some reason it would not go down. Turns out, I had fluid in my belly and the fluid distended my stomach which is why no ab/core workouts or diet would help. I didn't have belly pain or anything either, just this fluid that eventually turned out to be endometriosis.
  • cftodd
    cftodd Posts: 2
    If you have ruled out medical reasons then I suggest doing a cleanse. That is what started getting my belly to shrink. I did the master cleanse for 10 days. Very hard to complete (day 1-3 are the worst) but worth it.
  • CassandraChloeJ
    CassandraChloeJ Posts: 47 Member
    Bump.
  • missymakayla
    missymakayla Posts: 309 Member
    I'm havimg same issue. I have lost 47 lbs so far, and I can tell it everywhere, but my stomach not so much. I know it will come,but when??