I know you can not spot reduce... BUT...

perfect_storm
perfect_storm Posts: 326 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am at my goal weight and if I lose any more I will look sickly. However I now have a little upper hip back fat and a little lower belly pooch. I do not know what to do for these areas. There has to be some exercises I can do to help them along. Any Ideas?
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Replies

  • hottamolly00
    hottamolly00 Posts: 334 Member
    This sounds like loose skin that just needs some time to bounce back. Give it time, but if you can't wait, check with your local day spa about skin tightening treatments.
  • nornyb
    nornyb Posts: 224 Member
    Do you work out?
  • Kalee34
    Kalee34 Posts: 674 Member
    I am the exact same way. I know that my pooch is extra skin after having 5 kids. But the upper hip/lower back fat I don't know what to do about it either. I would love some advice as well.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    what kind of work outs do you do?
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    sounds like that is the last bit of stubborn fat. (not typical places for women).

    Probably not overly helpful but the options are to:
    A: live with it
    B: lose more BF and "hope" that it will come from these places
    C: try to add some muscle mass in these areas and then diet back down.

    Exercise choices would be good mornings, hyper extensions, planks, ab wheel rollouts.

    Hope that helps somehow?
  • greenmeena
    greenmeena Posts: 118 Member
    Lift heavy!!

    I've seen the most phenomenal body changes by weight lifting.
    Check out New Lifting Rules for Women, you'll love it.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Uugh I have that little bit of side/lower back/hip fat too and it drives me insane! (it's not loose skin, I was never overweight and only lost a few pounds). I have no advice, just saying I feel your pain. I'm going the "lift heavy"route. From what I've seen, that's my best bet.
  • JenNuma
    JenNuma Posts: 52 Member
    Lift heavy!!

    I've seen the most phenomenal body changes by weight lifting.
    Check out New Lifting Rules for Women, you'll love it.
  • JenNuma
    JenNuma Posts: 52 Member
    I've just started doing some weight work. How long did it take before you started noticing a difference? And how heavy is heavy?
  • mtnstar
    mtnstar Posts: 125 Member
    I could have written your post. I'm 5'8" and 125 and really don't think I should lose any more weight. I'm 9 months postpartum from 3rd baby, and the muffin top is a lot better than it was a couple months ago, but I've still got a ways to go. I've been doing an hour of Jillian Michaels 6 days a week, plus hiking twice a week, plus every night crunches, planks, and squats with my stretching. I think it just takes time and those are the stubborn spots!
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    You cannot spot reduce. Start a weightlifting regimen to change your body composition.
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    sounds like that is the last bit of stubborn fat. (not typical places for women).

    Probably not overly helpful but the options are to:
    A: live with it
    B: lose more BF and "hope" that it will come from these places
    C: try to add some muscle mass in these areas and then diet back down.

    Exercise choices would be good mornings, hyper extensions, planks, ab wheel rollouts.

    Hope that helps somehow?

    I just started good mornings today... Possibly my new favorite exercise. Glad I made the right choice because those are my problem areas too! (Was already doing the other exercises)
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    there comes a point where you just have to be happy with what your body looks like. You can tone, but there's only so much you can do - I heard Jillian Michael's once say not matter how hard she works, her butt still looks like *kitten*. So we all have our 'bad spots'. You are probably the only one that knows about it!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I've just started doing some weight work. How long did it take before you started noticing a difference? And how heavy is heavy?

    four to six weeks..

    and heavy is whatever is heavy for you i would say any weight that you struggle to get six reps up is heavy ...build from there...when you can do three to four sets at 7 reps easy ..add more weight and repeat..keep doing that and your "heavy" will get heavier...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I could have written your post. I'm 5'8" and 125 and really don't think I should lose any more weight. I'm 9 months postpartum from 3rd baby, and the muffin top is a lot better than it was a couple months ago, but I've still got a ways to go. I've been doing an hour of Jillian Michaels 6 days a week, plus hiking twice a week, plus every night crunches, planks, and squats with my stretching. I think it just takes time and those are the stubborn spots!

    change to compound lifts...
  • metacognition
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
    Yes, you can stay the same weight and lift heavy weights, and enough calories to maintain your weight. That will reduce your body fat percentage and increase your lean muscle mass, making you look smaller while remaining at the same weight.
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
    lift heavy weights - stronglifts 5x5 at 80% of your one rep max (google stronglifts 5x5) and plenty of protein
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
    Start lifting. Work on good form for your lifts at low weights for a while if you have never lifted. If your form is good then jack up the weight to the heaviest that you feel comfortable with. You will be amazed at what your body will look like with good muscle structure--even with some loose skin.
  • ashlbubba
    ashlbubba Posts: 224 Member
    For you Mom's out there working on your tummies... if you haven't checked your ab muscles for separation you may want to do that before you start doing crunches (and making things worse) ... they say you can start any time but it's best to do the exercises ASAP..

    Here's the best link I could find in a hurry (you can skip to 2 minutes into the video):
    http://www.pregnancy-info.net/separated_muscles.html
  • Colliex3
    Colliex3 Posts: 328 Member
    There was en exercise on the Jillian Michaels 30DS that was "said" to work the pooch area of the stomach. You put your legs in the air straight and rolled your butt off the ground and held it for a second and went back to the starting position and repeated... Im not 100% if that was how it totally went but it did help me.... Just my two cents
  • KimLee76
    KimLee76 Posts: 89
    There was en exercise on the Jillian Michaels 30DS that was "said" to work the pooch area of the stomach. You put your legs in the air straight and rolled your butt off the ground and held it for a second and went back to the starting position and repeated... Im not 100% if that was how it totally went but it did help me.... Just my two cents

    I'm not familiar with the quote but I do thank you for reminding me of this exercise.

    When I had a personal trainer years ago, I think it was called the reverse crunch. Believe me, if you have any weakness in muscles in that lower ab area, you will know lol. Even though "spot reducing" does not really exist, I must say this worked. You know just about everything looks better if you sculpt a bit of muscle under it.
  • mtnstar
    mtnstar Posts: 125 Member
    I could have written your post. I'm 5'8" and 125 and really don't think I should lose any more weight. I'm 9 months postpartum from 3rd baby, and the muffin top is a lot better than it was a couple months ago, but I've still got a ways to go. I've been doing an hour of Jillian Michaels 6 days a week, plus hiking twice a week, plus every night crunches, planks, and squats with my stretching. I think it just takes time and those are the stubborn spots!

    change to compound lifts...

    I know this would definitely help! Gym membership has been on my mind lately- just a few minor details to work out- like how to afford it and find more time :laugh:
  • astrovivi
    astrovivi Posts: 183 Member
    give some kettlebell swings a go but get someone to teach you proper technique if you don't already have experience with them.

    They are amazing.

    Also hip thrusts and glute bridges (weighted).

    good luck! give it time ... well done on your progress!
  • grandevampire
    grandevampire Posts: 242
    Any kind of resistance training that builds muscle will help, really. I don't doubt that lifting heavy with a barbell is very very efficient, but if you don't have access to a gym or equipment, bodyweight exercises like full proper push ups, planks, pull-ups (if you can install a bar), squats, and a cheap resistance band can do a lot if you've never done them before. Heck, I still can't even do a single unassisted pull-up, so I haven't exhausted the maximum resistance available to me in the pull department.

    I've done 7 weeks of P90X now without a single store-bought weight (some 2L milk jugs filled with water for the tri exercises, resistance band and pull up bar for the rest), and although I haven't lost any scale weight, no more muffin top at 5'8"/132lb.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    Compound lifts, HIIT style. Give it a few weeks.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    liposuction-procedure.jpg
  • GlittergirlTrudi
    GlittergirlTrudi Posts: 3
    Hey hunni, for the lower belly fat, do u mean the bit under ur belly button to ur bikini line?

    If u do then my trainor has been getting me to do this exercise cos I have an operation scar there that needs working to lose my bulge.

    Lay on the floor flat, lay ur arms out naturally on the floor next to u.

    put ur knees up, feet flat on the floor

    slowly extend ur right leg out all the way making sure u are keeping low, literally scraping the floor with ur heel the whole way.

    Repeat for the left leg

    10 times each side.

    Then put ur knees and feet together and do the same movement on both legs at once for 10 reps.

    I've been doing this for 2 weeks and I absolutely can feel those muscles working

    hope this helps :)
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    liposuction-procedure.jpg

    If money was no object, I would SO do this.....
  • KimLee76
    KimLee76 Posts: 89
    Hey hunni, for the lower belly fat, do u mean the bit under ur belly button to ur bikini line?

    If u do then my trainor has been getting me to do this exercise cos I have an operation scar there that needs working to lose my bulge.

    Lay on the floor flat, lay ur arms out naturally on the floor next to u.

    put ur knees up, feet flat on the floor

    slowly extend ur right leg out all the way making sure u are keeping low, literally scraping the floor with ur heel the whole way.

    Repeat for the left leg

    10 times each side.

    Then put ur knees and feet together and do the same movement on both legs at once for 10 reps.

    I've been doing this for 2 weeks and I absolutely can feel those muscles working

    hope this helps :)

    Glitter, I know you said keep your heels close to the floor when you extend, but what is the foot position? Do you flext yoru fit and point your toes or keep your foot at right angles to you legs with the toes pointing at the ceiling?
  • perfect_storm
    perfect_storm Posts: 326 Member
    Yes I do exercise I walk and I do the Brazil Butt Lift which works the hip and ab area pretty well, just not for me I guess. Thanks for the advise it seems I need to start lifting although I did P90X and I still had the same problems at completion.

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