My stomach won't go down :(

Hi everyone! I am looking for tips and exercises to make my tummy smaller! I'm not expecting it to suddenly go flat and smooth (would be a miracle I never expect) but just down and smaller. I hate it it sticks out like I'm pregnant!!
I am starting to notice improvements in other areas (except the scale, but I'm telling myself muscle >fat etc) but I am genuinely getting really depressed by my stomach.

I am weighing my food and doing all that jazz, can look at my diary. I log everything, even when it's bad! I just want it to go down :)

I am not good at sit-ups (get a sore back) but try do crunches and the things where you put your legs out and in etc. I'm willing to give anything ago!!! :)

Thank you.

Replies

  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    First off, you cannot spot reduce.

    Do you drink water? If so you are not logging it. Lean meat, good fats, and what not. I see there are a lot of times you are more then 1000 calories below your goal. Are you eating enough? Eating enough is very important.
  • Cut out breads! Tight tummies are made in the kitchen.. eat more protein!
  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
    dont do crunches. workout the whole body instead.
    dont eat way to less.
    eat more protein
    be on deficit 5x/week 100-500 less of your tdee.
  • Rachelc1992
    Rachelc1992 Posts: 246 Member
    First off, you cannot spot reduce.

    Do you drink water? If so you are not logging it. Lean meat, good fats, and what not. I see there are a lot of times you are more then 1000 calories below your goal. Are you eating enough? Eating enough is very important.

    I drink lots of water throughout the day! Way more than 2 litres, but going to click when I have a drink whilst looking after a 4 year old is a bit of a nightmare. I worked out my TDEE minus (with help) to 1500-1600 calories so that's where I aim too. I just add my exercise calories in to system because they make me feel good! I have already upped my calories from 1200, which is where MFP had me. I definitely don't starve myself :)
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    First off, you cannot spot reduce.

    Do you drink water? If so you are not logging it. Lean meat, good fats, and what not. I see there are a lot of times you are more then 1000 calories below your goal. Are you eating enough? Eating enough is very important.

    I drink lots of water throughout the day! Way more than 2 litres, but going to click when I have a drink whilst looking after a 4 year old is a bit of a nightmare. I worked out my TDEE minus (with help) to 1500-1600 calories so that's where I aim too. I just add my exercise calories in to system because they make me feel good! I have already upped my calories from 1200, which is where MFP had me. I definitely don't starve myself :)

    I understand about the toddler, I have a 3 yr old and a 10 yr old, both are very needy lol. I've learned to include my 3 yr old in my workouts, 3 circuit training is what I've done, never stepped foot into a gym. Lean protein as someone else mentioned, cut back on your carbs and up your protein with healthy clean protein.
  • alexandriax03
    alexandriax03 Posts: 289 Member
    Hi everyone! I am looking for tips and exercises to make my tummy smaller! I'm not expecting it to suddenly go flat and smooth (would be a miracle I never expect) but just down and smaller. I hate it it sticks out like I'm pregnant!!
    I am starting to notice improvements in other areas (except the scale, but I'm telling myself muscle >fat etc) but I am genuinely getting really depressed by my stomach.

    I am weighing my food and doing all that jazz, can look at my diary. I log everything, even when it's bad! I just want it to go down :)

    I am not good at sit-ups (get a sore back) but try do crunches and the things where you put your legs out and in etc. I'm willing to give anything ago!!! :)

    Thank you.

    You can't spot reduce.

    Start weight lifting. That will strengthen the muscles in your stomach.

    Drink A LOT of water. Some say green tea helps burn belly fat. Not 100% proven though.

    Cut back carb intake to about 150-175 g per day. Increase protein to about 150 g per day.

    I also noticed there are many days where you are significantly under your calorie goal. Maybe you aren't eating enough?
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    First off, you cannot spot reduce.

    Do you drink water? If so you are not logging it. Lean meat, good fats, and what not. I see there are a lot of times you are more then 1000 calories below your goal. Are you eating enough? Eating enough is very important.
    ^ this
  • serena6010
    serena6010 Posts: 5 Member
    It could just be your body type and where you lose weight. For instance with my body when I gain weight I first see it on my butt and thighs, then stomach. When I lose it it comes off my stomach first then butt and thighs.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Wait. Are you really using TDEE and eating exercise cals back, or did I misunderstand? If that's what you're doing, stop.

    Either do TDEE - x% and don't eat exercise cals back, or do MFP method and do eat exercise cals back.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach
    Here is my how to guide to getting a flat stomach.
  • Chairless
    Chairless Posts: 583 Member
    couple of years ago i started on here at 202 lbs and got down to 147.5

    Can you guess at what point my belly looked the slightest bit different?

    The last 5 lbs.

    My body would rather eat its own foot than give up that belly fat.
  • MissyBrears
    MissyBrears Posts: 41 Member
    Try lowering your carbs and drink more water
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    Wait. Are you really using TDEE and eating exercise cals back, or did I misunderstand? If that's what you're doing, stop.

    Either do TDEE - x% and don't eat exercise cals back, or do MFP method and do eat exercise cals back.

    No, she said she adds them to MFP to make her feel good, she doesn't say she eats them!

    I think we all have somewhere that's slower to get smaller than everywhere else. My hips are my area that I'm slow to lose from, but I did eventually. I found increasing my calories from 1200 to 1500 helped, as well as a variety of exercises, including strength training.
  • timberowl
    timberowl Posts: 331 Member
    I wish you luck--I have the exact same problem--The rest of my body is nearly perfect and toned, but a) I'm still 24 lbs above my goal weight, and b) I'm pretty sure 20 of those are in my gut, which hangs over my belt buckle like a Wild West sherrif.

    the bad part is I've never been pregnant. ><
  • lay off the wheat. my mom is thin but had a a bit of a belly she stopped eating wheat for a month and no more belly.

    and as for sit up, that builds muscle in your abs so it may stick out more.
    I know thats what it did for many woman I know.
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
    bump.. i have the same problem :(
  • lynleeg88
    lynleeg88 Posts: 104 Member
    CLA Tonin (spellcheck?) is said to help with that. Or even just fish oil.

    But as others have said, there is no way to spot reduce.

    Have you tried standing ab exercises? T25 for example, has half of the ab session without being on the ground. And I've heard of other exercises that allow you to never have to actually do sit ups that will strengthen the abs. As you lose weight, the stomach will eventually shrink. Might as well have those ab muscles waiting, lol.

    Also, in the past I got down to 130lbs but still had that belly pooch! On a 5'7" frame, 130 is quite slender. It all came down to toning, eating right, and waiting to gain muscle and lose fat so it could show. I was also told by my doctor that a lot of it was skin, just loose skin because I lost weight so quickly and that give it a few months, yes months, and pampering it with lotion would help.
  • How much pregnant do you look? Because if it is really bad you might want to get in checked out by somebody professional. A hernia could result in a huge stomach as can a lot of other things.

    But personally I would meassure it regularily and then only go if it didn't change after you dropped at least twenty pounds.