Tummy Pooch Advice

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Hi everyone! I need some advice, tips, etc...so far I've lost almost 75 lbs (since August 2012) and I have about 25 lbs to go to reach my goal. My one HUGE trouble spot is my "tummy pooch"...what has been successful for others here on MFP in reducing yours? I really am not interested in any kind of tummy tuck surgery but would like to use exercise and diet to make this decrease.

Any tips are welcome...thanks all!

Replies

  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    There is no way to spot reduce any specific body part. You have to have a calorie deficit to lose fat. Fat comes and goes where it wants. You have to be patient and keep eating at a reasonable deficit while getting exercise in.

    Crunches and sit ups do not get rid of the belly. They help tighten the ab muscles (as do other exercises) but if you dont lose the fat over them, the abs will only be hidden under it.

    Get to the gym, strength train, eat your food, and the fat will go away.
  • mghuss
    mghuss Posts: 22 Member
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    I have the same issue after losing 50 lb with 10 more to go.

    I have found that doing LOTS of planks (normal, side, and belly up/hip-raise) have seemed to help tighten that area a bit. I also make sure I keep my belly well moisturized (I have been using a firming lotion by philosophy). You'll mostly have to be patient as you lose weight and wait for the skin to tighten back up.

    Keep doing what you're doing and you'll see it happen. I still have quite a pooch from how big I was before but I can tell it is decreasing quite a bit.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    Hi everyone! I need some advice, tips, etc...so far I've lost almost 75 lbs (since August 2012) and I have about 25 lbs to go to reach my goal. My one HUGE trouble spot is my "tummy pooch"...what has been successful for others here on MFP in reducing yours? I really am not interested in any kind of tummy tuck surgery but would like to use exercise and diet to make this decrease.

    Any tips are welcome...thanks all!

    You might just have to come to terms with the idea that you will always have one. I'm a size two and my stomach is fairly flat but my skin got stretched out from having my kids, and still isn't tight. There's always a little pooch in the front. To be honest, I haven't seen a perfectly flat stomach on many women who had had children unless they were complete fitness bufffs/lifters who are at a very low body fat. Even the tiny celebrities admit to using Spanx to have a flat belly under their clothes.
  • amcozy
    amcozy Posts: 70 Member
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    As a mom, I've accepted that I will likely never have a "perfectly flat" tummy - that being said, I'm focusing on core strength and getting in loads of cardio, combined with a healthy diet. From what I've seen and heard, that seems like the best plan to reduce the flab. I just say to keep your goals realistic and love your body, even if your tummy doesn't ever look like Jennifer Aniston's. ;)
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
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    As it has been said there is no such a thing as spot reducing. Also the part of the problem maybe excess skin, and no exercise will ever corrects excess skin. However time, good hydration, proper skin nourishment may tighten up your skin. I have read that skin can change/tighten up to 2 years after the loss.
    Strength training can generally help with muscle tones, and losing the remaining 25lb you have also will help. How much ? There is no way to know at this point . Skin elasticity is largely genetic and also strongly correlated with age. Since you are over 40, there is a good chance that you always have "some" excess skin.
  • ChelseaGoneAwry
    ChelseaGoneAwry Posts: 53 Member
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    Cardio cardio cardio! Running is one of the best ways to lose fat (or just brisk walking). Try tightening your stomach as you walk. Find ways to engage your ab muscles regardless of what kind of exercise you're doing! But cardio is what will burn your fat. And stomach fat is often the last bit to go, so be patient!
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
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    bump
  • Lld320
    Lld320 Posts: 81
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    I'm in a similar spot. I passed "healthy" BMI about 10lbs ago, but it does not look good yet. I don't know what is going to happen next. I am going to keep trying to reduce body fat percentage and strengthen abdominal muscles by (in order of importance) eating a slight caloric deficit, lifting heavy weights (I've heard dead lift and pull ups are really good), and doing cardio everyday.
    That is really all that I can do besides spending a great deal of money and time to have surgery.
    This and I have been learning to appreciate how far I have come rather than obsessing over what I still have to do. I am a healthy weight for my height and that's all you can really ask for. You have to admit the goal of having 6 pack abs is rather shallow and vain so don't let yourself obsess over it, just do what you can and if it is meant to be it will happen.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Cardio cardio cardio! Running is one of the best ways to lose fat (or just brisk walking). Try tightening your stomach as you walk. Find ways to engage your ab muscles regardless of what kind of exercise you're doing! But cardio is what will burn your fat. And stomach fat is often the last bit to go, so be patient!

    :huh:

    Losing fat comes from having a caloric deficit...how you obtain that doesn't really matter. Most would disagree and say that lifting is what will burn your fat as, in a deficit, you will be maintaining LBM while losing fat.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I'm at 8 lbs from my goal (although I can probably go lower if I really want to), and my stomach is still a disaster... but in my case there's a lot of loose skin too, and stretch marks that form 'pockets', and it's hard to tell what's skin and what's fat.

    So my advice is to keep losing body fat... you might not get the stomach that you want, but it will be closer. And definitely exercise (you can do planks and abs exercises but lifting heavy weights helps just as much).
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    Even if you have too much fat to see the muscles, toning up your stomach will still pull it in some.
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
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    I have a pooch as well. I've got a few pounds left to go. I've accepted my body as what it is. I would rather have the pooch than the scar from a tummy tuck. I'm planning on having another here in the next year. I've done the Jillian Michaels 6 week 6 pack abs level one (free on youtube) & my core feels stronger. I would focus on strengthing your core & stay hydrated. Lose the last few pounds & see where you are from there. That's the only way you'll know where you want to be! Great job on the loss thus far!
  • karibj2010
    karibj2010 Posts: 264 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your tips and comments. I am definitely not thinking unrealistically and expecting a flat tummy...I know that will NEVER happen :smile: after 3 kids and one being a c-section and many years of being over-weight...all I'm hoping for is for it to continue shrinking some more. But I'm definitely not discrediting all the work I've done and the weight I've lost so far...that is HUGE.

    But I will keep working at this, lose the rest that I'm hoping to lose and keep working on toning without having unrealistic expectations.
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    Same for me - three kids with one C-section.
    Thanks everyone for your tips and comments. I am definitely not thinking unrealistically and expecting a flat tummy...I know that will NEVER happen :smile: after 3 kids and one being a c-section and many years of being over-weight...all I'm hoping for is for it to continue shrinking some more. But I'm definitely not discrediting all the work I've done and the weight I've lost so far...that is HUGE.

    But I will keep working at this, lose the rest that I'm hoping to lose and keep working on toning without having unrealistic expectations.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    Most women have a little bit of a pooch, at least. There is no way to target that area specifically... just keep losing weight and it should get smaller. I think lifting weights helps a lot... things that use your core, like squats. I just got back on the bandwagon about 3 weeks ago, started eating a deficit and lifting weights (doing things like squats, bench press, deadlifts, etc.) and I can already see a difference. It really does do wonders for your body. My stomach is a little bit smaller, I feel more attractive. Sometimes I just look at myself in the mirror when I'm changing my clothes. I 100% believe in strength training.
  • jennafer32
    jennafer32 Posts: 40 Member
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    When I started biking (stationary or cycling) daily for over 30 min it went down tremendously especially the bottom part OMG! I also do P90 and the ab rippers are great as well as planking for all over tightness!