Losing weight but still have tummy fat and bloating

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hannahlouisefranklin
hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone! Since I really committed to losing weight I've managed to lose about 12lbs so far, so I'm currently 5"7 and 8st 12lbs. My main goal when I started was to lose tummy fat as I'm slim everywhere else apart from there, all my fat goes there and I end up looking almost pregnant because of it! My tummy has definitely decreased a little since I've lost some weight but it's still very noticeably and stubbornly there despite all that.

I was just wondering what to do next? It's a bit confusing as some people say just keep on with cardio and it'll disappear eventually and others say to stop doing so much cardio and focus instead on weights or strengthening and things like that. I currently run/jog about three times a week and I'm doing the 30 day shred a few times as well sometimes. I find that I can get really bloated after eating as well, especially my lower stomach/below the belly button area but I can't seem to pinpoint what causes that. I can wake up with a normal size stomach and end up going to bed looking almost pregnant! Is there anything I should try and cut down on, carbs maybe?

Has anyone got any tips for me? Should I just keep on with cardio and fat loss and hope it disappears in the end? Any ideas as to what I can do about relentless bloating?

Thank you!

Replies

  • smudgekat
    smudgekat Posts: 45
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    You need to tone up, im not an expert but it sounds like just your abs need work as you look stunning!
  • hannahlouisefranklin
    hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
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    Thank you! Well, I'm trying to do pilates exercises that focus on the abs, as well as trying to do the six week six pack workout by Jillian Michaels. Do you think if I combine some more of these sorts of exercises with cardio then eventually it'll get better? Will strengthening my ab muscles help prevent bad bloating?
  • Nephy07
    Nephy07 Posts: 76 Member
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    It seems that you and I have the SAME problem :/
  • bologna111
    bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
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    You should try taking some probiotics every day for a while and see if it helps with the bloating. Sometimes we can have too much bad bacteria in our guts and not enough of the good. Which can cause bloating and more. Probiotics have made a big difference for me.
  • hannahlouisefranklin
    hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
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    Are probiotics easy to find? I've bought some Activia yogurts because I heard that they help with bloating but I'd definitely look into getting some proper probiotics too.
  • hannahlouisefranklin
    hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
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    It seems that you and I have the SAME problem :/

    It's just so frustrating isn't it? From running I can definitely see that my legs have toned up but I'm worried about losing too much more weight because I don't want to end up at an unhealthy level but nothing I do seems to help get rid of this belly!
  • Nephy07
    Nephy07 Posts: 76 Member
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    It's just so frustrating isn't it? From running I can definitely see that my legs have toned up but I'm worried about losing too much more weight because I don't want to end up at an unhealthy level but nothing I do seems to help get rid of this belly!

    I exercise 5-6 times a week (for last 2 months), my whole body is almost toned up, but that belly is still sticking out... I think I'll try probiotics too and see what'll happen
  • bologna111
    bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
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    I get my probiotics at Costco. When I get home I'll look at see what the brand is.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

    ETA: You may be allergic to something and not know it. Some vegetables cause bloating as do some fruits. Some people bloat when they consume dairy.
  • hannahlouisefranklin
    hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

    ETA: You may be allergic to something and not know it. Some vegetables cause bloating as do some fruits. Some people bloat when they consume dairy.

    Thank you! That post's really helpful!!

    Hm... I have thought about that, I think each day when I've logged my foods I'm going to note down how bloated I feel so I can see if there's any kind of pattern forming between what I've eaten and the level of bloating
  • alleya2
    alleya2 Posts: 4
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    Look in your area for middle eastern / mediterranean / eastern european market and ask for Kefir or Doogh. They are very large bottles of yogurt drinks, get the original or plain flavor, never sweetened or salted, and never ever get the nonfat version. They are extremely helpful and I grew up drinking them. Some may need adapting to the taste as they are not nearly as sweet and a little strong, but they are probiotic drinks and help with the tummy. Kids drink smaller versions of them for tummy aches and to be honest, it's a part of daily life. There are a few things you could try, but it may not be to your liking:
    1 clove of garlic crushed and then swallowed, no chewing, whole every morning, good for heart, metabolism, and libido
    1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar swallowed every morning, helps with metabolism and bloat
    cottage cheese, full fat
    sauerkraut. low sodium
    kimchi, low sodium

    This helps me, but you may react to such things differently, Kefir is convenient and easy if you can find it.
  • hannahlouisefranklin
    hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
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    Look in your area for middle eastern / mediterranean / eastern european market and ask for Kefir or Doogh. They are very large bottles of yogurt drinks, get the original or plain flavor, never sweetened or salted, and never ever get the nonfat version. They are extremely helpful and I grew up drinking them. Some may need adapting to the taste as they are not nearly as sweet and a little strong, but they are probiotic drinks and help with the tummy. Kids drink smaller versions of them for tummy aches and to be honest, it's a part of daily life. There are a few things you could try, but it may not be to your liking:
    1 clove of garlic crushed and then swallowed, no chewing, whole every morning, good for heart, metabolism, and libido
    1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar swallowed every morning, helps with metabolism and bloat
    cottage cheese, full fat
    sauerkraut. low sodium
    kimchi, low sodium

    This helps me, but you may react to such things differently, Kefir is convenient and easy if you can find it.

    Thank you so much for those suggestions! :) Are yogurts like active or just natural yogurt with probiotics in them any good then, or do you think they have too much added to them?
  • hannahlouisefranklin
    hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
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    I've noticed from looking over my diary of foods that I'm quite high on my carbohydrates most days, could that be what's causing all this bloating?
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
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    bloat can happen if you eat too much veggies --> broccli, lettuce

    fruit --> apples, pears

    too much starch or caffeine(coffee)

    All of the above cause gas/bloat.

    ---

    Also, if you drink water too fast, it can create air bubbles and it can make your stomache bloat the @#$# up. :p

    A lot of ripped guys you see at the gym are always farting because they eat tons of chicken breast/ broccli and they just pound back protein shakes all day.. Too much protein = gas. You go read up on bodybuilding.com and you'll realize how many muscular guys complain about gas/bloat because of their diet lol.

    ---

    So that's that.
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
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    See if you're lactose intolerant and/or gluten intolerent.

    If you're gluten intolerent and you're eating back lots of bread, etc you might get bloated.

    Only way to find out is to get rid of certain types of food and experiment. If you get rid of bread from your diet for 2 weeks and you get 0 bloat.... then you are most likely gluten intolerant.

    If you decrease your veggies and your bloat goes away, then it's because you're eating too much veggie in one sitting/one go.

    If you cut out milk/dairy and your bloat goes away, then it's beacause you're lactose intolerent.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
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    I agree with everyone on looking into the types of food you are eatting - I find the less gluttons, the healthier I feel. A little avocado as well.

    I also wanted to add that standing core exercise / yoga including "twists" seem to really strengthen my tummy/waistline/backside. Just 10 minutes a day really helps.. also, and maybe this is tmi ... it helps keep me "regular".

    Good job on adopting a healthy lifestyle, btw!
  • hannahlouisefranklin
    hannahlouisefranklin Posts: 22
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    I agree with everyone on looking into the types of food you are eatting - I find the less gluttons, the healthier I feel. A little avocado as well.

    I also wanted to add that standing core exercise / yoga including "twists" seem to really strengthen my tummy/waistline/backside. Just 10 minutes a day really helps.. also, and maybe this is tmi ... it helps keep me "regular".

    Good job on adopting a healthy lifestyle, btw!

    Ooh thank you, I actually found a yoga workout that I did yesterday and I definitely felt it through my whole core so I'm going to do that several times a week too. Even if it doesn't make a huge difference I'd still do it anyway as I really enjoyed it :)

    What sort of foods do you count as 'gluttons'? Like processed/fast foods that kind of thing?

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