Belly Fat....help!!!

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I'm at 115 pounds and I can't seem to get rid of the fat on my mid section. I don't have a lot, but I can't stand what I do have. I do JM workout videos, yoga, pilates and 30 mins on the elliptical 6 days a week. I do not wish to do any weights at all. Any advice?
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Replies

  • kandell
    kandell Posts: 473 Member
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    Unfortunately it's impossible to spot reduce :/ You have fat on your mid section because that's where your genetics have decided you will have extra fat. Try trimming down the fat and carbs in your diet and see if that helps :]
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Unfortunately it's impossible to spot reduce :/ You have fat on your mid section because that's where your genetics have decided you will have extra fat. Try trimming down the fat and carbs in your diet and see if that helps :]

    No. Fat and carbs have a place in pretty much every person's diet.

    Sounds like you need to look into body recomp. Eat at a slight deficit, and lift heavy, heavy weights. Check out programs like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.

    ETA: I misread your OP. Why do you not want to do weights?
  • BabyLovesToRun
    BabyLovesToRun Posts: 120 Member
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    I never thought I'd like weights either, I thought it would be boring. So I opted to start doing a Kettlebell workout, because it's weights/cardio .... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Perhaps that would be something you might want to look into?
  • kandell
    kandell Posts: 473 Member
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    Unfortunately it's impossible to spot reduce :/ You have fat on your mid section because that's where your genetics have decided you will have extra fat. Try trimming down the fat and carbs in your diet and see if that helps :]

    No. Fat and carbs have a place in pretty much every person's diet.

    Sounds like you need to look into body recomp. Eat at a slight deficit, and lift heavy, heavy weights. Check out programs like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.

    ETA: I misread your OP. Why do you not want to do weights?

    I'm not trying to say cut out fats and carbs completely. I apologize if you thought that's what I meant. I mean just (slightly) lower the amounts of fat and carbs that she's eating.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Unfortunately it's impossible to spot reduce :/ You have fat on your mid section because that's where your genetics have decided you will have extra fat. Try trimming down the fat and carbs in your diet and see if that helps :]

    No. Fat and carbs have a place in pretty much every person's diet.

    Sounds like you need to look into body recomp. Eat at a slight deficit, and lift heavy, heavy weights. Check out programs like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.

    ETA: I misread your OP. Why do you not want to do weights?

    I'm not trying to say cut out fats and carbs completely. I apologize if you thought that's what I meant. I mean just (slightly) lower the amounts of fat and carbs that she's eating.

    But that's not going to help either. The important thing is the overall intake of calories. Your fats, carbs, and protein should fall with a certain percentage of that overall calorie goal. Just lowering fats/carbs won't do anything, unless it increases your deficit without messing up your percentages. It's better to look at it from the angle of have a slight deficit, and lift weights for optimum body recomp.
  • karmaheart
    karmaheart Posts: 75 Member
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    Bump
  • dylan1965
    dylan1965 Posts: 10
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    diet. diet. diet.

    you will not magically lose fat unless you are eating at a deficit.

    if you are working out a LOT - (and crunches do not burn stomach fat) - it helps, but you still need to eat at a deficit in accordance to your fitness regimen
  • xoNikki246
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    Unfortunately it's impossible to spot reduce :/ You have fat on your mid section because that's where your genetics have decided you will have extra fat. Try trimming down the fat and carbs in your diet and see if that helps :]

    No. Fat and carbs have a place in pretty much every person's diet.

    Sounds like you need to look into body recomp. Eat at a slight deficit, and lift heavy, heavy weights. Check out programs like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.

    ETA: I misread your OP. Why do you not want to do weights?

    I'm not trying to say cut out fats and carbs completely. I apologize if you thought that's what I meant. I mean just (slightly) lower the amounts of fat and carbs that she's eating.

    But that's not going to help either. The important thing is the overall intake of calories. Your fats, carbs, and protein should fall with a certain percentage of that overall calorie goal. Just lowering fats/carbs won't do anything, unless it increases your deficit without messing up your percentages. It's better to look at it from the angle of have a slight deficit, and lift weights for optimum body recomp.




    If your cutting back carbs and overall sugar intake then you need to up the fat in your diet to "survive" lol lower carbs does work in losing weight. I've seen a lot of ppl lose a lot of weight on a no sugar no carb diet. "Abs are made in the kitchen" they say. To really lose that little but left on your stomach you will have to really watch what you eat. I'm at that stage too and on a really strict diet to lose the little fat I have left.
  • blancep
    blancep Posts: 1
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    At 115 lbs, you would have to be something like 4'9" to even make it out of the healthy weight range, which means you should not need to lose weight. It is true there is no such thing as spot reduction, if you are an apple shape, you will be a small apple even if you lost more fat. With that said, switching to a 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat intake plan can reduce to bloated abdomen that can come with eating larger amounts of carbs. That may help you feel smaller around the belly area. Also, if abdominal muscles are long, they can't hold all your internal organs in as well - which produces a pot belly appearance. This isn't fat, it's just a need to tighten up the core to hold everything in place - some of this may be posture related, standing with a sway back rather than a straight spine. Being conscious of having the spine straight while sitting, standing and walking will naturally tighten the abs in time if you don't want to do any weight training.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Bump

    You didn't answer the question....
    Why do you not want to do weights?
  • Kelly_Runs_NC
    Kelly_Runs_NC Posts: 474 Member
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    Weights will do amazing things for your body. Lift heavy and look like a goddess! I promise! ;-)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    I'm at 115 pounds and I can't seem to get rid of the fat on my mid section. I don't have a lot, but I can't stand what I do have. I do JM workout videos, yoga, pilates and 30 mins on the elliptical 6 days a week. I do not wish to do any weights at all. Any advice?
    Yes. Whatever you're doing ISN'T working. Try the weights.

    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
  • karmaheart
    karmaheart Posts: 75 Member
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    Bump

    You didn't answer the question....
    Why do you not want to do weights?

    Never tried and I don't have any. I'm scared I will hurt myself
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Never tried and I don't have any. I'm scared I will hurt myself

    Do you have injuries or something? If not, it's no different than learning how to drive, bicycle, ski, etc. With the proper knowledge, the risk of injury is minimal. Start with a good program, like NROL4W.
  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
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    You could hurt yourself walking out your door.

    Do some research, give weights a try, start easy till you know what you're doing.
  • perfectlytrained
    perfectlytrained Posts: 83 Member
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    do the weights... here's a 5 mnth progression photo of me and the weights have done wonders for my waist...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1247368-5-mnths-of-progress-w-comparison-photo
  • taytaylynn3
    taytaylynn3 Posts: 601
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    I know you said no weights, but lifting had done so much for my body!!
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    OP, take a few minutes and read this link:
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    lifting can help change your body for the better... for what you're wanting. If you don't have weights, that's fine.. bodyweight workouts are options, too.
  • bc2ct
    bc2ct Posts: 222 Member
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    I seriously think people need to stop pandering to this sort of post. You "can't stand" 1/10th of an inch of fat on your stomach? That screams of psychological issues, not physical ones. You are female... you are biologically programmed to lay down fat so that when you get pregnant your body has some stored fuel for the baby. Part of the problem is that we have unrealistic ideas of what the female body CAN look like - mostly from women who can spend all their time working out, eat in a ridiculous manner, or are photo-shopped halfway to hell. But popular images of women are not the only issue ... telling people that they can change their diet or change their exercise regime and achieve the "body of their dreams" is problematic as well! How about we focus a bit on being a fully functional human being, not obsessing over minute details that don't matter and drag us down, and accepting our biological predisposition (including - and I hate this one as much as the next woman - having enough body fat that we maintain consistent menstruation)!!!
  • kwantlen2051
    kwantlen2051 Posts: 455 Member
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    I'm at 115 pounds and I can't seem to get rid of the fat on my mid section. I don't have a lot, but I can't stand what I do have. I do JM workout videos, yoga, pilates and 30 mins on the elliptical 6 days a week. I do not wish to do any weights at all. Any advice?

    Keep up the pilates. this is great for toning your core. Be patience.