Just a belly and a spare tire... help!

Hi, and I feel you pain even that I am a guy. The belly thing is a killer her is what I found. Your sugar intake probably is pretty high, but also what is happening and the fast food people won't admit it. But your being drugged. The fast food your eating is design to be addictive. Check out "Hungry For Change" on Netflix is you have it. if it does show up on the search, start out with the word food and you'll find it on the list. Sugar is in so many things and is so addictive.

Good Luck - Eric

Yup, fast food, rum and cold beers makes it hard to lose "the belly" ....... sure, if it fits in your macros, you can eat it ...... but maybe it's better if you don't ....... at least until wedding season is over LOL

Honestly, I don't think your numbers are bad ...... and that's all they are ...... numbers ...... don't let a dress size upset you !

I have a friend who is very heavy, but she shops thoughtfully & gets clothing fitted ..... and she always looks AMAZING ! She's confident & personable ...... worries more about other people than her own problems ....... and her husband adores her. Some of us are just bigger than others ........ I'll never be a size 4 or 2 or zero (that one always cracks me up :laugh: )

Best of luck to you, honey !

I know what you mean, I'm just now getting familiar with the balance act. The ladies on here have supper helpful, on my many strange questions.. As for the wedding dress size, something really weird with my brides ,maid dress. They took my measurements and all and sized me for the size. When mine came in the mail about three months later I was mortified. I realized I gained some weight , but my cloths still still lift and I didn't think I gained much. I either gained a whole lot of wieght, I didn't even own a scale ( I had always been small,until this came along and I would go up and down by the way my cloths fit. So I went to try on the dress, top of arms were being strangled because the arm hole was way to tight. Before I had gone on to the top, I had stepped I to the dress, where I literally had to stuff myself in and over hips and belly, not to mention that I couldn't fit into that and zipp the dress up. Til this day I wondered if I was fitted to smaller often after that. Everything worked out in the end.
My son weds in nov and I want to look and feel good, I shopp for my dress end of next mont. .I feel like I'm on the right path with Venus. I hope you do well fitting also! I'm sure you will look fabulous!

Have you read "Wheat Belly"?

Here is a link to a lecture where the author discusses the unintended consequence of our genetically modified wheat that is used in much of our foods today is very different from that of our ancestors:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCFQNUG97HQ

I stopped eating wheat (and sugar) for the past few months and have lost 15 pounds and gone down 4 notches on my belt. I didn't think anything would help me lose that belly fat, but not eating sugar and wheat has worked for me.

It might work for you too.

My brother got married last month, and the size of the bridesmaid dress that they ordered me is a size that I've never even come CLOSE to before in regular sizing. I don't really have any advice to share with you, but I just wanted to let you know not to stress about the dress size, because the exact same thing just happened to me.

Good Luck!

Bridesmaid dresses are the weirdest sizes in the world - Last time I was in a wedding I was a 2 or 4 and had to order an 8 per their measurements. Ignore the size! You would think it would be the reverse to make everyone feel better

Also, totally there with you on the belly problems - they say that "abs are made in the kitchen".

Bridal & bridesmaid dresses are notoriously larger in size. Im a size 6 but would be 8/10 in them. Don't let it get you down.

I don't have any events or weddings coming up, but I thought I'd respond because you and I are of similar stats and body composition. I'm 5'7" and started out at 136 lbs three weeks ago. Like you, I'm not overweight by any means, but carry my fat in my belly and "love handles". My goal is to see my abs one more time before I die. I'm 51 years old. Also like you, my downfall is beer and fast food. And soda.

At our size it's really hard to lose weight because our BMR and TDEE is so low already and in order to create a deficit we really have to watch and weigh every single thing we put in our mouths. It was depressing for me to look at the numbers and realize that I had no choice but to give up the beer, the fast food, and the regular soda because to create the deficit needed to lose weight, and maintain proper nutrition at the same time, I can't fit beer, fast food and soda into my calorie budget. It's just not possible. MFP set me at 1200 cal net (of course) and by staying right around that I have lost 5.6 lbs in three weeks. I still have a beer once in a while and last night I had a Burger King meal, but only because I planned for it in advance and fit it into my calorie budget.

What is really working for me is counting and recording my calories before I eat them. If it's dinner time and I have 500 calories left for dinner I weigh my food, count the calories, and record them in my diary and juggle things around before I eat a single bite. It all comes down to thoughtful planning and sticking to whatever the numbers tell me I can do. Once my diary hits 1200 (plus exercise calories if I exercised that day) I stop. End of story. No snacks, no beer, no anything. If I find myself thinking about food, I start filling out my diary for the next day so I have something to look forward to instead of dwelling on what I can't have right now. I also keep in mind that when I hit goal and enter maintenance I'll have another 400-500 calories to play with every single day! That makes me happy and keeps me in a positive frame of mind.

You and I are extremely fortunate that we are already at a healthy weight and there is no imperative from a health standpoint to lose body fat. I do think both of us can benefit from improving our nutrition though (beer, soda, fast food....really? It's all crap and fairly useless nutrition-wise). And honestly, I feel better. I have more energy, I sleep better. And soon, I'm going to see abs. And soon, you, if you make a food and exercise plan and stick to it, will be fit and gorgeous in your dress and your bikini. Now, isn't that better than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese chased by a beer? (:

You can do it.

IMy biggest downfall is fast food. I LOVE fast food.
I also love my Rum and cold beers on a patio

You nailed it right here!

First of all, keep in mind that bridesmaid dresses are tiny, tiny so you always have to order a size MUCH bigger than your clothing size. So don't let that get you down.

I am shaped just like you, except I am shorter, so I understand your frustration.

The only things that work for me, to flatten my belly are:

• Running (IDK, why other forms of cardio are not as effective for me)
• Eat as little refined carbs as possible (this is the suckety.suck.suck)
• Cut out fast food.
• Eliminate alcohol. Particularly beer.

Well, I have reached my initial goal weight, but I am still unhappy with my mid-section. Why? you ask: I think it is because of my refusal to cut out Guinness from my diet
Seriously, I had one last night. I don't want to feel totally deprived. I ♥ Guiness. I had one last night. (really wanted more)
But they don't call it "beer belly" for nothing!

Like I said, the only times I've had a totally flat belly I had zero alcohol and was eating mostly whole foods/unprocessed and very little refined carbs.

I notice that your workout schedule doesn't include any ab/oblique/core work. I know those exercises don't really get rid of belly fat, but tightening up the muscles in that area should help. I'm working some ab stuff into my workouts now, and while I do still have plenty of belly fat, I am seeing a difference in the shape of my middle when you look at me from the front. There are definite contours now, and there didn't used to be. And ironically, I just got an email from Spark People with an ab workout that I'm going to try.