The pooch...

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WitchesGuildMaster
WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been overweight most of my life, like litterally since I was 5. I am now 21, and I've got the pooch! (Aka lower belly fat). It's just like...hanging over everything.. :laugh: I've never even been pregnant before and here I am.

Now question...

I know you need to lose fat to remove it, if it decides to go, which I'm hoping it will, but thing is, I'm not sure how much it will budge when I'm at goal. I may need to go even lower than goal to get rid of it, but I don't want to look like one of those skeletons I accidentally brought back to life the other night...

Can I, perhaps, lose it, and then gain some weight back, without gaining the pooch back? I mean, it's fluffy and all, but really unattractive... :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
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    Bump-a-dump
  • mtruitt01
    mtruitt01 Posts: 370 Member
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    I know I'm just going to head for my goal, one day at a time, little by little, and worry about belly fat when I get there!
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    There's no such thing as spot losing or toning. Your body shape is determined in large part by genetics and there's nothing you can do about it. That being said, if you have fat around your abdominal region, then you can reduce or get rid of it by lowering your overall bodyfat percentage. Lift and lift heavy with a modest calorie deficit. When you get really close to your goal weight, and have more lifting experience/hours/gains under your belt, you can do a bulk/cut cycle which will allow you to gain a lot more muscle and then lose the fat around it, and that can help your pooch considerably. But again, it all has to work within the confines of your genetics.
  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
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    Since you are so young, odds are that you will be rid of the pooch if you diet down to a low weight, without having to cross over into skeleton territory. It might be the last thing to go, but those last few pounds will very likely remove the pooch.
  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
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    There's no such thing as spot losing or toning. Your body shape is determined in large part by genetics and there's nothing you can do about it. That being said, if you have fat around your abdominal region, then you can reduce or get rid of it by lowering your overall bodyfat percentage. Lift and lift heavy with a modest calorie deficit. When you get really close to your goal weight, and have more lifting experience/hours/gains under your belt, you can do a bulk/cut cycle which will allow you to gain a lot more muscle and then lose the fat around it, and that can help your pooch considerably. But again, it all has to work within the confines of your genetics.

    I know spot reducing doesn't exist. Which is why I asked if its possible to reduce overall until I loose the pooch (which may or may not put me underweight), and then gain back up to my goal, without putting the pooch back on?
  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
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    I am also aware that heavy lifting will help, however there is no gym in or near my town, hence I don't have access to equipment. So unless a 11lb sack of rice is considered heavy lifting...it's not much good. :wink:
  • mtruitt01
    mtruitt01 Posts: 370 Member
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    Once upon a time I had a trainer who had me do sit-ups holding a 20 pound weight on my belly. The only time in my life I started to get definition in my middle.
    Hmm maybe I could try that again. I hate gyms, and don't want to buy equipment.
    Someone told me to look up a book called (I think) Be Your Own Gym.
  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
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    Once upon a time I had a trainer who had me do sit-ups holding a 20 pound weight on my belly. The only time in my life I started to get definition in my middle.
    Hmm maybe I could try that again. I hate gyms, and don't want to buy equipment.
    Someone told me to look up a book called (I think) Be Your Own Gym.

    Mm. Never heard of that before. I supposed if it's genertic I should accept it :laugh: Don't think of myself as fat just see myself as fluffy
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,051 Member
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    Once upon a time I had a trainer who had me do sit-ups holding a 20 pound weight on my belly. The only time in my life I started to get definition in my middle.
    Hmm maybe I could try that again. I hate gyms, and don't want to buy equipment.
    Someone told me to look up a book called (I think) Be Your Own Gym.

    Mm. Never heard of that before. I supposed if it's genertic I should accept it :laugh: Don't think of myself as fat just see myself as fluffy

    I can understand not having access to good gym equipment.
    Just keep working out... I've heard of that book, though don't know if that's the correct title or not either. But either way, body weight exercises are awesome. Check out no equipment HIIT and Tabata workouts. Doing high intensity intervals can help melt fat in amazing ways. I've heard Barre and pilates are great for slimming down as well... I'm sure you can find things on Youtube :)
  • sweetsoonergirl
    sweetsoonergirl Posts: 16 Member
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    A combination of weight training and cardio is your best bet. I've struggled with "the pooch" myself. Even when I was at my thinnest, it was still there a little. However it was just there "a little" and got much smaller. Stay consistent on your eating and strive for healthiness at least 80% of the time. It's okay to have a treat once a week but just keep in mind the weight can easily come back on.
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
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    http://www.leangains.com/2010/06/intermittent-fasting-and-stubborn-body.html

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/

    2 links that go into detail with regard to stubborn body fat and Intermittent fasting techniques that may help

    For lots of us, that part of the belly is the first to get fat and the last to lose it

    good luck
  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
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    A combination of weight training and cardio is your best bet.

    Too bad I don't have equipment. Are there any specific exercises I can do using my own weight? Not necessarily a program maybe just some basic stuff?
  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
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    Try doing 30 Day Shred. All you need are some hand weights, and you can buy those anywhere. I don't have summer access to my college gym, so I can sympathize with not being able to do heavy lifting! A year ago I never would have imagined considering buying a weight rack/gym equipment for home, haha.

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