Lower stomach/abs question

loribethrice
loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I understand that we can't spot reduce but I am getting super frustrated.

I've lost 50lbs, I work out 5 days a week, and I stay within my calorie range daily. I am 27 years old, 5'9, and I weigh 154lbs.

For some reason my lower stomach will not get smaller, it looks like a ton of gross floppy skin or something. Under my breasts and my mid stomach are also flabby and won't tighten up. I do cardio and strength training when I work out and at one point was doing hundreds of crunches and sit ups a day at home. I don't understand why I can't lose these! The last time I lost a ton of weight this exact same thing happened and my stomach refused to flatten and my lower stomach just turned into a big soft bag of skin or whatever it is. It's making me feel awful about myself and I have no idea why it won't fix! Does PCOS have anything to do with it? My ribcage protrudes pretty badly and I don't think that helps. (My mom's does too and she said even at her at most anorexic in her early 20s she couldn't get a flat stomach because of it and it made her worse.)

Replies

  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    You cannot spot reduce... you have to lower your BF% through diet. Eat at a deficit. Heavy progressive lifting also helps.
  • desidieter
    desidieter Posts: 195
    First of all, congrats on losing 50 lbs! That's an accomplishment, for sure!

    Second, sorry you're having this struggle. I'm sort of in the same boat. Even at my skinniest/healthiest (I was exactly where my BMI told me to be), I never had a flat stomach. And then when I gained weight, a lot of that weight settled in my stomach. I don't have any major answers for you, but I think a lot of it has to do with genetics. Some of us just carry weight there. Is there anything we can do about it? I'm not sure. I haven't figured it out yet. But just know that you're not the only person facing this. I definitely feel your pain!
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
    First of all, congrats on losing 50 lbs! That's an accomplishment, for sure!

    Second, sorry you're having this struggle. I'm sort of in the same boat. Even at my skinniest/healthiest (I was exactly where my BMI told me to be), I never had a flat stomach. And then when I gained weight, a lot of that weight settled in my stomach. I don't have any major answers for you, but I think a lot of it has to do with genetics. Some of us just carry weight there. Is there anything we can do about it? I'm not sure. I haven't figured it out yet. But just know that you're not the only person facing this. I definitely feel your pain!

    Thanks! :)

    I'm 15lbs below the highest I should be on the BMI scale so I'm ok in that respect. I still have 14 more I want to lose, but I'm worried that it's not going to make a difference stomachwise. My parents are big and so were/are most of the other people in my bloodline. Genetically I'm not really blessed body wise! I'm sorry you go through this too!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I would read this... genetics have very little to do with it.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1391018-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
    I'm 15lbs below the highest I should be on the BMI scale so I'm ok in that respect. I still have 14 more I want to lose, but I'm worried that it's not going to make a difference stomachwise. My parents are big and so were/are most of the other people in my bloodline. Genetically I'm not really blessed body wise! I'm sorry you go through this too!

    There is no such thing as a person who *cannot* have a flat stomach (barring some medical issue). If your stomach isn't flat yet, then you're carrying extra fat. There's just no getting around that. You can too. You just need to be patient with yourself and the process.

    Forget about your BMI, it's worthless as a measure of individual body composition. What's your body fat percentage? How much muscle are you carrying? You can lose a lot of weight, but if it's primarily muscle and not fat, your weight will drop like a rock while you stay (or get even more) flabby.

    If you still have 14 more lbs left to lose, then that's likely the largest piece of your puzzle right there. 14 lbs - depending on your height, frame, and overall genetics - can look like quite a bit more when it's concentrated in isolated pockets on your body. Also, the fact that you've already had a significant weight loss means that there is at least some measure of loose skin which will take time and body recomposition (read: weight training) to help tighten up.
  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
    You cannot spot reduce... you have to lower your BF% through diet. Eat at a deficit. Heavy progressive lifting also helps.

    This exactly. If you lost the weight very quickly with cardio alone, you could be more prone to loose skin. It boils down to genetics and the time it takes for skin to tighten back up after losing weight. I had to get down to about 19% bf in order to get the skin issue resolved on the belly...the thighs are a whole different story. Basically just give it some time and try to incorporate strength training while being careful with the amount of carbs you eat. Or that is what worked for me anyway.
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
    I have no idea what my body fat percentage is. How do you even figure that out? I just know I've dropped pants sizes and I weigh myself once a week. I do strength training with my cardio. The first 45lbs I lost were strictly just counting calories. I didn't start exercising until July.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I have no idea what my body fat percentage is. How do you even figure that out? I just know I've dropped pants sizes and I weigh myself once a week. I do strength training with my cardio. The first 45lbs I lost were strictly just counting calories. I didn't start exercising until July.

    Taking measurements with a measuring tape, then using an online calculator. This is the easiest for me.

    There is also other ways that cost more money/use more equipment.
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
    I'm 15lbs below the highest I should be on the BMI scale so I'm ok in that respect. I still have 14 more I want to lose, but I'm worried that it's not going to make a difference stomachwise. My parents are big and so were/are most of the other people in my bloodline. Genetically I'm not really blessed body wise! I'm sorry you go through this too!

    There is no such thing as a person who *cannot* have a flat stomach (barring some medical issue). If your stomach isn't flat yet, then you're carrying extra fat. There's just no getting around that. You can too. You just need to be patient with yourself and the process.

    Forget about your BMI, it's worthless as a measure of individual body composition. What's your body fat percentage? How much muscle are you carrying? You can lose a lot of weight, but if it's primarily muscle and not fat, your weight will drop like a rock while you stay (or get even more) flabby.

    If you still have 14 more lbs left to lose, then that's likely the largest piece of your puzzle right there. 14 lbs - depending on your height, frame, and overall genetics - can look like quite a bit more when it's concentrated in isolated pockets on your body. Also, the fact that you've already had a significant weight loss means that there is at least some measure of loose skin which will take time and body recomposition (read: weight training) to help tighten up.

    I don't know if I necessarily need to lose 14 more pounds, it's just the weight I want to be at. When I tell people how much more I want to lose I usually am met with "omg why?? You're going to look dead!" (Which I think is an exaggeration so whatever.) I have PCOS and autonomic dysfunction, so I can only do certain exercises because of that. I have to do mostly seated stuff. When I do things like treadmill or elliptical I pass out while I'm working out so that's no fun! They wouldn't even let me do the treadmill in cardiac rehab because of it. :/ I use the rowing machine, recumbent bike, weights, and assisted pull up machine.
  • tiggerGlasgow
    tiggerGlasgow Posts: 12 Member
    You're not going to gain much muscle on a calorie deficit. Flat stomach is a combination of low body fat percentage and higher muscle mass. You can either eat at maintenance for a while and try to do a recomposition or continue on the deficit until you are at your goal weight then try and add muscle.
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
    I have no idea what my body fat percentage is. How do you even figure that out? I just know I've dropped pants sizes and I weigh myself once a week. I do strength training with my cardio. The first 45lbs I lost were strictly just counting calories. I didn't start exercising until July.

    Taking measurements with a measuring tape, then using an online calculator. This is the easiest for me.

    There is also other ways that cost more money/use more equipment.

    I have measuring tape so I'll find a calculator online and do that tonight.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I would read this... genetics have very little to do with it.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1391018-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

    ^This.

    It was written by me. My entire family is obese. I was obese and I had two babies while obese. I have loose skin, but I have a flat stomach. It comes from having low body fat. Low body fat is obtained through a calorie deficit, appropriate macros and a progressive lifting program.

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