losing weight but not where want it

ryanknap
ryanknap Posts: 10
edited September 25 in Fitness and Exercise
So I am a month into my diet and I have lost 14lbs relatively quickly. I have noticed my weight loss in many areas of my body but it seems like my stomach is not changing much. My biggest reason for staring this diet is once again have a flat tone stomach for bathing suit season, I have 24 lbs go to until i reach my goal weight. Do you think by then I will notice a loss in my stomach fat? Is there a better way to tone my stomach? I currently 8 miles a week at two mile intervals and lift weights for my upper body the same days I run. Any ideas would be a great help!

Replies

  • pretentiouskate
    pretentiouskate Posts: 186
    While its impossible to decide where you lose fat, doing crunches and ab workouts on top of what your doing will tone the muscles in your stomach.
  • SassyStef
    SassyStef Posts: 413
    cardio, cardio, cardio and add like 2 or 3 days of just ab work in. Also diet is 80% of the big picture too
  • Setof2Keys
    Setof2Keys Posts: 681 Member
    first place to gain it is last place to lose it...keep at it and then when it all comes together, you will be smokin' hot!! PS you have to come clean on here and give real pics of you...not cars. LOL. It's part of our accountability.
  • Juliasss
    Juliasss Posts: 2 Member
    Have you tried doing situps by raising your legs. Instead of raising from your chest raise from your legs to the ceiling lifting your bum off the ground. This is great for the lower part of your stomach which most people forget about. You could also try a toning session that involves twisting your core.
  • TiDinzeo
    TiDinzeo Posts: 309
    The body finds it easier to take stored energy (fat) from some places than others. So it's going to take the easy stuff first. Don't worry, you will lose the stomach fat.

    Just curious, do you measure as well as weigh. If you don't then it might be worth doing it, it could be that you're not seeing the changes as it's gradual. Like when we all put the weight on, you don't see it so much as one day look down or in the mirror and realize its crept up on you.
  • david081
    david081 Posts: 489 Member
    Abs exercise will tone the muscles under the fat, nothing more - we have to lose the weight first, I am just the same - 24lbs down, and still a pot-belly :( but everyone seems to say 'first place to gain fat and last place to lose'...
  • ryanknap
    ryanknap Posts: 10
    No i have not been measuring but I like the ideas thanks.
  • Hsanders3961
    Hsanders3961 Posts: 245 Member
    Go grab a copy of this month's Fitness magazine. They have an excellent article in there about how important ab toning is to losing that fat. It explains why JUST doing crunches wont necessarily get you the desired results and shows the exercises that are useful in getting where you want to be. I learned quite a bit from it.
  • ryanknap
    ryanknap Posts: 10
    Thank you!
  • thefreemans28
    thefreemans28 Posts: 267 Member
    I was just talking to my brother about this Saturday. He said he recently was talking to his personal trainer, and he told him that the first place you gain weight, is the last place you lose it. So it may be that you gained in your stomach quickly, and it will take longer for you to lose it there. But I know this, you can't lose in all the other areas forever, so eventually your stomach will have to start losing too!

    As for suggestions on how to speed that up... I have found that cardio helps, yes. But ab workouts help even more, combined with cardio. I am a huge fan of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, as well as Tony Horton's 10-Minute Trainer. There's an excellent ab workout in that pack. Other than that, just doing some good old fashioned crunches couldn't hurt :) Good luck on your journey!
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
    Spot reducing is impossible, as you probably know. Cardio and diet will help you lose the flab, but keep up the strength training to build muscle and give you a more toned look. I wouldn't waste your time doing a bunch of ab specific workouts, as they don't burn many calories compared to exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, rows, chinups and bench presses or pushups. Most of the exercises I mentioned also work your abs to stabilize your body, anyways. I'm not saying don't work your abs, just don't spend more time on them than other body parts,
  • ryanknap
    ryanknap Posts: 10
    This is all great information and also very encouraging that I am on the right track but need to remain patient. I do not do any focused ab work but I will add it now!
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