Waist is not getting smaller, even though scale is moving.

SolidGoaled
SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have lost almost 25 lbs since Feb 1. I admit, I don't know what my waist was when I started, I only started measuring a month ago. Nevertheless, I have been stuck at 38 inches for over a month, even though I have lost another 10-12 lbs. I don't understand. What can I do to get that waist measurment down? I don't believe in sit-ups - someone once told me that adding muscle to your stomach will only push the fat part out further, and since you can't spot reduce, I pass on sit-ups. Maybe I should reconsider doing them?

Would reducing my carbs help the belly fat issue? I have had 3 babies, but still - you'd think that my waist would have changed a little bit in 25 lbs. ???

Replies

  • crystal10584
    crystal10584 Posts: 334
    for most people the stomach area is the last to go. :(
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    Most people don't lose all their weight evenly all over their body. We are genetically predisposed to put on and lose weight in a specific order. Just because you aren't losing in your waist doesn't mean you haven't lost in your thighs, calves, feet, bust, hips, arms, etc.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    I have lost almost 25 lbs since Feb 1. I admit, I don't know what my waist was when I started, I only started measuring a month ago. Nevertheless, I have been stuck at 38 inches for over a month, even though I have lost another 10-12 lbs. I don't understand. What can I do to get that waist measurment down? I don't believe in sit-ups - someone once told me that adding muscle to your stomach will only push the fat part out further, and since you can't spot reduce, I pass on sit-ups. Maybe I should reconsider doing them?

    Would reducing my carbs help the belly fat issue? I have had 3 babies, but still - you'd think that my waist would have changed a little bit in 25 lbs. ???

    I hear you--we never lose it where we want to, do we!

    But no, ab exercises are NOT, CATEGORICALLY NOT, going to make your waist bigger. It is very, very difficult to add muscle mass to your abs. So don't be afraid of ab exercises! They will help your waist to get smaller, but more importantly, they will give you strength in your core and protect your lower back. So do you ab work!

    Many of us have fat deep in our abdominal cavity, surrounding our organs. It's dangerous to our health. You've probably heard many times that those of us who gain weight in an 'apple shape' are at much greater health risk than those who gain it in a 'pear shape', and that's true. Your waist probably HAS gone down some, but as other parts of you are getting smaller, more quickly, you FEEL like nothing has happened in the waist or abdomen.

    Yes, reducing carbs can help significantly. When we start to become insulin resistant (as most of us who are carb lovers will by middle age), weight goes to the belly first. So yes, I think that restricting simple carbs especially will help here.

    I lose weight top down--first my face, then my chest and shoulders, and last, my stomach. It's always been this way with me. So to me, my waist actually looks LARGER when I first lose weight because everything else is getting smaller, quicker. Feel you pain!
  • Ral263
    Ral263 Posts: 318 Member
    "Don't believe in sit ups?"

    Ab exercises are key for toning your waist. I don't know who told you this, but a million of other certified trainers will tell you differently.

    Do you weight train otherwise? You can lose all the weight you want. but the shape of your body will never change unless you start lifting.
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    I've never heard that before, that your stomach goes last. IF thats true, then that does make me feel a little better, at least its not something I'm doing wrong.
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
    You can't spot reduce but you can tone the muscles in a given area which will change the shape of things nicely. Also never forget muscle burns fat. :flowerforyou:
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    Took me 20lbs to loose an inch in my waist. Eating "clean" might help. I didn't look at your diary but fatty and processes food can stick to your midsection make sure you are have healthy natural foods.
  • mariapuhl
    mariapuhl Posts: 529 Member
    I wish my stomach could get smaller... my chicken legs and "ostrich arms" (that's what my sister called them) have gotten even skinner, and yet I still have my roll! It has gotten smaller, but no where near as much as my arms and legs, haha.
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
    for most people the stomach area is the last to go. :(

    unfortunately!
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    Couple of things: sit-ups won't bulk up your stomach muscles. They will help to firm those muscles, which can help improve your posture. But it won't bulk up your stomach.

    Also, if you're only taking waist measurements, you're not getting the whole picture. You've lost 10 lbs over your ENTIRE body in the past month, so one measurement might not reflect much difference. You ideally should at least be measuring bust, waist, and hips, but you could also do arm, neck, and thigh as well.

    I will say that sit-ups aren't necessarily the best, and if you sit all the way up it can cause lower back injury. Crunches are good, and so are planks. You can do a Google search for "core workout" and find some good ones, or you can look on www.exercisetv.tv and find some great ab/core workouts for free. Doing these workouts won't get rid of the belly fat -- the only thing that will get rid of it is to continue to lose weight. But working out those muscles will firm them up so that your posture is better and everything will get tighter under that fat layer, which will help you look better while burning calories to get rid of the fat.

    Good luck! :)
  • cat3nv
    cat3nv Posts: 389 Member
    I have never heard that about sit ups. Sit ups should reduce your tummy bulge. Also carbs will make you bloat.
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Hmmm... Ok - some of these comments re: ab work are indeed making me think twice. I will reconsider my stance on it. It doesn't help that I HATE ab work. It doesn't even feel good (like a bicep curl to me, feels good) I think its because I've had 3 c-sections - the muscles just don't feel good down there at all.
  • cat3nv
    cat3nv Posts: 389 Member
    Hmmm... Ok - some of these comments re: ab work are indeed making me think twice. I will reconsider my stance on it. It doesn't help that I HATE ab work. It doesn't even feel good (like a bicep curl to me, feels good) I think its because I've had 3 c-sections - the muscles just don't feel good down there at all.


    Sounds like perhaps someone told you what you wanted to her so you /had a good excuse to not work out your abs.

    Since you have had 3 c-sections your tummy will take longer to get smaller. The muscle was cut through 3 times. It has been damaged. It will get smaller, you will just have to work harder then most to get it where you want it.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I'm one of those on the opposite end; I'm genetically predisposed to being pear-shaped. I have already lost 1.5 inches in my waist and hips but have actually GAINED a half inch in my thighs, where I most desperately need to lose inches so my pants will fit correctly. It's frustrating, but I know if I just keep at it that they'll eventually start to get smaller.

    If you aren't already, make sure you're measuring more than just your waist. I had to add "thighs" to the measurement options but it was important enough to me to add.
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    I have never heard that about sit ups. Sit ups should reduce your tummy bulge. Also carbs will make you bloat.

    This statement makes it sound like sit ups just melt the fat right off your tummy, but is it not true that one cannot spot reduce? I'm not saying there may not be other benefits to sit ups, as others have mentioned. But, to say that sit ups reduce tummy bulge is false, no?
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
    I have never heard that about sit ups. Sit ups should reduce your tummy bulge. Also carbs will make you bloat.

    This statement makes it sound like sit ups just melt the fat right off your tummy, but is it not true that one cannot spot reduce? I'm not saying there may not be other benefits to sit ups, as others have mentioned. But, to say that sit ups reduce tummy bulge is false, no?

    It about the muscle toning in that area not direct fat reduction. :flowerforyou:
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    I have never heard that about sit ups. Sit ups should reduce your tummy bulge. Also carbs will make you bloat.

    This statement makes it sound like sit ups just melt the fat right off your tummy, but is it not true that one cannot spot reduce? I'm not saying there may not be other benefits to sit ups, as others have mentioned. But, to say that sit ups reduce tummy bulge is false, no?

    You're right, you can't spot-reduce fat. So sit-ups and ab work won't make the fat go away. BUT, if you tone the muscles under the fat, it won't hang out so far. If you look through my photos, you'll see a before/after shot with one month in between. I only lost 3 lbs between shots, but my stomach looks much better and less bulgy because I was doing core work to strengthen those muscles.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    Ab exercises only strengthen your abdominal muscles; they do NOT get rid of fat, so your thinking that you can't spot-reduce by doing targeted exercises is absolutely correct. Having said that, strong abdominal muscles are essential to overall fitness, so you shouldn't avoid working out your abs. But you don't have to do sit-ups. There are tons of non-sit-up, non-crunch exercises that will strengthen your abs. Look on Google and YouTube for different push-up and plank variations if sit-ups and crunches aren't really your thing.

    I was in a similar boat with regard to my waist measurement. I've lost serious inches around my bust and hips, but the inches have come off a LOT more slowly around my natural waistline. The only thing I can tell you is that it takes time and continuous effort. You will get there eventually. You just have to be patient and keep working at it. It took me a year to lose 3 dress sizes because I couldn't get my waist to shrink at the same pace as my hips, but over the past 3 months alone, I've dropped another 3 sizes because the only fat I really have left is in my midsection, and my waist is finally starting to catch up to my hips and butt. It should be noted that the only major change I've made in my workouts during this time period is that I started lifting heavy weights in January. It has made my entire body smaller and tighter.
  • cat3nv
    cat3nv Posts: 389 Member
    I have never heard that about sit ups. Sit ups should reduce your tummy bulge. Also carbs will make you bloat.

    This statement makes it sound like sit ups just melt the fat right off your tummy, but is it not true that one cannot spot reduce? I'm not saying there may not be other benefits to sit ups, as others have mentioned. But, to say that sit ups reduce tummy bulge is false, no?

    You're right, you can't spot-reduce fat. So sit-ups and ab work won't make the fat go away. BUT, if you tone the muscles under the fat, it won't hang out so far. If you look through my photos, you'll see a before/after shot with one month in between. I only lost 3 lbs between shots, but my stomach looks much better and less bulgy because I was doing core work to strengthen those muscles.


    I will respond since you were questioning my post, but others have already given you a great answer.

    I did not say you could spot reduce, I said it will help with the bulge. Tight ab muscles will make your tummy tighter therefore it will not be bulging over your pants. (or mine, or anyone else pants=]])

    It sounds like you do not want to do ab workouts and you have your mind made up about it. Hope you find something that will work for you. Good luck!!
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    I have never heard that about sit ups. Sit ups should reduce your tummy bulge. Also carbs will make you bloat.

    This statement makes it sound like sit ups just melt the fat right off your tummy, but is it not true that one cannot spot reduce? I'm not saying there may not be other benefits to sit ups, as others have mentioned. But, to say that sit ups reduce tummy bulge is false, no?

    You're right, you can't spot-reduce fat. So sit-ups and ab work won't make the fat go away. BUT, if you tone the muscles under the fat, it won't hang out so far. If you look through my photos, you'll see a before/after shot with one month in between. I only lost 3 lbs between shots, but my stomach looks much better and less bulgy because I was doing core work to strengthen those muscles.


    Ahh! Now this post spoke to me. No reason why someone should walk around with slack-jawed stomach muscles!
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    I have never heard that about sit ups. Sit ups should reduce your tummy bulge. Also carbs will make you bloat.

    This statement makes it sound like sit ups just melt the fat right off your tummy, but is it not true that one cannot spot reduce? I'm not saying there may not be other benefits to sit ups, as others have mentioned. But, to say that sit ups reduce tummy bulge is false, no?

    You're right, you can't spot-reduce fat. So sit-ups and ab work won't make the fat go away. BUT, if you tone the muscles under the fat, it won't hang out so far. If you look through my photos, you'll see a before/after shot with one month in between. I only lost 3 lbs between shots, but my stomach looks much better and less bulgy because I was doing core work to strengthen those muscles.


    I will respond since you were questioning my post, but others have already given you a great answer.

    I did not say you could spot reduce, I said it will help with the bulge. Tight ab muscles will make your tummy tighter therefore it will not be bulging over your pants. (or mine, or anyone else pants=]])

    It sounds like you do not want to do ab workouts and you have your mind made up about it. Hope you find something that will work for you. Good luck!!


    Nope - that is completly wrong. I am absolutely open to anything that will improve my health and fitness, including changing my old ways of thinking. Many of the well-worded posts here have definitely changed my mind. And not to start friction, but in your OP, you DID say 'reduce your tummy bulge" not "help with the bulge". So, the wording of that seemed misleading and slightly incorrect - that is the reason I asked for clarification - I absolutely have my mind "made up" for losing weight and increasing my fitness, and educating myself on the topic. :)
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I absolutely have my mind "made up" for losing weight and increasing my fitness, and educating myself on the topic. :)

    Great attitude! I wish you best of luck!
  • BettyandVeronica
    BettyandVeronica Posts: 333 Member
    I feel you completely.Even after a 40lb loss my stomach and belly didn't shift by so much as even an inch. I lost 6 inches off my waist but absolutely NOTHING from the belly area...it's very frustrating,so I'm doing the planks to help build muscle and shape the area.
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