how do i get a nice flat stomach without flab?

NewMeAB2015
NewMeAB2015 Posts: 24 Member
edited January 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
Im 5'2 n weigh 185. I would like to know what i could do or eat to not just lose weight but end up with a nice flat toned stomach. Any suggestions? :)

Replies

  • hhemayed
    hhemayed Posts: 1 Member
    Hmm..
    I recommend a program that includes running and Pilates.
    I've tried it. Completely guaranteed. :smiley:
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
    Swimming and walking did a decent job for me. Going from 185 though you should be prepared for a bit of uneven fat distribution for a while. I went from 218 to down to 118 (and then back to 123 with some muscles) and I had a decent little muffin top going between 185 and 130 ish. It takes time for your body to start absorbing that midsection. Even now more than 2yrs into maintenance I still have some small pockets of uneven on the belly (only noticeable by me and only when naked).
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I recommend a caloric restriction, because that's what does it.
  • MikeSanchez2323
    MikeSanchez2323 Posts: 30 Member
    abs are made in the kitchen, so work on your diet first and then focus on strengthening your core. If your diet is not in check then your abs will never make an appearance.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Limit your calories to lose the weight, exercise to not lose all the muscle while losing the fat. If you are hoping for a magic exercise that will help lose fat or excess skin from belly only, it does not exist :(
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    No exercise program will help you unless you lose the fat through a calorie deficit.

    QFT
  • NewMeAB2015
    NewMeAB2015 Posts: 24 Member
    Thank u all very much for ur suggestions i hope to accomplish a flat stomach lol
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    Hie thee to the General Weight Loss forum and read the "So you want a nice stomach" sticky. Good advice is plentiful.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    EWJLang wrote: »
    Hie thee to the General Weight Loss forum and read the "So you want a nice stomach" sticky. Good advice is plentiful.

    And here's a link: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

    But you should definitely check out all of the stickies. They're a great resource.

  • oncem0re
    oncem0re Posts: 213 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    No exercise program will help you unless you lose the fat through a calorie deficit.

    This ^^ - you wont show them abs till any fat that surrounds it are still there to block it. Work on losing
  • NewMeAB2015
    NewMeAB2015 Posts: 24 Member
    Is eating healthy the only way to get a flat stomach or can i eat whatever up to 1200 and workout and do weights n end up having a flat stomach or no?
  • yolo9752
    yolo9752 Posts: 69 Member
    Whatever it takes to reduce fat/increase muscle mass. Eating healthy will help since it will help your body do that. Keep lifting!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    NewMeAB2015 wrote: »
    Is eating healthy the only way to get a flat stomach or can i eat whatever up to 1200 and workout and do weights n end up having a flat stomach or no?

    what do you think?
  • NeedMoreJava
    NeedMoreJava Posts: 11 Member
    NewMeAB2015 wrote: »
    Is eating healthy the only way to get a flat stomach or can i eat whatever up to 1200 and workout and do weights n end up having a flat stomach or no?

    This mentality won't keep the flat stomach you desire. You have to make lifestyle changes that are permanent.
  • AwesomeSauceTN
    AwesomeSauceTN Posts: 27 Member
    Try fitness hooping! It burns crazy calories and really tightens your stomach. I've been doing it since the New Year and have lost 1" off my waist and 1" off my hips. The best part is its so much fun. I bought my hoop 40" 100 psi 3/4" tubing and have been watching videos like Hoopnotica's instructional Level 1 video. I just put on some tunes and dance with my hoop. Doesn't feel like exercise at all! I will be ready for summer (:
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    NewMeAB2015 wrote: »
    Is eating healthy the only way to get a flat stomach or can i eat whatever up to 1200 and workout and do weights n end up having a flat stomach or no?

    Yes and no.

    1. 1200 calories is probably not an appropriate calorie goal for you. Go in and change your settings from lose 2 pounds a week to lose 1 pound a week.
    2. You need adequate protein for tissue repair, adequate fat for metabolism and adequate carbs for energy.
    3. If you ate no fruits or vegetables or protein you could lose weight, but you wouldn't give your body the micronutrients it needs and your health would suffer.
    4. If you don't fuel your body appropriately you'll end up using lean mass, meaning you have to lose even more weight to have a flat stomach.

    Flat stomach comes from low body fat and adequate lean mass. Fuel your body well, fit in treats, hit your macros and do some sort of resistance training. Also check out the stomach fat thread, I wrote it and it's pretty good.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    NewMeAB2015 wrote: »
    Is eating healthy the only way to get a flat stomach or can i eat whatever up to 1200 and workout and do weights n end up having a flat stomach or no?
    Might want to do a little more research there.

    As for your question. Think about what you asked. What do you think?
  • Robbnva
    Robbnva Posts: 590 Member
    1,200 a day is probably fine as long as her net stays above 1100 calories. I had tremendous success losing weight by keeping my net calories between 1k and 1,200 calories. Net is the amount of calories you eat minus the exercise calories (in other words, eat back some but not all of your exercise calories)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    yeah but Robb, you've been educated better than that and hopefully disabused of the silly notion of the route you were on.
  • NewMeAB2015
    NewMeAB2015 Posts: 24 Member
    @dbmata and @Capt_Apollo‌, i know obviously eating unhealthy will not get you nowhere with a flat stomach but i was just looking for tips. About 3 years ago i went from 160 to 118 but ended up with a little flab and no matter what i did it did not go away. So now that im at my heaviest i need a guide to not just lose weight but flatten and tone the stomach. I really appreciate everyones advice and suggestions :)
  • joshnewton1976
    joshnewton1976 Posts: 14 Member
    NewMeAB2015 wrote: »
    @dbmata and @Capt_Apollo‌, i know obviously eating unhealthy will not get you nowhere with a flat stomach but i was just looking for tips. About 3 years ago i went from 160 to 118 but ended up with a little flab and no matter what i did it did not go away. So now that im at my heaviest i need a guide to not just lose weight but flatten and tone the stomach. I really appreciate everyones advice and suggestions :)

    This is a tell tale sign that you need to make a lifestyle change. The only thing more dangerous for your body than being overweight is fluctuating weight like that. It is similar to bulimia. It can destroy your body.

    Start with small changes. Make one day a vegetarian only day. Cut out sodas/ snacks for the week and have ONE on Saturday night. Don't try to lose 70 lbs in three months. Not going to happen or be healthy. This is a lifestyle plan, and it will be AT LEAST a year before you should get back down to

    As far as you still having flab at that weight- there are several things. One, some things are genetic. You may not have the genetic ability to get "abs," although you should be able to attain flatness. Start incorporating strength training, cardio, and especially core workouts now. Don't wait until you're 125 and expect everything to tighten up in your last two months of weight loss. By building strength and a good core as you are losing weight, it will help you lose the weight more properly, and help you attain that final goal. GOOD LUCK!!


  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    joshnewton1976 wrote: »
    NewMeAB2015 wrote: »
    @dbmata and @Capt_Apollo‌, i know obviously eating unhealthy will not get you nowhere with a flat stomach but i was just looking for tips. About 3 years ago i went from 160 to 118 but ended up with a little flab and no matter what i did it did not go away. So now that im at my heaviest i need a guide to not just lose weight but flatten and tone the stomach. I really appreciate everyones advice and suggestions :)

    This is a tell tale sign that you need to make a lifestyle change. The only thing more dangerous for your body than being overweight is fluctuating weight like that. It is similar to bulimia. It can destroy your body.

    Start with small changes. Make one day a vegetarian only day. Cut out sodas/ snacks for the week and have ONE on Saturday night. Don't try to lose 70 lbs in three months. Not going to happen or be healthy. This is a lifestyle plan, and it will be AT LEAST a year before you should get back down to

    As far as you still having flab at that weight- there are several things. One, some things are genetic. You may not have the genetic ability to get "abs," although you should be able to attain flatness. Start incorporating strength training, cardio, and especially core workouts now. Don't wait until you're 125 and expect everything to tighten up in your last two months of weight loss. By building strength and a good core as you are losing weight, it will help you lose the weight more properly, and help you attain that final goal. GOOD LUCK!!


    There's no reason to have a vegetarian day or to cut anything completely out. Snacks can be helpful and diet sodas don't have a negative impact on fat loss. The best changes for her or anyone would be to adjust the way she is used to eating to fit her calories and macros, not make crazy changes like cutting meat out one day a week.

    You're right that she can't lose 70 pounds in a month. She does need a well rounded lifting routine and some cardio, but a strong core is built through heavy compound lifts (most "core workouts" actually focus on the abs, which is a small part of the core).
  • itsclobberintime
    itsclobberintime Posts: 164 Member
    Unfortunately you cannot spot reduce. Your body has certain areas where you lose weight quickly, and some where it goes much more slowly. You will need to continue losing fat mass in order to have visible abs.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    NewMeAB2015 wrote: »
    @dbmata and @Capt_Apollo‌, i know obviously eating unhealthy will not get you nowhere with a flat stomach but i was just looking for tips. About 3 years ago i went from 160 to 118 but ended up with a little flab and no matter what i did it did not go away. So now that im at my heaviest i need a guide to not just lose weight but flatten and tone the stomach. I really appreciate everyones advice and suggestions :)

    How did you reach your heaviest point which you are at now? You overate.

    What you need to do is lose that weight. Exposed abs is a function of a couple things, primary, and most important for you to deal with now and for the foreseeable future is that you are carrying too much body fat. Fix that, then deal with the minutia of maximizing what you have there.

    So the single most important piece of advice, and will probably get you 80% there or more, is to lose the fat.
  • sunnysparkles16
    sunnysparkles16 Posts: 17 Member
    edited January 2015
    I've been a vegetarian and consuming less sweets since Jan 1 and I've noticed a difference in my stomach area -- my major trouble spot. My workout has remained the same. Not saying vegetarian is the only way to go but a change in diet makes a difference. Good luck! You can do it! :)

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