How to lose extra fat

Booots233
Booots233 Posts: 45
edited September 27 in Introduce Yourself
i have fat on my belly and ive been trying to do sit ups and stuff to tighten it but will it work? i have strech marks also how do i get rid of that?

Replies

  • revjames
    revjames Posts: 75 Member
    I'm told that the belly is the first place to get fat and the last place we lose it from!

    not helpful I know!
  • Ivymcgrew
    Ivymcgrew Posts: 2
    Doing sit ups will strengthen your abdominals and are great to do but the only way to get rid of extra fat is by burning more calories than you eat. It isn't an easy answer but it is the right one. As far as stretch marks go, I am not too sure about that one. I have heard that scar healing gel can reduce them (since they are in effect scars). Keep at it!
  • TheCeleste
    TheCeleste Posts: 14 Member
    Yes it will work if you keep at it!

    How many sit ups do you do each day? 100? 200? Just keep going and don't forget your side muscles.

    I think they have creams for stretch marks.
  • natskedat
    natskedat Posts: 570 Member
    You can't burn fat locally, meaning you can't target fat loss. Fat loss happens evenly throughout the body. While exercising, keep your heartrate in within 55-70% of your maximum heart rate (220-your age) and your body will use fat as it's fuel of choice.

    Doing abdominal exercises will tighten the muscles which will help your stomach look flatter, but it won't burn the fat. You do that through exercise and healthful eating.
  • sharoniballoni
    sharoniballoni Posts: 163 Member
    i tend to collect fat around my middle, as well. unfortunately you cannot spot reduce. so the only way to lose fat around your belly is to lose weight in general. crunches will make your core stronger, but they won't make your waistline shrink.

    stretch marks are another story. it will depend how visible they are. you can try creams to reduce their appearance, but i don't think you can get rid of them.

    good luck!
  • ameeann
    ameeann Posts: 39 Member
    I suggest using BioOil for the stretch mark's, it won't get rid of them completely but it definitely will shrink them!


    As for the belly fat, the more weight you lose the less fat you will have there! But toning up should help with appearance quite a lot!


    have you tried hula hooping, it does wonders for toning your belly!


    good luck lovely!!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Your body pulls fat from everywhere about equally. So you can't "spot reduce" the belly. The muscle building stuff is good for burning more and looking tight and fit in the long run, but don't be discouraged if you don't look great right away. The muscle builds under the fat and pushes it out a bit. Just keep with it.

    As far as stretch marks, they're scars from the skin stretching as it grew. Keep it moisturized (there are some lotions that target the stretch marks and may help reduce them, but it's not a super fast process). They fade over time, but I still a few from pregnancy and my youngest is almost 8.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    I'm told that the belly is the first place to get fat and the last place we lose it from!

    not helpful I know!

    All depends on your genetics for body structure. My mom puts fat in her chest first/looses it there last. Mine all goes to my butt and hips. By the time they're trimmed down my chest looks like I'm 10 years old again. :(
  • Booots233
    Booots233 Posts: 45
    Well me and my mom are starting to work out at some place.. and they sujjested us to come on here as well but thank you all :) hope it works
  • Booots233
    Booots233 Posts: 45
    i usaly do 50 sit ups in morning and 50 at nite... well im trying to lol i cant always keep it up get to tired and stuff at nite but im starting to work out somwere so it will be much better
  • Scentlessapprentice
    Scentlessapprentice Posts: 170 Member
    Bio oil and Palmers cocoa butter are good for stretch marks. They won't go completely but will reduce the redness. I have some on my tummy from when I was pregnant however they are more like silver in colour in the light- Like a sparkly twilight vampire type :)
  • Chosen4Greatness
    Chosen4Greatness Posts: 8
    Well I have two children ages 5 & 7, and loosing belly fat is always a work in progress. You just have to make sure that you are being mindful of your calorie intake, fat grams. Making sure that you are getting enough cardio and the only way to see your abs getting toned is to make sure that the fat on the belly is shedding off and that's through cardio. As far as your marks on the belly vitamin e oil or any type of shea butter will be able to soften and possibly even lightening those up even if they dont totally go away!!! Stay motivated and confident that you will be able to get those results Dont give up I'm in the same boat as you!!!!
  • Samstover
    Samstover Posts: 18 Member
    My mother swears by a product you can buy online called Mothers Friend, wish I'd had it in middle school I have 100s of stretch marks and I'm only 20. They don't go away but they heal and get more of a skin tone. I found coco butter to be effective. There was one i used to get for like a dollar at walmart but haven't seen it in a few years, Nadinola coco butter its' in a little white jar. It would last me a few months if not longer and definitely helped a scar on my face a lot. Good luck!

    http://www.dollartree.com/health-personal-care/bath-products/skincare/4-oz-Nadinola-Cocoa-Butter-Cream/211c243c247p69462/index.pro
  • Booots233
    Booots233 Posts: 45
    Thank you guys so much i will buy that stuff lol
    and yeah its hard im only 16 ( yes yung to be on here ) but my personal trainer insisted i tried it.. so i am on here now and i really hope all your guyses great ideas help :) thank you.
  • bunnysone
    bunnysone Posts: 486 Member
    i usaly do 50 sit ups in morning and 50 at nite... well im trying to lol i cant always keep it up get to tired and stuff at nite but im starting to work out somwere so it will be much better

    doing endless situps wont lose belly fat. You need to be doing a more comprehensive core workout to strengthen the muscles, but if you want to lose the fat you are better off tweaking your diet.

    The number one way to see a difference is to drop as much sugar from your diet as possible, drink lots and lots of water. That alone will enourage fat not to be stored around your middle and give you body a chance to burn it off.

    Fat will gradually move from all over your body, which is why you see a difference in places that dont have a lot of fat first (like your neck, your chest, your arms) High burning cardio exercise will burn more fat. Running is a tested method of moving fat from your body.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    agreed. Losing fat in general is about calories out vs calories in. Diet and exercise basically. No secrets there sorry.
  • revjames
    revjames Posts: 75 Member
    extra fat loss is achievable by exercising the heart between 70 - 85% innit?
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    extra fat loss is achievable by exercising the heart between 70 - 85% innit?

    no.

    Fat loss: calorific deficit (through diet and exercise), with a relatively high protein intake and focus on retaining lean body mass through intense resistance training.
  • Dort68
    Dort68 Posts: 36 Member
    It's all about calories in vs calories out AND *weight training!*

    You can't spot reduce. Doing cardio until you drop will burn some fat, sure, but long term fat loss and keeping it off is all about building lean muscle mass via weight training or using your bodyweight & doing resistance exercises.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    As people have explained, you can't spot reduce, you have lose body fat overall. But sit ups aren't even the best ab exercise. Google "best ab exercises" and look for a list of exercises that exercise scientists believe are the most effective based on engagement of the ab muscles. I think the most effective is the "Bicycle" exercise, followed by the "Captain's Chair," which is a station that many gyms have. It's my favorite, because it does not require getting on the floor to do exercises.


    Here's an article:

    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I'm told that the belly is the first place to get fat and the last place we lose it from!

    not helpful I know!

    All depends on your genetics for body structure. My mom puts fat in her chest first/looses it there last. Mine all goes to my butt and hips. By the time they're trimmed down my chest looks like I'm 10 years old again. :(

    Or some people lose their bust and keep their hips and butt. :frown: As you said, it's a matter of individual genetics.
  • wllwsmmr
    wllwsmmr Posts: 391 Member
    You can't spot reduce, but do you exercise? I think sprinting and HIIT helps reduce the mid section! But you'll have to continue to lose body fat overall and it will get better.

    If you're looking at ab exercises, do planks instead!
  • SylentZee
    SylentZee Posts: 262
    Focus on your core exercises and switch up to a higher intensity cardio, always leave the cardio for last. You don't have to work your abs out every single day, every other day works well and gives your body the time to recover. I'd also suggest watching your carb/protein/fat intake, there may be an issue with there.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Fat loss and muscle building are not really related. To lose fat, diet (eat less calories than you expend). To lose more fat than muscle, eat less calories than you expend AND do resistance training (hit the weights!), and eat a decent amount of proteins and fats (they are good for you). Given enough time, this will give you the results you want.

    To build muscle, eat more than you expend (still lots of protein and fat) with resistance training (hit the heavy weights).
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