How to get a flat stomach?

nicolesmith465
nicolesmith465 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have lost weight and now weigh 120 pounds (I am 5'6) but my stomach is not flat- I still have quite the food baby! How does one achieve a flat stomach? Should I focus on core exercises, dieting, cardio..?
Thanks for any help!

Replies

  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    edited November 2015
    read: So You Want A Nice Stomach
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    I'm around 123 (ish!) and 5'2 - I too have a 'tummy' still :)

    I do a little bit of cardio and I lift weights 4 times a week. I've noticed EXTREMELY SLIGHT changes but this is going to take some time. Have patience, lift and be proud of your achievements to date.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    weight lifting - compound lifts - progressive programme

    crunches and focusing on core are a waste of time

    I'm 5'8 and 158lbs and do not have a food baby - read that thread
  • KaleYogaGin
    KaleYogaGin Posts: 22 Member
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    read: So You Want A Nice Stomach

    Great thread recommendation.
    You're getting some solid advice here OP.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Lift heavy.
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    I will read it, too - thanks! I was down to 97 pounds at one point (about 5 feet tall) and STILL had that belly. My Pilates instructor tells me "pull it in, don't push it out", presses her hand into my belly, and says, "OH!" This has been the bane of my existence. I'm now watching other inches go down but not that measurement.
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    Oh, YIKES. I went to that TDEE calculator and it came out 1273. All the others have come out in the 1400-1500 range (I've averaged them to 1440). So that calculator wants me to eat 1018 calories per day to lose weight! MFP has set me at 1200 (which is what it does at minimum) but I'm really eating 1000-1100 per day and losing 1 -2 pounds per week. But I was expecting that when this was done, I could increase to 1400 calories per day and not be stuck under 1300 for the rest of my life!
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    mylittlerainbow wrote: »
    Oh, YIKES. I went to that TDEE calculator and it came out 1273. All the others have come out in the 1400-1500 range (I've averaged them to 1440). So that calculator wants me to eat 1018 calories per day to lose weight! MFP has set me at 1200 (which is what it does at minimum) but I'm really eating 1000-1100 per day and losing 1 -2 pounds per week. But I was expecting that when this was done, I could increase to 1400 calories per day and not be stuck under 1300 for the rest of my life!

    Your body is telling you what your maintenance calories are. For every pound per week you are losing, you are 500 below maintenance. Calculators are a guesstimate, your body tells the truth.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    read: So You Want A Nice Stomach

    This^^^ You're already at the low end of a normal BMI, so you should probably check this out as well. You don't need to lose weight, per se. You need to lower your BF%

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    read: So You Want A Nice Stomach

    Yes. This thread helped the most for me to get a flat stomach. The other part that helped was genetics.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    read: So You Want A Nice Stomach

    This.
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    weight lifting - compound lifts - progressive programme

    crunches and focusing on core are a waste of time

    I'm 5'8 and 158lbs and do not have a food baby - read that thread

    This.

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