stomach fat - how do I reduce it?
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rougenoire
Posts: 114 Member
I carry most of my weight in my middle section and particularly in my stomach. Health guidelines in the UK say that if your waist is over 34 inches then you need to reduce your waist size. Mine is just on 34 but a couple of inches down on my stomach I meausure 41 inches (almost as much as my hips!). I am not happy about this and tracking calories (1600/day I will not do less) and building up my cardio and weight training. What else can I do to try and shift the stomach. I am looking for all over reduction but there is more here to lose, how do I put the emphasis on the gut? Is this possible? I am out of proportion so even inch loss would still leave me with the love handles of doom!
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Replies
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You can't target fat loss. It comes off all over. The stomach is usually the last to go, but it comes down to genetics.3
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There is no way to spot reduce. You'll have to lose weight in general [overall reduction], and wait for it all to go down. Stomach was the last for me, because I had SO MUCH at the stomach compared to everything else. [edit; also, no harm in taking it slow, I have a LOT of extra skin from losing it a bit too fast]
Picture proof;
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To lose fat, continue eating in a deficit.. to work on body composition, strength train.. Do both of these together.4
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I have the same problems as you. I slso have similar numbers with the gut and calories mfp gives. 1600 calories is surprisingly alot of calories. If you choose foods that are filling (whole grains, proteins, fibet, fats) the weight will seem to melt away. I'm watching the gut, it's reducing but it's still big. Unfortunately they tell us we can't choose where to lose weight. Besides eating fewer calories, can you reduce the stress in your life? My tummy grew exponentially when I was overstretched and stressed. You say you are not proportional, maybe you have too much stress? By the way I've always had love handles, they're for love! !!
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I have the same problems as you. I slso have similar numbers with the gut and calories mfp gives. 1600 calories is surprisingly alot of calories. If you choose foods that are filling (whole grains, proteins, fibet, fats) the weight will seem to melt away. I'm watching the gut, it's reducing but it's still big. Unfortunately they tell us we can't choose where to lose weight. Besides eating fewer calories, can you reduce the stress in your life? My tummy grew exponentially when I was overstretched and stressed. You say you are not proportional, maybe you have too much stress? By the way I've always had love handles, they're for love! !!
As much as it is helpful to not be stressed and sleep well (reduced cortisol levels), this won't have a massive impact on weight loss. Eat in a calorie deficit and the weight will go. Also love handles aren't for love, they are for fat storage.3 -
There is no such thing as spot fat removal0
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bigfatguy13088 wrote: »There is no such thing as spot fat removal
Sure there is, it's called liposuction.
@rougenoire, as others have said you can't target a specific area. Your genetics determine where you will store the most fat and that area is usually the last to go. All you can do is continue to focus on losing weight in general and in time your stomach will shrink, as well.
The weight training you're doing, if you're on a program that has you gradually lifting heavier weights over time, will really help as you'll be retaining more muscle and more of the weight you're losing will be from fat.2 -
It will come off. My belly was about the same size. It's a lot smaller now. Have been very determined since March and poof 45 lbs down.
As for exercises try some yoga-for core strength and all over toning as well your cardio and weight training.2 -
You can't spot reduce sadly. It will come off. Stomach fat is the last thing I seem to lose. Although I do find yoga helps slim it out a bit more when I do it daily but that could just be my core being stronger so I suck in more.1
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It may be just me, but I notice when I cut out enriched breads my belly feels less bloated, I try to stay away from enriched breads and cereals. Anything with the word "enriched". I did not see an instant change, but I noticed an almost instant change when I went back to eating these enriched breads, I try to stay away from them as much as possible now.3
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if you eat whole grain breads or cereals do you still feel bloated?0
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trigden1991 wrote: »
As much as it is helpful to not be stressed and sleep well (reduced cortisol levels), this won't have a massive impact on weight loss. Eat in a calorie deficit and the weight will go. Also love handles aren't for love, they are for fat storage.
Hi Trigden, take a look at this and let us know what you think, thanks!
Stressful events—and they don't even have to be big, just the daily hassles of life—cause our cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol causes food cravings, and in women those cravings tend to be strongest for carbs, especially sweet foods, according to researchers at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center. The more of them we eat, the worse our mood gets. As if that weren't bad enough, the cortisol then makes more trouble for us, triggering an enzyme in our fat cells (it converts cortisone to more cortisol). Since our visceral fat cells (the ones in our abdomen, packed around our vital organs) have more of these enzymes than the subcutaneous fat cells (the fat on our thighs and butts, for example), stress causes many women to accumulate more belly fat. The more stress, the more this abdominal, or central, obesity occurs[/b]. Some research has found that these belly fat cells, which have been linked to a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes, have four times as many cortisol receptors as regular fat cells.
http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/13-healthy-foods-that-reduce-stress-and-depression1 -
I was told that belly fat comes down to diet. Eating white breads, pasta & simple carbs. Also sugar/soda and junk food. Try cleaning up your foods, focus on lean meats, whole grains, less dairy and lots of fresh or frozen veggies 1
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I was told that belly fat comes down to diet. Eating white breads, pasta & simple carbs. Also sugar/soda and junk food. Try cleaning up your foods, focus on lean meats, whole grains, less dairy and lots of fresh or frozen veggies
Nope. You can't spot gain fat, just as you can't spot reduce. You overeat, you will gain regardless.
Otherwise, I would've found the things to eat to regain [or at least KEEP at the time] my tata's. If only...7 -
trigden1991 wrote: »
As much as it is helpful to not be stressed and sleep well (reduced cortisol levels), this won't have a massive impact on weight loss. Eat in a calorie deficit and the weight will go. Also love handles aren't for love, they are for fat storage.
Hi Trigden, take a look at this and let us know what you think, thanks!
Stressful events—and they don't even have to be big, just the daily hassles of life—cause our cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol causes food cravings, and in women those cravings tend to be strongest for carbs, especially sweet foods, according to researchers at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center. The more of them we eat, the worse our mood gets. As if that weren't bad enough, the cortisol then makes more trouble for us, triggering an enzyme in our fat cells (it converts cortisone to more cortisol). Since our visceral fat cells (the ones in our abdomen, packed around our vital organs) have more of these enzymes than the subcutaneous fat cells (the fat on our thighs and butts, for example), stress causes many women to accumulate more belly fat. The more stress, the more this abdominal, or central, obesity occurs[/b]. Some research has found that these belly fat cells, which have been linked to a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes, have four times as many cortisol receptors as regular fat cells.
http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/13-healthy-foods-that-reduce-stress-and-depression
The fact that the article talks about "belly fat" is enough to make me disregard it as a serious medical study. You can't gain fat unless you are in a caloric surplus and the article basically says that raised cortisol, increases cravings which makes you eat more.
My point is that reducing stress does not shrink your waist line via any biological process.2 -
I was told that belly fat comes down to diet. Eating white breads, pasta & simple carbs. Also sugar/soda and junk food. Try cleaning up your foods, focus on lean meats, whole grains, less dairy and lots of fresh or frozen veggies
you were told wrong. nothing wrong with white bread, pasta, sugar and 'junk food'! it's all about the calorie deficit.5 -
trigden1991 wrote: »The fact that the article talks about "belly fat" is enough to make me disregard it as a serious medical study. You can't gain fat unless you are in a caloric surplus and the article basically says that raised cortisol, increases cravings which makes you eat more.
My point is that reducing stress does not shrink your waist line via any biological process.
Hi Trigden thanks for replying. What is wrong with the term belly fat? why does that make you disregard it as serious medical study? Please help us lay persons understand. thank you0 -
trigden1991 wrote: »The fact that the article talks about "belly fat" is enough to make me disregard it as a serious medical study. You can't gain fat unless you are in a caloric surplus and the article basically says that raised cortisol, increases cravings which makes you eat more.
My point is that reducing stress does not shrink your waist line via any biological process.
Hi Trigden thanks for replying. What is wrong with the term belly fat? why does that make you disregard it as serious medical study? Please help us lay persons understand. thank you
FYI I have no qualifications or academic experience regarding fitness/human physiologically just an interest in the area.
"Belly fat" is not a medical term and would not be used in a credible article. I do not know enough about the mechanisms or physiological responses of cortisol however I do know that you still need a calorie surplus to gain body fat. For 99% of people that want to lose weight, a simple calorie deficit will suffice with all other variables (macros, sleep, stress) being insignificant.2 -
The article seems like the usual click-bait to try and get you to sign up for ad money ["premium content, give us your email!"], so I just left it. I don't trust such sites. So I also did not read the article, unfortunately.
Edit;
I'm googling and cannot find a genuine scientific article. I keep finding things like Dr. Oz and Women to Women [trying to sell their product at me]. Gah.2 -
Calorie deficit, its simple math. Exercise can get you there a bit quicker if you add it into the mix. Waist will likely be the last to go and the first place you get it back if you fall back into old habits.1
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