Normal flat stomach?

Idle_Moon
Idle_Moon Posts: 151 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

Lately I've seen pictures from people showing their "good and bad angles". For example this. They are saying that they are flexing and posing.
This makes me wonder if there's such thing as a normal, flat stomach. Can you have a flat stomach, maybe even showing abs, without flexing and posing?

If yes, then when did you get a flat stomach? What bmi, bodyfatpercentage, weight..?
I'm wondering this, because I've been getting discouraged. I started at 150lbs (5"4) and I've been lowering my goalweight alot, because it's not what I pictured it would be. I'm now 125lbs and my goalweight is 116lbs. I'm following the "so you want a nice stomach" guide too.

Replies

  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited February 2017
    I wake up with a flat stomach. Didn't do anything special to get it, though my bmi is just under 21. I'm also pear shaped so what little 'oomph' I still have I carry on my thighs.

    And at one point I did have defined abs as well-that was when I was first transitioning into maintenance and my bmi was down to around a 19. I was also doing a push-ups challenge and that, paired with the lower bmi, made my abs pop out like crazy. But, nothing magical happened because it and my husband actually didn't like the definition so they were short lived :p

    eta: here's the push ups challenge I did (free-I just printed off the weekly sheets and followed them). Only took a few minutes a time to do and I went from not being able to do 5 push ups at the beginning to being able to do over 100 at the end :) The abs were just a nice side affect lol
    http://hundredpushups.com/index.html
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    The fitness and bikini competitors that I follow (mainly for tips on nutrition and workouts not to be like them) show abs mostly when they are prepping for a show. I see them eating grilled chicken from a ziplock bag and they have every meal timed and down to a science (with their coaches help). Abs take a low percentage of body fat and good genes. *Kudos to those who are that disciplined but that's not me. If you are serious about your abs showing maybe contact a coach.
  • clags301
    clags301 Posts: 69 Member
    I'm 49, had two kids, 5'8" and 124 lbs - I gave a flat stomach now, except when retaining water re:hormones. It took getting to this weight and lowest BMI of my healthy range to get it.
    I haven't really done any strength training but at all, but plan to start.
    Genetics may play a role as well, but very little body fat is key.
    Good luck. And yes, it's worth it!
  • clags301
    clags301 Posts: 69 Member
    *have
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    I'm looking for that flat stomach myself, and it's not just about weight. It's about body fat. Since the stomach is the first place fat goes for me usually, you have to get to a pretty low ℅ to make it happen. being skinny fat didn't help, so 2017 is about building muscle overall so I don't have to go all the way to underweight to get the BF I need.
  • jessicalferrara
    jessicalferrara Posts: 59 Member
    I grew up a competitive swimmer. I had visible abs from all the workouts I was doing since I was 5. I maintained a healthy 135, at 5'8", and I mainly ate what I wanted, but I definitely put in the work with turns because you use your stomach muscles the most when making a flip turn, and imagine doing a 6,000 yard workout in a 25 yard pool, that is a lot of flips. I miss those days! I am definitely looking to get my flat stomach back, maybe not ab definition as I am not swimming anymore, but being flat would be wonderful!
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I would say I have a pretty flat stomach when I am around 125-127lbs (I'm 5'7").. around 18%BF I have definition without flexing but you can only really see my abs if I flex.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I'm lean and tall, and the only time my stomach was "flat" when relaxed was when I was severely underweight in my late teens and 20s, before having any kids. Even when I was my healthy barely underweight self, there was not a completely flat belly.

    I don't think it looks bad to have some fat held on the lower belly, at all. It's very normal and healthy, and looks good. The toned belly with a slight curve out under the belly button is the prettiest look of all I think.

    What I want and can't have is a Waist. Slender hips and the hipbones and rib-bones are very close vertically and same width, there isn't anyplace to put a Waist on my body. When my middle is strong it gets thicker, not thinner.
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    I'm 43 and have had two kids (via c-section). I'm 5'8", 140 lbs and have visible abs. My obliques are visible even when I am not flexed. I can get some middle definition when flexed, but totally happy with my stomach and just try to maintain how I look now.

    I have been able to maintain this fairly easily for 3 years now. It was right before my 40th birthday and the scale was creeping up to 155. I started doing a variety Jillian Michael's DVD workouts (and tracking calories here on MFP) and still love doing them today. I also do some weight training, mostly with dumbbells (5lbs to 20lbs) at home. For me it was just amping up my workouts. Not just walking on the treadmill. Really busting it out, even if is only a 30 minute workout 5 days a week.
  • Idle_Moon
    Idle_Moon Posts: 151 Member
    Thank you for your responses!
    When I hold in my stomach and flex, you can see the obliques too. But not the "ab crack".
    I guess I have to continue losing weight and see what happens.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Personal anatomy makes a difference too. Not everyone can achieve a six pack. Look at the differences in ripped men's abs and you'll see how wide and varied the muscle shaping is. Women naturally being smaller and not so easily building so much muscle may never have an ab crack (which is an entirely recent goal phenomenon).
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I have to get down to a way too low weight for me to have a perfect flat stomach, around 140lbs (5"8). That weight worked for me in my 20's, early 30's. But at my age now, 45, it is not a good look, my stomach may be flat but the rest of me looks emaciated. I'm just used to having a slight pot belly these days, which will have to be good enough.
  • lemmie177
    lemmie177 Posts: 479 Member
    I'm also pear-shaped, so don't really store a lot of fat in my stomach. BMI is 24. I'm ~137lbs and 5'3". Obliques are visible while relaxed and there's something going on in the middle, but I dunno if I'd call them abs. You can see in my pic that the ab crack (had to google that) doesn't go down very far. I have this little donut of fat around my navel that doesn't want to go anywhere, so I don't see that changing in the near future.
    I've been fitter and/or lighter in the past, but never with as much midsection definition, which I mostly attribute to better body composition from weight training.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    The good and bad angles are something to keep in mind when looking at the photos people share. Everyone looks better standing straight than hunched over sitting. I agree with the posters above that flat stomachs and abs are mostly about body fat. And at what level of body fat depends on where your genetics store fat on your body.

    I am 5'3", very pear shaped, and was comfortable wearing crop and bikinis tops until I was a size 14. My legs were a mess of cellulite, banana rolls, and saddle bags, but my stomach looked fine. I started wearing those skirted bikini bottoms and bermuda shorts after I outgrew my size 6's because the fat on my legs embarrassed me. I never had abs, but I had like dents on the sides of where my abs would be, so probably close at my lower weights. Sorry I don't have hard numbers, but I didn't own a scale then.

    My husband did have abs when I married him. He was underweight and skinny rather than cut. He didn't exercise at all so I think those abs had to be from extremely low body fat and hormones.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    I weigh 205 pounds with a BMI of 24.3 and I have a flat stomach without the need to hold it in. I don't, however, have well-defined abs. I would have to flex and pose to get my stomach to stick out and it doesn't stick out far at that. My rib cage is somewhat visible all the time, but even more so I "suck it in." If I had to guess, my situation is probably because I ride a bicycle a lot, causing me to carry a greater percentage of my weight in my legs. There was a time when I weighed 190 and looked ill because I was so thin, but I still didn't have well-defined abs.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Idle_Moon wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    Lately I've seen pictures from people showing their "good and bad angles". For example this. They are saying that they are flexing and posing.
    This makes me wonder if there's such thing as a normal, flat stomach. Can you have a flat stomach, maybe even showing abs, without flexing and posing?

    If yes, then when did you get a flat stomach? What bmi, bodyfatpercentage, weight..?
    I'm wondering this, because I've been getting discouraged. I started at 150lbs (5"4) and I've been lowering my goalweight alot, because it's not what I pictured it would be. I'm now 125lbs and my goalweight is 116lbs. I'm following the "so you want a nice stomach" guide too.

    You can't believe anything you see online/social media. Pictures are edited, angles are perfected and lighting is selected to show people at their best.

    I can look 18% bodyfat or 12% bodyfat depending on angles/lighting/filters/pump/time of day.

    My advise is to just focus on yourself and how you look in pictures/in the mirror. No one elses stats, BMI or weight will reflect how you look.
  • trudie_b
    trudie_b Posts: 230 Member
    edited February 2017
    Apparently ab cracks are a genetic fluke - either your abs are made that way, or they're not. Everyone's abs are different, and you can only work with what you've been genetically given.

    I have a flat stomach, with a very subtle curve below my navel. You can see my obliques unflexed, but only my abs (upper) when I flex. I think you have to get below 25% BF to start seeing a flatter stomach.

    And in the pictures like you linked to in your post, they're not really as honest as they seem, because in the 'unflexed unposed' ones, they always stick out their belly and crunch up a bit, for maximum effect. It would be better if they just showed a normal posture photo for the unflexed one. I think you'd see flat stomachs, but only subtle definition.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited February 2017
    I have an awesome flat stomach without posing first thing in the morning.

    And then like an hour later I dont anymore... So.. yeah. You can lower body fat, but many things affect the way our stomach looks from bloating, water retention, food, etc.

    For reference, i'm your height and it took me getting to 114-116 (18% body fat) to get a flat stomach simply because i hold fat on my lower stomach last. This of course will depend on your genetics and where you personally gain fat.
  • Idle_Moon
    Idle_Moon Posts: 151 Member
    Wow, thank you very much. It seems like it is certainly possible, but it depends on the person. I'll to not get discouraged again. Because all this strength training, running and eating have more health benefits. :)

    @rainbowbow Great! I hold my fat in my stomach too. It looks like my stomach is starting to "budge" at this weight. I would be happy to have bfp 18% at 116lbs. I was afraid that I would had to go too low.
  • Idle_Moon
    Idle_Moon Posts: 151 Member
    Sorry, my stomach is really bothering me. :(
    Is 4kg/ 9lbs really going to make the difference? I've been seeing advertisements about liposuctions, but I don't want to. Especially when it's so close.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    If you're close to or at a low weight, 9lbs can be all the difference. You may also be seeing something that's not there, being overly self-critical.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
    edited February 2017
    Idle_Moon wrote: »
    Sorry, my stomach is really bothering me. :(
    Is 4kg/ 9lbs really going to make the difference? I've been seeing advertisements about liposuctions, but I don't want to. Especially when it's so close.

    This really depends on how you will personally lose and where your weight already is versus where it would be 9lbs from now imo.

    I'm 5'9" (though all recent measurements say 5'10" lol) and the difference between 132 and 123 for me is huge for example. However the 9lb difference between say 160 and 151 not so much ykwim? I would work on slowly losing the weight with a mild deficit before I'd go the liposuction route, but I'm also very cheap. Why pay a surgeon to do something I can likely do myself? And if it doesn't work out as you want the surgical options won't have gone anywhere :)
  • girl_inflames
    girl_inflames Posts: 374 Member
    edited February 2017
    I'm stomach bothers the ever loving life out of me. Everything else on me is small but I'm paranoid that my stomach is still chubby. My new goal for this year is to tone up and hopefully that helps.

    I can't understand how I'm a size 6 and still feel fat. :(
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    My stomach is flat and when flexing, I can (just) see my abs. I'm 5'2" & 119 lbs. I normally have a flat stomach, have had it for most of my adult life. It was only when I got to 19-20% body fat that I can see abs & obique definition.
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