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20.7 BMI female, still feel chubby?

eardabac18
eardabac18 Posts: 12 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
5’6, 126 lb female who’s 18. Lost 25 pounds, but I still have a bit of pooch. Why isn’t my stomach flat at this BMI? What can I do? Should I loose more weight?

Replies

  • dwilliamca
    dwilliamca Posts: 328 Member
    I too am 5'6, and although I barely remember it, 125-130 was my best weight....under 120 and people started telling me I needed to gain weight. As for the poochy abdomen, have you tried exercises that work on abdominal core muscles like Pilates? I bet if you did the exercise they call "the hundred" in Pilates twice a day you'd soon have a flat tummy and strong abdominal muscles in no time.

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,771 Member
    I also find that certain foods tend to cause my stomach to bloat more than others. My BMI is 19.5 and I still have a tummy. Some days my stomach looks flat, but if I eat a lot of sugar or drink a lot then it is there.
  • Arizona_C
    Arizona_C Posts: 1,476 Member
    Most of us store some fat on the stomach, but the roundness is more often a result of weak abs, though. And it can be, as mentiones spiriteagle, bloating caused by food or drinks.

    To get a flatter stomach, work to get your abs stronger. Planks are great. There are a whole bunch of abs exercises out there, but different kinds of planks are a good way to start.

    Avoid sugary and fizzy drinks as well as food that can cause bloating. At last, try be aware of your posture; to sit straight and stand tall gives you an overall better silhouette and makes the stomach seem less important

  • lesockie
    lesockie Posts: 79 Member
    I'd say a little pooch is probably normal. Perhaps your pooch isn't much at all and you are judging yourself more than others would? Otherwise, the comments above seem great!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    eardabac18 wrote: »
    5’6, 126 lb female who’s 18. Lost 25 pounds, but I still have a bit of pooch. Why isn’t my stomach flat at this BMI? What can I do? Should I loose more weight?

    Recomp would probably be your best bet
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,862 Member
    https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • eardabac18
    eardabac18 Posts: 12 Member
    Thank you for the replies! While I’m at in... any advice on restarting after a thanksgiving binge? I ate 3000 calories...
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    eardabac18 wrote: »
    Thank you for the replies! While I’m at in... any advice on restarting after a thanksgiving binge? I ate 3000 calories...

    Just get back on your plan. Make sure to drink enough water, get a walk in if you feel like it.
  • brendanwhite84
    brendanwhite84 Posts: 219 Member
    I was a man (well, I still am that at least) with an 18.75 BMI / 7.5% body fat before I started bulking for weightlifting, and even at that lowest weight I only had a flat-ish stomach with the tiniest hint of possible abs. Getting a drum-tight abdomen is a lot of work.

    Which is not to discourage you from doing that work per se - just mentioning my personal experience.

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    eardabac18 wrote: »
    Thank you for the replies! While I’m at in... any advice on restarting after a thanksgiving binge? I ate 3000 calories...

    I wouldn't say that was a binge. It was a holiday, you (presumably) enjoyed yourself. It's about as much as I ate for the day. Just get back to what you were doing prior to yesterday.
  • saintor1
    saintor1 Posts: 376 Member
    Short answer: yes (and possibly resistance training exercise)
This discussion has been closed.

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