Size 4 w/ Back Fat Rolls. What gives?!?!?

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lastriegel
lastriegel Posts: 3
in Introduce Yourself
HELP!!!!!!!!!! I have back fat! Other than the back fat I'm very happy with my size. I'm 42 years old, petite at 5'3" 126 lbs, I wear size 4 but still have back fat. I started noticing it a couple years after I had back surgery to "clean up" some compressed discs and pinched nerves (the surgery was 7 years ago). I don't understand, did I shrink or what? I'm still the same height. I watch what I eat and I'm pretty active but over the last 5 years my one roll is starting to turn into two. I'm getting some muffin tops too.

Are there any specific exercises that target back/bra fat areas? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. :smile:

Replies

  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Is it there all the time? Or just when you're wearing a bra? You may need to be fitted for a better bra if that's the case.

    Otherwise, pushups, pushups, pushups. Maybe take up yoga. It will help with that.

    I HATE back fat. It's my worst problem.
  • amnesiak
    amnesiak Posts: 2
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    You can't really 'target' an area to lose fat from, you just have to lose it in general.

    I started rowing a couple of months ago on an 'erg' (rowing machine) and recently on the water. My back strength has increased immensely - I can't think of anything better for increasing strength in that area.
  • jagh09
    jagh09 Posts: 555 Member
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    Maybe some yoga and pilates to help with posture, long lean muscles and tone. I agree about the bra fitting!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    Unfortunately, you can't spot reduce fat. You can do cardio (I lost my back fat pretty quickly doing cardio) and do some back/shoulder strength training to tone it up.

    I had back surgery and was able to get rid of it all - my back is so thin I can see the pins in my spine sticking through the skin. Kinda icky, but I consider it an odd NSV. lol.
  • SilentRenegade
    SilentRenegade Posts: 245 Member
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    Back fat is my enemy. Everything except my back and boobs shrinks. I want a "cut" toned back. I went from a size 10 (shoudl have been a 12 but too stubborn to go buy 12s at the time), to a size 8, and then went to target and realized in their jeans I was a size 4. Hips, waist, and thighs shrink... top of my doesn't. Very frustrating, and I already have some back pain so I don't like to do a lot of strenuous back exercises D:
  • jjewelty
    jjewelty Posts: 23 Member
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    If your weight has not changed, I wonder if you've lost muscle mass. If you've traded muscle in for fat, that could show
    up as you've described. I would ramp up the exercise routine, including cardio and strength training. Should solve the problem!
  • Pfauxmeh
    Pfauxmeh Posts: 259
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    - Dumbell Rows
    Get in as low of a squat position as you can (or simply crouch, supporting your back with good posture. Head up, chest high.)
    Using 3-5 pound dumbells, bring your arms up straight. Pull your arms back, squeezing your shoulders tight and keeping your elbows bent, then release back into the starting position.

    That's one thing that I've done to help my own back fat! Any exercise with dumbells and squeezing the back area has helped me immensely.
  • SongbirdLandy
    SongbirdLandy Posts: 188 Member
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    All my back fat just dropped, so now its a ton of lower back fat. :/
  • ambermichon
    ambermichon Posts: 404 Member
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    strength training...rows!!!
  • heresmyinsidevoice
    heresmyinsidevoice Posts: 311 Member
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    Yeah - sounds like you could be wearing the wrong sized bra, that is, if you're wearing a bra when you notice it. I used to work in a boutique specializing in bras, and that was one of the most prevalent issues for women of any shape and size. You'd be suprised what being fitted for the proper undergarments can do. If you haven't gone to a special boutique to be fitted (and I'm not talking about La Senza or La Vie en Rose), it is definitely worth the money, the time and your health to get proper fitting bras. :)

    http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Bra-Fitting-Tips
  • sabo1974
    sabo1974 Posts: 12
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    Are you sure it's FAT and not excess skin from your weightloss?
  • lastriegel
    lastriegel Posts: 3
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    Thanks for so many replies so quickly. You all are amazing!

    For the ones suggesting it may be a bad bra fitting....HA....I wish it was that simple of an answer but no....I rarely wear one so I know that's not it....LOL but thanks for the advice.

    It's not excess skin, there's definitely fat under the skin.

    I like the yoga, cardio and rowing suggestions. It's stuff I already knew to do but I think it's just hearing it from someone else. I really need the motivation and good swift kick in the *kitten*. I used to do Bikram (hot) Yoga but it's so expensive maybe I'll work it back in my budget.

    Thanks everyone you are all awesome! :happy:
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    If you've done yoga enough, you can probably just do it on your own at home. If you need to get a book for ideas for routines, that's definitely worth it. I'm not certified (hope to be one day), but I lead some coworkers in yoga three days a week and was really surprised how easily I can come up with routines after so many years of classes and DVDs!

    Power yoga (lots of vinyasas) will work those back muscles.
  • stacib67
    stacib67 Posts: 1 Member
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    Are you noticing the rolls without clothes or with clothes?

    If you are wearing an elastic band bra, no matter what size you are, you will have lines or bulges under your tops. It's the nature of elastic around fleshy areas which the back is mostly.

    As you lose weight, the skin may become looser as the fat cells shrink and make the rolls worse. Yuck.

    The Unbelievabra by Shapeez is the solution to the back bulges and rolls. A REAL MOLDED CUP BRA WITHOUT ELASTIC BANDS AROUND YOUR BACK!!!!!! Result is a 100% smooth back and the girls look amazing in the real underwire bra.

    Go to the website to check it out. Shapeez.com
  • dreambigandexpectfavor
    dreambigandexpectfavor Posts: 11 Member
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    A great place to look up exercises and workouts for specific body parts is bodybuilding.com If you don't know what the actual exercise is by the term that website provides, they should have pictures and descriptions right there, or you can just google it for clarification.

    You might consider rowing from multiple angles, lat pulls, hyperextensions (with added weight, if necessary). There is one really powerful move to target this area and I can't think of the term for it. But, you stand on your knees and then extend your left leg straight out to the side, put your hands behind your head with your elbows sticking straight out to the side, then bend the top half of your body down to the right side (streching the leftside of your torso) and back up to the vertical position. (Think about curling over down to the side to have your right elbow touch the floor or your right knee.) As you get used to this move, when you raise back up into the vertical position each time, think about squeezing the muscles that are pulling your body up again tightly. You can do 3 sets of 12 on each side (or as many reps/sets as you feel comfortable with). Be sure to use excellent posture and make kind of slow, deliberate movements so as not to pull something or twist your spine and to get the most out of each rep. If you get to where you are doing a lot of reps/sets before you feel your abdominal obliques/lats burning, you may want to consider adding a small hand weight (dumbbell or wrist weights held stationary behind your head) to continue making gains.

    I know doing what body builders do, even if only a few exercises, might sound like something you would be uncomfortable with. But I would encourage you to just try a couple of workouts and see how you feel about your problem area. Don't worry about "getting bulky" like a body builder by doing a few exercises regularly targeting this area of your body. In order to add bulk to your body you would have to take lots of supplements and eat little more than lean protein and a minimal amount of slow carbs. If you keep your diet the same as it is now (which is apparently working very well for you since you are at a healthy weight) you will only strengthen the targetted muscles which will in turn burn more of the surface fat on top of them.
  • twinminerva
    twinminerva Posts: 2
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    Also, there is one major componant, your age. The body changes when your hormones change as you enter your 40's. Loosing weight, and changing shape is harder. I would say make sure your body is getting the nutrition it needs. Check with a doctor about your hormone levels, adipose tissue produces estrogen, which in turn makes it harder for women to burn off. It seems like everyone has exelent suggestions, and you definantly know how to eat right and exersize. So there may be another imblance (eg hormones) that can keep your body from functioning as it should to drop the stubborn fat.

    I find that good regular massages also help with the fat burnning because the rubbing and thumping bring extra blood flow to those tissues. If you have a good blood flow to those tissues your body will be able to access and eliminate what it needs to from that area.

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