Tummy fat
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benn8895
Posts: 29 Member
Hey everyone, so I have a question. Let me preface by saying I KNOW that everyone loses weight in different places. I know that you cannot spot reduce fat. I know that no two peoples journey is the same and I know that you cannot predict where the fat will come off. BUT. I was hoping to hear from people who seemed to lose stomach last and when they started to notice it come off.
I have lost 27 pounds since March. The first three months I lost weight by diet only but for the past six weeks I have been working out as well as keeping a deficit thru food. I have noticed my legs becoming more defined as well as my arms. I can see a lot of changes and fat loss in those two areas but not my stomach. 27 pounds down and my stomach has only lost 3 inches. I am only 4 pounds away from a healthy weight (about 33 from goal weight) and I still have a big belly. It is very frustrating and defeating to see SO MUCH change in the rest of my body but not this area.
I know that eating low sugar and low carb helps with swelling so that would give a slimmer appearance but I'm anxious to have actual fat loss in my stomach area. I know I can't be the only one with this problem and no I'm not giving up and yes I know it takes time but I would love to hear from others to help keep me motivated in my journey. Thanks guys! Also, photos are definitely welcome! : )
I have lost 27 pounds since March. The first three months I lost weight by diet only but for the past six weeks I have been working out as well as keeping a deficit thru food. I have noticed my legs becoming more defined as well as my arms. I can see a lot of changes and fat loss in those two areas but not my stomach. 27 pounds down and my stomach has only lost 3 inches. I am only 4 pounds away from a healthy weight (about 33 from goal weight) and I still have a big belly. It is very frustrating and defeating to see SO MUCH change in the rest of my body but not this area.
I know that eating low sugar and low carb helps with swelling so that would give a slimmer appearance but I'm anxious to have actual fat loss in my stomach area. I know I can't be the only one with this problem and no I'm not giving up and yes I know it takes time but I would love to hear from others to help keep me motivated in my journey. Thanks guys! Also, photos are definitely welcome! : )
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Replies
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I was literally just about to post something like this. =P
I've lost 33 pounds, and aside from having knees and elbows again (I'd lost them for a while), I look the same. Even my pants still fit. Very disheartening to be honest.
If I just go by clothing, I'd say it mostly all came off my ribs and back. My bras do not remotely fit anymore.
Just gotta trust the process, even though it's hard sometimes, we'll definitely get there.16 -
I think you have to do stuff like sit ups. I don’t really know, I walk the dogs everyday and swim twice a week. Vacuumed my car today. Just looked at the daily workout thread and couldn’t believe what I read there. I have no idea how people do so much. Made me feel really disheartened. I was going to get a personal trainer but if you have to spend 2 hours a day doing extreme sport I honestly think I’d sooner be fat.31
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I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but I am right in the middle of the healthy weight range for my height, and people often call me "thin", and I still have a belly. It's smaller than it used to be, but it's still there.
The fact is that many women do naturally carry a little belly fat. I would probably have to get to the low end of the range, and possibly to an uncomfortably low BF% to have a "flat belly". I'm working on recomp to see if it will help.
I don't want to discourage you! But I'm a firm believer in realistic expectations, and for some of us, this is real life. I might try to lose another 5-10 lbs at some point and see what happens, but I just don't care enough right now.
These threads might help too:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p124 -
I have been doing crunches about 30-40 each morning (working up to sit-ups) I have noticed that I have to cinch my belt a little tighter. I think you should try some resistance training. Push-ups, Goblet squat, plank, crunches they all should strengthen the core. At least that's what I'm going to try.
Sandra - I agree with you about the crazy amount some people do daily I mark cleaning the house as exercise. I try to stay active by biking but when I see other people biking for 40miles a day my 5-10miles looks inconsequential.
benn & terytha - Congrats on the 27# & 33# loss that is great!10 -
sandramarshall200 wrote: »I think you have to do stuff like sit ups. I don’t really know, I walk the dogs everyday and swim twice a week. Vacuumed my car today. Just looked at the daily workout thread and couldn’t believe what I read there. I have no idea how people do so much. Made me feel really disheartened. I was going to get a personal trainer but if you have to spend 2 hours a day doing extreme sport I honestly think I’d sooner be fat.
No. Sit ups do exactly what every other exercise does: burn calories. They have no impact on your stomach fat, and are kind of bad for your back.
You also don't have to exercise at all to lose weight. Exercise is not mandatory, nor is it the most efficient way to lose weight.19 -
sandramarshall200 wrote: »I think you have to do stuff like sit ups. I don’t really know, I walk the dogs everyday and swim twice a week. Vacuumed my car today. Just looked at the daily workout thread and couldn’t believe what I read there. I have no idea how people do so much. Made me feel really disheartened. I was going to get a personal trainer but if you have to spend 2 hours a day doing extreme sport I honestly think I’d sooner be fat.
No. Sit ups do exactly what every other exercise does: burn calories. They have no impact on your stomach fat, and are kind of bad for your back.
You also don't have to exercise at all to lose weight. Exercise is not mandatory, nor is it the most efficient way to lose weight.
How are situps bad for your back? Are you saying if you have prominent spine and they rub the floor? Or if you have overactive hip flexors they can cause low back pain? Outside of those two things not sure what would be the problem?
If you're doing situps properly they shouldn't be bad for your back5 -
I don't know if you have children, but I have have given birth twice and had a c-section once. So some of those muscles just don't bounce back the way they should. I had all 3 of them by the time I was 25 and still have a little bit of a stomach. I will be 40 this year and I am 145 now (goal weight 138). My waist is at about 29 inches, but my stomach is at 33". I am about 7 pounds from my vanity goal weight (which is taking me forever to reach), but realistically I am looking at maybe losing another 1/2 inch, maybe and full inch and that's it.6
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Hey everyone, so I have a question. Let me preface by saying I KNOW that everyone loses weight in different places. I know that you cannot spot reduce fat. I know that no two peoples journey is the same and I know that you cannot predict where the fat will come off. BUT. I was hoping to hear from people who seemed to lose stomach last and when they started to notice it come off.
I have lost 27 pounds since March. The first three months I lost weight by diet only but for the past six weeks I have been working out as well as keeping a deficit thru food. I have noticed my legs becoming more defined as well as my arms. I can see a lot of changes and fat loss in those two areas but not my stomach. 27 pounds down and my stomach has only lost 3 inches. I am only 4 pounds away from a healthy weight (about 33 from goal weight) and I still have a big belly. It is very frustrating and defeating to see SO MUCH change in the rest of my body but not this area.
I know that eating low sugar and low carb helps with swelling so that would give a slimmer appearance but I'm anxious to have actual fat loss in my stomach area. I know I can't be the only one with this problem and no I'm not giving up and yes I know it takes time but I would love to hear from others to help keep me motivated in my journey. Thanks guys! Also, photos are definitely welcome! : )
Generally people will lose weight in their torso from the top to the bottom. The last being the lower back and lower abdominals.
Both men and women store more fat in their abdomen. Generally men hold more body fat in their abdomen and lower back and women carry more fat in their legs and butt.
This is mostly due to hormones and receptors in your body. If you are in a decent weight category and generally are in good shape and still have large amounts of fat in certain areas of your body, its likely due to low hormone levels which may be worth checking out.
Most healthy women would, as most would call, a flat stomach in the 22-24% bf range.5 -
sandramarshall200 wrote: »I think you have to do stuff like sit ups. I don’t really know, I walk the dogs everyday and swim twice a week. Vacuumed my car today. Just looked at the daily workout thread and couldn’t believe what I read there. I have no idea how people do so much. Made me feel really disheartened. I was going to get a personal trainer but if you have to spend 2 hours a day doing extreme sport I honestly think I’d sooner be fat.
No. Sit ups do exactly what every other exercise does: burn calories. They have no impact on your stomach fat, and are kind of bad for your back.
You also don't have to exercise at all to lose weight. Exercise is not mandatory, nor is it the most efficient way to lose weight.
How are situps bad for your back? Are you saying if you have prominent spine and they rub the floor? Or if you have overactive hip flexors they can cause low back pain? Outside of those two things not sure what would be the problem?
If you're doing situps properly they shouldn't be bad for your back
Most people are not doing them properly. When was the last time you heard of someone looking up proper form for situps? They were a requirement in gym class as a kid and nobody ever taught us form. Regardless, here's a link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/want-a-stronger-core-skip-the-sit-ups
A quick Google pulls up numerous similar articles.9 -
sandramarshall200 wrote: »I think you have to do stuff like sit ups. I don’t really know, I walk the dogs everyday and swim twice a week. Vacuumed my car today. Just looked at the daily workout thread and couldn’t believe what I read there. I have no idea how people do so much. Made me feel really disheartened. I was going to get a personal trainer but if you have to spend 2 hours a day doing extreme sport I honestly think I’d sooner be fat.
No. Sit ups do exactly what every other exercise does: burn calories. They have no impact on your stomach fat, and are kind of bad for your back.
You also don't have to exercise at all to lose weight. Exercise is not mandatory, nor is it the most efficient way to lose weight.
How are situps bad for your back? Are you saying if you have prominent spine and they rub the floor? Or if you have overactive hip flexors they can cause low back pain? Outside of those two things not sure what would be the problem?
If you're doing situps properly they shouldn't be bad for your back
Most people are not doing them properly. When was the last time you heard of someone looking up proper form for situps? They were a requirement in gym class as a kid and nobody ever taught us form. Regardless, here's a link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/want-a-stronger-core-skip-the-sit-ups
A quick Google pulls up numerous similar articles.
lol did you read the article you just mentioned?
It says almost word for word what i asked about....
Tight hip flexors and spine against the floor.... If done properly they are not bad for your back... its like saying bicep curls are bad cause they're an isolation exercise, or that squats are bad because if done improperly it'll hurt your knees.7 -
I found Pilates (either mat Pilates or with the reformer) to be helpful in strengthening abdominal muscles as well as improving posture.7
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I’ve read over & over that to target your core you need to combine a little cardio with, squats, leg lunges, planks, push ups & jumping jacks. Check out ONE & DONE!2
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sandramarshall200 wrote: »I think you have to do stuff like sit ups. I don’t really know, I walk the dogs everyday and swim twice a week. Vacuumed my car today. Just looked at the daily workout thread and couldn’t believe what I read there. I have no idea how people do so much. Made me feel really disheartened. I was going to get a personal trainer but if you have to spend 2 hours a day doing extreme sport I honestly think I’d sooner be fat.
No. Sit ups do exactly what every other exercise does: burn calories. They have no impact on your stomach fat, and are kind of bad for your back.
You also don't have to exercise at all to lose weight. Exercise is not mandatory, nor is it the most efficient way to lose weight.
How are situps bad for your back? Are you saying if you have prominent spine and they rub the floor? Or if you have overactive hip flexors they can cause low back pain? Outside of those two things not sure what would be the problem?
If you're doing situps properly they shouldn't be bad for your back
Most people are not doing them properly. When was the last time you heard of someone looking up proper form for situps? They were a requirement in gym class as a kid and nobody ever taught us form. Regardless, here's a link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/want-a-stronger-core-skip-the-sit-ups
A quick Google pulls up numerous similar articles.
lol did you read the article you just mentioned?
It says almost word for word what i asked about....
Tight hip flexors and spine against the floor.... If done properly they are not bad for your back... its like saying bicep curls are bad cause they're an isolation exercise, or that squats are bad because if done improperly it'll hurt your knees.
I didn't say they were bad period. I said they were kind of bad, for your back. Squats are also kind of bad for your knees. Both are exercises that few people bother to learn proper form for, and end up hurting themselves trying to accomplish the impossible.
Sit ups will never target tummy fat. You can do 1000 of them, that fat will stick around until your genetics decides to get rid of it. In the meantime, there are more useful, effective exercises with less odds of injury you could be doing.13 -
sandramarshall200 wrote: »I think you have to do stuff like sit ups. I don’t really know, I walk the dogs everyday and swim twice a week. Vacuumed my car today. Just looked at the daily workout thread and couldn’t believe what I read there. I have no idea how people do so much. Made me feel really disheartened. I was going to get a personal trainer but if you have to spend 2 hours a day doing extreme sport I honestly think I’d sooner be fat.
The exercise you're already doing is awesome.
Don't feel like you have to exercise for hours to see results.
I was obese for about 25 years, and I resisted trying to lose weight because I believed that to do so I'd have to give up all the foods I loved and spend hours in the gym. I finally lost over 70lbs after the age of 50 by counting my calories... I eat almost everything I used to, and I still haven't set foot inside a gym. I wish I'd known it was that simple (though not always easy!) decades ago.
I do regret not doing any sort of strength training, but that doesn't need a gym or hours of work either - I just need to get my butt in gear and do some at-home exercises to help with that side of things. 8 -
OP, the threads linked earlier might be helpful/insightful for you. I know it's disheartening though!
I've always had a bit of a belly, even when I was young and slim, and I seem to hold more weight there than anywhere else. I've gained back several pounds over the past few months due to some stressful times and emotional eating, and I swear every single one of them has gone onto my belly! I look pregnant, and it sucks.
I do find that if I eat more bread and sodium-laden foods then I get some bloating, so trying to minimise that helps me a little bit. But I love those foods so it's a challenge!
Unfortunately, at the end of the day it's down to each individual's body where and when the fat comes off. Keep at it and you'll see results eventually, even if it's not quite as good as you may have hoped for. *hugs*3 -
I found Pilates (either mat Pilates or with the reformer) to be helpful in strengthening abdominal muscles as well as improving posture.
Posture is a good point: Certainly not true for everyone, but it's fairly common to see anterior pelvic tilt, and a chin-forward/shoulders-forward posture (sometimes from too much screen time). Both of those things will emphasize abdominal fat by sort of pushing any central fullness downward and outward. I feel like the anterior pelvic tilt has become a bit more common in women since it's been trendy to emphasize the booty - not necessarily a conscious thing people do, but a thing anyway. There are exercises to strengthen/lengthen muscle groups, to improve posture, and conscious attention alongside those can also be helpful.4 -
Didn’t read everything here but my insight...
I also carry in my stomach and always have. I have two kids and they’re not to blame, it’s always been an insecurity of mine.
As an adult I got down to 112 pounds about 3 years ago. I am 5’5 female and was 26 at the time. Even my stomach at the very lowest end of normal range for BMI still had a pooch. Everything else was good but my stomach would not be flat. I was still so insecure about it even though I was “skinny”. I know it’s probably not what you wanna hear.... but I think people like us have to get body fat percentage really low and probably lift heavy for a few years before we ever see a flat stomach.
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I gain in my midsection first and lose it there last. There is zip you can do but lose the weight.. lifting weights will make you look better all around..but you have to lose the fat and it just takes time and comes off.3
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I hold it in my stomach too. First thing to get bigger and last thing to get smaller.
I also recommend looking at those threads posted above the does my uterus look big in this one and that other one.
Posture is massive tho. When I remember posture and hike my shoulders back and stand up straight my stomach almost flattens!
Keep at it though, and with time (and a fuckload of patience) it will reduce!
Or get liposuction for a quick fix.3
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