Help! Last ten pounds is killing me.

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vc3jvaughn
vc3jvaughn Posts: 17 Member
edited February 2020 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so I've got a lot going on in this post hang with me. First of all my goal has never been a number it's just a flat stomach. I've spent most of my life skinny until I had kids so I just want my nice flat stomach back that I used to have. Over the last year and a half I've lost about 40 lbs. I'm 5'7.5" I weigh 136. First my struggle is so for real right now I'm losing between 2-3 lbs a month. This really weird thing happens when I get my period (sorry guys) even though I do not change anything I don't lose weight that week and sometimes I gain between .2-.4 lbs an do have no idea why it randomly started when I hit 140 lbs. I did get down to 133 but then I took off just two weeks to eat for the holidays and I gained six pounds!!!!! Ugh it was devesating I never imagined you could gain that much so quick. So I've got three of the pounds took off now I'm marching along but my main this is basically I only have 10 lbs less to lose. For my height if I lose 14 lbs I'll be underweight but I still have this bloated frankly fat stomach. Is it normal that just ten pounds could actually make the difference that in 10 pounds I could actually love my body that I'm really not happy with now or do you have to go underweight to get a flat stomach? Anybody with any experience on any of this I would really appreciate. I've done this really slow and I'm coming up on my two year anniversary of getting fit and to still not be there is so hard for me.
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Replies

  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,619 Member
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    You need a couple of links, ones that hopefully a nice person who is not on their phone will come along and provide for you!

    1--the weight loss is not linear article about all the reasons why water weight fluctuates.
    2--the link to the uterus thread.

    You could probably also benefit from using a weight trend app or web site now that you are at a weight loss rate where you can see your water weight fluctuations.

    And.... I second the building up your strength as opposed to continuing with pure weight loss...
  • vc3jvaughn
    vc3jvaughn Posts: 17 Member
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    I hope thats not what it takes because our fitness goals need to be sustainable and I'm a cardio girl all the way. I am beginning to fear that's the problem though.
  • vc3jvaughn
    vc3jvaughn Posts: 17 Member
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    PAV888 thank you I will search those!
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,112 Member
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    PAV8888 wrote: »
    You need a couple of links, ones that hopefully a nice person who is not on their phone will come along and provide for you!

    1--the weight loss is not linear article about all the reasons why water weight fluctuates.
    2--the link to the uterus thread.

    These are the links, I believe:

    http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1
  • vc3jvaughn
    vc3jvaughn Posts: 17 Member
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    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1

    Honestly, with only 10 lb to lose, 2-3 lbs a month is about all you can expect. I'm going to second (third?) the recommendation for at least some strength training though. Is there something in particular about strength work that puts you off? For your goals, some fairly basic at home strength training may well be enough.

    I guess I just don't understand strength training. I have always done all my work outs at home so I would never be interested (or able) to go to the gym. So when I think lifting I think weights and as you go you have to keep increasing weights so you don't plateau and it seems like this major thing that isn't my style. I guess I don't know what 'basic' strength training would be. My exercise is either 15 minutes of HIIT or 30 minutes on my at home elliptical 5 days a week. I just literally love cardio and have never thought about anything else.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    vc3jvaughn wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1

    Honestly, with only 10 lb to lose, 2-3 lbs a month is about all you can expect. I'm going to second (third?) the recommendation for at least some strength training though. Is there something in particular about strength work that puts you off? For your goals, some fairly basic at home strength training may well be enough.

    I guess I just don't understand strength training. I have always done all my work outs at home so I would never be interested (or able) to go to the gym. So when I think lifting I think weights and as you go you have to keep increasing weights so you don't plateau and it seems like this major thing that isn't my style. I guess I don't know what 'basic' strength training would be. My exercise is either 15 minutes of HIIT or 30 minutes on my at home elliptical 5 days a week. I just literally love cardio and have never thought about anything else.

    Bodyweight resistance training may be a good fit for you then, possibly adding dumbbells or some other form of increased resistance later if you want to. It really depends on your goals. For a flat stomach (strong core) and the 'toned' look (a bit of muscle definition), bodyweight will get you there. You need to continue to add resistance (weight) to continue building muscle, but only until you reach where you want to be. Then you just carry on at that level.

    Have a look at the suggestions in this thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    And it's pretty easy to make a home bodyweight routine into a circuit style, so you'll still get your cardio buzz ;)
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,619 Member
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    Great job on the links @Lietchi: thank you!

    Also great links by Nony though slightly longer re the flat tummy thread!

    Also, do check out the weight trend apps as it sounds to me as if you have some monthly hormonal water retention that you will have to take into account moving forward.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
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    Great links and advice, but I was wondering if she might benefit from recomp? OP there's a long thread running on recomp and that might have something you'd like. So many people want a flat stomach and there's lot's of info. Good luck.
  • jjironaddict
    jjironaddict Posts: 48 Member
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    What training are you currently doing? I'd recommend powerlifting coupled with HIIT
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    vc3jvaughn wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1

    Honestly, with only 10 lb to lose, 2-3 lbs a month is about all you can expect. I'm going to second (third?) the recommendation for at least some strength training though. Is there something in particular about strength work that puts you off? For your goals, some fairly basic at home strength training may well be enough.

    I guess I just don't understand strength training. I have always done all my work outs at home so I would never be interested (or able) to go to the gym. So when I think lifting I think weights and as you go you have to keep increasing weights so you don't plateau and it seems like this major thing that isn't my style. I guess I don't know what 'basic' strength training would be. My exercise is either 15 minutes of HIIT or 30 minutes on my at home elliptical 5 days a week. I just literally love cardio and have never thought about anything else.

    My mom started strength training with a personal trainer at a gym in her late 70s. Her osteoporosis doctor wishes she hard started decades earlier.

    While there are routines you can do at home (I do!) you'd be much better served if you first had at least a few sessions with a good PT so you know what you are doing.

    Every gym I've ever joined has given me 1-3 sessions with a PT for free and many had free or very cheap small group classes as well.

    Join a gym for a month, get a PT, and tell them your goal is to transition to a workout at home after a month.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    If you're still losing 2-3lbs a month in general you are doing great :-) the links already posted are full of great advice/info.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    Great links and advice, but I was wondering if she might benefit from recomp? OP there's a long thread running on recomp and that might have something you'd like. So many people want a flat stomach and there's lot's of info. Good luck.

    I agree. The shape and leanest of the body is more important than the scale number.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    edited February 2020
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    vc3jvaughn wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1

    Honestly, with only 10 lb to lose, 2-3 lbs a month is about all you can expect. I'm going to second (third?) the recommendation for at least some strength training though. Is there something in particular about strength work that puts you off? For your goals, some fairly basic at home strength training may well be enough.

    I guess I just don't understand strength training. I have always done all my work outs at home so I would never be interested (or able) to go to the gym. So when I think lifting I think weights and as you go you have to keep increasing weights so you don't plateau and it seems like this major thing that isn't my style. I guess I don't know what 'basic' strength training would be. My exercise is either 15 minutes of HIIT or 30 minutes on my at home elliptical 5 days a week. I just literally love cardio and have never thought about anything else.

    Keep in mind that every health organization out there recommends at least 2 sessions of resistance training per week for health. As we age, we lose muscle mass and bone density decreases...resistance training mitigates these losses. Being frail and unable to get up off the couch when you're 70 doesn't seem very appealing. Resistance training doesn't necessarily mean hitting the weight room or even doing a progressive program. A progressive program is what you want to do if you want to build mass and continue to build more strength...but I know a lot of people who lift who've achieved what they want and just lift to maintain what they have.

    Lifting isn't my favorite thing in the world which is why I keep it to 2x per week...occasionally 3. It's not so much that I love random cardio or anything as it is I love to road ride and mountain bike and would rather be doing those things...but resistance training is so important to overall health. I work once per week with a trainer and that's a 60 minutes session...the session I do on my own only takes me about 30 minutes as it is a fairly basic full body barbell routine.
  • beulah81
    beulah81 Posts: 168 Member
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    cheryldumais wrote: »
    Ok, I'm sticking my neck out a bit here. When women have kids they sometimes spread those tummy muscles out and sometimes have a gap. It's called Diastasis Recti - “Diastasis recti” means your belly sticks out because the space between your left and right belly muscles has widened. ... Pregnancy puts so much pressure on the belly that sometimes the muscles in front can't keep their shape. "Diastasis" means separation. "Recti" refers to your ab muscles called the "rectus abdominis." Sometimes all the exercise and diet in the world can't fix it. I lost a lot of weight but because I'd had two 9+ pound babies I was never gonna have a flat tummy without help. I had a tummy tuck done and now it's flatter than it ever was. In my case I had a lot of excess skin which is why I had the surgery. The surgeon stitched the muscles back together while he was removing the excess skin. Anyway not saying you need to have it done. Just throwing it out there because at your weight I don't think losing more is going to solve the problem you feel you have. But keep in mind you aren't alone and lots of ladies have a little bit of a curve there after having kids.

    This^. I have a friend who is tall and slim, 38 and has 3 children. Her last baby was 10+ lbs. She is an avid runner and keeps herself fit. Her stomach muscles are another story. She has a pooch(a very noticeable one) that isn't going anywhere no matter what she does. She can't afford to lose anymore weight or she'll look emaciated. Do the best you can to tone/train, not to be discouraging, but there is a possibility that it might be a losing battle....unless you decide to go surgical route...
  • vc3jvaughn
    vc3jvaughn Posts: 17 Member
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    cheryldumais wrote: »
    Ok, I'm sticking my neck out a bit here. When women have kids they sometimes spread those tummy muscles out and sometimes have a gap. It's called Diastasis Recti - “Diastasis recti” means your belly sticks out because the space between your left and right belly muscles has widened. ... Pregnancy puts so much pressure on the belly that sometimes the muscles in front can't keep their shape. "Diastasis" means separation. "Recti" refers to your ab muscles called the "rectus abdominis." Sometimes all the exercise and diet in the world can't fix it. I lost a lot of weight but because I'd had two 9+ pound babies I was never gonna have a flat tummy without help. I had a tummy tuck done and now it's flatter than it ever was. In my case I had a lot of excess skin which is why I had the surgery. The surgeon stitched the muscles back together while he was removing the excess skin. Anyway not saying you need to have it done. Just throwing it out there because at your weight I don't think losing more is going to solve the problem you feel you have. But keep in mind you aren't alone and lots of ladies have a little bit of a curve there after having kids.

    Thank you for your advice yes I have been tested for diatis recti. I did the first part myself it was years ago where you lie in a certain position and see if you have more than an dtwo finger gap and I don't but then during my last pregnancy I was wrried about it so my doc and i kept an eye on it. I don't have it and deepest sympathies to all the ladies that struggle with it. ❤️❤️

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