Belly Fat

middleagegirl
middleagegirl Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Need I say more? Just kidding. I am sure this subject has been beaten to death but I did not find what I wanted in Search. How do I get rid of my belly fat??? I am not really overwhight per say, just fluffy. I am 56 years old. My belly fat has creeped up on me. Now what do I do?
I eat very well, log my food and exercise every day. Cardio, weights, etc....Only seriously again for the past few weeks. What else can I do???

Replies

  • anawake13
    anawake13 Posts: 99 Member
    I think belly fat is hardest fat of all to get rid of. Even at goal weight ( which I'm not ) I can't get rid of it. Decided at 73 I'm too old for Lipo lol. Hope someone has some ideas for us.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    You can't spot reduce. Simply continue to lose weight and it'll eventually come off the belly.
  • Ddsb11
    Ddsb11 Posts: 607 Member
    Unfortunately you can spot reduce. Best way to lose fat in unwanted places is through weight loss and improving your overall shape with weight training. So there’s definitely hope, it’s just a matter of what we are willing to do, what are practical goals for our preferred lifestyle.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    There is nothing you can specifically do other than cut some weight (fat). You can't spot reduce fat from any particular area. For many people, the midsection is primary fat stores. Primary fat stores are typically a first on, last off kind of thing. Hitting the weight room with a solid, progressive lifting program can help you re-comp...but you can't spot reduce.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    What everyone else said. I THOUGHT ALL my extra weight was there, because everything else looked okay. No. It's disproportionally there but in typical fashion I had to lose more everywhere else for it to go. It's only as I'm nearing goal that it's even BEGUN to really budge. I seemingly lost from my fingers, face, and toes inward . Kind of infuriating to be honest, but it is what it is.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Thanks for posting that link @springlering62, I was just trying to get it in my phone. :)

    (I’ve been doing the vacuum for years, don’t even think of it now it is just posture driven. I still have a layer of fat, but nice and solid underneath. Pic can be seen p2 on uterus thread)

    The above link, general strengthening of the abs, and good posture gives good support and does wonders for the look of that fat.

    If you do need to lose a few or many lbs a calorie deficit is needed.

    (I still have abdominal fat at a low BMI that no amount of recomp will get rid of and a cal deficit would put me underweight)

    The hormonal changes in post menopausal women (and sometimes peri) means we are more predisposed to storing fat in the abdomen rather than subcutaneously throughout the body.

    Cheers, h.

  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    The hormonal changes in post menopausal women (and sometimes peri) means we are more predisposed to storing fat in the abdomen rather than subcutaneously throughout the body.

    This is what all my friends complain about, even the very active ones. Fat seems to redistribute itself at menopause.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    @ythannah, I always thought ‘middle age spread’ was an old wives tale connected to slowing down activity so putting on weight and losing muscle.
    It ends up there is a little truth to it after all, and science to back it up.

    I’m not big on the science side of things but it is related to having relatively more testosterone and less oestrogen our fat storage can move to a more ‘male’ (abdominal) pattern.

    (Sorry I couldn’t find the link I had kept for years. It would be easy to look up though if your interested)

    I’ve always carried my excess fat abdominally so probably didn’t see a ‘mid life’ increase some women may.

    Cheeers, h.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    cant spot reduce. eat at a deficit.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,679 Member
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    cant spot reduce. eat at a deficit.

    Granted, but I got too low as it was. Can’t reduce any more so am now left with (dreaded word...) toning, shaping, or whatever you want to call it, the final hand that I’ve been dealt.

    I’ve got to say, it’s not easy to maintain a strong vacuum while walking, but I think it’s effective, and worth continued efforts. I mean, I’m walking anyway, right?

    I’m noticing a difference. Waistbands are distinctly looser. And it’s doing wonders for my posture. Wouldn’t it be lovely to get a permanent fix on that!
  • wsusan162
    wsusan162 Posts: 58 Member
    I think the body burns off fat in the reverse order it put it on, so the belly fat (where I first put it on) will be the last off. Just my feeling....not backed by science.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    springlering62 wrote: »
    @middlehaitch So what you’re saying is, we get chin hair and beer bellies?

    That is so not fair for one stinking apple.

    OK, I LOLed at that one. :D

    I figure since I've had some kids there's probably always going to be some softness in my belly even after I reach goal weight. Just like the stretch marks won't go away. War wounds and all that. ;) I'm OK with it.

    I've been lucky since I haven't had some of the ab muscle problems a lot of women do with pregnancy. I never heard of the vacuum exercises before browsing the MFP forums but I am interested in trying them out "for science!" ninerbuff referred to them in the linked thread as something you can do like Kegels, and I already do those regularly, so, why not add on a bit? Ha.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    middleagegirl wrote: »
    Need I say more? Just kidding. I am sure this subject has been beaten to death but I did not find what I wanted in Search. How do I get rid of my belly fat??? I am not really overwhight per say, just fluffy. I am 56 years old. My belly fat has creeped up on me. Now what do I do?
    I eat very well, log my food and exercise every day. Cardio, weights, etc....Only seriously again for the past few weeks. What else can I do???

    You say you lift weights. What does that look like? Are you using a proven progressive lifting program?
  • petsounds23
    petsounds23 Posts: 5 Member
    I feel your pain. Unfortunately at our age hormonal changes have a lot to do with belly fat. Pre-menopause I had a flat stomach and was a perfect weight. Menopause started and I blew up like a balloon especially in my belly. I’m going to ask my doc to do more extensive bloodwork next time to see what all may be off, such as endocrine system, cortisol, etc. You may want to do the same.

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