Is your stomach shaped like a "B"?

OneBryteSmile
OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
From the side view, my stomach reminds me of the letter "B". Although I have lost lots of inches in my midsection and my stomach continues to get smaller, the shape won't change. There's the extra fat that pokes out above the navel and then there's the pooch below it and then it just indents in the middle.

I know I can't spot reduce and I know that I should continue doing what I'm doing and I will eventually see results.

But I'm curious about others who have had a similar issue with their stomach and what kinds of things you did whether it was with your diet and/or exercise that helped you actually flatten your stomach and not have this odd "B" shape anymore.
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Replies

  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member
    Mine is similar my problem is more the bottom pooch though its very frustrating!! I wish I had just a regular belly haha
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
    My friend says her stomach was like that from wearing pants that were tight around the waist (even when she was naked, the indent was still there). It went away once she lost a lot of body fat, her skin adjusted, and her pants no longer caused the indent at her waist.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    My friend says her stomach was like that from wearing pants that were tight around the waist (even when she was naked, the indent was still there). It went away once she lost a lot of body fat, her skin adjusted, and her pants no longer caused the indent at her waist.

    That's interesting. I often wondered if it was something I was doing that caused my stomach to be that way. For me though my pants have always been bigger at the waist because I had to buy pants sizes that would get over my hips and the waist usually ended up being bigger.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    Mine is similar my problem is more the bottom pooch though its very frustrating!! I wish I had just a regular belly haha

    I wish I had a regular one too. When I see before and after pics, it seems like the people that achieved the kind of ab look I want had a rounder stomach, more like an "O". I don't see others with a "B" stomach so I feel alone with the problem.
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member

    I wish I had a regular one too. When I see before and after pics, it seems like the people that achieved the kind of ab look I want had a rounder stomach, more like an "O". I don't see others with a "B" stomach so I feel alone with the problem.

    Right!!! I've been putting off taking a before picture but I definitely will soon so if I am able to achieve good results after I can share mine.
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
    I had that more before than I do now. Now that I'm getting close to a lower body fat level, it doesn't "B" anymore.. There's still more fat right under my bra and under my belly button but it's getting to be less and less as I lose more. I think eventually it goes away!! :)
  • aulove
    aulove Posts: 34
    I'm so glad you asked this question; my stomach is also "B" shaped, and I've been curious if I'll ever achieve the flat look I want. The only thing I can do is to continue working for it through exercise and diet.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I have that same shape. I'm sure yours has changed! Have you ever taken measurements? I didn't when I first started but finally started taking body measurements last summer. Looking at myself every day, I don't notice much of a change but that measuring tape sure has told me diferent - I've lost 11 inches in my waist just in the last 7 months! By the way, that's measuring above the belly button at the widest part of my belly.

    Haven't gotten close enough to goal to see if I'll get that flat look but I remember having it back in high school before I started gaining so I would assume I'll have it again!
  • KemaVA
    KemaVA Posts: 81 Member
    Mine is similar my problem is more the bottom pooch though its very frustrating!! I wish I had just a regular belly haha

    Same problem here! Mine is shaped like a lower case b :grumble:
  • TiffanySuscheck
    TiffanySuscheck Posts: 123 Member
    I have always had a "B" stomach. In fact, I remember once in 5th grade, someone was jump-roping and her shirt came up and she too had this problem and my friend said (completely horrified), "Oh my god she has a double gut. That's disgusting!!!"

    I have been horrified and ashamed of my body every since. I am still working on it, but I think with enough weight loss, it will (hopefully) go away!!


    PS - most people (even skinny people) have a little "pouch" under their belly button. Why? A section of intestine pokes out right there!!! So that may never go away completely. But it may be less dramatic with weight loss.
  • BOLO4Hagtha
    BOLO4Hagtha Posts: 396 Member
    My friend says her stomach was like that from wearing pants that were tight around the waist (even when she was naked, the indent was still there). It went away once she lost a lot of body fat, her skin adjusted, and her pants no longer caused the indent at her waist.

    I have the B shaped belly and I always thought that that was partly why it looked like that (besides the obvious fat). I started to adjust my pants as I sit down, but its still there.
  • purpletrillium
    purpletrillium Posts: 124
    I'm a 'B' too. I noticed the B shape is more pronounced since I started doing Zumba. My waist is getting smaller, and seems to be pushing the fat more toward the front in the high and low spots. Hoping with more ab work that the B will go away.
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member

    Same problem here! Mine is shaped like a lower case b :grumble:

    lol i'm just happy i'm not the only one!!! like none of the people i know, overweight or not have it and it makes me feel like a weirdo!! just more motivation to keep up with this fitness and hope it goes away or much less noticeable!
  • kiikachu
    kiikachu Posts: 1 Member
    All the women in my family have that. My sister is really skinny but still had it so she had lipo. I had vaser lipo two years ago to change the shape.

    My mother is tiny and really fit but still has it unfortunately.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    My "B" turned into a "b" and then turned into a "l"

    Just hang in there, you're correct, spot reducing doesn't work. Be patient and stay on track, you can do this!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member

    PS - most people (even skinny people) have a little "pouch" under their belly button. Why? A section of intestine pokes out right there!!! So that may never go away completely. But it may be less dramatic with weight loss.

    this is not accurate. If you had intestine poking out right there, you'd have a hernia. A layer of muscle covers and protects our intestines.
  • MissJay75
    MissJay75 Posts: 768 Member
    This won't solve the problem, but proper posture will help. When you sit or stand slouched over, your stomach fat rests on itself.
  • connerstella
    connerstella Posts: 8 Member
    i have that too! i lose inches, but i carry a pouch of chub right on my ribs, under my bust! i don't know how to make it flatten with the rest of my stomach.. so strange!
  • Pakitalian
    Pakitalian Posts: 218 Member
    I HAVE THE "B" BELLY!!!!!!!!!!

    You have NO idea how long I have been wondering if I am the only one. I must have the worse one out there... I will get a pic up eventually... My "B" is so bad that you cant' even see my belly button!! I have to lift up my "first" belly in order to see my belly button.. Its awful :(

    I used to weigh 297 lbs. When I got down to 136, I STILL had the "B", I guess it goes away for some people, but never went away for me... Just want you to know I know how you feel... you look great by the way!!!
  • Taylerr88
    Taylerr88 Posts: 320 Member
    oh look... i am not the only one wih a "B" stomach... good to know.. i have been told it has something to do with a anterior pelvic tilt.. but who really knows.
  • Ladyiianae
    Ladyiianae Posts: 271 Member
    oh honey...I am SOOO a big OLE' Capital "B" ...however I keep hoping SOMEDAY it will go away but it's frustrating and sometimes makes me sad
  • gazerofthestars
    gazerofthestars Posts: 255 Member
    Same boat as you OP! I have been lifting for a couple months too. Hasn't seemed to make that great of a difference. Though I am still on the upper end of normal BMI so it might go away after a while maybe...
  • Califragilistic
    Califragilistic Posts: 6
    You aren't the only one - I also have a B when I'm in a 'thick' (I refuse to use the 'f' word) phase. However, as I've gone up and down the scales (of life), what happens is that is turns into a smaller B and at the moment (as I'm being so good with my yoga), its down to a small b which pleases me to no end.

    What I find is that my upper half tends to disappear first then the lower half (if you keep at it as I'm trying to do with my personal goal of 100 days of continuous yoga), it slowly shifts. I've never had and i tummy, ever in my life, though I'm still looking forward to the occasion (fingers crossed). My scales have stopped shifting, if anything, they're moving on up, probably due to the muscle mass I'm gaining, but that doesn't worry me as overall, I'm in ok shape.

    Hope this helps, and keep at it:)
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    I'm so glad you asked this question; my stomach is also "B" shaped, and I've been curious if I'll ever achieve the flat look I want. The only thing I can do is to continue working for it through exercise and diet.

    I guess that's all I can do too.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    I have that same shape. I'm sure yours has changed! Have you ever taken measurements? I didn't when I first started but finally started taking body measurements last summer. Looking at myself every day, I don't notice much of a change but that measuring tape sure has told me diferent - I've lost 11 inches in my waist just in the last 7 months! By the way, that's measuring above the belly button at the widest part of my belly.

    Haven't gotten close enough to goal to see if I'll get that flat look but I remember having it back in high school before I started gaining so I would assume I'll have it again!

    Yes I do take measurements. So that's why I said that I've lost lots of inches and my stomach is a lot smaller but the B shape hasn't changed and there's still that extra body fat at the top and bottom.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    I have always had a "B" stomach. In fact, I remember once in 5th grade, someone was jump-roping and her shirt came up and she too had this problem and my friend said (completely horrified), "Oh my god she has a double gut. That's disgusting!!!"

    I have been horrified and ashamed of my body every since. I am still working on it, but I think with enough weight loss, it will (hopefully) go away!!


    PS - most people (even skinny people) have a little "pouch" under their belly button. Why? A section of intestine pokes out right there!!! So that may never go away completely. But it may be less dramatic with weight loss.

    Wow, I would have been horrified too.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    All the women in my family have that. My sister is really skinny but still had it so she had lipo. I had vaser lipo two years ago to change the shape.

    My mother is tiny and really fit but still has it unfortunately.

    Sometimes I feel like maybe one day I'll have to get lipo too but I hope I don't have to go that far. Maybe after I have a baby I will. Who knows.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    My "B" turned into a "b" and then turned into a "l"

    Just hang in there, you're correct, spot reducing doesn't work. Be patient and stay on track, you can do this!

    Thanks Lucky, I hope I can be that lucky if I just keep at it too.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
    This won't solve the problem, but proper posture will help. When you sit or stand slouched over, your stomach fat rests on itself.

    Thanks for the tip, I'm definitely a sloucher.
  • KathieElisa
    KathieElisa Posts: 38
    When I read this topic title I laughed because I just realized my belly does look like a B lol I have what I call my abs (funny to say abs since I'm fat lol) under my breasts from sucking in the belly for so many yrs then the pouch under .... sad but true ! Hopefully when I get closer to my goal I can find a way to get rid of it and actually have a flat stomach =/
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