I am looking for some thoughts about focusing on tummy issues only. I tend to (as a lot of women do) carry more weight in my stomach and around my chin..no matter what I do, I am not losing it there..Eating healthy, using the treadmill every morning and walking in the evening. Those are my favorite forms of exercise..and I have to say i tend to be a huge klutz so aerobics are a great way for me to break something so that is out. Any thoughts? Have had all the blood work done, no issues there as far as gland problems..I don't need to lose it in my butt or legs.
thanks
First, good job on all the weight you've lost so far!!
Second, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there's no proven way to target fat loss in any particular part of the body. Your primary fat stores have to be depleted first before the troublesome parts are recruited. The places you gain weight first are the last places to lose weight. For instance, I gain weight around my hips and butt and at my highest, I had a double chin and tummy weight. The first places to decrease were my chin and tummy. My hips and butt are still sizeable compared to the rest of me. That's going to take extra work and diligence on my part to get to the point where all available fat stores are gone and the last places are my hips and butt. Then I will start to see a reduction there.
When you say "eat healthy," do you follow any particular plan? Do you count calories, weigh food, measure out portions? I used to eat healthy as well (no soda, no fast food, no candy, etc) and I was still heavy because I would overeat. I would have twice the serving of rice that I needed just because I thought I was hungry and I felt like eating it. Same with fruits and curries that I made. Revisit your eating habits and see if you can determine a calorie range for your height, weight and goal. It will need some tweaking but you should figure it out and start losing weight. Eventually, your chin and tummy will go down.
Sites to figure out calorie requirements: Freedieting, dailyplate and sparkpeople. I think with sparkpeople you need an account to figure out your calories. I don't use it so I'm unfamiliar with the site, but there are plenty of chickies here that can help you! and good luck in your journey!
Last edited by Sunnigummi; 09-21-2009 at 12:59 PM.
The good news is, if you carry most of your weight in your stomach, as you lose weight, that area will shrink. But no matter where you carry your weight, to lose it, you have to do the same thing - eat less calories than you burn!
Thanks ladies..
Regarding eating is healthy and small portions..I do not weigh out my servings, but i could never eat a lot at one meal anyway..my issue was always eating junk..so my eating habits and portions are great. I just tend to hold it there..my fear is as I lose it in my stomach and face i will lose it in the other places I mentioned that I don't need to really lose it in so i thought there may be a particularly good workout that I won't break my neck doing..
Sounds like you have to make a deal with God, because that's what it will take to spot reduce. I bet you were thinking that we'd suggest ab exercises but noooo. Your body loses weight the way it's programmed to, it's not possible to control where you will lose the weight.
You CAN however build muscle and sculpt your body the way you like, by lifting weights. For example if you sculpt your upper body you will be improving your posture and accentuating your muscles. This will emphasize your gorgeous upper body, elongate your torso, and minimize your waist, how about THAT!
My advice on cardio is to always keep your ab muscles engaged while you're walking. I force myself to keep my tummy tucked in when I walk. It's strange and tiring at first but eventually after a month or so those muscles learn to do it for themselves. It makes a huge world of difference in tummy fat and I hate ab exercises (I don't even do them).
My advice on cardio is to always keep your ab muscles engaged while you're walking. I force myself to keep my tummy tucked in when I walk. It's strange and tiring at first but eventually after a month or so those muscles learn to do it for themselves. It makes a huge world of difference in tummy fat and I hate ab exercises (I don't even do them).
I always learn new stuff on this site - it's awesome! I'm going to do that starting today! Thanks for the tip!
Yes, you really can't decide where you gain and lose your fat. I have read that stress sometimes leads to fat accumulation around the belly. So, it might help to reduce stress.
...I force myself to keep my tummy tucked in when I walk. It's strange and tiring at first but eventually after a month or so those muscles learn to do it for themselves...
I thought I was the only strange one doing that . I do the same thing. Even when I am just standing & talking I always tuck my tummy in. It may have started as a vanity thing but now it's become second nature.
Unfortunately, I have the same advice, cardio and strength training. Spot reduction does not work. Good luck!
Regarding the stress->belly fat, it does seem as if high cortisol levels lead to an increased amount of visceral fat, located under your abdominal muscles (this is the bad fat, and why a high waist/hip ratio is a danger sign).
If your waistline is thick because of visceral fat, then you can take steps to reduce your cortisol levels. To reduce cortisol levels, make sure you get enough sleep, exercise regularly, ensure you get enough vitamin C, ad practice stress reduction techniques (yoga, deep breathing, etc). Over time, reducing your cortisol level should result in a reduction of visceral fat, so in a way it is a form of spot reduction.
Won't do anything for your chin, though. BTW, subcutaneous fat (under chin and surface belly fat) can be lipo'ed but visceral fat cannot.
my fear is as I lose it in my stomach and face i will lose it in the other places I mentioned that I don't need to really lose it in
Well, it's entirely possible that you will lose weight in those places, assuming there's enough fat there to lose. But if you don't want to finally get your tummy flat enough to make you happy and end up with scrawny arms or legs, that's where strength training will help! Building a little muscle will make you look healthy and strong, and it can even help with loose skin issues that some people have after weight loss. Also, strength training is great for your bones!
If you don't like traditional aerobics, but want to get your heart rate up in a fat burning zone, you might want to try Ellen Barrett's Fat Burning Fusion. It's a standing total body workout without any jumping or dancey moves. I love that it's done barefoot. You can find it at Collage Videos. It's in my rotation today as a matter of fact and I always look forward to it.
I think you will be amazed, simply amazed as you reach your goal (what does it say you're 20 lbs away?) where those last pounds will come off of and just how great the difference is. I sure know I was amazed. Yes, it will be your most stubborn and troublesome spot(s).
Even the last itty bitty 5 pounds will make a HUGE difference. I know for me, that yes, my face is much slimmer (too slim some would say) and my upper body a bit boney looking when I'm at my healthiest/goal weight (I'm about 6 pounds from my lowest right now), but that is how I am happiest with my bottom half of me. There is no way around it! Like has been said we can't pick and choose where the fat comes off of and in what order (if only!!).
So really, when you get down to your goal weight I am sure you will be pleased with your chin and tummy, though those spots you didn't want to get any slimmer, just may do so. But you will be so pleased with your overall results I don't think you'll mind all that much.
Keep up the great work and I look forward to hearing of your continued success.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 02-11-2010 at 06:10 AM.
I always considered my tummy a problem, but despite having lost weight evenly (I measure) it appears less prominent now than it did previously. Maybe, I`ve lost weight from the sides at my hips and more from the front at my tummy? Hard to say but in the morning, it`s almost flat now.
The one thing which I felt has made a difference is carb curfew - no/low carbs at night. I have started to include more carbs again recently because I want to find out how much I can tolerate to maintain my weight, and I feel when I had a lot of carbs one night, my belly is large again the next morning. Carbs eaten during the day do not do this, but the evening meal seems to make a real difference.
Great ways to lose belly fat only
and good luck in your journey!
. I do the same thing. Even when I am just standing & talking I always tuck my tummy in. It may have started as a vanity thing 
but now it's become second nature. 
