The Tummy Area - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

runningfrom140 · 05-23-2011, 09:20 AM

Good Morning Everyone-
I have a question about the dreaded tummy area. How do I make this dang thing go away? I am working out-mostly strength training with some cardio mixed in, along with core workouts. I am following 1500 calories a day, and I am losing weight. But, I feel like my stomach won't budge. My clothes are getting loser, but I just don't see it in my stomach. I only lost a 1/2 inch in my stomach last month. I want it to go away, but what else can I do? Does it move this slow for everyone? Thanks for the help!

Aunt Sheshie · 05-23-2011, 10:42 AM

The dabate raging on ~~ can we spot-reduce or can't we?.. for an interesting perspective, read this Lyle McDonald article... I still don't know what to think...

btw, I used to live not far from you, many years ago, in Goldsboro, NC... I've never been to Calabash, but I know the area... lovely place...

hugs

fitness4life · 05-23-2011, 11:35 AM

Interesting article. Admittedly, I didn't read every single word, just skimmed it, so my opinion here is based on formal education and personal experience.

Similar to her point about a person who eats a lot should have a skinny face due to using the facial muscles more, if the theory of spot reduction holds water, a great example I use for clients is, when someone is in a wheel chair, do their legs gain more fat than anywhere else? No... a lot of times the muscle atrophy makes their legs smaller and definitely not fatter.

Personal experience is this: I have a whispy figure. Tall and lean. I carry fat in my gut. I am also known as the "ab queen" at my gym because I have a list of 30+ ways to work your core that I share with anyone who dares to ask. I still have belly fat. Yes, I had 4 kids and there's stretchy skin, but no where else on my body do I have more fat than my abs. So all the core work in the world doesn't change my "problem" area. But my fitness level allows me to keep my belly pretty flat - I just have to watch that my limbs don't look too skinny.

I have very little fat on my arms and legs due to genetics. So because I lift weights, my limbs are defined, or "cut". If I carried fat on my limbs genetically, I may have turned out to look "bulky". Before I lifted weights seriously, my limbs looked sickly small. When I was fatter (not heavier, but fatter - less muscle and more body fat) my arms STILL looked too skinny - because genetically I carry fat in my gut.

You can't change your genetics but you can aim for changing your problem area and know that the rest of your body will be affected accordingly.

runningfrom140 · 05-23-2011, 04:42 PM

I am hoping that with all over strength training and core exercises and the change in diet that I will see a noticeable difference soon. It just stinks everything is soooo slow!

fitness4life · 05-23-2011, 07:49 PM

running, keep on keeping on. There are so many ppl in my gym who embarked on this journey and 12 months later have transformed their lives. You gottat love it, though. It is a lifestyle change, not a temporary diet. THAT is what to embrace. The new you will show up soon enough.

Patience. Hard work. And more patience.

bluemonday · 05-23-2011, 07:53 PM

A lot of the tummy thing is genetic. Even when I weiged 180 I still had a fairly flat stomach. It was weird. I know athletic women who still have a little tummy pudge.

RRB2 · 05-24-2011, 12:31 AM

It's very annoying, but it's mostly genetic (just like others said).
I used to be size 8 before having kids and always had a tummy - I was a runner + strength training, working my abs, vegetarian healthy eater

For some of us it's very, very tough to achieve "cut" abs.
I presume that it will take yaers for me to get a somewhat flatter belly again.
Hang on there!

fitmom · 07-12-2011, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runningfrom140

Good Morning Everyone-
I have a question about the dreaded tummy area. How do I make this dang thing go away? I am working out-mostly strength training with some cardio mixed in, along with core workouts. I am following 1500 calories a day, and I am losing weight. But, I feel like my stomach won't budge. My clothes are getting loser, but I just don't see it in my stomach. I only lost a 1/2 inch in my stomach last month. I want it to go away, but what else can I do? Does it move this slow for everyone? Thanks for the help!

Have you tried running? I always had a pooch even before kids so I feel your pain, lol. Running along with HIIT has been the only thing that has lowered my body fat and tightened my midsection. There's still a bit of it left - mostly around my navel but the upper abs and very lower ones are looking much better. Also, cutting out the sugar and drinking lots of water has helped too. It takes time, I know. Hope this helps.

katylil · 07-24-2011, 08:07 AM

As above, cardio and fat loss is what you need to work on. You can strength train your abs as much as you like and yes, they will get strong and yes, you will look smaller in that area but the fat will still be on top of your abs, stopping your tummy from properly "disappearing".

Also, tummy's tend to be the last place you lose weight from. I read an article somewhere (I'll try and find it so I can post the link here) about how, because your vital organs are positioned in youe core section, when you're losing fat it first goes from your face and extremities because your body is intent on "protecting" your organs with as many layers as possible. Or something like that.

So basically: just keep working on it

if you're losing weight and you can see and feel the difference in your clothes, you're pretty much on the right track. Just be patient and give it time to work!

Good luck