How do I get rid of the larger than ever roll under my bellybutton?

To lose fat you have to really watch your food intake. Not just calories, but what kinds of foods you are eating. Lean protein and lots of veggies are how I'm working on creating a lean body.

lots of crunches too. I'm in the same boat...ughh

The truth of the matter is that there is no such thing as spot reducing. If you incorporate and ab routine you can possibly improve the appearence of that area (and get a jumpstart for when the fat there is gone). But, you'll have to keep eating well, exercising, and losing fat in the meantime. Eventually your body will begin using the fat below your bellybotton as fuel and it will begin to shrink. But, we just can't control how our bodies chose to distribute fat as we gain it or how it uses fat as we lose it.

Crunches might help for toning once you have lost the weight....but you won't see the six pack until you have lost the weight off the top...patience darlings...stay OP and it will happen...

I say that like I know something....it's not like I can see any six packs on myself...but it sounded good, huh?

I'd venture a guess most of us are in the same boat. I can say one thing from experience, when I first lost most of the weight I've lost, I wasn't doing any weight training. I had a lot of extra skin...it has slowly gotten better with 4 days a week in the gym (since May). I'm hoping than when I get to goal there will be a lot of toned muscles left....

Someone told me to lay flat on my back and grab hold of the loose stuff. If it's thick and moldable, it's fat. Underneath you will find muscle. Go ahead and poke. Lose the fat and the muscle will be closer to the top.

I would love to get rid of my little pouch also. Luckily for me, the weight usually comes off my stomach area before anything else so hopefully it'll all shrink away soon. Everyone's body is different. It's too bad we can't spot reduce.

If I lay on my back and reach for the flab there, it isnt there..WHHHEWWWW. But when I Stand up I have a LITTLE pooch!

well.. i started the day with a cup of hot cocoa and 2 apples.. and a very light dressing caesar salad. plan on walking to the park today and go swing.

My little budda belly has all but dissapeared since I started running! I HATE running (but I'm doing it!) and in just a few weeks I noticed the difference!

So I wouldn't say go running every day, but cardio will make a BIG difference to the amount of overall fat you can loose, just step it up a notch every now and then to keep yourself challenged.

hi christine

first of all jawsmom is right. you can't spot reduce, you need to reduce weight overall with cardio and resistance training and dietary changes

i looked at what you ate for breakfast and if you don't mind some suggestions, it is all carbs/sugar. an apple, hot chocolate and ceasar dressing (a bit of fat in ceasar and sugar). if you would like to lose your tummy it would be good to add some grains and replace some sugar with protein such as nuts or eggs, cottage cheese, tahini - something like that.

also there may be bloating if you don't drink enough water, have an acidic diet, too many carbonated drinks or a food intolerance (eg gluten)

hope that helps good luck

Green tea would be a nice substitute for the hot chocolate. I wish you'd had a protein in there somewhere.

hmmm.. what could a few breakfast ideas be? I really want to keep the hot chocolate in the morning..

would oatmeal and hot chocolate be ok?

Christine - I have to tell you a funny story... WHen I was pregnant I gained a LOT of weight - my obgyn had me keep track of what I ate in a given week - I thought I did extra good that week - ate oatmeal for breakfast, yada yada yada... I proudly handed my journal to him the following Friday and he said to me

(Are you ready for this?!)

"It wouldn't kill you to eat an egg once in a while"

Cripes. Sometimes you just can't do the right thing no matter how hard you try.

Hey - if you like hot cocoa - by all means have it. Only one cup and try to get the Sugar Free Stuff... no marshmallows etc... maybe eventually you will feel more like lternating with a nice green tea or something else...

Breakfast could include an agg - maybe hardboiled if you are pressed for time, maybe a small cheese sandwhich - or perhaps peanut butter sandwhich. I used to do peanut butter on celery sticks too once in a while... You could also think about a yogurt now and then.

This morning I ate a yogurt, a cup of coffe, oatmeal with raisins and 4 glasses of water. What you choose will likely depend on which diet plan you choose - I saw you post over at JG 3HD - if that is your choice let me know and we can brainstorm for some good breakfast ideas over there...

Hang in there! We'll do this - you'll see!