hello, my name is melissa. i am currently on a diet and plan to lose another 10 pounds or so, but my main goal is to get rid of my "pooch," as people like to call it, the little belly fat over my lower abs. i read on a few websites that the best way is to lose the weight as well as work the abs...once the fat starts to melt away, the muscle underneath will start to show. well, i kept this idea in mind, and i had gone on a diet before and was almost at my ideal weight, and i did abs every day, but i still had the pooch. this time, i want to get rid of it, i just want a flat stomach! does anybody have any advice on how to get rid of "the pooch"? are there certain foods that i should cut out or certain exercises i can do?

I don't think any certain foods will target a specific body part. What I've found is exercise....I lay on my back (on a hard surface) and raise my legs- keep them together and straight. Start high and slowly lower them, and count and hold...you'll feel this in that area. Keep adding more reps each night...it works better than stomach crunches!


Highest weight 209#
Today's weight 150#
Lifetime WW Member since 2004

Idealperson, since I can't really do sit-ups or crunches due to repeated abd. hernia's, I do the exercise that you mentioned. It has seemed to help my tummy become a little flatter.

Is your "pooch" on top of your abs and not on your lower abdomen??

The only reason I question is because you CAN workout your abs, but below the belly button and above the pubis you can't really do any "work-out" because there aren't any muscles there. That is something that can only be handled with through diet (and hoping that it comes off there because you can't spot reduce on a diet) or have a mini tummy tuck or even opt for an alternative route such as mesotherapy (which is where they inject a "fat-eating" type compound into the problem area and a lil bit of fat can be dissolved--- this is a realtively new procedure in the states but has been out in France for a while).

thanx for all of the responses, they are really helpful!!

i think that what some of you said about needing to simply get rid of the fat is probably right, i do need to just see how i will be once i get down to my ideal weight...and the pooch is more underneath my belly button...so there isnt any way i can work that area?

as for exercise, i am on a crew team for my college so i get plenty of cardio every day, and i plan on running during the summer...do you have any good suggestions for types of exercise that might target that area? i have noticed that runners typically have flatter stomachs, is this because running works that area more than other sports?

Melissa, accounting for your young age and your relatively low bmi, you should only probably need to "diet" and do some cardio to burn some fat off.

I totally retract my statement about any surgery or mesotherapy because given this extra information it would seem to be unneccessary.

Hi Melissa, we have almost exactly the same stats. I also have that pooch (and a little lovehandle). I don't think it's going away, so I'm learning to live with it. I even pierced my bb a couple weeks ago.

Is Crew difficult? It's something I've thought about doing.

thank you for all of your suggestions! i suppose you are right redlight, i might just have to learn to accept that my body is this way. i will try the ab exercises and just dieting and cardio to burn off the fat as you all suggested tho! thanks!

oh sry i forgot to add this...crew is, well, like every exercise...it really sucks when you are doing it because you just want the peice to end, but afterward you feel so good and especially powerful. i like it just as much as i like running or swimming, and i dont think its as hard as everyone makes it out to be. what i really like about it is that your teammates push you to try your hardest, because you cant give up our you will dissappoint them, unlike running or swimming, where you are only fighting for yourself so its easier to just give up. its a great team sport, and its really good for toning up your body too.

Hi. I too am dealing with the belly fat and the fact that it just doesn't seem to be going away. Right now all I am doing is walking a couple of miles a day, and really watching my total fat intake. It worked for me before and hopefully it will again, but I am a bit older now. Cardio is probably the best thing for both of us...I just need to find a really good tape that is doable for an old woman. lol.