Ok, here is a question my dh asked me last night.

Why can you wear the same shirt all day and sometimes your stomach will look flat and sometimes it will look like you have a little belly? (OK, so he's not exactly a PC kind of fellow...but he did preface the question with I'm not trying to hurt your feelings or anything...I just want to know.)

Well, this was my non-educated answer:
I think it is becuase I haven't drank my usual amount of water today and I'm retaining water. Not to mention I'm scheduled for TOM.

I'm going to research the "real" answer. Anyone else know from research the real answer?

Here are a few things I've found:

Eating habits are just as critical to leaning up your midsection. Replace sodium, sugar and preservative laden foods with fresh whole unprocessed foods. Drink as much water as you can all day long to flush away bloating. Drink ice chilled water and you'll burn a few extra calories as your body works to warm it up.

Avoid beer and other alcoholic beverages. They have been associated with a rise in cortisol, a hormone that seems to steer fat toward the tummy. I'm sure you've heard of the ole beer belly. There may just be some truth to that.

Finally, train your abdominal muscles by simply keeping them contracted when performing all your other exercises, when sitting, standing or driving. Consciously holding them in can reduce back strain and help to flatten the area.

this was at www.bluesuitmom.com

I'm having a very frustrating time finding anything that isn't touting working the abs!

This one from exercise.about.com (I still haven't "really" found the answer to the question):

Women, in particular, tend to store fat around the lower belly area causing that annoying lower belly pooch. Men tend to store fat around the middle, causing that annoying spare tire effect.

Yes, you can exercise and reduce your body fat, but you can't choose where you lose fat.
To get six-pack abs, you may have to drop your body fat to a level that is either a struggle to maintain or downright unhealthy. Many of us have the goal to get six-pack abs but most of us will find it difficult to reach that goal.If this is true for you, trying to reach an impossible goal is only going to make you crazy. Set reachable goals for yourself and make friends with your belly. Remember that we all have flaws and perfection isn't an option unless you head to your nearest surgeon. Instead of doing that, challenge yourself by taking care of your body and accepting it--good, bad and ugly.

Well, I think I may have found my culprit. At least for yesterday. I had a drink in the early evening (around 5ish) and dh's question was a couple of hours after this.

Found this clip at http://www.womenfitness.net/flat_abs.htm

But there's also evidence that beer, more than other kinds of alcohol, may cause more fat to settle on your belly. Research at the University of North Carolina at Chap I Hill found that among those who had more than six drinks a week, beer drinkers had the highest waist-to-hip-ratios-followed by those who who opted for liquor. Wine drinkers had the slimmest waistlines.

Ok, I'm done with my research. Feel free to add!!

I'll skip the 6 pack abs..can I settle for a 2 pack?? I'd like no lower belly pooch..flat but maybe not muscle. Obtainable? Who knows. lol

Hmm, all makes sense to me. Good research. I don't want a muscle belly either. I like curvy soft stuff. Just not as much of it as I currently have. I just want a pretty flat tummy. It doesn't have to be perfect, just enough to wear whatever I want.

Tell him the material in the skirt has stretched out with the days wear so it just "looks" like you have a tummey. It's true with jeans, why not skirts

Thanks for sharing all of this information, Lori. And the womenfitness.net is great!