So frustrated now. I exercise nearly every day and rarely go over my calorie limit, but I feel like I have been stuck on the same jeans size forever. I'm sure that I am losing weight still (trying to resist the temptation of weighing in until my 1-year anniversary in July), but I just can't seem to shrink this stupid belly of mine

I carry my weight in my lower abdominal area. It has always kept me from fitting into smaller sizes. I have the next size down in jeans ready to go and after weeks I still feel tight in them. My legs fit in them, in fact the jeans may be a little loose in the legs, but they are still tight around the tummy. I do ab exercises but they don't seem to do much to shrink the lower or upper abs.

I do see some progress in the abdominal area - I can feel the hip bones and the sides of my abdominal area are hollowing out a bit - but other than surgery (which ain't happening for a long time, if ever) I think I'm stuck with this huge fatty gut and I hate it.

one thing that does contribute to abdominal fat deposition is stress - stress increases the amount of cortisol in your bloodstream and that stimulates gut depositing.

have you tried yoga? you might be able to benefit in more ways than one from it.

It's probably not you, it's the jeans. I've had this happen too (funny it seems like I just typed this somewhere else. )

Go to the store and try different styles on. Try the stretchy jeans especially. They seem most forgiving on bellies. You might even be a size smaller than you think.

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Just keep losing fat. Eventually you'll lose it where you want to.

You can do all the crunches you want but that has nothing to do with losing abdominal fat other than crunches burn a minute number of calories. Crunches actually can be bad for you. I'd suggest planks instead to work your abs. Not going to help belly fat but they are safer.

If you lose enough fat eventually the belly has to go! Just keep doin' what you're doin'.

I'm the same height as you, close to the same weight, and I have the exact same problem. I've found I can wear track pants in an 18 since the waists are stretchy, but when it comes to jeans I still have to wear a 22/24 since most of my weight is carried in my tummy. Jeans typically leave me with really baggy thighs and especially a baggy butt. I've been in the same size for the last 40 pounds so I totally know where you're coming from. But hang in there! It gets smaller little by little.

Thx for the encouragement and suggestions. I know that you can't control where the weight comes off, but I wish I could. I would gladly trade in my newly-bony clavicle and shoulder blades for a tinier tummy

KittyKatFan, I'm in the same boat - except I carry all my excess fat in both my lower abdomen AND my legs. The fat in those areas has definitely been reduced a lot as I've continued losing, but they're just never going to be anywhere near as lean as my upper body. But, where the fat is coming off for you may change as you continue to lose; I thought I'd always have big hips, and I no longer really do. Keep going, and know that no matter what you're going to feel GREAT about how you look when you get to goal.

Ditto to that xD....I didn't notice a difference in my stomache and legs for a LONGGGG time. Even now, it seems like I've portionally shrunk everywhere except those to areas...Hang in there, and eventually it has to go

I don't know what it is about plus sized clothing and apple shapes but for some reason it takes a while for us to go down in sizes. I was in an 18w-20w from 275 lbs to 225 lbs, then a 16W from 225 down to 210 and then boom suddenly I was 14R and less than 10 lbs later a 12 and now every 10 lbs or so is a new size. Now I'm a size 6. Me! Yes i still have a hanging belly (to put it kindly) but its shrunk so much more than I expected and you really can't tell through clothes at all.

Just stick with it and keep going. Stay encouraged! You'll get there! Soon when you start going through sizes quickly, you'll long for the days when you could wear the same pair of pants for months!

I feel your pain!! Jeans suck!! I was looking at sizing charts today....and on some of them I am a size 6 if you go by hip size and a size 12 if you go by waist!! My size 12 American Eagles are falling off my butt...and I have saggy bumm and lose thighs...but I like the way my stomach doesn't pop over...aka..muffin top. I think when I hit 160 I'll go try on a pair of 10's...but I know my belly will be to big...some one suggested to me to just take the 12's and get them tailored...so maybe that could work for you?

Good luck and congrats on your success so far you have done amazing!!!

Keep on trucking!! Jeans truly do suck!!!

As you continue to lose body fat, it'll go away, PROMISE! You've come so far!!!

Also, ditch all the targeted ab work. It won't make a lick of difference. Abs are made in the kitchen. Like John said, planks are a lot safer than crunches, anyway. All crunches do is strain your neck. Strength train everywhere!

I feel your pain!!!!

I have a huge belly. It's not a tummy. It's not balanced out with big hips and thighs. Even when I weighed 200 lbs - it was there. I could weigh 150. It would still be there. It's just my Mexican genes. My aunts who weigh in the 130s have it. We commesirate. It sucks. We gain all our weight in our mid-section.

I'm determined as **** to find out what weight I need to be for it to not be so obvious. I am taller then them.

Does anyone know or have the body type I'm talking about?

I just read a book called "Wheat Belly" by Dr. William Davis...WOW! I may never pick up another bagel again...and it makes SO much sense. he has a blog too (wheatbellyblog.com)...it's has a lot of great info about the ill effects of wheat/gluten, and the before and after pic of the success stories are really inspirational. Most of the people held the weight in their bellies (like myself)...they gave up the wheat and the belly disappeared. I'm going to give it a shot, I know it won't be easy, but we all know that weight loss never is. *sigh*

Oh I feel your pain too. I'm nearly at target and my belly simply refuses to shrink. Everything else has slimmed right down but that wobbly, hangy tummy refuses to shift. Instead of from there, the latest place shrinking fast is my boobs. Sigh.

It's the one area that really makes me feel self-conscious, but I'm trying to accept that I can't change it without surgery which is something I can't afford.

I even tried the giving up what thing mentioned above and it didn't work for me. This belly is destined to haunt me, I think *roll eyes*