Okay, so that's a crude way to put it...but it's the truth. Before my pregnancy my stomach was always flat (man I miss those bikini's). Unfortunately, as I mentioned in my first post, I didn't find out I was pregnant until I was 6 months along...so I had to gain weight fast (which I had no problem doing thanks to Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism and bedrest). Now my problem is that most of my weight is in my stomach, regularly causing me to be mistaken for someone with "a bun in the oven". Even as I lose weight (15.6 lbs down, 71 to go) I am noticing it "retreat" a bit, but not as fast/noticable as when I did Atkins (went from 203 lbs down to 140 lbs in 3 months). I know that I am in this for the long-haul, and I am not looking for the type of quick fix/fleeting results I experienced with Atkins. I guess I am just afraid that I am going to lose all of the weight and still have a big ol' pertruding belly. I know, and have read earlier posts stating that I might have a bit of leftover skin...that's not what I'm referring to. I do have insulin resistance...to the max, and have read that people with this problem tend to put on weight in their stomach. Is this true? Also, due to the size of my stomach and how disproportionate it is to the rest of my body (don't go getting any visuals now ) is it possible that I am holding a lot of water weight there? When I mention diproportinate don't get me wrong, I still have a lot of weight to lose from elsewhere, it's just that my stomach is so dang big! Will I lose it? I'm 5 foot 6, medium bone structure. When I get down to 125 (or somewhere around there, since I'm strength training) will I be slim everywhere but my stomach? Is there anyone out there who has lost a lot and actually lost the belly fat without the help of a surgeon? I have high regards for those of you that have the nerve (balls ) to go through with a tummy tuck, but there's just something disturbing about having someone make me a "new bellybutton". Does anyone on here have the same bellyfat problem as me, and if so do you have insulin resistance, hypothyroidism, etc? And if you have lost it, how did you do it (just dieting, low calorie)? I am having an irrational (maybe) fear that my low calorie diet will not make my belly diminish. I know this sounds absurd, and the logical part of my mind has officially labeled me paranoid, but I can't help it! So...what do you think? Advice, personal stories, words of encouragement, elaborate quotes from the American Journal of Medicine...anything!

Much love (and appreciation for everyone's patience, as I can't seem to write short posts for some reason ),

Amanda

Hang in there, your belly WILL diminish! It might not ever get back to the way it was before your pregnancy though (without a tummytuck). I have heard (from watching plastic surgery shows on TV ) that sometimes after pregnancy the abdominal muscles are stretched out so much that they are unable to fully recover without surgery, resulting in a little bit of extra belly. I think this usually happens to people who have had multiple pregnancies in a short time though (like a kid a year for three years).

That said, the fat will diminish if you continue to eat right and exercise. I think what you are worried about is not "belly fat" so much as skin and protruding muscles though, right? Because fat on your belly isn't any different from fat anywhere else. It might take a little longer to go down than other areas, but it will eventually go away (or at least you'll have less of it). The skin, unfortunately, I don't think you can do anything about at all (except to lose at a sensible rate instead of too fast). As for the muscles, well, assuming that they weren't damaged by your pregnancy, you should incorporate muscle strengthening in your exercise routine and do some crunches. But don't forget that crunches won't make belly fat go away, only diet and cardio will make fat go away.

Anyway, I hope that helped. Chances are your body just likes to store its fat in the belly area, so you will lose from other places first, but eventually the belly will go away! Hang in there!

I have heard that when you lose weight, the belly is one of the last places you will see a difference. Some people see a difference in the belly really quickly, but I've lost 33 pounds, and I haven't noticed any big difference, although the other day I was putting my belt on, and i noticed that I have moved up 4 belt loops I don't know anything about pregnancies, or losing weight after a pregnancy, but seeing as you still have 71 pouds to lose, you will probably start seeing a difference when your lose about 30 pounds.

Good luck with everything.

Thanks Paperclippy, and Raiatheplaya! I hope you guys are right, and hope that my muscles are not damaged! How about the insulin resistance thing...is it true that people with insulin resistance tend to carry a large amount of weight in their stomach? That's what I've heard, and read, but I'm really not sure. The only reason why I tend to believe that is that when I was low carbin' it (Atkins) the first place that I lost the weight from was my stomach...and fast! I wonder why that is???

Ok, here is what I've heard. This is paraphrased from the book, Lose your Mummy Tummy. Take it with a grain of salt, it might just be a ploy to sell books...

During pregnancy, your abdominal muscles seperate. This is called diastasis (sp?). Sometimes, your body will stick these muscles back together quickly (as in the handful of girls that can wear pre-pregnancy pants as they leave the hospital). More often, you are left with a gap in the muscles. You can tell by laying down and slowly crunching up with your hand vertical a few inches below your belly button. Is there a gap? There is for me. There are exercises that reduce this gap, bringing your muscles back together and flattening your tummy. Apparently all the situps and Pilates in the world can't speed up the process.

One of the things this lady says, is to take a long piece of fabric and splint your muscles together when you work out. This encourages the muscles to flatten instead of push out the fat.

I read through the book, but haven't attempted any of the exercises. I am still debating if it sounds true or like a load of crap. Maybe I should quit debating and try some of the exercises!

I guess my point is, that it probably isn't excess fat, but more like the fat is sitting funky on your muscles. Make sense?

I'll look up the exercises and see what they entail. I'll let you know what I find. When I read through the book I hadn't gotten the doc's OK to start exercising yet, so they may be useful. At least we have beautiful children, even if our badge of courage is a flabby, stretch marked tummy!

I just started doing the south beach diet. I found that my stomach (which is my problem area) started getting smaller and tighter than it's been since hs. Come to find out that is what the SBD does, the way you are eating, causes the fat in your stomach to disappear first. That is what I was told in the SBD forum anyways...I'm a believer.

I was a big time bread, bread, and more breead eater. Doing SBD your first restricted eating breads, and pretty much anything white, but you soon add them back into your diet with moderation, so it's not like you'll never have bread again...anyways, rambling now...

If you want to know more about sbd, check out the Fat Chicks on the Beach forum, lots of good info there, if your interested that is.

Merideth...that sounds great, I would definately appreciate any stomach-reducing exercises you can share! I finally went out and got another body ball (Jobe broke my last one bouncing it into the furniture), since my back will not allow me to do crunches on the floor I was going to work my abs on the ball. I would be so mad if that book is right, and I've been causing my abs to pertrude out more by doing crunches! Anyways, dish it girl...I'm all ears. Badge of courage, yeah...I guess I needed that reminder as my little "angel" has been testing my patience, and my sanity lately. 5 year old boys are such a handfull!

Beans - Thanks for the tip. As I said, I have done Atkins before...pretty successfully for three months. I know Atkins is different, and much less healthy than SBD, but why is it that you lose the belly fat first? I'm thinking that it has something to do with insulin resistance causing you to store fat in your belly (I think I remember reading that in the Atkins Diet book, for whatever it's worth). I do own the SBD book. I bought it some time ago and read it, but never got around to trying it. That's a great idea, I'll check out that board and see if it's for me. Thanks for the advice!

Anyone else with any other idea's, experience, recommendations...I would appreciate it!

Much Love,
Amanda