I just read an article over on msnbc. com - Pump iron to stop middle-age spread - about a new study that was just released:

And:

(emphasis added)

So let's go lift some weights, ladies!

What about non middle age spread

I've had a fat tummy since I was 20 or so, now I'm 33, and I be lifting!! But to my mind my tummy looks worse than ever!!! To be fair, all my abs work has changed the shape of my tummy. *TMI alert* I think my trainer should have measured the length rather than width of my tummy, it used to touch my thighs! It was hidden under my jeans. Now it kind of has a centred raised section and sits out in front!!! Very weird the changes in our bodies when we lose weight!!!

I'll keep lifting, and hopefully improvement will come, or I'll meet a nice plastic surgeon

Bump worthy .... as Meg ususally is

kykaree- you may be "popping" your abdominal muscle when you are lifting instead of bearing down. It sounds strange, but i had an aerobics instructor tell us that if we didn't engage the core abdominals and only worked the surface ab muscles we would wind up with a firm but "popped" tummy, like a woman who is 4 months pregnant. I have a hard time explaining it, but if you are working at a gym or with a trainer, you may be able to ask someone if they can explain about properly engaging your abdominals during all your exercises. Posture is probably important as well.

that is too funny, because i know exactly what you are talking about.*** don't read this is you have problems with seeing things in your mind when you read them****

my tummy does the same thing. when i don't have clothes on, i can see the bottom half of my tummy hanging down. jeans makes it look like a pot belly, but with no support, it just droops down!!! and what i call my upper belly, it sticks out as far as my boobs do. i took my before picture....well, it's really my "after losing 17 pounds" picture, but you get the point, i took this photo of me in my workout pants and just my bra, turned to the side....and believe me...it is scarey. like looking at the goodyear blimp!!!

do you really have to do an hour of weight lifting at a time?? is it just working the whole gym room, doing upper body and lower body all at the same time?? i usually do upper body one day....and well, really that's all i have been focusing on it upper body. i was hoping the jogging would take care of lower body.

thanks for the article. i'm actualy going to click on the link and see if i can read the whole thing.

I don't think that's it. I do core strengthening exercises 3 - 4 days a week, and am very strict on engaging my core muscles in all exercises, I work pretty closely with a trainer.

Our family have a genetic predisposition to strange stomachs, so I think I'm stuck with it, we'll see what happens when the fat goes!!!

You gotta do your lower body too. I do an hour on upper body with a bit of lower body thrown in for balance on day 1 then day 2 do lower body with a bit of upper body. I easily do an hour at a time. Then on cardio days I do core for a nice balanced workout and a bit of a stretch.

I don't do lower body strengthening either. I am a deffinite apple shape- I am larger on top. I do treadmill/bike or a step aerobic tape for cardio. I really feel like I'm getting all the muscle in my legs/butt that I want. I really want to focus on getting my top half smaller so I'm better proportioned.

I think everybody needs to do what works for them and their body shape.

Since you do weights every day- are you doing different upper body muscles on day 1 and day 2? Be sure to rest muscles for 48 hours inbetween workouts.

I think it changes first and then gets smaller. What happened with mine was, I had a pot belly which one was big 'mound'. Now its two lumps of fat, but I've lost quite a bit in that middle. Its strange to 'celebrate' the fact that I have more lumps of fat, but its defenition.

Sue! That's what's happening to me (if I get the light right when I'm looking)!