[belezura]

Never heard of this complain before, but I think I can’t be the only one with this problem...
Before I started lift weight, my belly was flat.
Now that I’ve been working out with weights I got some muscles in my legs and arms even on my upper abb, but I also realized that I got a bit of stomach and completely lost my waist.
I started then pay attention to the other women who also lift weight at my gym and I see that ALL of them have no waist either...
I do sit ups and I am thinking that I am building muscle under my belly fat, which is pushing the fat out.
I do tons of cardio, so I guess it is just a stubborn region.

I think my point here is that I used to have a body shaped like Shakira and now I am losing that shape and becoming more like this woman from the pic. And I don’t want that (nothing against the women who opt for this body shape, just not for me).
All I want is toned arms and legs, but still have a girly shape (kind like Jillian Michaels-she is one of the very few fit women that I notice that got toned without losing all her waist).
What do I have to do to get that?
Should I stop working out my stomach?
I want my flat belly and waist back

[Renwomin]

Your post made me look at some pics of Jillian Michaels and I just realized that she almost always poses with one hip "cocked". I really do like her, but it does look like she is aiding the illusion that she is curvier than she really is.

Here is a picture of her that is more front on.



I know that wasn't in answer to your question, but I JUST noticed how she poses.

[belezura]

I did some search for her pics too... and do realize she also don’t have that much of a waist, but at least she got a flat stomach, while the woman in the pic I posted has her arms up, so her stomach also look flat. But it seems that if she puts her arms down and untuck her stomach we will see a bit of her belly sticking out.

[JustBeckyV]

I dont have a waist really - pretty straight up and down. I would love to have her abs but alas unless I have surgery it's not in the cards for me lol

[motivated chickie]

I was looking in some women's magazines- Shape & Self and I realized most of the models don't have that hourglass waist thing at all. Basically, their waists are straight and their bellies are flat.

That gave me comfort because I don't have a waist at all- it's the fat on the sides of my belly that gives anything of a resemblance of having curves.

That probably doesn't answer your question or make you feel better. But maybe that's what happens when we lose the fat, we lose the curvy shape.

[RunnerChemist]

I'm barrel chested like my dad, so I think that I'll never look like that. I also think that genetics (small ribcage, good hips) have something to do with this.

I am opting to accept my figure for what it is. I mean, it's definitely been worse, and my body can do good things.