Hi! I'm trying to lose that baby belly that's been bulging out there for over 5 years now! I still look pregnant!
I'm not a fan of crunches. Does the Ab Roller work? Any other ideas to flatten this area? I had 2 c-sections and I've been told this hinders my chances of losing this lower bulge.
I think it's all fat. When I walk, it jiggles, and it's embarrasing. I'm sure it needs strengthening to flatten it, but how? I don't want to do a million crunches everyday if it's not going to help.
This is really my only problem area. The rest of my body (except maybe my butt!) is a good size. I'm a pear shape, and I've never been one before. Also, I'm going from a size 14 pants to 16, so I know it's getting bigger down there. I'm totally ashamed of how I look.
Heidi - the only way to lose belly fat is by creating a calorie deficit, which means eating fewer calories than your body requires for exercise and daily activity. That way your body is forced to burn some of its stored fat to meet its energy needs. Unfortunately, we can't control WHERE our bodies will take fat from for fuel - we can't tell ourselves to burn off the belly fat first. Some people seem to lose fat from the head down, some people end up lop-sided for awhile, and everyone seems to lose their problem spot LAST of all.
Crunches will strengthen the ab muscles that are underneath your belly fat, but can't make the belly fat go away and can't flatten your stomach if there's still fat on top. Fat and muscles are two entirely different parts of your body, and strengthening your ab muscles isn't going to do much to get rid of the fat layer over them. The fitness models in those Ab Roller ads have extremely low levels of body fat that they achieved through diet, not the Ab Roller. There's a saying that 'abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym' and that means that what you eat is a lot more important for a toned tummy than doing crunches.
Keep in mind, though, that building muscle all over will help boost your metabolism, which is why strength training is an important part of any weight loss program.
omg, I have this very same problem!!! I have been working out 6 days a week, cardio and weight lifting, and my belly is SLOWLY going down, but not as much as the rest of me. I have even been told by several differant people that having had 3 pregnancies, I will never ever have a flat tummy again!! :-( Especially because the last 2 were cesareans, apparantly I am now screwed. What to do??? I even scheduled a visit with a plastic surgeon to discuss a "tummy tuck", but to tell you the truth, I am completely terrified of the procedure!! Sniff...
missing my flat belly too....
paloma
Just a word or caution- if you still have fat to lose, you would really be doing yousrself a disservice to have a tummy tuck before you lose the fat. You'll get the best results if you are really at your goal before you have the surgery, despite whether or not a surgeon tells you you are a good candidate. Remember, this is one area of medicine where it's strictly fee for service: those docs are selling hope. I had a tummy tuck 15 pounds above the weight at which I'm currently maintaining, and now wish I could have another. The skin is loose again! I was a great candidate: I had lost 45 pounds and maintained that loss for 3 years and was in really good physical condition, other than my pregnancy shredded belly. But I knew I really could stand to lose more, and the TT in some ways spurred me on to do it, but now I wish I'd waited until I had lost the weight. It was terrifying, but worth it.
Hi Mel, thanks for the word of advice. When I had my first visit at the doctor's office, they told me to make sure and lose ALL the weight I planned on loosing, and it's nice to hear from someone who has gone through the TT to second that. You say it was indeed terrifying, but worth it, so, before you lost the rest of your weight, you were very pleased with the outcome? Did it take along time to heal? Can you still excercise your abs n such after this type of procedure? Wow, it's so cool to be able to quiz someone who actually did this!!!!!!! thank you for sharing!!!
Paloma Teresa
Meg, thank you sooo much for the info on the sticky, I have been reading up on all the info, and info there is!! I had no idea this was all written here!
thx,
Trying to lose the baby belly
